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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?
Was he not born of woman? The spirits that know
All mortal consequents, pronounc'd me thus:
Fear not, Macbeth; no man, that's born of woman,
Shall e'er have power on thee.Then fly, false
thanes,

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 ?
Soldiers, sir.

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
Will cheer me ever, or disseat me now.
I have liv'd long enough: my way of life+
Is fall'n into the sear, the yellow leaf:

5

And that which should accompany old age,
As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends,
I must not look to have; but, in their stead,
Curses, not loud, but deep, mouth-honour, breath,
Which the poor heart would fain deny, but dare not.
Seyton!

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.
Cure her of that:
Canst thou not minister to a mind diseas'd;
Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow;
Raze out the written troubles of the brain;
And, with some sweet oblivious antidote,
Cleanse the stuff'd bosom of that perilous stuff,
Which weighs upon the heart?

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
The water of my land, find her disease,
And purge it to a sound and pristine health,

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.

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