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Enter MACBETH.

Mach. How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags!

What is't you do?

All.

A deed without a name.

Mach. I conjure you, by that which you profess,
(Howe'er you come to know it) answer me:
Though you untie the winds, and let them fight
Against the churches; though the yesty waves
Confound and swallow navigation up;

Though bladed corn be lodg'd, and trees blown down;
Though castles topple on their warders' heads;
Though palaces, and pyramids, do slope

Their heads to their foundations; though the treasure
Of nature's germins3 tumble all together,

Even till destruction sicken, answer me

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1 Witch. Say, if thou'dst rather hear it from our

mouths,

Or from our masters'?

Macb.

Call 'em let me see 'em 6.

1 Witch. Pour in sow's blood, that hath eaten Her nine farrow; grease, that's sweaten

From the murderer's gibbet, throw

Into the flame.

All.

Come high, or low;

Thyself, and office, deftly show'.

5 Of nature's GERMINS-] "Germins " are seeds which have begun to germinate or sprout. Shakespeare uses the word again in "King Lear," A. iii. sc. 2. 6 Call 'EM: let me see 'EM.] Thus it stands in the old copy, in opposition to the practice of some modern actors who lay a peculiar emphasis on them, which could not be meant by the poet, if he wrote the contraction of "'em" for them in both instances, as it is printed in the folios.

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DEFTLY show.] i. e. Dexterously, or fittingly, from the Sax. dæft.

Thunder. 1 Apparition, an armed Head3.

Macb. Tell me, thou unknown power,—

2 Witch.

He knows thy thought:

Hear his speech, but say thou nought.

1 App. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware

Macduff;

Beware the thane of Fife.-Dismiss me :-enough.

[Descends. Mach. Whate'er thou art, for thy good caution

thanks:

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Thou hast harp'd my fear aright. But one word

more:

1 Witch. He will not be commanded. Here's ano

ther,

More potent than the first.

App.

Thunder. 2 Apparition, a bloody Child.

Macbeth Macbeth! Macbeth!

Mach. Had I three ears, I'd hear thee.

App. Be bloody, bold, and resolute: laugh to scorn power of man, for none of woman born

The

Shall harm Macbeth.

[Descends.

Macb. Then live, Macduff: what need I fear of

thee?

But yet I'll make assurance double sure,

And take a bond of fate: thou shalt not live;

That I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies,

And sleep in spite of thunder.-What is this,

Thunder. 3 Apparition, a Child crowned, with a Tree

in his Hand.

That rises like the issue of a king;

Apparition, an armed Head.] In the old copies, the Apparitions are distinguished by the figures 1, 2, and 3, meaning the first, second, and third Apparition; and there seems every reason to continue to observe this practice, for the sake of distinctness.

And wears upon his baby brow the round
And top of sovereignty?

All.

Listen, but speak not to't.

App. Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care
Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are:
Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be, until
Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill
Shall come against him.

Macb.

That will never be:

Who can impress the forest; bid the tree

[Descends.

Unfix his earth-bound root? sweet bodements! good!
Rebellious head, rise never', till the wood

Of Birnam rise; and our high-plac'd Macbeth
Shall live the lease of nature, pay his breath
To time, and mortal custom.-Yet my heart
Throbs to know one thing: tell me, (if your art
Can tell so much) shall Banquo's issue ever
Reign in this kingdom?

All.

Seek to know no more.

Macb. I will be satisfied: deny me this,

And an eternal curse fall on you! Let me know.— Why sinks that cauldron? and what noise is this?

[Hautboys.

1 Witch. Show! 2 Witch. Show! 3 Witch. Show! All. Show his eyes, and grieve his heart;

Come like shadows, so depart.

A show of eight Kings, and BANQUO last, with a Glass in his Hand2.

Mach. Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo: down!

9 Who can IMPRESS the forest ;] i. e. Who can "impress" the forest into his service!

1 Rebellious HEAD, rise never,] "Rebellious dead" runs through the folios: the emendation was first made by Theobald.

2- and Banquo last, with a Glass in his Hand.] Such is the old stagedirection, which, being complete in itself, and applicable to what follows, there is no sufficient reason for altering, as has been done in the modern editions. The first of the show of kings must have resembled "the spirit of Banquo," as one of his immediate descendants. The crown seared the eye-balls of Macbeth, because it fulfilled the prediction of the Witches respecting Banquo's issue.

Thy crown does sear mine eye-balls :—and thy hair3,
Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first:-
A third is like the former :-Filthy hags!

Why do you show me this?-A fourth ?-Start, eyes!
What! will the line stretch out to the crack of doom?
Another yet?-A seventh ?-I'll see no more:-
And yet the eighth appears, who bears a glass,
Which shows me many more; and some I see,
That two-fold balls and treble sceptres carry.
Horrible sight!-Now, I see, 'tis true;
For the blood-bolter'd Banquo' smiles upon me,
And points at them for his.-What! is this so?
1 Witch. Ay, sir, all this is so: but why
Stands Macbeth thus amazedly?-
Come, sisters, cheer we up his sprites,
And show the best of our delights.
I'll charm the air to give a sound,
While you perform your antic round;
That this great king may kindly say,
Our duties did his welcome pay.

[Music. The Witches dance, and vanish. Mach. Where are they? Gone?-Let this pernicious hour

Stand aye accursed in the calendar!—

Come in! without there!

3

and thy HAIR,] Mr. Amyot, with Monck Mason, prefers "hair" to air, which was Warburton's change from the old copies, which all have haire. The likeness was in the "hair," to which Macbeth's attention was directed by the crown surmounting it. Besides, had air been intended, the pronoun before it would probably have been printed thine, and not "thy :" thine is generally used before words beginning with vowels, or with an h when not aspirated.

the BLOOD-BOLTER'D Banquo-] The epithet "blood-bolter'd" (says Malone) is a provincial term, well known in Warwickshire. When a horse, sheep, or other animal, perspires much, and any of the hair or wool, in consequence of such perspiration, or any redundant humour, becomes matted in tufts with grime and sweat, he is said to be boltered; and whenever the blood issues out, and coagulates, forming the locks into hard clotted bunches, the beast is said to be "blood-bolter'd." To this note we may add, that in "Arden of Faversham" the word bolstered is used much in the same sense: Michael says,

"Methinkes I see them with their bolstered haire,
Staring and grinning in thy gentle face."

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Macb. Infected be the air whereon they ride, And damn'd all those that trust them!-I did hear The galloping of horse: who was't came by?

Len. 'Tis two or three, my lord, that bring you word, Macduff is fled to England.

Macb.

Len. Ay, my good lord.

Fled to England ?

Mach. Time, thou anticipat'st my dread exploits : The flighty purpose never is o'ertook,

Unless the deed go with it. From this moment,

The very firstlings of my heart shall be

The firstlings of my hand. And even now,

To crown my thoughts with acts, be it thought and done :

The castle of Macduff I will surprise;

Seize upon Fife; give to the edge o' the sword
His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls

That trace him in his line. No boasting like a fool;
This deed I'll do, before this purpose cool:

But no more sights.-Where are these gentlemen?
Come; bring me where they are.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Fife. A Room in MACDUFF's Castle.

Enter Lady MACDUFF, her Son, and Rosse.

L. Macd. What had he done to make him fly the

land?

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