Lady M.
Did you send to h
Macb. I hear it by the way; but I will ser
There's not a one of them, but in his house
I keep a servant fee'd. I will to-morrow,
(Betimes I will,) unto the weird sisters:
More shall they speak; for now I am bent to
By the worst means, the worst : for mine own
All causes shall give way; I am in blood
Stept in so far, that, should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o'er:
Strange things I have in head, that will to ha
Which must be acted, ere they may be scann
Lady M. You lack the season of all na
6 sleep.

:

Macb. Come, we'll to sleep: My strang self-abuse

Is the initiate fear, that wants hard use :-
We are yet but young in deed.

[E

:

stance, that Macduff denies to come at our great bidding? W you infer from thence? What is your opinion of the matter? T cumstance on which this question is founded, took its rise fro old history. Macbeth sent to Macduff to assist in building th tle of Dunsinane. Macduff sent workmen, &c. but di choose to trust his person in the tyrant's power. From that tin resolved on his death. STEEVENS.

be scann'd.] To scan is to examine nicely.

• You lack the season of all natures, sleep.] i. e. you sta need of the time or season of sleep, which all natures requ

Did you send to him

y the way; but I will send them, but in his house 1. I will to-morrow, the weird sisters:

:; for now I am bent to i he worst : for mine ow

ay; I am in blood hould I wade no more,

us as go o'er: head, that will to hand; re they may be scan'd' he season of all natrs

sleep: My strange

nts hard use :leed. [E

t our great bidding? Wai anion of the matter? The unded, took its rise from the to assist in building the caf orkmen, &c. but didax power. From that time le

amine nicely. leep.] i. e. you stand in ich all natures require.

Thunder. Enter HECATE, meeting the three
Witches.

:

1 Witch. Why, how now, Hecate? you look

angerly.

Hec. Have I not reason, beldams, as you are,
Saucy, 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 close contriver of all harms,
Was never call'd to bear my part,
Or show the glory of our art?
And, which is worse, all you have done
Hath been but for a wayward son,
Spiteful, 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'the morning; thither he
Will come to know his destiny.
Your vessels, and your spells, provide,
Your charms, and every thing beside:
I am for the air; this night I'll spend
Unto a dismal-fatal end.

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

There hangs a vaporous drop profound;"

7

- vaporous drop profound;] This vaporous drop seems to have been meant for the same as the virus lunare of the ancients, being a foam which the moon was supposed to have shed on particular herbs, or other objects, when strongly solicited by enchant

:

I'll catch it ere it come to ground:
And that, distill'd by magick slights,
Shall raise such artificial sprights,
As, by the strength of their illusion,
Shall draw him on to his confusion:

He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear
His hopes 'bove wisdom, grace, and fear :
And you all know, security
Is mortal's chiefest enemy.

SONG. [Within.] Come away, come away
Hark, I am call'd; my little spirit, see,
Sits in a foggy cloud, and stays for me.

1 Witch. Come, let's make haste: she'll so

back again.

[

[Ex

:

SCENE VI.

Fores. A Room in the Palace.

Enter LENOX, and another Lord.

Len. My former speeches have but hit y
thoughts,

Which can interpret further: only, I say,
Things have been strangely borne: The graci

Duncan

Was pitied of Macbeth:-marry, he was dead :-
And the right-valiant Banquo walk'd too late;
Whom, you may say, if it please you, Flean

kill'd,

For Fleance fled. Men must not walk too late.
Who cannot want the thought, how monstrous
It was for Malcolm, and for Donalbain,
To kill their gracious father? damned fact'

- slights,] Arts; subtle practices.

How it did grieve Macbeth! did he not straight,
In pious rage, the two delinquents tear,
That were the slaves of drink, and thralls of sleep?
Was not that nobly done? Ay, and wisely too;
For 'twould have anger'd any heart alive,
To hear the men deny it. So that, I say,
He has borne all things well: and I do think,
That, had he Duncan's son under his key,
(As, an't please heaven, he shall not,) they should

find

What 'twere to kill a father; so should Fleance.
But, peace!-for from broad words, and 'cause he

fail'd

His presence at the tyrant's feast, I hear,
Macduff lives in disgrace: Sir, can you tell
Where he bestows himself?

Lord.

The son of Duncan,

From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth,
Lives in the English court; and is receiv'd
Of the most pious Edward with such grace,
That the malevolence of fortune nothing
Takes from his high respect: Thither Macduff
Is gone to pray the holy king, on his aid
To wake Northumberland, and warlike Siward:
That, by the help of these, (with Him above
To ratify the work,) we may again
Give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights;
Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives;
Do faithful homage, and receive free honours,1
All which we pine for now: And this report
Hath so exasperate the king, that he
Prepares for some attempt of war.

9 Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives;] The construction is-Free our feasts and banquets from bloody knives.

1

and receive free honours,] Free may be either honours freely bestowed, not purchased by crimes; or honours without slavery, without dread of a tyrant. JOHNSON.

:

Len.

Sent he to M

Lord. He did: and with an absolute, Sir

The cloudy messenger turns me his back,
And hums; as who should say, You'll rue the
That clogs me with this answer.

And that well

Len.
Advise him to a caution, to hold what distan
His wisdom can provide. Some holy angel
Fly to the court of England, and unfold

His message ere he come; that a swift blessin
May soon return to this our suffering country
Under a hand accurs'd!

Lord.

My prayers with hi

ACT IV.

[E

SCENE I. A dark Cave. In the middle a dron boiling.

Thunder. Enter the three Witches.

1 Witch. Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.
2 Witch. Thrice; and once the hedge-pig whi
3 Witch. Harper cries: *-'Tis time, 'tis time
1 Witch. Round about the cauldron go;

In the poison'd entrails throw.--
Toad, that under coldest stone,
Days and nights hast thirty-one
Swelter'd venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first i'the charmed pot!

Harper cries:] Harper may be a mis-spelling, or mispr for harpy. The word cries likewise seems to countenance supposition. Crying is one of the technical terms appropriated the noise made by birds of prey.