But under heavy judgment bears that life bin'd Whether he was com With those of Norway; or did line the rebel MACB. Glamis, and thane of Cawdor: The greatest is behind.-Thanks for your pains.— Do you not hope your children shall be kings, When those that gave the thane of Cawdor to me, Promis'd no less to them? BAN. That, trusted home", 5- with Norway;] The old copy reads: "with those of Norway." The players not understanding that by "Norway" our author meant the King of Norway, as in Hamlet "Whereon old Norway, overcome with joy," &c. foisted in the words at present omitted. STEEVENS. Mr. Steevens reads: "Combin'd with Norway, or," &c. The old copy thus exhibits these lines: 66 Which he deserves to loose, "Whether he was combin'd with those of Norway, "And vantage; or that with both he labour'd "In his countrey's wracke, I know not." Boswell. ❝ — trusted home,] i. e. entirely, thoroughly relied on. So, in All's Well That Ends Well: "——lack'd the sense to know "Her estimation home." Again, in The Tempest: I will pay thy graces "Home, both in word and deed." STEEVENS. The added word home inclines me to think that our author wrote "That thrusted home. So, in a subsequent scene: "That every minute of his being thrusts Against my nearest of life." 66 Thrusted is the regular participle from the verb to thrust, and though now not often used, was, I believe, common in the time of Shakspeare. So, in King Henry V.: 7 Might yet enkindle you unto the crown, Besides the thane of Cawdor. But 'tis strange: Масв. Two truths are told, "With casted slough and fresh legerity." Home means to the uttermost. So, in The Winter's Tale : all my sorrows 66 "You have paid home." It may be observed, that "thrusted home" is an expression used at this day; but I doubt whether "trusted home," was ever used at any period whatsoever. I have had frequent occasion to remark that many of the errors in the old copies of our author's plays arose from the transcriber's ear having deceived him. In Ireland, where much of the pronunciation of the age of Queen Elizabeth is yet retained, the vulgar constantly pronounce the word thrust as if it were written trust; and hence, probably, the error in the text. MALONE. Trusted home, may as well be said as felt home. In Comus, we have the adjective home-felt with this meaning: "Yet they in pleasing slumber lull'd the sense, "And in sweet madness robb'd it of itself; 7 Might yet ENKINDLE you] Enkindle, for to stimulate to seek. WARBURTON. you A similar expression occurs in As You Like It, Act I. Sc. I.: nothing remains but that I kindle the boy thither." STEEVENS, Might fire you with the hope of obtaining the crown. HENLEY. 8 TWO TRUTHS are told, &c.] How the former of these truths has been fulfilled, we are yet to learn. Macbeth could not become Thane of Glamis, till after his father's decease, of which there is no mention throughout the play. If the Hag only announced what Macbeth already understood to have happened, her words could scarcely claim rank as a prediction. STEEVENS. From the Scottish translation of Boethius it should seem that Sinel, the father of Macbeth, died after Macbeth's having been met by the weird sisters. "Makbeth (says the historian) revolvyng As happy prologues to the swelling act Of the imperial theme. I thank you, gentlemen.— all thingis, as they wer said to be the weird sisteris, began to covat y' croun. And zit he concludit to abide, quhil he saw y tyme ganand thereto; fermelie belevyng yt ye third weird suld cum as the first two did afore." This, indeed, is inconsistent with our author's words, "By Sinel's death, I know, I am thane of Glamis;"--but Holinshed, who was his guide, in his abridgment of the History of Boethius, has particularly mentioned that Sinel died before Macbeth met the weird sisters: we may, therefore, be sure that Shakspeare meant it to be understood that Macbeth had already acceded to his paternal title. Bellenden only says, “The first of them said to Macbeth, Hale thane of Glammis. The secound said," &c. But in Holinshed the relation runs thus, conformably to the Latin original: "The first of them spake and said, All haile Mackbeth, thane of Glammis (for he had latelie entered into that dignitie and office by the death of his father Sinell.) The second of them said," &c. Still, however, the objection made by Mr. Steevens remains in its full force; for since he knew that " by Sinel's death he was thane of Glamis," how can this salutation be considered as prophetic? Or why