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To make them Kings, the Seed of Banque Kings.
Rather than fo, come Fate into the lift,
And champion me to th' utterance!--Who's there?

vil, is in itself natural and obvious, yet fome may be pleafed with being informed, that ShakeSpeare probably borrowed it from the first lines of the deftruction of Troy, a book which he is

known to have read.

That this remark may not appear too trivial, I fhall take occafion from it to point out a beautiful paffage of Milton, evidently copied from a book of no greater authority, in defcribing the gates of hell. Book 2. v.879. he fays,

On a fudden open fly, With impetuous recoil and jarring found,

Th' infernal doors, and on their
binges grate
Harfh thunder.

In the hiftory of Don Bellianis, when one of the knights approaches, as I remember, the caftle of Brandezar, the gates are faid to open grating harsh thunder upon their brafen hinges.

S come Fate into the lift, And champion me to th' utterance! This paffage will be beft explained by tranflating it into the language from whence the only word of difficulty in it is borrowed. Que la destinée fe rende en lice, et qu'elle me donne un defi a l'outrance. A challenge or a combat a l'outrance, to extremity, was a fix'd term in the law of arms, ufed when the combatants engaged with an odi

um internecinum, an intention to deftroy each other, in oppofition to trials of kill at festivals, or on other occafions, where the conteft was only for reputation or a prize. The sense therefore is, Let Fate, that has fore-doom'd the exaltation of the fons of Banquo, enter the lifts against me, with the utmost animofity, in defence of its own decrees, which I will endeavour to invalidate, whatever be the danger.

Rather than fo, come Fate into the lift,

And champion me to th' utte

rance! This is expreffed with great noblenefs and fublimity. The metaphor is taken from the ancient combat en champ clos: in which there was a marfhal, who prefided over, and directed all the punctilios of the ceremonial. Fate is called upon to discharge this office, and champion bim to th' utterance that is, to fight it out to the extre mity, which they called combatre à oulirance. But he uses the Scotch word, utterance from oultrance, extremity. WARB

After the former explication, Dr. Warburton was defirous to feem to do fomething; and he has therefore made fate the marhal, whom I had made the champion, and has left Macbeth to enter the lifts without an opponent.

Enter

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Enter Servant, and two Murderers.

Go to the door, and stay there, 'till we call.

Was it not yesterday we spoke together?
Mur. It was, fo please your Highness.
Mach. Well then, now

[Exit Servant.

You have confider'd of my fpeeches, know,
That it was he, in the times paft, which held you
So under fortune, which, you thought, had been
Our innocent feif; this I made good to you

In our aft conf'rence, paft in probation with you,
How you were borne in land; how croft, the inftru-

ments;

Who wrought with them; and all things elfe that might

To half a foul, and to a notion craz'd,

Say, thus did Banquo.

1 Mur. True, you made it known.

Mach. I did fo; and went further, which is now Oor point of fecond meeting. Do you find Your patience fo predominant in your nature, That you can let this go? are you fo gospell'd, To pray for this good man and for his iffue, Whofe heavy hand hath bow'd you to the Grave, And beggar'd yours for ever.

1 Mur. We are men, my liege.

Macb. Ay, in the catalogue ye go for men, As hounds, and greyhounds, mungrels, fpaniels, curs, 'Showghes, water rugs, and demy-wolves are cleped All by the name of dogs; the yalued file Diftinguishes the fwift, the flow, the fubtle, The house-keeper, the hunter; every one

are you fo gofpell'd,] Are you of that degree of precife virtue? Gospeller was a name of contempt given by the Papifts

to the Lollards, the Puritans of early times, and precurfors of Proteftantifm.

Ac.

According to the gift which bounteous Nature
Hath in him clos'd; whereby he does receive
Particular addition, from the bill

That writes them all alike: and fo of men.
Now, if you have a ftation in the file,

And not in the worst rank of manhood, fay it;
And I will put that business in your bosoms,
Whofe execution takes your enemy off;
Graples you to the heart and love of us,
Who wear our health but fickly in his life,
Which in his death were perfect.

2 Mur. I am one,

Whom the vile blows and buffets of the world
Have fo incens'd, that I am reckless what
I do, to fpite the world.

1 Mur. And I another,

? So weary with difafters, tugg'd with fortune, That I would fet my life on any chance,

To mend it, or be rid on't.

Macb. Both of you

Know, Banquo was your enemy.

Mur. True, my Lord.

Mach. So is he mine: and in fuch bloody distance; That every minute of his Being thrusts

Against my near'ft of life; and though I could

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With bare-fac'd Power fweep him from my fight,
And bid my will avouch it; yet I muft not,
For certain friends that are both his and mine,
Whofe loves I may not drop; but wail his Fall,
Whom I myself ftruck down; and thence it is,
That I to your affiftance do make love,
Mafking the bufinefs from the common eye
For fundry weighty reasons.

2 Mur. We fhall, my lord,
Perform what you command us.
1 Mur. Though our lives--
Mach. Your fpirits fhine through you,
hour, at most,

In this

I will advise you where to plant yourselves;
Acquaint you with the perfect fpy o'th' time,
The moment on't; for't must be done to-night,
And fomething from the Palace: always thought,
That I require a clearnefs: and with him,
To leave no rubs nor botches in the work,
Fleance his fon, that keeps him company,
Whofe abfence is no lefs material to me
Than is his father's, muft embrace the fate
Of that dark hour. Refolve yourselves a part,

I'll come to you anon.
Mur. We are refolv'd, my lord.

Acquaint you with the perfect Jpy o' th' time,] What is meant by the fpy of the time, it will be found difficult to explain; and therefore fenfe will be cheap-. ly gained by a flight alteration. -Macbeth is affuring the affaffins that they shall not want directions to find Banque, and therefore fays, I will

Acquaint you with a perfect fpy th' time, Accordingly a third murderer

joins them afterwards at the place of action.

Perfet is well inftructed, or well informed, as in this play, Though in your state of honour

I am perfect. though I am well acquainted with your quality and rank.

-the perfect spy.o' th' time,] i.e. the critical juncture. WARB.

How the critical juncture is the fty th' time I know not, but think my own conjecture right,

Mach

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Mach, I'll call upon you ftraight. Abide within.

[Exeunt Murtherers.

It is concluded.-Banquo, thy foul's flight,
If it find heav'n, muft find it out to-night.

SCENE E III.

Another Apartment in the Palace.

Enter Lady Macbeth, and a Servant.

Lady. TS Banquo gone from Court?

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[Exit.

Serv. Ay, Madam, but returns again to night.

Lady. Say to the King, I would attend his leifure For a few words.

Serv. Madam, I will.

Lady. Nought's had, all's spent,

Where our defire is got without content.
'Tis fafer to be That which we destroy,
Than by deftruction dwell in doubtful joy.

Enter Macbeth.

How now, my lord, why do you keep alone?
Of forrieft fancies your companions making,
Ufing those thoughts, which should, indeed, have dy'd
With them they think on? Things without all remedy
Should be without regard. What's done, is done.
Mach. We have fcotch'd the fnake, not kill'd

it

She'll clofe, and be herfelf; whilft our poor malice
Remains in danger of her former tooth.

But let both worlds disjoint, and all things fuffer,
Ere we will eat our meal in fear, and fleep
In the affliction of thefe terrible Dreams,
That shake us nightly. Better be with the Dead,

fcotch'd. Mr. Theobald.-Vulg. Scorch'd.

Whom

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