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no silk, the beast no hide, the sheep no wool, the

cat no perfume. Ha! here's three on 's are

sophisticated; thou art the thing itself; unac-

commodated man is no more but such a poor,

bare, forked animal as thou art. Off, off, you

lendings! Come; unbutton here.

[Tearing off his clothes.]

Fool. Prithee, nuncle, be contented; 'tis a

naughty night to swim in. Now a little fire in

a wide field were like an old lecher's heart; a

small spark, all the rest on 's body cold. Look!

here comes a walking fire.

Edg. This is the foul fiend Flibbertigibbet:

he begins at curfew, and walks till the first cock;

he gives the web and the pin, squints the eye,

and makes the harelip; mildews the white

wheat, and hurts the poor creature of earth.

Swithold footed thrice the old;

He met the night-mare, and her nine-fold;

Bid her alight,

And her troth plight,

And aroint thee, witch, aroint thee!

Kent. How fares your Grace?

Lear. What 's he?

Kent. Who 's there? What is 't you seek?

Glo. What are you there? Your names?

Edg. Poor Tom; that eats the swimming frog;

the toad, the tadpole, the wall-newt, and the

water; that in the fury of his heart, when

 108 cat: civet-cat

118 Flibbertigibbet: name of a demon

120 web and the pin: eye-disease

123 Swithold: St. Withold, St. Vitalis

old: wold

127 aroint: get out!

133 wall-newt: lizard

