Dro. S. There is a fat friend at your master's house, That kitchend me for you to-day at dinner; She now shall be my sister, not my wife. Dro. E. Methinks, you are my glass, and not my brother: Drö. S. Not I, sir; you are iny elder. Dro. S. We will draw cuts for the senior: till then, lead thou first. Dro. E. Nay, then thus: We came into the world, like brother and brother; And now let's go hand in hand, not one before another. [Exeunt. On a careful revision of the foregoing scenes, I do not hesitate to pronounce them the composition of two very unequal writers. Shakspeare had undoubtedly a share in them; but that the entire play was no work of his, is an opinion which (as Benedict says) · fire cannot melt out of me; I will die in it at the stake.' Thus, as we are informed by Aulus Gellius, lib. iii. cap. 3, some plays were absolutely ascribed to Plautus, which in truth had only been (retractatæ et expolitæ ) retouched and polished by him. In this comedy we find more intricacy of plot than distinction of character; and our attention is less forcibly engaged, because we can guess in great measure how the denonement will be brought about. . Yet the subject appears to have been reluctantly dismissed, even in this last and unnecessary scene; where the same mistakes are continued, till the power of affording entertainment is entirely lost. STEEVENS. C. Whittingham, Printer, Chiswick. DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. his Sons. Generals of the King's Army. Noblemen of Scotland. English Forces. Lady Macbeth. Lords, Gentlemen, Officers, Soldiers, Murderers, Attendants, and Messengers. The Ghost of Banquo, and several other Apparitions. SCENE, in the End of the Fourth Act, lies in England; through the rest of the Play, in Scotland ; and, chiefly, at Macbeth's Castle. SCENE I. An open Place. Thunder and Lightning. Enter three Witches. 1 Witch. When shall we three meet again, In thunder, lightning, or in rain? 2 Witch. When the hurlyburly's done, When the battle's lost and won. 3 Witch. That will be ere set of sun. Upon the heath: All. Paddock calls:-Anon- Witches vanish. SCENE II. A Camp near FORES. Alarum within. Enter King DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, LENOx, with Attendants, meeting a bleeding Soldier: Dun. What bloody man is that? He can report, This is the sergeant, Doubtfully it stood; Dun. O valiant cousin! worthy gentleman! Sol. As whence the sun 'gins bis reflection Shipwrecking storiņs and direful thunders break; So from that spring, whence comfort seem'd to coine, Discomfort swells. Mark, king of Scotland, mark: No sooner justice had, with valour arm’d, Compelld these skipping kernes to trust their heels : But ihe Norweyan lord, surveying vantage, With furbish'd arms, and new supplies of men, Began a fresh assault. |