Alarums. Enter MACDUFF. Macd. That way the noise is:-Tyrant, show thy face: If thou be'st slain, and with no stroke of mine, I sheathe again undeeded. There thou should'st be; [Exit. Alarum. Enter MALCOLM and old SIWARD. Siw. This way, my lord;-the castle's gently ren der'd: The tyrant's people on both sides do fight; The day almost itself professes yours, Macb. Why should I play the Roman fool, and die On mine own sword? whiles I see lives, the gashes upon them. Do better 2 Soldiers. 3 Reported with clamour. Macd. Re-enter MACDUFF. Turn, hell-hound, turn. Macb. Of all men else I have avoided thee: But get thee back, my soul is too much charg'd Macd. I have no words, My voice is in my sword; thou bloodier villain As easy may'st thou the intrenchant air 4 With thy keen sword impress, as make me bleed: Let fall thy blade on vulnerable crests; I bear a charmed life, which must not yield To one of woman born. Macd. Despair thy charm ; And let the angel, whom thou still hast serv'd, Macb. Accursed be that tongue that tells me so, And be these juggling fiends no more believ❜d, That keep the word of promise to our ear, And break it to our hope.-I'll not fight with thee. And live to be the show and gaze o'the time. Here may you see the tyrant. 4 The air which cannot be cut. 5 Shuffle. 1 Macb. I'll not yield, young Malcolm's feet, To kiss the ground before I throw my warlike shield: lay on, Macduff; Retreat. Flourish. Re-enter, with Drum and Colours, MALCOLM, old SIWARD, ROSSE, LENOX, AnGUS, CATHNESS, MENTETH, and Soldiers. Mal. I would, the friends we miss were safe arriv'd. Siw. Some must go off: and yet, by these I see, So great a day as this is cheaply bought. Mal. Macduff is missing, and your noble son. Rosse. Your son, my lord, has paid a soldier's debt: He only liv'd but till he was a man ; The which no sooner had his prowess confirm'd Siw. Then he is dead? Rosse. Ay, and brought off the field: your cause of sorrow Must not be measur'd by his worth, for then Had I as many sons as I have hairs, I would not wish them to a fairer death: They say, he parted well, and paid his score: Re-enter MACDUFF, with MACBETH'S Head on a Pole. Macd. Hail, king! for so thou art: Behold, where The usurper's cursed head: the time is free: I see thee compass'd with thy kingdom's pearl," All. King of Scotland, hail! [Flourish. Mal. We shall not spend a large expence of time, Before we reckon with your several loves, And make us even with you. My thanes and kins men, Henceforth be earls, the first that ever Scotland Of this dead butcher, and his fiend-like queen; 6 Thy kingdom's wealth or ornament. That calls upon us, by the grace of Grace, [Flourish. Exeunt, This play is deservedly celebrated for the propriety of its fictions, and solemnity, grandeur, and variety of its action; but it has no nice discriminations of character; the events are too great to admit the influence of particular dispositions, and the course of the action necessarily determines the conduct of the agents. The danger of ambition is well described; and I know not whether it may not be said, in defence of some parts which now seem improbable, that in Shakspeare's time, it was ne cessary to warn credulity against vain and illusive predictions. The passions are directed to their true end. Lady Macbeth is merely detested; and though the courage of Macbeth preserves some esteem, yet every reader rejoices at his fall. JOHNSON |