III.iv.54 (407,4) laid knives under his pillow] He recounts the temptations by which he was prompted to suicide; the opportunities of destroying himself, which often occurred to him in his melancholy moods. III.iv.60 (407,5) Bless thee from whirlwinds, star-blasting, and taking!] To _take_ is to blast, or strike with malignant influence: --strike her young limbs, Ye taking airs, with lameness. III.iv.77 (408,6) pelican daughters] The young pelican is fabled to suck the mother's blood. III.iv.95 (408,8) light of ear] [i.e. Credulous. WARBURTON.] Not merely _credulous_, but _credulous of evil_, ready to receive malicious reports. (1773) III.iv.103 (409,1) says suum, mun, ha no nonny, dolphin my boy, boy, Sessy: let him trot by] Of this passage I can make nothing. I believe it corrupt: for wildness, not nonsense, is the effect of a disordered imagination. The quarto reads, _hay no on ny, dolphins, my boy, cease, let him trot by_. Of interpreting this there is not much hope or much need. But any thing may be tried. The madman, now counterfeiting a proud fit, supposes himself met on the road by some one that disputes the way, and cries _Hey!--No--but altering his mind, condescends to let him pass, and calls to his boy _Dolphin_ (Rodolph) not to contend with him. _On--Dolphin, my boy, cease. Let him trot by_. III.iv.122 (410,3) web and the pin] Diseases of the eye. III.iv.125 (411,4) Saint Withold footed thrice the void; He met the night-mare, and her nine-fold; Bid her alight, and her troth plight, And aroynt thee, witch, aroynt thee!] In the old quarto the corruption is such as may deserve to be noted. "Swithold footed thrice the old another night moore and her nine fold bid her, O light, and her troth plight, and arint thee, with arint thee." III.iv.144 (412,6) _small deer_] Sir Thomas Hanmer reads _geer_, and is followed by Dr. Warburton. But _deer_ in old language is a general word for wild animals. III.iv.187 (414,8) _Child Rowland_] This word is in some of our ballads. There is a song of _Child Walter, and a Lady_. III.v.21 (415,2) If I find him comforting the king] He uses the word in the juridical sense for _supporting, helping_, according to its derivation; _salvia_ comfortat _ne vos_.--_Schol. Sal._ (rev. 1778, IX, 477, 3) III.vi.20 (416,2) a horse's health] [W: heels] Shakespeare is here speaking not of things maliciously treacherous, but of things uncertain and not durable, A horse is above all other animals subject to diseases. III.vi.26 (416,3) Wantest thou eyes at trial, madam?] It may be observed that Edgar, being supposed to be found by chance, and therefore to have no knowledge of the rest, connects not his ideas with those of Lear, but pursues his own train of delirious or fantastic thought. To these words, _At trial, madam?_ I think therefore that the name of Lear should be put. The process of the dialogue will support this conjecture. (1773)