like paffions? So that he fully answers "1 that "end, which both at the firft and now, was " and is, to hold as 'twere the mirrour up to 66 nature to fhew virtue her own feature, ; "fcorn her own image, and the very age and "body of the time his form and preffure." Let us fuppofe Shakespeare has a mind to paint the fatal effects of ambition. For this purpose he makes choice of a hero, well known from the British chronicles, and as the story had a particular relation to the king then reigning, 'twas an interesting story; and though full of machinery, yet probable, because the wonderful tales there related were not only mention'd in hiftory, but vulgarly believed. This hero had conduct and courage, and was univerfally 2 I Hamlet, A& III. he feems to have had in his mind what Donatus in his life of Terence cites from Cicero, Comoedia eft imitatio vitae, Speculum confuetudinis, imago veritatis. 2 For 'tis probable fometimes that things fhould happen contrary to probability. Ὥσπες γὰς Αγάθων λέξει, εἰκὸς γίνεσθαι πολλὰ καὶ παρὰ τὸ εἰκός. So the place fhould be corrected. Ariftot. περὶ ποιητ. κεφ. ιη. See his rhetoric, 1. 2. c. 24. Poetry, whether epic or dramatic, is founded on probability, and admits rather a probable lye, than an improbable truth. It proposes to shew, not what a perfon did fay or act, but what 'tis probable ought to have been said or acted upon that or the like occafion. So that poetry is of a philofophical nature, much more than hiftory. See Ariftot. xɛQ. D'. courted 3 Book I. courted and carefs'd; but his master-paffion was ambition. What pity, that such a one should fall off from the ways of virtue! It happened that he and his friend, (from whom defcended the Stewart family) one day, travelling thro' a forest, met three witches, who foretold his future royalty. This ftruck his ambitious fancy; crowns, fceptres and titles danced before his dazled eyes, and all his vifionary dreams of happiness are to be compleated in the poffeffion of a kingdom. The prediction of the witches he 3 Maccabaeo Banquhonique Forres (ubi tum rex agebat) proficifcentibus, ac in itinere lufus gratiâ per campos fylvafque errantibus, medio repente campo tres apparuere muliebri fpecie, infolita veftitus facie ad ipfos accedentes : quas cum appropinquantes diligentius intuerentur admirarenturque, Salve, inquit prima, Maccabaee Thane Glammis (nam eum magiftratum defuncto paulo ante patre Synele acceperat) Altera verò, falve, inquit, Caldariae Thane. At tertia, falve, inquit, Maccabaee olim Scotorum rex future. He&t. Boeth. Scot. hift. Lib. 12. And afterwards he adds, Parcas aut nymphas aliquas fatidicas diabolico aftu praeditas. Which Holingfhed, in his hift. of Scotland, p. 171. renders, These women were either the weird fifters, that is, as ye would fay, the goddeffes of deftinie, or elfe fome nymphs or feiries. And the old Scotish chron. fol. c. LXXIII. Be aventure Makbeth and Banquho wer passand to Fores, qubair king Duncane hapnit to be for the tyme, and met be ye gait thre women clothit in elrage and uncouth weid. They wer he makes known by letter to his wife, who, ten times prouder than himself, knew there was one fpeedy and certain way to the crown, by treafon and murder. This pitch of 5 cruelty a human wer jugit be the pepill to be weird fifteris. From the AngloSax. murd, fatum, comes, weïrd fifters, parcae. So Douglafs in his tranflation of Virgil, Aen. III. Scire. Prohibent nam caetera parcae The weird fifteris defendis that fuld be wit. •And hence comes wizard. Buchanan ter. Scot. L. 7. gives the ftory a more historical turn. Macbethus qui confobrini ignavia semper Spretâ regni fpem occultam in animą alebat, creditur fomno quodam ad eam confirmatus. Quadam enim notte, cum longiufcule abeffet à rege, vifus eft fibi tres feminas forma auguftiore quàm humana vidisse'; quarum uña Angufiae thanum, altera Moraviae, tertia regem eum falutaffet. 4 Inftigabat quoque uxor ejus cupida nominis regii, impotentiffimaque morae ut eft mulierum genus. proclive ad rem aliquam concipiendam, & ubi conceperint nimio affectu profequendam. Hector Boeth. Scot. hift. L. 12. p. 249. Animus etiam per fe ferox, prope quotidianis convitiis uxoris (quae omnium confiliorum ei erat confcia) ftimulabatur. Buch. rer. Scot. 1. 7. 5 Sophocles is blamed by Ariftotle for drawing Hemon cruel without neceffity. Perhaps Ariftotle's remark will appear over refined, if it be confidered what a fmall circumftance this intended cruelty of Hemon's is in the play; and human creature may be work'd up to, who is prompted by felf-love, (that narrow circle of love, beginning and ending in itself,) and by ambitious views. Befide cruelty is most notorious in weak and womanifh natures. As 'twas customary for the king to vifit his nobles, he came one day to our hero's castle at Inverness ; where time and place confpiring, he is murdered; and thus the fo much defired crown is obtained. Who does not fee that had Shakespeare broken off the story here, it would have been incomplete? For his defign being to fhew the effects of ambition, and having made choice of one paffion, of one hero, he is to carry it throughout in all its confequences. I mentioned above that the story was interefting, as a British story; and 'tis equally fo, as Macbeth, the hero of the tragedy, is drawn a man, not a monster ; a man of virtue, 'till he hearkened to the lures and that Creon, Hemon's father, had put to death his fon's espoused wife, Antigone. No wonder therefore the fon fhould draw his fword, furprized as he was, against his father, and afterwards plunge it in his own breast. The cruelty of Hemon, as well as this of Macbeth's wife, feem to have both neceffity and paffion. 6 Inerat ei [Duncano] laudabilis confuetudo, regni pertranfire regiones femel in anno, &c. Johan. de Fordun Scotichron. 1. 4. c. 44. Singulis annis ad inopum querelas audiendas perluftrabat provincias. Buchan. rer. Scot. 1. 7. of of ambition: then how is his mind agitated and convulfed, now virtue, now vice prevailing; 'till reason, as is ufual, gives way to inclination. And how beautifully, from fuch a wavering character, does the poet let you into the knowledge of the secret springs and motives of human actions? In the foliloquy before the murder, all the aggravating circumstances attending fuch a horrid deed, appear in their full view before him. He's here in double truft : Firft as I am his kinfman and his fubject, Strong both against the deed: then, as his boft, Who should against his murth❜rer shut the door, *Not bear the knife myself. Befides, this Duncan Hath born bis faculties fo meek, &c. گر 7 A ftronger reafon against the murder than any other. Hofpitality was always facred. This is according to antiquity. Homer, Od. . 55. Ξεῖν ̓ ἔ μοι θέμις ἔσ ̓ ἐδ ̓ εἰ κακίων σέθεν ἔλθοι, Ξεῖνον ἀτιμῆσαι· πρὸς γὰρ Δίος εἰσιν ἅπαντες Hence among the Greeks, Zevs E, and the Latins, Jupiter hofpitibus nam te dare jura loquuntur. 'Tis very fine in Shakespeare to give this caft of antiquity to his poem; whatever the inhospitable character of our ifland-nation happens to be. When |