Siw. Then he is dead? Rosse. Ay, and brought off the field: your cause of sorrow Must not be measured by his worth, for then It hath no end. Siw. Had he his hurts before? Rosse. Ay, on the front. Siw. Why then, God's soldier be he! I would not wish them to a fairer death: Mal. He's worth more sorrow, And that I'll spend for him. They say, he parted well, and paid his score: The usurper's cursed head: the time is free: 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; The kingdom's wealth or ornament. MACEETH.-This play is deservedly celebrated for the propriety of its fiction, and solemnity, grandeur, and variety of its action; but it has aro nice discriminations of character; the events are too great to admit the influence of particular disposi tions, 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 may not be said, in defence of some parts which now seem improbable, that, in Shakspeare's time, it was necessary 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. How frequent the practice of enquiring into the events of futurity, similar to those of Macbeth, was in Shakspeare's time, may be seen in the following instances: "The Marshall of Raiz wife hath bin heard to say, that Queen Katherine beeing desirous to know what should become of her children, and who should succeed-them, the party which undertooke to assure her, let her see a glasse, representing a hall, in the which either of them made so many turns as he should raigne yeares; and that King Henry the Third, making his, the Duke of Guise rost him like a flash of lightning; after which, the Prince of Navarre presented himselfe, and made 22 turnes, and then vanished." P. Mathieu's Heroyk Life and deplorable Death of Henry the Fourth, translated by Ed. Grimeston, 4to. 1612, p. 42. Again: "It is reported that a Duke of Bourgondy had like to have died for feare at the sight of the nine worthies which a magician shewed him." Ibid. p. 116. END OF VOL. II. Sherwin and Co., Printers, 24, Paternoster-Row. |