8 L. A. Sherman 



he has begun to plant Macbeth, and will labor to make him full 

 of growing. Then lie caps the climax of absurdity b)^ embracing 

 Banquo and asserting, though no proof of such merit^ has come 

 to him, that this man's desert is no whit less. 



This would be unaccountable enough if it were all. But im- 

 mediately, asserting his divine right, and assuming security for all 

 the future through Macbeth's continued homage, Duncan serves 

 notice upon his kinsman and all the company that he fixes the 

 succession upon Malcolm. This is the prince who has just been 

 saved, by the ' bleeding sergeant,' from becoming captive and 

 hostage to Macdonwald. ' Macbeth,' says Holinshed, ' was sore 

 troubled herewith, for that he saw by this means his hope sore 

 hindered.' What his hope was is evident. Why indeed has 

 Duncan chosen this of all times, since he is not expecting to be 

 soon cut off from life, to fix the succession? Northern and other 

 thrones were often filled by election. Evidently he designs to 

 inhibit Macbeth from any thought of candidacy. Is it not wholly 

 an insult to Macbeth, not wholly a surrender of noblesse oblige? 

 Is it not that he holds a weak supposal of Macbeth's worth, and 

 assumes that he has not manhood enough. to care? Is it above 

 imbecillity to expect that Macbeth and Scotland will allow Dun- 

 can to perpetuate misrule in the person of this callow and un- 

 manly son? 



Shall such a king be humored? If we could have our way, we 

 should wish to see him led off the stage of the world by the ear. 

 But the author does not trust the antipathy, which he has aroused 

 in us, at its present pitch. Moreover, he has presumably not yet 

 won all his audience over to the needs of the plot. He delays 

 a little, in order to call out our ' sympathy ' for Macbeth in a dif- 

 ferent way. He shows his hero, instead of goaded to despera- 

 tion at the wilful ingratitude of the king, more moved for the 

 moment with humiliation at being estopped from reward, in the 

 flush of victory, by a future unmartial master: 



3 We have perhaps noted Duncan's attempt to manufacture such evi- 

 dence (I. ii. 2>2iy 34) out of the sergeant's testimony. 



Dismay'd not this 

 Our captains, Macbeth mid Banquo? 



IIO 



