But as a thing of custom; 'tis no other; Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear, The baby of a girl. Hence, terrible fhadow! [The Ghoft vanishes. I am a man again: pray you, fit ftill. [The Lords rife. Lady. You have difplac'd the mirth, broke the good meeting With moft admir'd diforder. Macb. Can fuch things be, And overcome us like a fummer's cloud, Without our special wonder? You make me ftrange When now I think, you can behold fuch fights"; Roffe. What fights, my Lord? Lady. I pray you, speak not; he grows worfe and worse; Question enrages him: at once good night. Stand not upon the order of your going, But go at once. Len. Good-night, and better health Attend his Majefty! Lady. Good-night, to all. [Exeunt Lords. Mac. It will have blood, they fay; blood will have blood; Stones have been known to move, and trees to speak; Augurs, that understood relations, have By mag-pies, and by choughs, and rooks, brought forth The fecret'ft man of blood. What is the night? Lady. Almoft at odds with morning, which is which. Macb. How fay'ft thou, that Macduff denies his perfon, At our great bidding? Lady. Did you send to him, Sir? Macb. Macb. I hear it by the way; but I will fend: More fhall they speak; for now I'm bent to know, Stept in fo far, that, fhould I wade no more, Strange things I have in head, that will to hand; Lady. You lack the season of all nature's, fleep. SCENE changes to the Heath., [Exeunt. Thunder. Enter the three Witches, meeting Hecate. 1 Witch. W how now, look He.Have I not reafon,beldams, as you are? Saucy, and over-bold! how did you dare (16) There is not One of them,] Thus the modern Editors. But One of Whom? Macbeth has juft faid, that he heard, Macduff meant to difobey his Summons; and he would immediately fobjoin, that there is not a Man of Macduff's Quality in the Kingdom, but he has a Spy under his Roof. This is underftcod, not expreffed, as the Text as yet has stood: The old Folio's give us the Paffage thus; There's not a one of them Here we again meet with a depraved Reading; but it is such a one, as, I am perfuaded, has led me to the Poet's true Word and Meaning. There's not a Thane of them, i. e. a Nobleman: and fo the Peers of Scotland were all called, till Earls were created by Malcolm the Son of Duncan. but (17) We're yet but young indeed.] If we tranfpofe thefe Words, we fhall find, they amount to no more than this, We are yet indeed young. But this is far from comprizing either the Poet's, or Macbeth's Meaning. I read, in Decd, i. e. but little inured yet to Acts of Blood and Cruelty: for Time and Practice harden Villains in their Trade, who are timorous till fo hardened. Το To trade and traffick with Macbeth, And, which is worfe, all you have done Spightful and wrathful, who, as others do, But make amends now; get you gone, Meet me i'th' morning: thither he Great bufinefs must be wrought ere noon: There hangs a vap'rous drop, profound; Is mortals' chiefeft enemy. [Mufick and a fong. Hark, I am call'd; my little fpirit, fee, Sing within, Come away, come away, &c. 1 Witch. Come, let us make hafte, fhe'll foon be back again. [Exeunt. SCENE SCENE changes to a Chamber. MY Enter Lenox, and another Lord. Len. Y former fpeeches have but hit your thoughts, Whom, you may fay, if't please you, Fleance kill'd, Who cannot want the thought, how monftrous too To kill their gracious father? damned fact ! That were the flaves of drink, and thralls of fleep As, an't please heav'n, he fhall not ;) they should find. But peace! for from broad words, and 'cause he fail'd Macduff lives in difgrace. Sir, can you tell Lord. The fon of Duncan, (18) From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth, (18) The Sons of Duncan Lives From whom this Tyrant holds the Duc of Birth,] I have fet right this Paflage against the Authority of our unobferving Editors. And the Proofs of my Emendation are obvious. In the first place, Macbeth could not be faid to hold the Due of Birth from both Duncan's Sons. The Succeffion to the Crown was the Right of Malcolm; and Donalbaine could have no Riglit to it, as long as his elder Brother or any of his Iffue were in being. In the next place, the Sons of Duncan Lives in the English court; and is receiv'd To wake Northumberland, and warlike Siward; Give to our tables meat, fleep to our nights; And this report. Prepares for fome attempt of war. Len. Sent he to Macduff? Lord. He did; and with an abfolute, Sir, not I, The cloudy messenger turns me his back, And hums; as who fhould fay, "you'll rue the time, "That clogs me with this anfwer." Len. And that well might Advife him to a care to hold what distance His wisdom can provide. Some holy Angel Duncan did not both shelter in the English Court. Upon the Discovery of their Father's Murder, we find them thus determining. This Determination, 'tis plain, they immediately put into Act, or Macbeth had very ill intelligence: We bear, our bloody Coufins are beftow'd In England and in Ireland. Nor were they together, even at the time when Malcolm difputed his Right with Macbeth. Who knows, if Donalbain be with his Brother? Len. For certain, Sir, he is not. Besides, Hector Boethius and Holing fhead (the latter of whom our Author precifely follows;) both inform us, that Donalbain remained in Ireland till the Death of Malcolm and his Queen; and then, indeed, he came over, invaded Scotland, and wrefted the Crow from one of his Nephews. Fly |