Page 333 - King Lear: The Cambridge Dover Wilson Shakespeare

258 NOTES 4-7.
and was followed by Al. (1951) and Muir (1952). To
J.D.W. Coll.'s argument is more specious than cogent.
Lear, restored to sanity, is 'still wide', still bewildered,
being' scarce awake', but now quite rational. Remember-
ing that he has been in hell, he thinks at first that he must
be in the next world and Cord.' a soul in bliss'. The ques-
tion 'when did you die?' is therefore perfectly natural
and affecting. The geographical question, 'where' wd
be irrational because pointless, 'all but nonsense'; the
question of a madman: and even if psychologically
defensible, which rightly considered it is not, wd be
dramatically inept, a mere puzzle to the reader or
spectator, a jarring note in an otherwise perfect move-
ment. The words 'when' and 'where' (sp. 'wher') are
often confused; cf. Qq. 2 H. IF, Ind. 36; Ham. 2. 2.
469 (N.S» 452).
51. sp.-hdg. (<Q) F'Gen.'. 53. mightily abused
'in a strange mist of uncertainty' (J. cf. 1. 5 5). But
poss.=grossly ill-treated; cf. 'his abused nature' (4. 7.
15); 'notoriously abused' (Tw.N. 5. 1. 378).
57. S.D. (J.D.W.) None in F, Q. O, look...sir,
She kneels before the chair-throne to catch his attention
and to ask his blessing; and then, as he rises to kneel also,
gently restrains him. Ace. to the stage tradition, begun
by Garrick (Sprague, p. 295), Lear only kneels, and
G.-B. (p. 182) says 'he totters [from the chair] to
kneel at Cordelia's feet'. Our business refines upon that
in the old Leir whence Sh. took it, as Greg.shows-
{Library, 4th ser. xx, 386-7). In King Leir (M.S.R.),
Jl. 2297-2302 run:
Cor. But looke, deare father, Iooke, behold and see
Thy louing daughter speaketh vnto thee. She kneeleS
Leir. O, stand thou vp, it is my part to kneele
And ask forgiuenesse for my former faults. he kneeles
Cor. O, if you wish I should inioy my breath,
Deare father rise, or I receiue my death. he riseth