Chapter Le'a to Learn of L by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Lear (King). A legendary king of Britain, who in his old age divided his kingdom between Goneril and Regan, two of his daughters, who professed great love for him. These two daughters drove the old man mad by their unnatural conduct. (Shakespeare. King Lear.)
   Percy, in his Reliques of Ancient English Poetry, has a ballad about King Leir and his Three Daughters (series i. book 2).
   Camden tells a similar story of Ina, King of the West Saxons (see Remains, p. 306, edition 1674). The story of King Lear is given by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Chronicles, whence Holinshed transcribed it. Spenser has introduced the same story into his Faërie Queene, book ii. canto 10.

Learn (1 syl.). Live and learn.
   Cato, the censor, was an old man when he taught himself Greek.
   Michael Angelo, at seventy years of age, said, “I am still learning.”
   John Kemble wrote out Hamlet thirty times, and said, on quitting the stage, “I am now beginning to understand my art.”
   Mrs. Siddons, after she left the stage, was found studying Lady Macbeth, and said, “I am amazed to discover some new points in the character which I never found out while acting it.”
   Milton, in his blindness, when past fifty, sat down to complete his Paradise Lost.
   Scott, at fifty-five, took up his pen to redeem an enormous liability.
   Richardson was above fifty when he published his first novel, Pamela.
   Benjamin West was sixty-four when be commenced his series of paintings, one of which is Christ Healing the Sick.