From over-credulous haste: But God above No less in truth, than life: my first false speaking once, 'Tis hard to reconcile. Enter a Doctor. Mal. Well; more anon.-Comes the king forth, I pray you? Doct. Ay, sir: there are a crew of wretched souls, That stay his cure: their malady convinces The great assay of art; but, at his touch, Such sanctity hath heaven given his hand, They presently amend. [Er. Doct. Mal. I thank you, doctor. Macd. What is the disease he means? Mal. 'Tis call'd the evil: A most miraculous work in this good king; Which often since my here-remain in England, I have seen him do. How he solicits heaven, Himself best knows: but strangely-visited people, All swoln and ulcerous, pitiful to the eye, The mere despair of surgery, he cures; Hanging a golden stamp3 about their necks, Put on with holy prayers: and 'tis spoken, To the succeeding royalty he leaves The healing benediction. With this strange virtue, And sundry blessings hang about his throne, Macd. The tyrant has not batter'd at their peace? Rosse. No; they were well at peace, when I did leave them. Macd. Be not a niggard of your speech; How goes it? Rosse. When I came hither to transport the tidings, Which I have heavily borne, there ran a rumour Ma!. Rosse. "Would I could answer This comfort with the like! But I have words, That would be howl'd out in the desert air, Where hearing should not latch them. Macd. What concern they? The general cause? or is it a fee-grief,' Due to some single breast? Rosse. No mind, that's honest, But in it shares some wo; though the main part Pertains to you alone. Macd. If it be mine, Savagely slaughter'd to relate the manner, Were, on the quarry of these murder'd deer, To add the death of you. Mal. Merciful heaven! What, man! ne'er pull your hat upon your brows; That could be found. Wife, children, servants, all And I must be from thence! Be comforted: Macd. He has no children.-All my pretty ones? Mal. Dispute it like a man. But I must also feel it as a man: I shall do so; I cannot but remember such things were, (4) Common distress of mind. (5) Put off. (6) Catch. (7) A grief that has a single owner. (8) The game after it is killed. That were most precious to me.-Did heaven look-Fie, my lord, fie! a soldier, and afear'd? What eyes, And braggart with my tongue!-But, gentle heaven, The night is long, that never finds the day. ACT V. [Exe. Doct. I have two nights watched with you, but can perceive no truth in your report. When was it she last walked ? Gent. Since his majesty went into the field, I have seen her rise from her bed, throw her night-| need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account ?-Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?” Doct. Do you mark that? Lady M. The thane of Fife had a wife; Where is she now?-What, will these hands ne'er be clean?-No more o'that, my lord, no more o'that: you mar all with this starting. Doct. Go to, go to; you have known what you should not. Gent. She has spoke what she should not, I am sure of that: Heaven knows what she has known. Lady M. Here's the smell of the blood still: all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh! oh! oh! Doct. What a sigh is there! The heart is sorely charged. Gent. I would not have such a heart in my bosom, for the dignity of the whole body. I Doct. Well, well, well, Gent. 'Pray God, it be, sir. Doct. This disease is beyond my practice: Yet have known those which have walked in their sleep, who have died holily in their beds. Lady M. Wash your hands, put on your nightgown; look not so pale:-I tell you yet again, Banquo's buried; he cannot come out of his grave. Doct. Even so? the gate. Come, come, come, come, give me your Doct. Foul whisperings are abroad: Unnatural gown upon her, unlock her closet, take forth paper, Do breed unnatural troubles: Infected minds fold it, write upon it, read it, afterwards seal it, and To their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets. again return to bed; yet all this while in a most More needs she the divine, than the physician.fast sleep. Doct. A great perturbation in nature! to receive at once the benefit of sleep, and do the effects of watching. In this slumbry agitation, besides her walking, and other actual performances, what, at any time, have you heard her say? Gent. That, sir, which I will not report after her. Doct. You may, to me; and 'tis most meet you should. Gent. Neither to you, nor any one, having no witness to confirm my speech. Enter Lady Macbeth, with a taper. Lo you, here she comes! This is her very guise; and, upon my life, fast asleep. Observe her; stand close. Doct. How came she by that light? Gent. Why, it stood by her: she has light by her continually; 'tis her command. Doct. You see, her eyes are open. Doct. What is it she does now? Look, how she rubs her hands. Gent. It is an accustomed action with her, to seem thus washing her hands; I have known her continue in this a quarter of an hour. Lady M. Yet here's a spot. Doct. Hark, she speaks: I will set down what comes from her, to satisfy my remembrance the more strongly. Lady M. Out, damned spot! out, I say!-One; Two; Why, then 'tis time to do't :—Hell is murky !2 (1) All pause. (2) Dark. (3) Confounded. God, God, forgive us all! Look after her; I Gent. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-The country near Dunsinane. Enter, with drum and colours, Menteth, Cathness, Angus, Lenox, and Soldiers. Ment. The English power is near, led on by Malcolm, His uncle Siward, and the good Macduff. brother? Len. For certain, sir, he is not: I have a file Ment. Now does he feel His pester'd senses to recoil, and start, When all that is within him does condemn Itself, for being there? Cath. Well, march we on, Len. [Exeunt, marching. SCENE III.