L. Macd. Why, I can buy me twenty at any market. Son. Then you'll buy 'em to sell again. L. Macd. Thou speak'st with all thy wit; Son. What is a traitor? L. Macd. Why, one that swears and lies. L. Macd. Every one that does so is a traitor, and must be hang'd. Son. And must they all be hang'd, that swear and lie? L. Macd. Every one. Son. Who must hang them? L. Macd. Why, the honest men. Son. Then the liars and swearers are fools; for there are liars and swearers enough to beat the honest men, and hang up them. L. Macd. Now, God help thee, poor monkey! But how wilt thou do for a father? Son. If he were dead, you'd weep for him: if you would not, it were a good sign that I should quickly have a new father. L. Macd. Poor prattler, how thou talk'st! Enter a Messenger. Mess. Bless you, fair dame! I am not to you known, Though in your state of honour I am perfect.* Be not found here; hence, with your little ones. That is, I am perfectly acquainted with your rank, To fright you thus, methinks, I am too savage; Which is too nigh your person. Heaven preserve you I dare abide no longer. L. Macd. I have done no harm: [Exit. Whither should I fly ? But I remember now I am in this earthly world, where to do harm To faces? Enter Murderers. Mur. Where is your husband? What are these L. Macd. I hope, in no place so unsanctified, Where such as thou may'st find him. Mur. He's a traitor. Son. Thou liest, thou shag-hair'd' villain. [Exit Lady MACDUFF, crying murder and pursued by the Murderers. The old copy has shag-ear'd, upon which Mr. Knight remarks, "This should be probably shag-hair'd." Mr. Dyce, quoting this remark, adds,- -"Assuredly it should: formerly, hair was often written hear; and shag-hear'd was doubtless altered by a mistake of the transcriber, or the original compositor, to shagear'd. King Midas, after his decision in favour of Pan, the only human being on record to whom the latter epithet could be applied." Shag-hair'd was a common term of abuse. In Lodge's Incarnate Devils of this Age, 1596, we have shag-heard slave." H. "This scene," says Coleridge, "dreadful as it is, is still a relief, because a variety, because domestic, and therefore soothing, as associated with the only real pleasures of life. The conversation between Lady Macduff and her child heightens the pathos SCENE III. England. A Room in the King's Palace. Enter MALCOLM and MACDUFF. Mal. Let us seek out some desolate shade, and there Weep our sad bosoms empty. Let us rather Macd. Hold fast the mortal sword, and like good men Bestride our downfall'n birthdom.' Each new morn, New widows howl, new orphans cry; new sorrows Strike heaven on the face, that it resounds As if it felt with Scotland, and yell'd out Like syllable of dolour. Mal. What I believe, I'll wail: What you have spoke, it may be so, perchance. This tyrant, whose sole name blisters our tongues, Was once thought honest: you have lov'd him well; He hath not touch'd you yet. I am young; but something You may deserve of him through me; 2 and wisdom and is preparatory for the deep tragedy of their assassination. Shakespeare's fondness for children is everywhere shown; - in Prince Arthur in King John; in the sweet scene in The Winter's Tale between Hermione and her son; nay, even in honest Evans' examination of Mrs. Page's schoolboy." H. 1 Birthdom, for the place of our birth, our native land. To bestride one that was down in battle, was a special bravery of friendship. See The Comedy of Errors, Act v. sc. 1, note 12. H. 2 The old copy reads discerne, an easy misprint for deserve. The emendation was made by Theobald. In the latter part of the line something is wanted to complete the sense 'tis wisdom to offer," &c. Through me means, by putting me out of the way. To offer up a weak, poor, innocent lamb, Macd. I am not treacherous. Mal. But Macbeth is. A good and virtuous nature may recoil, 3 In an imperial charge. But I shall crave you. pardon : That which you are, my thoughts cannot transpose Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell : Though all things foul would wear the brows of grace, Yet grace must still look so." Macd. I have lost my hopes. Mal. Perchance, even there where I did find my doubts. Why in that rawness left you wife and child, Those precious motives, those strong knots of love, Without leave-taking? I pray you, Let not my jealousies be your dishonours, But mine own safeties: you may be rightly just, Macd. Bleed, bleed, poor country! Great tyranny, lay thou thy basis sure, For goodness dares not check thee! wear thou thy wrongs; The title is affeer'd!" Fare thee well, lord: I would not be the villain that thou thinkʼst, Mal. Be not offended: A good mind may recede from goodness under an imperial command. 4 That is, must still look as it does. A similar expression oc curs in All's Well that Ends Well, Act ii. sc. 3: "Good alone is good, without a name; vileness is so." H. That is, the title is confirmed to thee, since none dare challenge it. -"Wear thou thy wrongs," that is, the honours tho hast won by wrong. H I speak not as in absolute fear of you. I think our country sinks beneath the yoke; Macd. What should he be ? Mal. It is myself I mean; in whom I know All the particulars of vice so grafted, That, when they shall be open'd, black Macbeth Will seem as pure as snow; and the poor state Esteem him as a lamb, being compar'd With my confineless harms. Macd. Not in the legions Of horrid hell can come a devil more damn'd In evils, to top Macbeth. Mal. I grant him bloody, Luxurious, avaricious, false, deceitful, Sudden, malicious, smacking of every sin That has a name; but there's no bottom, none, All continent impediments would o'erbear, Than such a one to reign. Macd. Better Macbeth, Boundless intemperance In nature is a tyranny: it hath been The untimely emptying of the happy throne, and fall of many kings. But fear not yet |