To dew the sovereign flower, and drown the weeds. Make we our march towards Birnam. SCENE III. [Exeunt, marching. Dunsinane. A Room in the Castle. Enter MACBETH, Doctor, and Attendants. Macb. Bring me no more reports; let them fly all; Till Birnam wood remove to Dunsinane, I cannot taint with fear. What's the boy Malcolm? And mingle with the English epicures: The mind I sway by, and the heart I bear, 2 Shall never sagg with doubt, nor shake with fear. Enter a Servant. The devil damn thee black, thou cream-fac'd loon !3 Where got'st thou that goose look ? Serv. There is ten thousand Macb. Serv. Macb. Go, prick thy fear, Geese, villain ? prick thy face, and over-red thy Thou lily-liver'd boy. What soldiers, patch? 2 Shall never sagg with doubt,] To sag, or swag, is to sink down by its own weight, or by an overload. 3 loon!] At present this word is only used in Scotland, and signifies a base fellow. Death of thy soul! those linen cheeks of thine Are counsellors to fear. What soldiers, whey-face? Serv. The English force, so please you. Macb. Take thy face hence.-Seyton !-I am sick at heart, When I behold-Seyton, I say!-This push 5 And that which should accompany old age, Enter SEYTON. Sey. What is your gracious pleasure? Macb. What news more? Sey. All is confirm'd, my lord, which was re ported. Macb. I'll fight, till from my bones my flesh be hack'd. Give me my armour. Sey. Macb. I'll put it on. "Tis not needed yet. I have liv'd long enough: my way of life, &c.] As there is no relation between the way of life, and fallen into the sear, I am inclined to think that the W is only an M inverted, and that it was originally written: my May of life. I am now passed from the spring to the autumn of my days: but I am without those comforts that should succeed the sprightliness of bloom, and support me in this melancholy season. The author has May in the same sense elsewhere. JOHNSON. This opinion, however, has been ably controverted by some of the commentators. 5 the sear,] Scar is dry. Send out more horses, skirr the country round;" Hang those that talk of fear.-Give me mine ar mour. How does your patient, doctor? Doct. Not so sick, my lord, As she is troubled with thick-coming fancies, That keep her from her rest. Macb. Doct. Must minister to himself. Therein the patient Macb. Throw physick to the dogs, I'll none of it. Come, put mine armour on; give me my staff:Seyton, send out.-Doctor, the thanes fly from me: Come, sir, despatch:-If thou could'st, doctor, cast I would applaud thee to the very echo, That should applaud again.-Pull't off, I say.What rhubarb, senna, or what purgative drug, Would scour these English hence?—Hearest thou of them? Doct. Ay, my good lord; your royal preparation Makes us hear something. 6 Macb. Bring it after me.—— skirr the country round;] To skirr, signifies to scour, to ride hastily. 7 cast The water of my land,] To cast the water was the phrase in use for finding out disorders by the inspection of urine. |