Glo. "This policy and reverence of age makes
the world bitter to the best of our times; keeps
our fortunes from us till our oldness cannot
relish them. I begin to find an idle and fond
bondage in the oppression of aged tyranny, who
sways, not as it hath power, but as it is suffered.
Come to me, that of this I may speak more. If
our father would sleep till I waked him, you
should enjoy half his revenue for ever, and live
the beloved of your brother, Edgar."—Hum!
Conspiracy! 'Sleep till I waked him, you should
enjoy half his revenue.'—My son Edgar! Had
he a hand to write this? a heart and brain to
breed it in? When came this to you? Who
brought it? 64
Edm. It was not brought me, my lord;
there's the cunning of it; I found it thrown in
at the casement of my closet.
Glo. You know the character to be your
brother's? 69
Edm. If the matter were good, my lord, I
durst swear it were his; but, in respect of that,
I would fain think it were not. 72
Glo. It is his.
Edm. It is his hand, my lord; but I hope his
heart is not in the contents.
Glo. Hath he never heretofore sounded you
in this business? 77
Edm. Never, my lord: but I have often heard
him maintain it to be fit that, sons at perfect
age, and fathers declined, the father should be
50 policy and reverence of: policy of revering
53 fond: foolish
67 closet: room
68 character: handwriting
72 fain: gladly
