I go, and it is done; the bell invites me. SCENE II. [Exit. The same. Enter Lady MACBETH. Lady M. That which hath made them drunk, hath made me bold: What hath quench'd them, hath given me fire: - It was the owl that shriek'd, the fatal bellman, Do mock their charge with snores: I have drugg'd their possets, That death and nature do contend about them, Macb. [within.] Who's there?-what, ho? a false concord; but it must not be corrected, for it is necessary to the rhyme. Nor is this the only place in which Shakspeare has sacrificed grammar to rhyme. My father as he slept, I had done't.] This is very artful. For, as the poet has drawn the lady and her husband, it would be thought the act should have been done by her. It is likewise highly just; for though ambition had subdued in her all the sentiments of nature towards present objects, yet the likeness of one past, which she had been accustomed to regard with reverence, made her unnatural passions, for a moment, give way to the sentiments of instinct and humanity. Warburton. Enter MACBETH. Macb. I have done the deed: - Didst thou not hear a noise? Lady M. I heard the owl scream, and the crickets Macb. This is a sorry sight. Donalbain. [Looking on his hands. Lady M. A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight. Macb. There's one did laugh in his sleep, and one cried, murder! That they did wake each other; I stood and heard them: But they did say their prayers, and address'd them Lady M. There are two lodg'd together. Macb. One cried, God bless us! and, Amen, the other; As they had seen me7, with these hangman's hands. Listening their fear, I could not say, amen, When they did say, God bless us. Lady M. Consider it not so deeply. Macb. But wherefore could not I pronounce, amen? I had most need of blessing, and amen Stuck in my throat. Lady M. These deeds must not be thought After these ways; so, it will make us mad. Macb. Methought, I heard a voice cry, Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep, the innocent sleep; 7 As they had seen me,] i. e. as if. Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleave of care, The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath, Lady M. What do you mean? Macb. Still it cried, Sleep no more! to all the house; Glamis hath murder'd sleep; and therefore Cawdor Shall sleep no more, Macbeth shall sleep no more! 9 You do unbend your noble strength, to think Macb. I'll go no more : I am afraid to think what I have done; Look on't again, I dare not. Lady M. Infirm of purpose! Give me the daggers: The sleeping, and the dead, Are but as pictures: 'tis the eye of childhood, That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed, I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal, For it must seem their guilt. [Exit. Knocking within. 8 the ravell'd sleave of care,] Sleave signifies the ravell'd knotty part of the silk, which gives great trouble and embarrassment to the knitter or weaver. 9 Glamis hath murder'd sleep; and therefore Cawdor Shall sleep no more, Macbeth shall sleep no more!] This triple menace, accommodated to the different titles of Macbeth, is too quaint to be received as the natural ebullition of a guilty mind. Introduce the adjuncts of a modern nobleman in the same manner, and the fault of the passage will become yet more conspicuous; as for in stance Norfolk hath murder'd sleep; and therefore Surrey How is't with me, when every noise appals me? Clean from my hand? No; this my hand will rather Making the green-one red. † 1 Re-enter Lady MACBETH. Lady M. My hands are of your colour; but I shame To wear a heart so white. [Knock.] I hear a knocking At the south entry: - retire we to our chamber: A little water clears us of this deed: How easy is it then? Your constancy Hath left you unattended. - [Knocking.] Hark! more knocking: Get on your nightgown, lest occasion call us, And show us to be watchers: So poorly in your thoughts. Be not lost Wake Duncan with thy knocking! Ay, 'would thou Porter. Here's a knocking, indeed! If a man were The multitudinous seas incarnardine,] To incarnardine is to stain any thing of a flesh colour, or red. Carnardine is the old term for carnation. By multitudinous, the poet is supposed to mean seas of every denomination: or, the seas which swarm with inhabitants : or, perhaps alludes to the multitude of waves. The commentators are not agreed on this point. + " Making the green one, red." MALONE. + "I would thou could'st!"- MALONE. porter of hell-gate, he should have old turning the key. 2 [Knocking.] Knock, knock, knock: Who's there, i'the name of Belzebub? Here's a farmer, that hanged himself on the expectation of plenty: Come in time; have napkins enough about you; here you'll sweat for❜t. [Knocking.] Knock, knock: Who's there, i'the other devil's name? 'Faith here's an equivocator, that could swear in both the scales against either scale; who committed treason enough for God's sake, yet could not equivocate to heaven: O, come in, equivocator. [Knocking.] Knock, knock, knock: Who's there? 'Faith, here's an English tailor come hither, for stealing out of a French hose: Come in, tailor; here you may roast your goose. [Knocking.] Knock, knock: Never at quiet! What are you?-But this place is too cold for hell. I'll devil-porter it no further: I had thought to have let in some of all professions, that go the primrose way to the everlasting bonfire. [Knocking.] Anon, anon; I pray you, remember the porter. [Opens the gate. Enter MACDUFF and LENOX. Macd. Was it so late, friend, ere you went to bed, That you do lie so late? Port. 'Faith, sir, we were carousing till the second cock and drink, sir, is a great provoker of three things. Macd. What three things does drink especially provoke? Port. Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and urine. Lechery, sir, it provokes, and unprovokes: it provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance: Therefore, much drink may be said to be an equivocator with 2 he should have old turning the key ] i. e. frequent, more than enough. 3 till the second cock :] Cockcrowing, i. e. as Mr. Malone thinks, till three o'clock. |