Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself BAN. the mind after the tumultuous bustle of the preceding scenes, and perfectly contrasts the scene of horror that immediately succeeds. It seems as if Shakspeare asked himself, What is a prince likely to say to his attendants on such an occasion? Whereas the modern writers seem, on the contrary, to be always searching for new thoughts, such as would never occur to men in the situation which is represented. This also is frequently the practice of Homer, who, from the midst of battles and horrors, relieves and refreshes the mind of the reader, by introducing some quiet rural image, or picture of familiar domestick life. SIR J. REYNOlds. 4 Unto our GENTLE SENSES.] Senses are nothing more than each man's sense. Gentle sense is very elegant, as it means placid, calm, composed, and intimates the peaceable delight of a fine day. JOHNSON. smartlet,] This bird is in the old edition called barlet. The correction was made by Mr. Rowe. MALOne. JOHNSON. It is supported by the following passage in The Merchant of Venice: 66 like the martlet "Builds in the weather on the outward wall." STEEVENS. 6 — no JUTTY, frieze.] The word jutty has been considered as an epithet to frieze; but this is a mistake. A comma should have been placed after jutty. A jutty, or jetty, (for so it ought rather to be written,) is a substantive, signifying that part of a building which shoots forward beyond the rest. See Florio's Italian Dictionary, 1598: "Barbacane. An outnooke or corner standing out of a house; a jettie."-" Sporto. A porch, a portal, a bay-window; or out-butting, or jettie, of a house, that jetties out farther than anie other part of the house."-See also Surpendue, in Cotgrave's French Dict. 1611: “A jettie; an outjetting room." MALONE. Shakspeare uses the verb to jutty, in King Henry V. : as fearfully as doth a galled rock O'erhang and jutty his confounded base." The substantive also occurs in an agreement between Philip Henslowe, &c. &c. for building a new theatre, in the year 1599. Buttress, nor coigne of vantage, but this bird Hath made his pendent bed, and procreant cradle: Where they most breed and haunt, I have observ'd, The air is delicate 9. DUN. 8 Enter Lady Macbeth. See, see! our honour'd hostess! The love that follows us, sometime is our trouble, See vol. ii.: " - besides a juttey forwards in eyther of the saide two upper stories," &c. STEEvens. 7-coigne of vantage,] Convenient corner. So, in Pericles: "By the four opposing coignes, 8 MOST breed -] Corrected by Mr. Rowe. MALONE. 9 JOHNSON. STEEVENS. STEEVENS. is delicate.] So this passage is exhibited in the old copy. Mr. Steevens, without giving the reader any notice of the alteration, has arranged it in the following manner: "Smells wooingly here: no jutty, frieze, buttress, "Nor coigne of vantage, but this bird hath made "His pendent bed, and procreant cradle: Where they "Most breed and haunt, I have observ'd, the air "Is delicate." The reader must make out the superior harmony of the first of these lines without assistance; but the next note will inform him what he is to do with the third. Boswell. 66 His pendent bed, and procreant cradle: Where they." Lest the reader should think this verse defective in harmony, he ought to be told, that as needle was once written and pronounced neele and neeld, so cradle was contracted into crale, and consequently uttered as a monosyllable. Thus, in the fragment of an ancient Christmas carol now before In some parts of Warwickshire, (as I am informed,) the word is drawlingly pronounced, as if it had been written-craale. STEEVENS. LADY M. All our service In every point twice done, and then done double, The love that follows us, sometime is our trouble, How shall bid God YIELD US FOR YOUR PAINS, AND THANK US FOR YOUR TROUBLE.] "The attention that is paid us, (says Duncan on seeing Lady Macbeth come to meet him,) sometimes gives us pain, when we reflect that we give trouble to others; yet still we cannot but be pleased with such attentions, because they are a proof of affection." So far is clear;but of the following words, I confess, I have no very distinct conception, and suspect them to be corrupt. Perhaps the meaning is," By being the occasion of so much trouble, I furnish you with a motive to pray to heaven to reward me for the pain I give you," inasmuch as the having such an opportunity of showing your loyalty may hereafter prove beneficial to you; "and herein also I afford you a motive to thank me for the trouble I give you," because by showing