give anfwer to what he fhall ask, and he again runs into all those pleonafins of speech, which I before remarked: The predictions he extorts from the apparitions are fo couched as to feem favourable to him, at the fame time that they correspond with events, which afterwards prove fatal. The management of this incident has fo clofe a resemblance to what the poet Claudian has done in the inftance of Ruffinus's vifion the night before his maffacre, that I am tempted: to infert the paffage Ecce videt diras alludere protinus umbras, Quas dedit ipfe neci; quarum quæ clarior una A ghafly vifion in the dead of night Of mangled, murder' d'ghofts appall his fight; That ends thy labours, and difpels thy fears: Confiding Confiding in his auguries Macbeth now prepares for battle: by the first of these he is affured That none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth. By the fecond prediction he is told Macbeth fhall never vanquisht be, until Thefe he calls Sweet boadments! and con cludes To fleep in fpite of thunder. This play is fo replete with excellencies, that it would exceed all bounds, if I were to notice every one; I pafs over therefore that incomparable scene between Macbeth, the phyfician and Seyton, in which the agitations of his mind are fo wonderfully expreffed, and, without paufing for the death of Lady Macbeth, I conduct the reader to that crifis, when the meffenger has announced the ominous approach of Birnam-wood-A burst of fury, an exclamation feconded by a blow is the first natural explosion of a soul fo fo ftung with fcorpions as Macbeth's: The fudden guft is no fooner difcharged, than nature speaks her own language, and the ftill voice of confcience, like reason in the midst of madness, murmurs forth these mournful words- I pall in refolution, and begin To doubt the equivocation of the fiend, With what an exquifite feeling has this darling fon of nature here thrown in this touching, this pathetic fentence, amidst the very whirl and eddy of conflicting paffions! Here is a study for dramatic poets; this is a ftring for an actor's fkill to touch; this will difcourfe fweet mufic to the human heart, with which it is finely unifoned when ftruck with the hand of a master.. The next step brings us to the last scene of Macbeth's dramatic exiftence: Flusht with the blood of Siward he is encountered by Macduff, who croffes him like his evil genius-Macbeth cries out Of all men elfe I have avoided thee. To the last moment of character the faith ful ful poet fupports him: He breaks off from fingle combat, and in the tremendous pause, fo beautifully contrived to hang fufpenfe and terror on the moral fcene of his exit, the tyrant driven to bay, and panting with the heat and struggle of the fight, vauntingly exclaims Macb. As eafy may'ft thou the intrenchant air Macd. With thy keen fword imprefs, as make me bleed: I bear a charmed life, which must not yield Defpair thy charm! Mach. Accurfed be that tongue that tells me fo! There finks the fpirit of Macbeth Behold! where ftands Th' ufurper's curfed head! How completely does this coincide with the paffage already quoted! Occulto fallitur ille Omine, nec CAPITIS FIXI præfagia fentit. Let us now approach the tent of Richard. It is matter of admiration to obferve how many incidents the poet has collected in a fmall compafs, to fet the military character of his chief perfonage in a brilliant point of view. A fucceffion of fcouts and meffengers report a variety of intelligence, all which, though generally of the most alarming nature, he meets not only with his natural gallantry, but fometimes with pleasantry, and a certain archnefs and repartee, which is peculiar to him throughout the drama. It is not only a curious, but delightful task to examine by what fubtle and almost imperceptible touches Shakespear contrives to fet fuch marks upon his characters, as give them the moft living likeneffes that can be conceived. In this, above all other poets that ever exifted, he is a study and a model of perfection: The great distinguishing paffions every poet may defcribe; but Shakefpear gives you their humours, their minutest foibles, thofe little ftarts and caprices, which nothing but the most intimate familiarity brings to light: Other authors write characters like hiftorians; he like the bosom friend of the perfon he |