5 ten times prouder than himself, knew there was one speedy and certain way to the crown, by treason and murder. This pitch of cruelty a human creature may be work'd up to, who is prompted by felf-love, (that narrow circle of love, beginning and ending in itself,) and by ambitious views. Befide cruelty is most notorious in weak and womanifh natures. As 'twas ⚫ customary for the king to vifit his nobles, he came one day to our hero's caftle at Inverness; where time and place conspiring, he is murdered; and thus the fo much defired crown is obtained. Who does not fee that had Shakespeare broken off the ftory here, it would have been incomplete? For his defign being to fhew the effects of ambition, and having made choice of 5. Sophocles is blamed by Ariftotle for drawing Hemon cruel without neceffity. Perhaps Ariftotle's remark will appear over refined, if it be confidered what a small circumstance this intended cruelty of Hemon's is in the play; and that Creon, Hemon's father, had put to death his fon's espoused wife, Antigone. No wonder therefore the fon fhould draw his fword, furprized as he was, against his father, and afterwards plunge it in his own breast. The cruelty of Hemon, as well as this of Macbeth's wife, feem to have both neceffity and paffion. 6. Inerat ei [Duncano] laudabilis confuetudo, regni pertranfire regiones femel in anno &c. Johan. de Fordun Scotichron. 1. 4. c. 44. Singulis annis ad inopum querelas audiendas perluftrabat provincias. Buchan. rer. Scot. 1. 7. one one paffion, of one hero, he is to carry it throughout in all its confequences. I mentioned above that the story was interefting, as a British story; and 'tis equally fo, as Macbeth, the hero of the tragedy, is drawn a man, not a monster; a man of virtue, 'till he hearken'd to the lures of ambition: then how is his mind agitated and convulfed, now virtue, now vice prevailing; 'till reason, as is ufual, gives way to inclination? And how beautifully, from fuch a wavering character, does the poet let you into the knowledge of the fecret fprings and motives of human actions? In the foliloquy before the murder, all the aggravating circumstances attending fuch a horrid deed, appear in their full view be fore him. He's bere in double truft: Firft as I am bis kinfman and his fubject, Strong both against the deed: then, as bis" boft, Who should against his murth'rer fhut the door, Not bear the knife myself. Befides, this Duncan Hath born bis faculties fo meek, &c. When 7. A stronger reason against the murder than any other. Hofpitality was always facred. This is according to antiquity. Homer, Od. . 55. Ξεῖν ̓ ἔ μοι θέμις ἔς ̓ ἐδ ̓ εἰ κακίων σέθεν ἔλθοι, Hence When his wife enters, he tells her he is refolved to proceed no further in this fatal affair; and upon her calling him coward, he makes this fine reflection, I dare do all that may become a man; 8 But what is will and refolution, when people's opinions are what the philofopher calls * KHPINAI ΥΠΟΛΗΨΕΙΣ ? How does every honeft fuggeftion vanish, and resolution melt like wax before the fun, coming in competition with his ambition? For her fake (powerful phantom!) honor, honefty, all is facrificed. Macbeth is now king, and his wife a queen, in enjoyment of their utmost wishes. How dear the purchase, will foon appear. When he murders his royal hoft, he comes out with the bloody daggers. This circumftance, little as it seems, paints the hurry and agitation of his Hence among the Greeks, Zeus Z, and the Latins, Jupiter hofpitalis. Virg. Aen. I, 735 Jupiter hofpitibus nam te dare jura loquuntur. 'Tis very fine in Shakespeare to give this caft of antiquity to his poem; whatever the inhofpitable character of our island-nation happens to be. 8. Epic. L. III. c. XVI. mind, ftronger than a thousand verfes. But Shakespeare is full of these true touches of nature. Methought I heard a voice cry, Sleep no more, Again, looking on his hands, What bands are here? bab! they pluck out mine eyes. 9. Shakespeare had this from his brother tragedians. So Hercules in Seneca : Ar&toum licet Macotis in me gelida transfundet mare, Et tota Tethys per meas currat manus, Haerebit altum facinus. Hercul. Fur. A&t. V. 'Tis faid of Oedipus, in Sophocles, that neither the waters of the Danube, or Phafis can wasb him and his housa clear Οἶμαι γὰρ ἔτ ̓ ἂν Ἴσρον ἔτε Φᾶσιν ἂν BLY Νίψαι καθαρμῷ τήνδε τὴν σέγην. In allufion to their expiatory washings in the fea or rivers. Various were the ceremonies of washing among the Jews, as well as Gentiles; particularly that of the hands. Homer, II. '. 266. Χερσὶ δ ̓ ἀνίπλοισιν Διὶ λείβειν αίθοπα Γοῖνον Αζομαι Hence came the proverb of doing things with unwashed hands; i. e. impudently, without any regard to decency or religion. Henry IV. A& III. Falft. Rob me the exchequer the first thing thou doft, and do it with unwashed hands too. 'Tis much happier for a man never to have known what honefty is, than once knowing it, after to forfake it. Macbeth begins now to fee, at a distance, that virtue which he had forfaken; he fees the beauty of it, and repines at its lofs. Jealoufie, miftruft, and all the tyrannic paffions now wholly poffefs him. He grows chiefly jealous of Banquo, because his pofterity had been promised the crown. For Banquo's iffue have I fil'd my mind: For them, the gracious Duncan have I murther'd. To make them kings: 10 the feed of Banquo kings: ro. The place fhould thus be pointed, To make them kings. The feed of Banquo kings! And to be spoken with irony and contempt, which gives a spirit to the fentence. 11. Alluding to the words of the champion at the coronation. So Holingfhed: "Whoever fhall fay, that king "Richard is not lawful king, I will fight with him at the 66 UTTERANCE." i. e. to the uttermoft, to the last extremity. Douglass in his tranflation of Virgil. Aen. V, 197. Olli certamine fummo Et vos, O Graiis imperdita corpora, Teucri. |