Page 221 - King Lear: The Cambridge Dover Wilson Shakespeare

146 N O T E S x.x.
5. equalities...that i.e. their shares are so precisely
balanced that.... equalities (Q) F 'qualities'.
11. conceive you (Q, F) see G. Van Dam (p. 45)
conj. om. 'you', thus giving a neater quibble in 1. 12;
and 'you' may be a common error (see p. 139).
16. issue Quibble.
18-19. some year Cf. 1. 2. 5.
19-21. this,...yet was ( <Theob.) F 'this; who,...
account, though...for: yet was'. Theob.'s punc. gives
the sense understood by most edd. G.I.D. withdraws
F
defence of in 1949 ed. p. 359.
20. knave see G. to (F) Q (+Camb.) 'into'. But
c£ Cor. 5. 3. 125.
31. out=abroad.
31. (middle). S.D. Q, F'Sennet'—both prefixed
to the next S.D. See G. 'sennet'.
32. S.D. i (g) F om. (see 1. 138, n.); S.D. ii (F).
34. liege (<Q+Camb.) F 'Lord'—wh. sounds
very tame after 'Lords' in 1.33 (1949 ed. p. 165). S.D.
(after Cap.) F 'Exit.'. _
35. darker purpose i.e. the great sc. of love-contest
between the daughters he is preparing to spring upon the
world.
35-53. Q is here defective and corrupt; see p. 133-34.
36—7. we have divided...our kingdom Ominous to a
Jacobean audience many of whom would recall Matt,
xii. 25: 'Every kingdom divided against itself is brought
to desolation.' Cf. Tilley, K 89.
43. dowers Gon. and Reg. have been married only
recently.
52. nature...with merit i.e.naturalaffection (ofchild
towards father) along with merit. Lear implies that the
most fulsome declaration of natural affection will be
the most meritorious, and so most deserving of reward.
54. word(F) Collective.
55. space and liberty Hendiadys.