All. Liften, but speak not. App. Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care, Great Birnam-wood to Dunfinane's high hill Macb. That will never be : Who can imprefs the foreft, bid the tree [Defcends. Unfix his earth-bound root? Sweet boadments! good! Of Birnam rise, and our high-plac'd Macbeth (34) Rebellious dead, rife never till the wood Of Birnam rife, &c.] Thus all the impreffions, from the very beginning, exhibit this paffage: but I cannot imagine what notion the editors could have of the dead being rebellious. It looks to me, as if they were content to believe the poet genuine, wherever he was myfterious beyond being understood. The emendation of one letter gives us clear fenfe, and the very thing which Macbeth fhould be fuppos'd to say here. We muft restore Rebellious head rise never, i. e. Let rebellion never make head against me, till a foreft move, and I fhall reign long enough in fafety. Shakespeare very frequently ufes this term to this purpose; of which I'll subjoin a few examples, 1 Henr. IV. -Douglas and the English rebels met, A mighty and a fearful bead they are. 2 Henr. IV. For his divifions, as the times dɔ brawl, Are in three beads; one pow'r against the French, & Again, in the 1ft Henr. IV. We were inforc'd for safety's fake to fly Out of your fight, and raise this prefent head. My noble father, Henry of Buckingham, When Tarquin made a head for Rome, he fought Reign in this kingdom? All. Seek to know no more. [The cauldron finks into the ground. Mach. I will be fatisfy'd. Deny me this, And an eternal curfe fall on you! let me know, Why finks that cauldron ? and what noise is this? 1 Witch. Shew! 2 Witch. Shew! 3 Witch. Shew! All. Shew his eyes, and grieve his heart; Come like fhadows, fo depart. [Hautboys. [Eight Kings appear and pass over in order, and (35) Banquo; the laft, with a glass in his hand. Macb. Thou art too like the fpirit of Banquo; down! Why do you fhew me this? A fourth-Start eye! (35) Eight Kings appear, and pass over in order, and Banquo laft, with a glass in bis band.] The editors could not help blundering even in this ftage-direction. For 'tis not Banquo, who brings the glass; as is evident from the following speech: And yet the eighth appears, who bears a glass Which fhews me many more:and some I fee, I have quoted the laft line, because it will not be amiss to observe, that this fine play, 'tis probable, was not writ till after Q. Elizabeth's death. These apparitions, tho' very properly fhewn with regard to Macbeth, yet are more artfully fo, when we confider the addrefs of the poet in complimenting K. James 1. here upon his uniting Scotland to England: and when we confider too, that the family of the Stuarts are faid to be the direct defcendants of Banquo. 1 Witch. 1 Witch. Ay, Sir, all this is fo. But why [Mufick. [The witches dance and vanish. Macb. Where are they! gone!-Let this pernicious hour Stand ay accurfed in the calendar! Come in, without there! Enter Lenox. Len. What's your Grace's will? Macb. Came they not by you? Len. No, indeed, my Lord. Mach. Infected be the air whereon they ride, And damn'd all thofe that truft them! I did hear The galloping of horfe. Who was❜t came by? Len. 'Tis two or three, my Lord, that bring you word, Macduff is fled to England. Macb. Fled to England? Len. Ay, my good Lord. Macb. Time, thou anticipat't my dread exploits : The flighty purpofe never is o'ertook, Unless the deed go with it. From this moment, The very firftlings of my heart fhall be The firftlings of my hand. And even now To crown my thoughts with acts, be't thought and done! The castle of Macduff I will furprife, Seize upon Fife, give to the edge o' th' fword His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate fouls That trace him in his line. No boasting like a fool, But no more fights. Where are thefe gentlemen? P 3 [Exeunt. SCENE, SCENE, changes to Macduff's Castle at Fife. L. Macd. Enter Lady Macduff, her Son, and Roffe. W1 HAT had he done, to make him fly the land? Roffe. You must have patience, Madam. L. Macd. He had none; His flight was madnefs; when our actions do not, Roffe. You know not, Whether it was his wifdom, or his fear. Macd. Wifdom? to leave his wife, to leave his babes, His manfion, and his titles, in a place From whence himself does fly? he loves us not, He wants the natʼral touch; for the poor wren, Roffe. My dearest Coufin, I pray you, school yourfelf; but for your hufband, The fits o' the feafon. I dare not speak much further, And do not know ourselves; when we hold rumour Each way, and move. I take my leave of you; Things at the worft will ceafe, or elfe climb upward L. Macd. Fathered he is, and yet he's fatherless. L. Macd. Sirrah, your father's dead, [Exit Roffe. And And what will you do now? how will you live? L. Macd. What, on worms and flies ? L. Macd. Poor bird! thou'dit never fear the net, nor The pit-fall, nor the gin. [lime : Son. Why should I, mother? poor birds they are not fet for. My father is not dead, for all your faying. L. Macd. Yes, he is dead; how wilt thou do for a father? Son. Nay, how will you do for a husband ? L. Macd. Why, I can buy me twenty at any market. Son. Then you'll buy 'em to fell again. L. Macd. Thou speak'ft with all thy wit, and yet, With wit enough for thee. Son. Was my father a traitor, mother? Son. What is a traitor? L. Macd. Why, one that fwears and lies. Son. And be all traitors that do fo? [i'faith, L. Macd. Every one, that does fo, is a traitor, and must be hang'd. Son. And muft they all be hang'd, that fwear and lie ? L. Macd. Every one. Son. Who muft hang them? L. Macd. Why, the honeft men. Son. Then the liars and fwearers are fools; for there are liars and fwearers enow to beat the honeft men, and hang up them. L. Macd. God help thee, poor monkey; but how wilt thou do for a father? Son. If he were dead, you'd weep for him: if you would not, it were a good fign that I fhould quickly have a new father. L. Macd. Poor pratler! how thou talk'ft? Enter a Meffenger. Mef. Blefs you, fair dame! I am not to you known, Though in your state of honour I am perfect; P 4 I doubt, |