MACB. Your spirits shine through you. Within this hour, at most,
I will advise you where to plant yourselves.
Acquaint you with the perfect spy o' the time,
The moment on 't; for 't must be done to-night",
And something from the palace; always thought
That I require a clearness: And with him,
(To leave no rubs, nor botches, in the work,)
Fleance his son, 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.

1 MUR.
MACB. I'll call upon you straight; abide within.
It is concluded:-Banquo, thy soul's flight,
If it find heaven, must find it out to-night.

We are resolv'd, my lord

[Exeunt.

a We understand this passage as follows. Macbeth has said,

"I will advise you where to plant yourselves:"

he then adds "Acquaint you"-inform yourselves-" with the perfect spy"-with a most careful inquiry-"o' the time "-the expected time of Banquo's return;—

"The moment on 't; for 't must be done to-night."

Enter MACBETH.

How now, my lord? why do you keep alone,

Of sorriest fancies your companions making?

Using those thoughts which should indeed have died
With them they think on? Things without all remedy,
Should be without regard: what 's done is done.

MACB. We have scotch'd the snake, not kill'd it;

She'll close, and be herself; whilst our poor malice
Remains in danger of her former tooth.

But let the frame of things disjoint, both the worlds suffer,
Ere we will eat our meal in fear, and sleep

In the affliction of these terrible dreams,

That shake us nightly: Better be with the dead,
Whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace,

Than on the torture of the mind to lie

In restless ecstacy. Duncan is in his grave;
After life's fitful fever he sleeps well;

Treason has done his worst: nor steel, nor poison,
Malice domestic, foreign levy, nothing,

MACB. O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!

Thou know'st that Banquo, and his Fleance, lives.

a Peace. For this word of the original the editor of the second folio substituted place; and it has been adopted by all succeeding editors. The repetition of the word peace seems very much in Shakspere's manner; and as every one who commits a crime such as that of Macbeth proposes to himself, in the result, happiness, which is another word for peace,-as the very promptings to the crime disturb his peace,-we think there is something much higher in the sentiment conveyed by the original word than in that of place. In the very contemplation of the murder of Banquo, Macbeth is vainly seeking for peace. Banquo is the object that makes him eat his meal in fear, and sleep in terrible dreams. His death, therefore, is determined; and then comes the fearful lesson,

"Better be with the dead,

Whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace,

Than on the torture of the mind to lie

In restless ecstacy."

There is no peace with the wicked.

LADY M. But in them nature's copy 'sa not eterne.
MACB. There's comfort yet; they are assailable;

Then be thou jocund: Ere the bat hath flown
His cloister'd flight; ere, to black Hecate's summons,
The shard-borne beetle, with his drowsy hums,
Hath rung night's yawning peal,

There shall be done a deed of dreadful note.

LADY M. What 's to be done?

MACB. Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck,

Till thou applaud the deed. Come, seeling night,
Skarf up the tender eye of pitiful day;

And, with thy bloody and invisible hand,

Cancel, and tear to pieces, that great bond

Which keeps me pale!-Light thickens; and the crow
Makes wing to the rooky wood;

Good things of day begin to droop and drowse;

Whiles night's black agents to their prey do rouse.
Thou marvell'st at my words: but hold thee still;
Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill :
So, prithee, go with me.

SCENE III.-The same.

[Exeunt.

A Park or Lawn, with a Gate leading to the Palace.
Enter three Murderers.

2 MUR. He needs not our mistrust; since he delivers

Our offices, and what we have to do,

To the direction just.

■ Nature's copy. Johnson explains this as the copy, the lease, by which they hold their lives from nature; and Ritson says it is the copy of court roll. Is not this very forced? Although the expression may be somewhat obscure, does not every one feel that the copy means the individual, -the particular cast from nature's mould, a perishable copy of the prototype of man?

Shard-borne beetle-the beetle borne on its shards, or scaly wing-cases. See 'Cymbeline,' Illustration of Act III., Scene 3.

с

Seeling-blinding. The expression is taken from the practice of closing the eyelids of hawks.

Enter BANQUO and FLEANCE, a Servant with a torch preceding them.

3 MUR. There 's but one down; the son is fled.

2 MUR. We have lost the best half of our affair.

1 MUR. Well, let 's away, and say how much is done.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV. A Room of State in the Palace. A Banquet prepared.

Enter MACBETH, LADY MACBETH, ROSSE, LENOX, Lords, and Attendants.

MACB. You know your own degrees, sit down: at first

And last, the hearty welcome.

LORDS.

Thanks to your majesty.

MACB. Ourself will mingle with society,

And play the humble host.

Our hostess keeps her state; but, in best time,

We will require her welcome.

LADY M. Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our friends;

For my heart speaks, they are welcome.

Enter first Murderer, to the door.

MACB. See, they encounter thee with their hearts' thanks:
Both sides are even: Here I 'll sit i' the midst :

Be large in mirth; anon, we 'll drink a measure

The table round.-There 's blood upon thy face.

MUR. T is Banquo's then.

MACB. "T is better thee without, than he within.

Is he dispatch'd?

MUR. My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for him.

MACB. Thou art the best o' the cut-throats: Yet he 's good,
That did the like for Fleance: if thou didst it,

MACB. Then comes my fit again: I had else been perfect;
Whole as the marble, founded as the rock:

As broad and general as the casing air:

But now, I am cabin'd, cribb'd, confin'd, bound in
To saucy doubts and fears. But Banquo 's safe?
MUR. Ay, my good lord: safe in a ditch he bides,
With twenty trenched gashes on his head;
The least a death to nature.

There the grown serpent lies; the worm, that 's fled,
Hath nature that in time will venom breed;

No teeth for the present.-Get thee gone; to-morrow
We'll hear, ourselves, again.

You do not give the cheer; the feast is sold

That is not often vouch'd, while 't is a making,

'T is given with welcome a: To feed, were best at home; From thence, the sauce to meat is ceremony,

Meeting were bare without it.

MACB.

Sweet remembrancer!—

Now, good digestion wait on appetite,
And health on both!

LEN.

May it please your highness sit?

[Exit Murderer.

Enter the Ghost of BANAUO and sits in MACBETH's place”.

MACB. Here had we now our country's honour roof'd,
Were the grac'd person of our Banquo present;

Who may I rather challenge for unkindness

Than pity for mischance!

Lays blame upon his promise. Please it your highness
To grace us with your royal company?

MACB. The table 's full.

LEN. Here is a place reserv'd, sir.

MACB. Where?

LEN.

Here, my good lord. What is 't that moves your highness?

a We understand, that 't is given with welcome.