Re-enter MACDUFF, with MACBETH's Head on a Pole. Macd. Hail, king! for so thou art : Behold, where stands The usurper's cursed head: the time is free: All. King of Scotland, hail ! [Flourish. Mal. We shall not spend a large expense of time, Before we reckon with your several loves, And make us even with you. My thanes and kinsmen, In such an honour nam'd. What's more to do, Of this dead butcher, and his fiend-like queen ; [Flourish. Exeunt. It may be worth while to remark, that Milton, who left behind him a list of no less than CII. dramatic subjects, had fixed on the story of this play among the rest. His intention was to have begun with the arrival of Malcolm at Macduff's castle. "The matter of Duncan (says he) may be expressed by the appearing of his ghost." It should seem from this last memorandum, that Milton disliked the licence his predecessor had taken in comprehending a history of such length within the short compass of a play, and would have new written the whole on the plan of the ancient drama. He could not surely have indulged so vain a hope, as that of excelling Shakspeare in the tragedy of Macbeth. STEEVENS. END OF VOL. III. MUNROE & FRANCIS' |