Edg.
^{9 note}

The lowest, and most dejected thing of fortune,
Stands still in esperance, lives not in fear^{1 note}
:
The lamentable change is from the best;
The worst returns to laughter. ^{2 note}Welcome then,
Thou unsubstantial air, that I embrace!
The wretch, that thou hast blown unto the worst,
Owes nothing to thy blasts².—But who comes here? Enter Gloster, led by an old man.
My father, poorly led?—^{3 note}

Old Man.

O my good lord, I have been your tenant, and your father's tenant, these fourscore years.

Glo.
Away, get thee away; good friend, be gone:
Thy comforts can do me no good at all,
Thee they may hurt.

Old Man.
Alack, sir, you cannot see your way.

Glo.
I have no way, and therefore want no eyes;
I stumbled when I saw: Full oft 'tis seen,
^{4 note}

Prove our commodities.—O, dear son Edgar,
The food of thy abused father's wrath!
Might I but live to see thee in my touch^{5 note},
I'd say, I had eyes again!

Old Man.
How now? Who's there?

Edg. [Aside.]
O gods! ^{6 note}




Who is't can say, I am at the worst?
I am worse than e'er I was.

Old Man.
'Tis poor mad Tom.

Edg. [Aside.]
And worse I may be yet: The worst is not,
So long as we can say, This is the worst.

Old. Man.
Fellow, where goest?

Glo.
Is it a beggar-man?

Old Man.
Madman and beggar too.

Glo.
He has some reason, else he could not beg.

I' the last night's storm I such a fellow saw;
Which made me think a man a worm: My son
Came then into my mind; and yet my mind
Was then scarce friends with him: I have heard more since:
^{7 note}

As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods;
They kill us for their sport.

Edg.
How should this be?—
Bad is the trade, that must play the fool to sorrow,
^{8 note}Ang'ring itself and others. [Aside.]—Bless thee, master!

Glo.
Is that the naked fellow?

Old Man.
Ay, my lord.

Glo.
Then, pr'ythee, get thee gone: If, for my sake,
Thou wilt o'ertake us, hence a mile or twain,
I' the way to Dover, do it for ancient love;
And bring some covering for this naked soul,
Whom I'll intreat to lead me.

Old Man.
Alack, sir, he is mad.

Glo.
'Tis the times' plague, when madmen lead the blind:
Do as I bid thee, or rather do thy pleasure;
Above the rest, be gone.

Old Man.
I'll bring him the best 'parrel that I have,
Come on't what will. [Exit.

Glo.
Sirrah, naked fellow.

Edg.
Poor Tom's a-cold.—^{9 note}

Glo.
Come hither, fellow.

Edg. [Aside.]
And yet I must.
—Bless thy sweet eyes, they bleed.

Glo.
Know'st thou the way to Dover?

Edg.

Both stile and gate, horse-way and foot-path. Poor Tom hath been scar'd out of his good wits: Bless thee, good man's son, from the foul fiend! [Five ^{1 note}fiends have been in poor Tom at once; of lust, as Obidicut; Hobbididance, prince of dumbness: Mahu, of stealing; Modo, of murder; and Flibbertigibbet, of mopping and mowing; who since ^{2 note}

chamber-maids and waiting-women. So, bless thee, master!]

Glo.
Here, take this purse, thou whom the heaven's plagues
Have humbled to all strokes: that I am wretched,
Makes thee the happier:—Heavens, deal so still!
^{3 note}Let the superfluous, and lust-dieted man,
^{4 note}

Because he doth not feel, feel your power quickly;
So distribution should undo excess,
And each man have enough.—Dost thou know Dover?

Edg.
Ay, master.

Glo.
There is a cliff, whose high and bending head
Looks fearfully on the confined deep:
Bring me but to the very brim of it,
And I'll repair the misery thou dost bear,
With something rich about me: from that place
I shall no leading need.

Edg.
Give me thy arm;
Poor Tom shall lead thee. [Exeunt.

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