From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth, Is To wake Northumberland, and warlike Seyward; Give to our tables meat, fleep to our nights; Prepares for fome attempt of war. Len. Sent he to Macduff? Lord. He did; and with an abfolute, Sir, not I, The cloudy meffenger 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 be faid to hold the due of birth from both Duncan's fons. The fucceffion to the crown was the right of Malcolm; and Donalbaire could have no right to it, as long as his elder brother or any of his iffue were in being. In the next place, the fons of Duncan did not both fhelter in the English court. Upon the difcovery of their father's murder, we find them thus determining. Donal. To Ireland I; our feparated fortune Shall keep us both the fafer This determination, 'tis plain, they immediately, put into act, or Macbeth had very ill intelligence: We bear, our bloody Coufins are beflow'd In England and in Ireland. Nor were they together, even at the time when Malcolm disputed his right with Macbeth. Who knows, if Donalbaine be with his brother? Len. For certain, Sir, he is not. Befides, Hector Boethius and Holingfhead (the latter of whom our author precifely follows;) both inform us that Donalbaine remain'd -in Ireland till the death of Malcolm and his Queen; and then, indeed, he came over, invaded Scotland, and wrefted the crown from one of his nephews, Advife him to a care to hold what distance Lord. I'll fend my pray'rs with him. Exeunt ACT IV. SCENE, a dark Cave; in the middle, a great Cauldron burning. T Hrice the brinded cat hath mew'd. 2 Witch. Twice and once the hedge pig whin'd. (31) 3 Witch. Harper cries, 'tis time, 'tis time. 1 Witch. Round about the cauldron go, In the poifon'd entrails throw. [They march round the Cauldron, and throw in the feveral ingredients as for the preparation of their Charm. Toad, that under the cold stone, Days and nights has, thirty-one, Boil thou first i' th' charmed pot. All. Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble. 1 Witch. Fillet of a fenny snake, (31) Thrice and once the hedge-pig whin'd.] I have ventur'd, aft the concurrence of the copies to read, twice and once: because, as gil has remark'd, numero Deus impare gaudet: and three and nine arehe numbers us'd in all inchantments, and magical operations. Adder's Adder's fork, and blind-worm's fting, All. Double, double, toil and trouble, 3 Witch. Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf, All. Double, double, toil and trouble; 2 Witch. Cool it with a baboon's blood, Then the charm is firm and good. Enter Hecate, and other three Witches. Hec. Oh! well done! I commend your pains, And every one shall share i' th' gains, And now about the cauldron fing, Like elves and fairies in a ring, Inchanting all that you put in. Mufick and a Song. Black fpirits and white, You that mingle may. 2 Witch. By the pricking of my thumbs Something wicked this way comes: } Enter Enter Macbeth. Macb. How now, you fecret, black, and midnight hags? What is't you do? All. A deed without a name. Mach. I conjure you, by that which you profefs, Though bladed corn be lodg'd, and trees blown down, Their heads to their foundations; though the treasure To what I ask you. 1 Witch. Speak. 2 Witch. Demand. 3 Witch. We'll answer. 1 Witch. Say, if th' hadft rather hear it from our mouths, Or from our masters ? Mach. Call 'em : let me fee 'em. 1 Witch. Pour in fow's blood, that hath eaten Her nine farrow; greafe, that's sweaten From the murd'rer's gibbet, throw Into the flame: All. Come high or low: Thyfelf and office deftly fhow.. [Thunder. Apparition of an armed head rifes. (33) Macb. Tell me, thou unknown power Of nature's germains tumble all together,] 1 Witch. Thus all the printed copies; and Mr. Pope has explain'd Germains by kindred but I have already prov'd in a note upon K. Lear, that we muft read, Germins, i. e. Seeds. (33) Apparition of an armed head rifes.Apparition of a bloody child. Apparition of a child crown'd, with a Tree in his hand.] i was at a lofs, why this particular apparatus and furniture was employ'd to these three apparitions. I propos'd the queflion to my ingenious VOL. VI. P friend 1 Witch. He knows thy thought: Hear his fpeech, but fay thou nought. App. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macheth! beware Macduff! Beware the Thane of Fife-difmifs me-enough. [Defcends. Macb. Whate'er thou art, for thy good caution, thanks. Thou'ft harp'd my fear aright. But one word more— 1 Witch. He will not be commanded; here's another More potent than the first. Apparition of a bloody child rifes. App. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Thunder. App. Be bloody, bold, and refolute; laugh to fcorn The power of man; for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth. [Defcends. Macb. Then live, Macduff: what need I fear of thee ? But yet I'll make affurance double fure, And take a bond of fate; thou shalt not live, That I may tell pale-hearted fear, it lies; And fleep in fpight of thunder. [Thunders. Apparition of a child crowned, with a tree in his hand, rifes. What is this, That rifes like the iffue of a King, And wears upon his baby-brow the round And top of Sovereignty ? friend Mr. Warburton, and he gave me the following folution. "Did 66 our author only ufe it for fhow, we should not, I think, quarrel "with him for it. But on examination you will find, that the In"fignia of these three ghofts exactly answer to their speeches. The "first bids Macbeth beware of Macduff; this is therefore an armed "bead, the emblem of caution, and circumfpection. The fecond "ghost encourages him to perfift in his bloody courfes; for none of "woman born fhall harm him. This ghoft has therefore the figure "of a bloody child: infinuating, that the height of barbarity is the murder of children. The third ghoft tells him, He should never "be vanquish'd till Birnam-wood remov'd from its fituation: and "conformably to the fubject of its speech, It has a branch in its "hand and is crown'd; infinuating, that he should wear the crown 64 till Birnam-wood remov'd." All. |