Imatges de pàgina
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But to be safely thus - Our fears in Banquo
Stick deep; and in his royalty of nature

Reigns that, which would be fear'd. "Tis much he dares,
And to that dauntless temper of his mind,
He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour
To act in safety. There is none but he,
Whose being I do fear: and, under him,
My genius is rebuk'd; m as, it is said,

" Mark Anthony's was by Cafar. He chid the sisters,
When first they put the name of King upon me,
And bad thein speak to him; then, prophet-like,
They hail'd him father to a line of kings.
Upon my head they plac'd a fruitless crown,
And put a barren scepter in my gripe,
Thence to be wrench'd with an unlineal hand,
No fon of mine fucceeding. P If 't be fo,

For Banque's issue have I fil'd my mind;
For them the gracious Duncan have I murther'd;
Put rancours in the vessel of my peace
Only for them; and mine eternal jewel
Given to the common enemy of man,

To make them Kings, the feed of Banquo Kings.

in J. proposes rejecting the following words, as, it in faid, Mark Anthony's was by Cæfar.

4 P. makes the following fentences interrogative, as far as Banquo kiwigs? But the words If 't be fo prove them to

n P. and all after, except C. omit be affirmative. Mark.

• H. Cafar's.

P P. and all after, except C. If 'tis

So, c

The two last fo's, fill'd for filid;

W. 'filed, i. e. defiled.

The fo's and R. Seeds.

Rather

Rather than so, come Fate into the lift,

And champion me to th' utterance! - Who's there?

Enter Servant, and two Murtherers.

• Now go to the door, and stay there, 'till we call.

Was it not yesterday we spoke together?
Murth. It was, so please your Highness.

Mach. Well then, now

[Exit Servant.

Have you confider'd of my speeches? know That it was he, in the times past, which held you So under fortune, which you thought had been Our innocent self; this I made good to you In our last conference, past in probation with you, How you were born in hand; how crost; the instruments; Who wrought with them; and all things else that might To half a foul, and to a notion craz'd,

Say, thus did Banquo.

I Mur.

You made it known to us.

Mach. I did fo; and went further, which is now

This pafsage will be best explained by translating it into the 'language from whence the only word of difficulty in it is borrowed. Que la deftinée se rende en lice, et qu'elle me donne un defi à l'outrance. A challenge, or combat à l'outrance, to extremity, was a fixed term in the law of arms, used when the combatants engaged with an odium internecinum, an intention to destroy each other, in oppofition to trials of skill at festivals, or on other occafions, where the contest was only for reputation or a

prize. The sense therefore is, Let fate, that bas fore-doom'd the exaltation of the fons of Banquo, enter the lifts against me, with the utmost animofity, in defence of its own decrees, which I will endeavour to invalidate, whatever be the danger. J.

u P. and all after, except C. omit Now.

w The two last fo's, R. P. T. H. W. and J. You bave, for Have you.

* This speech P. alters thus, True, you made it knoqun; followed by all after, except C.

Our point of fecond meeting. Do you find
Your patience so predominant in your nature,
That you can let this go? are you so gospell'd,
To pray for this good man and for his issue,
Whose heavy hand hath bow'd you to the grave,
And beggar'd yours for ever?

1 Mur. We are men, my Liege.

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Macb. Ay, in the catalogue ye go for men, As hounds, and greyhounds, mungrels, spaniels, curs, Showghes, water rugs, and demy-wolves are cleped All by the name of dogs; the valued file Diftinguishes the swift, the flow, the fubtle, The house-keeper, the hunter; every one According to the gift which bounteous nature Hath in him clos'd; whereby he does receive Particular addition, from the bill That writes them all alike: and so of men. Now, if you have a station in the file, * Not i' th' worft rank of manhood, say 't; And I will put a that business in your bosoms, Whose execution takes your enemy off; Grapples you to the heart and love of us, Who wear our health but fickly in his life, Which in his death were perfect.

b

2 Mur. I am one, my Liege, Whom the vile blows and buffets of the world

:

y All before T. clipt for cleped.

*a* The two last fo's, R. P. and H.

z So the fo's; all after, And not in the for that.

the worst rank of manbood, fay it, &c.

b P. and all after, except C, omit my Liege,

Have so incens'd, that I am reckless what

I do to spight the world.

7/

I Mur. And I another,

So weary with ddisasters, tugg'd with fortune,
That I would fet my life on any chance,

To mend it, or be rid on 't.

Mach. Both of you

Know, Banquo was your enemy.
Mur. True, my Lord...

Mach. So is he mine: and in fuch bloody distance,

That every minute of his being thrufts

Against my near'st of life; and though I could
With bare-fac'd power sweep him from my fight,
And bid my will avouch it; yet I must not,
For certain friends that are both his and mine,
Whose loves I may not drop; but wail his fall,
• Whom I myself struck down; and thence it is,
That I to your affistance do make love,..
Masking the business from the common eye
For fundry weighty reasons.

2 Mur. We shall, my Lord, Perform what you command us. 1 Mur. Though our lives

Mach. Your fpirits shine through you.

hour, at most,

• Within this

I will advise you where to plant yourselves;
Acquaint you with the perfect spy o' th' time,"
The moment on 't; for 't must be done to-night,

• Fo's, Hath for Have.

f P. and all after, except C. In or

:

d W. difaftrous tuggs with, &c.

Within.

Fo's, R. and C. Wbo.

E 4

And

And fomething from the palace: (8 always thought,
That I require a clearness) and with him,

(To leave no rubs nor botches in the work)
Fleance his fon, that keeps him company,
Whose absence is no less material to me
Than is his father's, must embrace the fate
Of that dark hour. Resolve yourselves apart;
I'll come to you anon.

Mur. We are resolv'd, my Lord.
Mach. I'll call upon you straight. Abide within.

[Exeunt Murtherers,

It is concluded.--Banquo, thy soul's flight,
If it find heaven, must find it out to-night.

Exit

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Enter Lady Macbeth, and a Servant.

Lady. Is Banquo gone from court?
Serv. Ay, madam, but returns again to-night.

Lady. Say to the King, I would attend his leisure
For a few words.

& Macbeth means that the murther

ers must in every step remember, he re

quires not to be suspected of the fact; C.

to stand clear from all imputations,

h H. omits, my Lord.

i This is scene 2d, in the fo's and

* No description of the scene before

which might affect him in the opinions T. who gives the above.

of the people.

P. omits thi sparenthefis.

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