52 LITERATURE AND DRAMA 



husband's ambition, but the fell monster who tempts him to trans- 

 gressj making him the mere instrument of her wild and uncontrollable 

 ambition. 



The notes on this play will now be given, only so much of 

 each scene being quoted as is necessary to render the notes 

 intelligible. The text of Shakespeare is given as found in the 

 edition annotated by Professor Bell. 



ACT I. 



SCENE 5. Macbeth's Castle at Inverness. 

 Enter LADY MACBETH^ reading a letter. 



Lady. * They met me in the day of success : and I have learned 

 by the perfectest report, they have more in them than mortal know- 

 ledge. When I burned in desire to question them further, they 

 made themselves air, into which they vanished. Whiles I stood 

 rapt in the wonder of it, came missives from the king, who all-hailed 

 me " Thane of Cawdor ; " by which title, before, these weird sisters 

 saluted me, and referred me to the coming on of time,' with " Hail, 

 king that shalt be ! " This have I thought good to deliver thee, my 

 dearest partner of greatness, that thou mightest not lose the dues 

 of rejoicing, by being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. 

 Lay it to thy heart, and farewell.' 



Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be 3 



What thou art promised : 4 yet do I fear thy nature ; 



It is too full o' the milk of human kindness 



To catch the nearest way : thou wouldst be great : 



Art not without ambition, but without 



The illness should attend it : 5 what thou wouldst highly, 



That wouldst thou holily x ; wouldst not play false, 



And yet wouldst wrongly win : thou'd'st have, great Glamis, 



That which cries ' Thus thou must do, if thou have it ; ' 



And that which rather thou dost fear to do 



Than wishest should be undone. Hie thee hither, 



That I may pour my 6 spirits in thine ear ; 



And chastise with the valour of my tongue 



2 Mrs. Siddons. 



3 Exalted prophetic tone, as if the whole future were present to her soul. 



4 A slight tincture of contempt throughout. 



5 Here and in the night scenes it is plain that he had imparted to her his 

 ambitious thoughts and wishes. 



6 Starts into higher animation. 