should he afterwards say, with admiration, "Glamis, and thane of Cawdor;" &c.? Perhaps we may suppose that the father of Macbeth died so recently before his interview with the weirds, that the news of it had not yet got abroad; in which case, though Macbeth himself knew it, he might consider their giving him the title of Thane of Glamis as a proof of supernatural intelligence. I suspect our author was led to use the expressions which have occasioned the present note, by the following words of Holinshed: "The same night after, at supper, Banquo jested with him, and said, Now Mackbeth, thou hast obteined those things which the Two former sisters PROPHESIED: there remaineth onelie for thee to purchase that which the third said should come to passe." MALONE. I can see no ground for Mr. Steevens's objection. Macbeth has not called them prophecies, but truths-" They called me Thane of Glamis; that, I knew to be true.-They called me Thane of Cawdor; that, I have now found to be true: I may therefore confide in their prophecy that I shall be King hereafter." BOSWELL. 9 SWELLING act] Swelling is used in the same sense in the prologue to King Henry V.: 66 -princes to act, "And monarchs to behold the swelling scene." STEEVENS. This supernatural soliciting' Cannot be ill; cannot be good:-If ill, 4 2 And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, This supernatural SOLICITING -] Soliciting, for information. WARBURTON. Soliciting is rather, in my opinion, incitement, than information. JOHNSON. suggestion] i. e. temptation. So, in All's Well That Ends Well: "A filthy officer he is in those suggestions for the young earl." STEEVENS. 2 3 Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair,] So Macbeth says, in the latter part of this play: 66 And my fell of hair 66 Would, at a dismal treatise, rouse and stir, "As life were in it." M. MASON. 4-seated i. e. fixed, firmly placed. So, in Milton's Paradise Lost, b. vi. 643: 5 From their foundations loos'ning to and fro "They pluck'd the seated hills." STEEVENS. Present FEARS Are less than horrible imaginings:] Present fears are fears of things present, which Macbeth declares, and every man has found, to be less than the imagination presents them while the objects are yet distant. JOHNSON. Thus, in All's Well That Ends Well: " when we should submit ourselves to an unknown fear." Again, in The Tragedie of Croesus, 1604, by Lord Sterline : "For as the shadow seems more monstrous still, "Seems greater than itself, whilst fears are lying." STEEVENS. By present fears is meant, the actual presence of any objects of terror. So, in The Second Part of King Henry IV. the King says: My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, Shakes so my single state of man, that function Is smother'd in surmise; and nothing is, But what is not ". To fear is frequently used by Shakspeare in the sense of fright. In this very play, Lady Macbeth says 66 To alter favour ever is to fear." 66 5-single state of man,] The single state of man seems to be used by Shakspeare for an individual, in opposition to a commonwealth, or conjunct body. JOHNSON. By single state of man, Shakspeare might possibly mean somewhat more than individuality. He who, in the peculiar situation of Macbeth, is meditating a murder, dares not communicate his thoughts, and consequently derives neither spirit, nor advantage, from the countenance, or sagacity of others. This state of man may properly be styled single, solitary, or defenceless, as it excludes the benefits of participation, and has no resources but in itself. It should be observed, however, that double and single anciently signified strong and weak, when applied to liquors, and perhaps to other objects. In this sense the former word may be employed by Brabantio: And the latter, by the Chief Justice, speaking to Falstaff: The single state of Macbeth may therefore signify his weak and debile state of mind. STEEVENS. So, in Jonson's Every Man Out of his Humour : "But he might have altered the shape of his argument, and explicated them better in single scenes-That had been single indeed." BOSWELL. Is smother'd in surmise; and nothing is, But what is not.] All powers of action are oppressed and crushed by one overwhelming image in the mind, and nothing is present to me but that which is really future. Of things now about me I have no perception, being intent wholly on that which has yet no existence. JOHNSON. Surmise, is speculation, conjecture concerning the future. MALONE. |