me such attention, (however painful it may be to me to be the cause of it,) you have an opportunity of displaying an amiable character, and of ingratiating yourself with your sovereign which, finally, may bring you both profit and honour. MALONE. This passage is undoubtedly obscure, and the following is the best explication of it I am able to offer: "Marks of respect, importunately shown, are sometimes troublesome, though we are still bound to be grateful for them, as indications of sincere attachment. If you pray for us on account of the trouble we create in your house, and thank us for the molestations we bring with us, it must be on such a principle. Herein I teach you, that the inconvenience you suffer, is the result of our affection; and that you are therefore to pray for us, or thank us, only as far as prayers and thanks can be deserved for kindnesses that fatigue, and honours that oppress. You are, in short, to make your acknowledgments for intended respect and love, however irksome our present mode of expressing them may have proved."-To bid is here used in the Saxon sense-to pray. STEEVENS. "How you shall bid God-yield us." To bid any one Godyeld him, i. e. God-yield him, was the same as God reward him. WARBURTON. I believe yield, or, as it is in the folio of 1623, eyld, is a corrupted contraction of shield. The wish implores not reward, but protection. JOHNSON. I rather believe it to be a corruption of God-yield, i. e. reward. In Antony and Cleopatra we meet with it at length: "And the gods yield you for't." Were poor and single business, to contend Against those honours deep and broad, wherewith Your majesty loads our house: For those of old, And the late dignities heap'd up to them, We rest your hermits 2. DUN. Where's the thane of Cawdor? We cours'd him at the heels, and had a purpose To be his purveyor: but he rides well; And his great love, sharp as his spur, hath holp him Again, in the interlude of Jacob and Esau, 1568: "God yelde you, Esau, with all my stomach." Again, in the old metrical romance of Syr Guy of Warwick, bl. I. no date : 66 Syr, quoth Guy, God yield it you, "Of this great gift you give me now." Again, in Chaucer's Sompnoure's Tale, v. 7759; Mr. Tyrwhitt's edit.: "God yelde you adoun in your village." Again, one of the Paston Letters, vol. iv. p. 335, begins thus: "To begin, God yeld you for my hats." God shield means God forbid, and could never be used as a form of returning thanks. So, in Chaucer's Milleres Tale : God shilde that he died sodenly." 66 V. 3427; Mr. Tyrwhitt's edit. STEEVENS. 2 We rest your HERMITS.] Hermits, for beadsmen. WARBURTON. That is, we as hermits shall always pray for you. Thus, in A. of Wyntown's Cronykil, b. ix. c. xxvii. v. 99: "His bedmen thai suld be for-thi, Again, in Arden of Feversham, 1592: 66 I am your beadsman, bound to pray for Again, in Heywood's English Traveller, 1633: you." This phrase occurs frequently in The Paston Letters. STEEVENS. 3 his great love, sharp as his spur,] So, in Twelfth-Night, Act III. Sc. III.: 66 my desire, "More sharp than filed steel, did spur me forth." STEEVENS. To his home before us: Fair and noble hostess, LADY M. Your servants ever Have theirs, themselves, and what is theirs, in compt, To make their audit at your highness' pleasure, Still to return your own. DUN. Give me your hand : Conduct me to mine host; we love him highly, SCENE VII. [Exeunt. The Same. A Room in the Castle. Hautboys and torches. Enter, and pass over the stage, a Sewer, and divers Servants with dishes and service. Then enter MACBETH. MACB. If it were done, when 'tis done, then 'twere well • Your servants ever, &c.] The metaphor in this speech is taken from the Steward's compting-house or audit-room. In compt, means, subject to account. So, in Timon of Athens : "And have the dates in compt." The sense of the whole is :-" We, and all who belong to us, look upon our lives and fortunes not as our own properties, but as things we have received merely for your use, and for which we must be accountable, whenever you please to call us to our audit; when, like faithful stewards, we shall be ready to answer your summons, by returning you what is your own." STEEVENS. 5 Enter a SEWER,] I have restored this stage direction from the old copy. A sewer was an officer so called from his placing the dishes upon the table. Asseour, French; from asseoir, to place. Thus, in Chapman's version of the 24th Iliad: 66 Automedon as fit "Was for the reverend sewer's place; and all the browne joints serv'd "On wicker vessell to the board." |