ings in place of couchings. "Law of children" for "love of children," has been already recommended by Dr Johnson.
Act IV. Scene 3.—For "new-added," Mr Singer suggests new-aided, which is certainly much better than the MS. correction new-hearted; but no change is necessary.
Act V. Scene 1.—The old reading, "sword of traitors," is infinitely better than the new, "word of traitors." "Forward" for "former" is another instance of the corrector's attempts to modernise the text. The same may be said of term for "time." We admit, however, that "those high powers" reads better than "some high powers."
At the close of the play, Antony says of Brutus,
"This was the noblest Roman of them all,
All the conspirators, save only he,
Did that they did in envy of great Cæsar;
He, only, in a general honest thought,
And common good to all, made one of them."
We are told to read,
"He only in a generous honest thought
Of common good to all."
This, however, is not Shakespeare speaking his own language, but Shakespeare popularised. "A general honest thought" is a comprehensive honest thought; and we may be absolutely certain that "general" is the poet's word. If the MS. corrector could be brought to life and examined, we are convinced he would admit that be was merely adapting Shakespeare to his own notions of the taste and capacities of a popular assembly.
Macbeth.— Act I. Scene 1.—When Ross enters suddenly, with tidings of the victory gained by Macbeth and Banquo over the Norwegians, Lenox exclaims,
"What a haste looks through his eyes! so should he look
That seems to speak things strange."
A hypercritical objection has been taken to the words, "seems to speak," inasmuch as Ross has not yet spoken. Dr Johnson, deserted for a moment by his usual good sense, would read, "that teems to speak." "He looks like one that is big with something of importance"—a phrase savouring much more of the great lexicographer than of the great poet. The MS. corrector proposes, "that comes to speak." This is very flat and prosaic. Mr Singer says that "seems is to be received in its usual sense of appears." This is worse and worse. Malone long ago informed us that "to speak" stood for about to speak," and this is undoubtedly right. "To speak" is not the present, but the future infinitive. "So should he look that seems on the point of speaking things strange." No change is required.
Scene 4.—The king, on meeting Macbeth after his victory over the rebels, thus expresses his obligations to him,
"Would thou had'st less deserved,
That the proportion both of thanks and payment
Might have been mine."
We believe the meaning of this to be, "that the larger share, both of thanks and payment, might have come from my side. As it is, I still owe you more than you can ever owe me." To change "mine" into more is quite uncalled for.
Scene 5.—The MS. corrector proposes blankness for "blanket," in the lines where Lady Macbeth, revolving the murder of Duncan, says,
"Come, thick night,
And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell!
That my keen knife see not the wound it makes;
Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the night,
To cry, Hold! hold!"
The darkness prayed for is the thickest that can be procured, and therefore the word "blanket" is highly appropriate. It has a stifling effect on the imagination, which the general term blankness has not.
Scene 7.—The next alteration proposed seems to us to be a case of great doubt and difficulty—one in which a good deal may be said on both sides of the question. Macbeth says to his lady, who is pressing him strongly to commit the murder,
"Pr'ythee, peace,
I dare do all that may become a man,
Who dares do more is none.
Lady M.—What beast was't, 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, yea would
Be so much more the man."
