Might be the be-all and the end-all here, But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,- And pity, like a naked new-born babe, Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye, That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself, And falls on the other.-How now, what news? Enter Lady MАСВЕТН. Lady M. He has almost supped. Why have you left the chamber? Macb. Hath he asked for me? Lady M. Know you not, he has? Macb. We will procced no further in this business: He hath honored me of late; and I have bought Golden opinions from all sorts of people, Which would be worn now in their newest gloss, Lady M. Wherein Was the hope drunk, you dressed yourself? hath it slept since? And wakes it now, to look so green and pale Macb. Pr'ythee, peace: I dare do all that may become a man; Who dares do more, is none. What beast was it then, Lady M. 'That made you break this enterprise to me? When you durst do it, then you were a man; And, to be more than what you were, you would Be so much more the man. Nor time, nor place, Did then adhere, and yet you would make both: They have made themselves, and that their fitness now Does unmake you. But screw your courage to the sticking place, We fail! (Whereto the rather shall his day's hard journey Alembic, a still. † Murder Macb. Will it not be received, When we have marked with blood those sleepy two Lady M. Who dares receive it other, As we shall make our griefs and clamor roar Macb. I am settled, and bend up Each corporal agent to this terrible feat. Away, and mock the time with fairest show: 1 alse face must hide what the false heart doth know. [Exeunt. Court within the Castle. Enter MACBETH and a Servant with a torch. Macb. Go, bid thy mistress, when my drink is ready, She strike upon the bell. Get thee to bed. Is this a dagger, which I see before me, [Exit Sc. v. The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee: Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible As this which now I draw. Thou marshal'st me the way that I was going; Mine eyes are made the fools of the other senses, Thus to mine eyes.-Thou sure and firm set earth, Which Low suits with it.-Whiles I threat, he lives; Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives. [A bell rings. I go, and it is done; the bell invites me; Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell That summons thee to Heaven, or to Hell. EXERCISE LXXIII. The merciless monarch whose character is portrayed in the play of Richard III., was born in the year 1452. The story of the savage means by which he reached the throne is one of the blackest in all history. In the scene below he appears just after waking out of a frightful dream. In that dream had appeared to him severally the ghosts of all those whom he had murdered. Each, in terrible terms, announces the doom that awaited him on the following day; on which (August 22d, 1485) he was slain in the celebrated battle of Bosworth Field. SCENE FROM RICHARD III. SHAKSPEARE. KING RICHARD starting out of his dream. Is there a murderer here? No;-Yes; I am. Then fly.-What, from myself? Great reason! Why? I love myself. Wherefore? For any good Fool, of thyself speak well:-Fool, do not flatter. My conscience hath a thousand several tongues, Nay, wherefore should they? since that I myself Methought the souls of all that I had murdered, EXERCISE LXXIV. RICHARD OF GLOSTER. I. Perhaps, my dear boy, you may never have heard JOHN G. BAXE. Of that wicked old monarch, KING RICHARD THE THIRD,— Whose actions were often extremely absurd; And who led such a sad life, Such a wanton and mad life; Indeed, I may say, such a wretchedly bad life, * See Note on Exercise IX. |