ACT IV. SCENE, a dark Cave; in the middle, a great Cauldron burning. T Thunder. Enter the three Witches. I WITCH. HRICE the brinded cat hath mew'd. 2 Witch. Twice, and once the hedge-pig whin'd. 3 Witch. Harper crys, '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 Toad, that under the cold ftone, 1 Witch. Fillet of a fenny snake, All. Double, double, toil and trouble, 3 Witch. Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf, Witches' mummy; maw, and gulf of yew, Of the ravening falt fea-fhark; 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. And now about the cauldron fing, Mufick and a Song. Black fpirits and white, 1 2 Witch. By the pricking of my thumbs Something wicked this way comes: Open locks, whoever knocks. Enter Macbeth. Mac. How now, you fecret, black, and midnight hags ? What is't you do? All. A deed without a name. Macb. I conjure you, by that which you profefs, (Howe'er you come to know it) anfwer me. Though you untie the winds, and let them fight O 3 Against Against the churches; though the yefty waves Though bladed corn be lodg'd, and trees blown down, Their heads to their foundations; though the treasure 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 fweaten From the murth'rer's gibbet, throw Into the flame: All. Come high or low: Thy felf and office deftly fhow. [Thunder. Apparition of an armed head rifes. Macb. Tell me, thou unknown Power 1 Witch. He knows thy thought: Hear his fpeech, but fay thou nought. App. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware Macduff! Beware the Thane of Fife Macb. What-e'er thou art, thanks. Thou'ft harp'd my fear aright. -difmifs me -enough. [Defcends. for thy good Caution, But one word more— 1 Witch. He will not be commanded; here's another - (61) -Tho' the Treafure of Nature's germains tumble all together,] 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 must read, Germins, i, e. Seeds More Apparition of a bloody child rifes. App. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! [Thunder. App. Be bloody, bold, and refolute; laugh to fcórn The pow'r 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 lyes; And fleep in fpight of thunder. [Thunders. Apparition of a child crowned, with a tree in his hand, What is this, rifes, That rifes like the iffue of a King, And wears upon his baby-brow the round And top of Sovereignty? All. Liften, but fpeak not. App. Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care, Who chafes, who frets, or where confpirers are: Macbeth fhall never vanquish'd be, until Great Birnam-wood to Dunfinane's high hill Shall come against him. Macb. That will never be: Who can imprefs the foreft, bid the tree [Defcends. Unfix his earth-bound root? Sweet boadments! good! Rebellious head rise never, 'till the wood (20) (20) Rebellious Dead, rise never till the Wood Of 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 rebellions. It looks to me, as if they were content to believe the Poet genuine, wherever he was mysterious beyond being underftood. The Emendation of one Letter gives us clear Sense, and the very Thing which Macbeth fhould be fuppos'd to fay here. We must restore Rebel Q 4 2 Of Birnam rife, and our high-plac'd Macbeth All. Seek to know no more. [The Cauldron finks into the Ground. Mac. I will be fatisfy'd. Deny me this, And an eternal curfe fall on you! let me know, Why finks that cauldron? and what noife 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 (21) Banquo; the laft, with a glass in his hand. Macb. Thou art too like the fpirit of Banquo; down! Thy crown do's fear mine eye-balls.- And thy hair (Thou other gold-bound brow) is like the firft Rebellious Head rise never, i. e. Let Rebellion never make Head against me, till a Forest move, and I fhall reign long enough in Safety. (21) Eight Kings appear and pass over in order, and Banquo laft, with a Glass in his hand.] The Editors could not help blundering even in this Stage-Direction. For tis not Banquo, who brings the Glafs; 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, That twofold Bails, and treble Scepters carry. I have quoted the laft Line, because it will not be amifs to obferve, that this fine Play, tis probable, was not writ till after 2. Elizabeth's Death. Thefe Apparitions, tho' very properly fhewn with Regard to Macbeth, yet are more artfully fo, when we confider the Address of the Poet in complimenting K. James I. here upon his uniting Scotland to England: and when we confider too, that the Family of the Stuarts are faid to be the dire& Descendants from Banque. A |
