With most admir'd diforder.

Macb. Can fuch things be,

And overcome us like a Summer's cloud,

Without our special wonder? You make me ftrange
Ev'n to the difpofition that I owe,

When now I think, you can behold fuch fights;
And keep the natural Ruby of your Cheeks,
When mine is blanch'd with fear.

Roffe. What fights, my lord?

Lady. I pray you, fpeak not; he grows worse 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 Majesty!

Lady. Good night, to all.

[Exeunt Lords.

Macb. 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 fend to him, Sir?

Macb. I hear it by the way; but I will fend: 'There's not a Thane of them, but in his houfe (16) I keep a fervant fee'd. I will to morrow (Betimes I will) unto the weird fifters:

More

(16) There is not One of them,] Thus the modern Editors. But, One of Whom? Macbeth has just faid, that he heard, Macduff meant to disobey his Summons; and he would immedi ately fubjoin, that there is not a Man of Macduf's Quality in the Kingdom, but He has a Spy under his Roof. This is understood, not exprefs'd, as the Text as yet has stood: The old Folio's give us the Paffage thus;

There's not a one of them.

Here.

1

More fhall they speak; for now I'm bent to know,
By the worst means, the worst, for mine own good,
All caufes fhall give way; I am in blood

Stept in fo far, that, should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o'er :

Strange things I have in head, that will to hand;
Which must be acted, ere they may be scann❜d.
Lady. You lack the Seafon of all Natures, Sleep.
Macb. Come, we'll to fleep; my ftrange and felf-abuse
Is the initiate fear, that wants hard ufe:
We're yet but young in Deed. (17)

SCENE changes to the Heath.

[Exeunt.

Thunder. Enter the three Witches, meeting Hecate.

how now, Hecat', you

Witch. WH

Η

gerly.

look an

Hec. Have I not reason, Beldams, as you are?

Sawcy, and over-bold! how did you dare

To trade and traffick with Macbeth,

In riddles and affairs of death?
And I, the mistress of your Charms,
The clofe contriver of all harms,
Was never call'd to bear my part,
Or fhew the glory of our Art?

And, which is worse, all you have done

Here we again meet with a deprav'd Reading; but it is fuck a One, as, I am perfwaded, 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 call' d, till Earls were created by Malcolme the Son of Duncan.

(17) We're yet but young indeed.] If we tranfpose these Words, we fhall find, they amount to no more than This, We are yet indeed but young. But this is far from comprizing either the Poet's, or Macbeth's, Meaning. I read,- -in Deed, i. e. but little inur'd yet to Acts of Blood and Cruelty for Time and Practice harden Villains in their Trade, who are timorous till fo harden'd.

:

Hath

Hath been but for a weyward fon;

Spightful and wrathful, who, as others do,
Loves for his own ends, not for you.
But make amends now; get you gone,
And at the pit of Acheron

Meet me i'th' morning: thither he
Will come, to know his destiny;
Your veffels and your fpells provide,
Your Charms and every thing befide.
I am for th' Air: this night I'll spend
Unto a difmal, fatal end.

Great business must be wrought ere noon :
Upon the corner of the Moon

There hangs a vap'rous drop, profound;
I'll catch it ere it come to ground;
And That, diftill'd by magick flights,
Shall raife fuch artificial fprights,
As, by the ftrength of their illufion,
Shall draw him on to his confufion.
He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear
His hopes 'bove wisdom, grace, and fear :
And, you all know, Security

Is mortals' chiefest enemy.

[Mufick and a Song:

Hark, I am call'd; my little fpirit, fee,
Sits in the foggy cloud, and stays for me.

[Sing within. Come away, come away, &c. 1 Witch. Come, let's make hafte, she'll foon be back again. [Exeunt.

Len.

SCENE changes to a chamber.

M

Enter Lenox, and another Lord.

:

"Y former fpeeches have but hit your thoughts, Which can interpret farther: only, I fay, Things have been ftrangely borne. The gracious Duncan Was pitied of Macbeth marry, he was dead And the right-valiant Banque walk'd too late. Whom, you may fay, if't please you, Fleance kill'd, For Fleance fled: men must not walk too late. Who cannot want the thought, how monftrous tco Vo L. VI.

It

It was for Malcolm, and for Donalbain
To kill their gracious father? damned fact !
How did it grieve Macbeth? did he not straight
In pious rage the two delinquents tear,

That were the flaves of drink, and thralls of fleep?
Was not that nobly done? ay, wifely too;
For 'twould have anger'd any heart alive
To hear the men deny't. So that, I say,
He has borne all things well; and I do think,
That had he Duncan's fons under his key,

(As, an't please heav'n, he fhall not;) they fhould find What 'twere to kill a father: fo fhould Fleance.

But peace! for from broad words, and 'cause he fail'd
His prefence at the tyrant's feaft, I hear,

Macduff lives in difgrace. Sir, can you tell
Where he bestows himself?

Lord. The Son of Duncan, (18)

From whom this tyrant holds the due of Birth,

Lives

(18) The Sons of Duncan From whom this Tyrant holds the Due of Birth] I have set right this Paffage against the Authority of our unobserving Editors. And the Proofs of my Emendation are obvious. In the firft 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 Right to it, as long as his Elder Brother or any of his Issue were in Being. In the next place, the Sons of Duncan did not Both fhelter in the English Court. Upon the Discovery of their Father's Murther, we find them thus determining.

Malc.

I'll to England.

Donal. To Ireland I; our separated Fortune

Shall keep us both the fafer.

This Determination, 'tis plain, they immediately put into A&, or Macbeth had very ill Intelligence:

We hear, our bloody Coufins are bestow'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.

Belides, Hector Boethius and Helingshead (the latter of whom

our

Lives in the English Court; and is receiv'd
Of the most pious Edward with fuch grace,
That the malevolence of fortune nothing
Takes from his high refpect. Thither Macduff
Is gone to pray the King upon his aid

To wake Northumberland, and warlike Siward;
That by the help of these, (with Him above
To ratifie the work,) we may again

Give to our tables meat, fleep to our nights;
Free from our feafts and banquets bloody knives;
Do faithful homage, and receive free honours,
All which we pine for now.
And this report
Hath fo exafp'rated their King, that he

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,

66

And hums; as who should say, you'll rue the time, "That clogs me with this answer.

Len. And that well might

Advise him to a care to hold what distance
His wifdom can provide. Some holy Angel
Fly to the Court of England, and unfold
His meffage ere he come; that a swift Bleffing
May foon return to this our fuffering Country,
Under a hand accurs'd!

Lord. I'll fend my pray'rs with him.

Exeunt.

our Author precisely 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.