-Dunsinane. A room in the castle. Enter Macbeth, Doctor, and attendants. Macb. Bring me no more reports; let them fly all; Till Birnam wood remove to Dunsinane, And mingle with the English epicures: The devil damn thee black, thou cream-fac'd loon ;3 Geese, villain? When I behold-Seyton, I say!-This push Enter Seyton. How does your patient, doctor? Doct. Not so sick, my lord, As she is troubled with thick-coming fancies, Macb. Doct. Macb. Throw physic to the dogs, I'll none of it.- Doct. Ay, my good lord; your royal preparation Makes us hear something. Macb. [Erit. Bring it after me.-I will not be afraid of death and bane, Till Birnam forest come to Duns.nane. Doct. Were I from Dunsinane away and clear, Profit again should hardly draw me here. [Exil. SCENE IV.-Country near Dunsinane: A wood in view. Enter, with drum and colours, Mal colm, Old Siward and his Son, Macduff, Menteth, Cathness, Angus, Lenox, Rosse, and Soldiers, marching. Mal. Cousins, I hope, the days are near at hand That chambers will be safe. Ment. We doubt it nothing. Siw. What wood is this before us? Ment. The wood of Birnam. Mal. Let every soldier hew him down a bough, And bear't before him; thereby shall we shadow The numbers of our host, and make discovery Err in report of us. Sold. It shall be done. Siw. We learn no other, but the confident tyrant Keeps still in Dunsinane, and will endure Our setting down befor't. Mal. 'Tis his main hope: For where there is advantage to be given, Both more and less' have given him the revolt; And none serve with him but constrained things, Whose hearts are absent too. Macd. Let our just censures Attend the true event, and put we on Industrious soldiership. Siro. The time approaches, That will with due decision make us know What we shall say we have, and what we owe. Thoughts speculative, their unsure hopes relate; But certain issue strokes must arbitrate: Towards which, advance the war. [Exeunt, marching. SCENE V.-Dunsinane. Within the castle. Enter, with drums and colours, Macbeth, Seyton, and Soldiers. Macb. Hang out our banners on the outward walls; Let us be beaten, if we cannot fight. The cry is still, They come: Our castle's strength Do we but find the tyrant's power to-night, Macd. Make all our trumpets speak; give them Sey. It is the cry of women, my good lord. The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Enter a Messenger. Those clamorous harbingers of blood and death. Macb. They have tied me to a stake; I cannot fly, Enter Young Siward. My name's Macbeth. a title Macb. I'll prove the lie thou speak'st. Macb. [They fight, and Young Siward is slain. Thou wast born of woman. Thou com'st to use thy tongue; thy story quickly. But swords I smile at, weapons laugh to scorn, Mess. Gracious my lord, I shall report that which I say I saw, But know not how to do it. Macb. Well, say, sir. Mess. As I did stand my watch upon the hill, Macb. If thou speak'st false, That lies like truth: Fear not, till Birnam wood And wish the estate o'the world were now undone.- [Exeunt. Brandish'd by man that's of a woman born. [Ex. Macd. That way the noise is :-Tyrant, show If thou be'st slain, and with no stroke of mine, I sheath again undeeded. There thou should'st be; [Exit. Alarum. render'd: Macb. Why should I play the Roman fool, and die SCENE VI.-The same. A plain before the cas-On mine own sword? whiles I see lives, the gashes tle. Enter, with drums and colours, Malcolm. Do better upon them. Old Siward, Macduff, &c. and their army, with boughs. Mal. Now near enough; your leavy screens throw down, And show like those you are:-You, worthy uncle, Fare you well. [They fight. Thou loosest labour: (5) Reported with clamour. As easy may'st thou the entrenchant air' I bear a charmed life, which must not yield Macd. Despair thy charm; Macb. Accursed be that tongue that tells me so, And live to be the show and gaze o'the time. Macb. I'll not yield, To kiss the ground before young Malcolm's feet, Mal. I would, the friends we miss were safe ar- Siw. Some must go off: and yet, by these, I see, So great a day as this is cheaply bought. Mal. Macduff is missing, and your noble son. He only liv'd but till he was a man; Then he is dead? Siw. Must not be measur'd by his worth, for then It hath no end. Siw. Had he his hurts before? Rosse. Aye, on the front. Mal. He's worth more sorrow, And that I'll spend for him. He's worth no more; Macd. Hail, king! for so thou art: Behold, The usurper's cursed head: the time is free: King of Scotland, hail! And make us even with you. My thanes and kins men, Henceforth be earls, the first that ever Scotland [Flourish. Exeunt. This play is deservedly celebrated for the propriety of its fiction, and solemnity, grandeur, and variety of its action; but it has no nice discriminations of character; the events are too great to admit the influence of particular dispositions, and the course of the action necessarily determines the conduct of the agents. The danger of ambition is well described; and I know not whether it may not be said, in defence of some parts which now seem improbable, that in Shakspeare's time it was necessary to warn credulity against vain and illusive predictions. The passions are directed to their true end. Lady Why then, God's soldier be he! Macbeth is merely detested; and though the cou rage of Macbeth preserves some esteem, yet every reader rejoices at his fall. Had I as many sons as I have hairs, I would not wish them to a fairer death: (1) The air, which cannot be cut. (2) Shuffle. JOHNSON. (3) The kingdom's wealth or ornament. |