SCENE V.
Enter Macbeth's wife alone, with a letter.
Lady.
—They met me in the day of success; and I
-- 474 --
have learned 3 noteby the perfectest report, they have more in
them than mortal knowledge. When I burnt in desire to
question them further, they made themselves—air, into
which they vanish'd. Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder
of it, came missives from the king, who all-hail'd me,
Thane of Cawdor; by which title, before, these weird
sisters saluted me, and referr'd me to the coming on of time,
with, Hail, king that shalt be! This have I thought
good to deliver thee, my dearest partner of greatness; that
thou might'st not lose the dues of rejoicing, by being ignorant
of what greatness is promis'd thee. Lay it to thy heart,
and farewel.
Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be
What thou art promis'd:—Yet do I fear thy nature;
It is too full o'the milk of human kindness,
To catch the nearest way: Thou would'st be great;
Art not without ambition; but without
The illness should attend it. What thou would'st highly,
That would'st thou holily; would'st not play false,
And yet would'st wrongly win: 4 note
thou'd'st have, great Glamis,
That which cries, Thus thou must do, if thou have it;
5 note
And that which rather thou dost fear to do,
-- 475 --
Than wishest should be undone. Hie thee hither,
That I may pour my spirits in thine ear6 note
;
And chastise with the valour of my tongue
All that impedes thee from the golden round,
7 note
Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem
To have thee crown'd withal.—What is your tidings?
Enter a Messenger.
Mes.
The king comes here to-night.
Lady.
Thou'rt mad to say it:
Is not thy master with him? who, wer't so,
Would have inform'd for preparation.
Mes.
So please you, it is true: our thane is coming:
One of my fellows had the speed of him;
Who, almost dead for breath, had scarcely more
Than would make up his message.
Lady.
Give him tending,
-- 476 --
He brings great news. 8 note
The raven himself is hoarse,
[Exit Mes.
That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan
Under my battlements. Come, you spirits9 note
That tend on 1 note
mortal thoughts,9Q0510 unsex me here;
And fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full
Of direst cruelty! make thick my blood,
Stop up the access and passage to remorse;
That no compunctious visitings of nature
Shake my fell purpose, 2 note
nor keep peace between
-- 477 --
The effect, 3 note
and it! Come to my woman's breasts,
And 4 notetake my milk for gall, you murd'ring ministers,
Wherever in your sightless substances
5 noteYou wait on nature's mischief! Come, thick night6 note
,
-- 478 --
7 note
And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell!
That my keen knife 8 note
9Q0512 see not the wound it makes;
Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark9 note
,
1 note
To cry, Hold, hold!—Great Glamis! worthy Cawdor2 note
!
-- 479 --
Enter Macbeth.
Greater than both, by the all-hail hereafter!
Thy letters have transported me beyond
3 note
This ignorant present time4 note
, and I feel now
-- 480 --
The future in the instant.
Macb.
My dearest love,
Duncan comes here to-night.
Lady.
And when goes hence?
Macb.
To-morrow, as he purposes.
Lady.
Oh, never
Shall sun that morrow see!
Your face, my thane, is as a book5 note
, where men
May read strange matters:—To beguile the time,
Look like the time6 note
9Q0515; bear welcome in your eye,
Your hand, your tongue: look like the innocent flower,
But be the serpent under it. He that's coming
Must be provided for: and you shall put
This night's great business into my dispatch;
Which shall to all our nights and days to come
Give solely sovereign sway and masterdom.
Macb.
We will speak further.
Lady.
Only look up clear;
To alter favour ever is to fear:
Leave all the rest to me.
[Exeunt.
-- 481 --
Samuel Johnson [1778], The plays of William Shakspeare. In ten volumes. With the corrections and illustrations of various commentators; to which are added notes by Samuel Johnson and George Steevens. The second edition, Revised and Augmented (Printed for C. Bathurst [and] W. Strahan [etc.], London) [word count] [S10901].
