56 LITERATURE AND DRAMA 



Golden opinions from all sorts of people, 22 

 Which would be worn now in their newest gloss, 

 Not cast aside so soon. 



Lady. 23 Was the hope drunk 



Wherein you dressed yourself ? hath it slept since ? 

 And wakes it now, to look so green and pale 

 At what it did so freely ? 2 4 From this time 

 Such I account thy love.* Art thou afeard 

 To be the same in thine own act and valour 

 As thou art in desire ? Wouldst thou have that 

 Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life, 

 And live a coward in thine own esteem, 

 Letting I dare not ' wait upon * I would,' 

 Like the poor cat i' the adage ? 



Macbeth. 2 & Prithee, peace : 



I dare do all that may become a man ; 

 Who dares do more is none. 25 



Lady. What beast was it then 



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 than 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. 26 2 ? I have given suck, and know 

 How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me : 

 I would, while it was smiling in my face, 

 Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums 

 And dashed the brains out, had I but so sworn as you 

 Have done to this. 



Macbeth. If we should fail 1 



Lady. 28 We fail !^ 



ment, depression, contempt, and rekindling resentment, is beyond any powers 

 but hers. 



28 Very cold, distant, and contemptuous. 



24 Determined air and voice. Then a tone of cold contemptuous reasoning. 



25 Kemble speaks this well. 



26 Cold, still, and distant ; slow with remarkable distinctness and great 

 earnestness. 



27 She has been at a distant part of the stage. She now comes close to 

 him an entire change of manner, looks for some time in his face, then 



28 We faiP. Not surprise, strong downward inflection, bowing with her 

 hands down, the palms upward. Then voice of strong assurance, ' When 



