e court of Lear.

The old king, worn out with age and the fatigues of government, he
being more than fourscore years old, determined to take no further
part in state affairs, but to leave the management to younger
strengths, that he might have time to prepare for death, which must at
no long period ensue. With this intent he called his three daughters
to him, to know from their own lips which of them loved him best, that
he might part his kingdom among them in such proportions as their
affection for him should seem to deserve.

Gonerill, the eldest, declared that she loved her father more than
words could give out, that he was dearer to her than the light of her
own eyes, dearer than life and liberty, with a deal of such professing
stuff, which is easy to counterfeit where there is no real love, only
a few fine words delivered with confidence being wanted in that case.
The king, delighted to hear from her own mouth this assurance of her
love, and thinking truly that her heart went with it, in a fit of
fatherly fondness bestowed upon her and her husband one third of his
ample kingdom.

Then calling to him his second daughter, he demanded what she had to
say. Regan, who was made of the same hollow metal as her sister, was
not a whit behind in her professions, but rather declared that what
her sister had spoken came short of the love which she professed to
bear for his highness: insomuch that she found all other joys dead, in
comparison with the pleasure which she took in the love of her dear
king and father.

Lear blest himself in having such loving children, as he thought; and
could do no less, after the handsome assurances which Regan had made,
than bestow a third of his kingdom upon her and her husband, equal in
size to that which he had already given away to Gonerill.

Then turning to his youngest daughter Cordelia, whom he called his
joy, he asked what she had to say; thinking no doubt that she would
glad his ears with the same loving speeches which her sisters had
uttered, or rather that her expressions would be so much stronger than
theirs, as she had always been his darling, and favoured by him above
either of them. But Cordelia, disgusted with the flattery of her
sisters, whose hearts she knew were far from their lips, and seeing
that all their coaxing speeches were only intended to wheedle the old
king out of his dominions, that they and their husbands might reign
in his life-time, made no other reply but