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. "
I doubt, some danger does approach you nearly:
If

you will take a homely man's advice,
Be not found here; hence, with your little ones.
To fright you thus, methinks, I am too savage;
To do worse to you, were fell cruelty,
Which is too nigh your person. Heaven preserve

you! I dare abide no longer.

[Exit Messenger. L. Macd.

Whither should I fly? I have done no harm. But I remember now I am in this earthly world; where, to do harın, Is often laudable: to do good, sometime, Accounted dangerous folly: Why then, alas! Do I put up that womanly defence, To say, I have done no harin? What are these

faces ?

.

Enter Murderers.

Mur. Where is

your

husband? L. Macd. I hope, in no place so unsanctified, Where such as thou may'st find him.

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in your siate of honour I am perfect.] i, e. I am perfectly acquainted with your rank of honour.

Mur.

He's a traitor
Son. Thou ly’st, thou shag-ear'd villain.
Mur.

What, you egg? [Stabbing him.
Young fry of treachery?
Son.

He has killed me, mother: I pray you.

[Dies. [Exit Lady Macduff, crying murder,

and pursued by the Murderers.

Run away,

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. Macd.

Let us rather Hold fast the mortal sword; and, like good men, Bestride our down-fallin birthdown: 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 know, believe; and, what I can redress, As I shall find the time to friend, I will.

| Bestride our down-fall’n birthdom:] The allusion is to a man from whom something valuable is about to be taken by violence, and who, that he may defend it without incumbrance, lays it on the ground, and stands over it with his weapon in his hand. Our birthdom, or birthright, says he, lies on the ground; let us, like men who are to fight for what is dearest to them, not abandon it, but stand over it and defend it. This is a strong picture of obstinate resolution. to friend,] i. e. to befriend.

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What you have spoke, it may

be so, perchance. This tyrant, whose sole nanie 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; and wisdom
To offer up a weak, poor, innocent lamb,
To appease an angry god.

Macd. I am not treacherous.
Mal.

But Macbeth is.
A good and virtuous nature may recoil,
In an imperial charge. But 'crave your pardon;
That which you are, my thoughts cannot transpose:
Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell:
Though all things fouls 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 rawnesso 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,
Whatever I shall think.
Macd.

Bleed, bleed, poor country!

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- and wisdom ---] That is, and 'tis wisdom. 4 A good and virtuous nature may recoil,

In an imperial churge.] A good mind may recede from goodness in the execution of a royal commission. JOHNSON.

5 Though all things foul, &c.] This is not very clear. The meaning, perhaps, is this :My suspicions cannot injure you, if you be virtuous, by supposing that a traitor may put on your virtuous appearance. I do not say that your virtuous appearance proves you a traitor; for virtue must wear its proper form, though that firm be counterfeited by villainy. JOHNSON.

Why in that rawness-] Without previous provision, without due preparation, without maturity of counsel.

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Great tyranny, lay thou thy basis sure,
For goodness dares not check thee! wear thou thy

wrongs,
Thy title is affeer'd!"-—Fare thee well, lord:
I would not be the villain that thou think'st
For the whole space that's in the tyrant's grasp,
And the rich East to boot.
Mal.

Be not offended:
I speak not as in absolute fear of

you.
I think, our country sinks beneath the yoke;
It weeps, it bleeds; and each new day a gash
Is added to her wounds: I think, withal,
There would be hands uplifted in my right;
And here, from gracious England, have I offer
Of goodly thousands: But, for all this,
When I shall tread upon the tyrant's head,
Or wear it on my sword, yet my poor country
Shall have more vices than it had before;
More suffer, and more sundry ways than ever,
By him that shall succeed
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 legion3
Of horrid hell, can come a devil inore damn'd
In evils, to top Macbeth.
Mal.

I grant him blooiy,
Luxurious, avaricious, false, deceitful,
Sudden, malicious, smacking of every sin
That has a name: But there's no bottom, none,
In my voluptuousness: your wives, your daughters,

7 Thy title is affeer'd!] Afcer'd, a law term for confirm'd.

Your matrons, and your maids, could not fill up
The cistern of my lust; and my desire
All continent impediments would o'er-bear,
That did oppose my will: Better Macbeth,
Than such a one to reign.
Macd.

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
To take upon you what is yours: you may
Convey your pleasures in a spacious plenty,
And yet seem cold, the time you may so hood-wink.
We have willing dames enough; there cannot be
That vulture in you, to devour so many
As will to greatness dedicate themselves,
Finding it so inclin’d.
Mal.

With this, there grows,
In my most ill-compos'd affection, such
A stanchless avarice, that, were I king,
I should cut off the nobles for their lands;
Desire his jewels, and this other's house:
And my more-having would be as a sauce
To make me hunger more; that I should forge
Quarrels unjust against the good, and loyal,
Destroying them for wealth.
Macd.

This avarice
Sticks deeper; grows with more pernicious root
Than summer-seeding lust;and it hath been
The sword of our slain kings: Yet do not fear;
Scotland hath foysons to fill up your will,
Of your mere own: All these are portable,
With other graces weigh’d.

grows with more pernicious root Than summer-seeding lust;] The allusion is to plants; and the sense is,—“ Avarice is a perennial weed; it has a deeper and more pernicious root than lust, which is a mere annual, and lasts but for a summer, when it sheds its seed and decays.” BLACKSTONE.

All these are portable,] Portable, i. e. bearable.

S

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