MACBETH. I dare do all that may become à man ; Who dares do more is none. At length, overcome, rather than persuaded, he determines on the bloody deed. I am fettled, and bend up Each corp'ral agent to this terrible feat. How terrible to him, how repugnant to his nature, we plainly perceive, when, even in the moment that he fummons up therefolution needful to perform it, horrid phantasms present themselves: murder alarmed by his fentinel the wolf ftealing towards his defign; witchcraft celebrating pale Hecate's offerings; the midnight ravisher invading fleeping innocence, feem his affociates; and bloody daggers lead him to the very chamber of the king. At his return thence, the sense of the crime he has committed appears fuitable to his repugnance at undertaking it. He tells Lady Macbeth, that, of the grooms who flept in Duncan's chamber, MACBETH. There's one did laugh in fleep, and one cry'd, Murder! They They wak'd each other; and I ftood and heard them ; But they did say their prayers, and address them Again to fleep. LADY. There are two lodg'd together. MACBETH. One cry'd, God bless us! and, Amen! the other; As they had seen me with these hangman's hands. Liftening their fear, I could not fay, Amen, But wherefore could not I pronounce, Amen? Stuck in my throat.. MACBETH. Methought, I heard a voice cry, Sleep no more! Then he replies, when his lady bids him carry back the daggers; MACBETH. I'll go no more. I am afraid to think what I have done !. Look on't again I dare not. How natural is the exclamation of a perfon, who, from the fearless state of unfuspecting Innocence, is fallen into the fufpicious condition of Guilt, when upon hearing a knocking at the gate he cries out; MACBETH. How is it with me, when every noise appals me? The Poet has contrived to throw a tincture of remorfe even into Macbeth's refolution to murder Banquo.He does not proceed in it like a man, who, impenitent in crimes, and wanton in fuccefs, gaily goes forward in his violent career; but seems impelled onward, and stimulated to this additional villany, by an apprehenfion, that, if Banquo's pofterity should inherit the crown, he has facrificed his virtue, and defiled his own foul in vain. MACBETH. If 'tis fo, For Banquo's iffue have I 'fil'd my mind; For them, the gracious Duncan have I murder'd ; Only for them; and mine eternal jewel Giv'a Giv'n to the common enemy of man, To make them Kings, the feed of Banquo kings. His defire to keep Lady Macbeth innocent of this intended murder, and yet from the fulness of a throbbing heart, uttering what may render fufpected the very thing he wishes to conceal, fhews how deeply the author enters into human nature in general, and in every circumstance preserves the confiftency of the character he exhibits. How ftrongly is expreffed the great truth, that to a man of courage, the most terrible object is the person he has injured, in the following addrefs to Banquo's ghost: MACBETH. What man dare, I dare: Approach thou like the rugged Ruffian bear, Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves If trembling I evade it, then protest me The baby of a girl. Hence, terrible shadow; It is impoffible not to sympathize with the terrors Macbeth expreffes in his difordered speech. MACBETH. It will have blood.-They fay, blood will have blood. By magpies, and by choughs, and rooks, brought forth The perturbation, with which Macbeth again reforts to the Witches, and the tone of refentment and abhorrence with which he addreffes them, rather expreffes his sense of the crimes, to which their promises excited him, than any satisfaction in the regal condition, thofe crimes had procured. MACBETH. How now, you fecret, black, and midnight hags! The unhappy and difconfolate state of the most triumphant villany, from a consciousness of mens internal deteftation of that flagitious greatnefs, to which they are forced N |