Notes to Shakespeare, Volume III: The Tragedies | Page 5

proposed this alteration rather because no other

occured to them, than because they approved of it. I shall therefore
propose a bolder change, perhaps with no better success, but sua cuique
placent. I read thus,
--_our duties Are to your throne and state, children and servants Which
do but what they should, in doing_ nothing, Save toward your love and
honour.
We do but perform our duty when we contract all our views to your
service, when we act with no other principle than regard to your love
and honour.
It is probable that this passage was first corrupted by writing safe for
save, and the lines then stood thus:
--_doing nothing Safe toward your love and honour._
which the next transcriber observing to be wrong, and yet not being
able to discover the real fault, altered to the present reading.
Dr. Warburton has since changed fiefs to _fief'd_, and Hanmer has
altered safe to _shap'd_. I am afraid none of us have hit the right word.
I.v.2 (420, 6) _by the perfected report_] By the best intelligence. Dr.
Warburton would read, perfected, and explains report by prediction.
Little regard can be paid to an emendation that instead of clearing the
sense, makes it more difficult.
I.v.23 (420, 7) thoud'st have, great Glamis,/That which cries, _Thus
thou must do, if thou have it_] As the object of Macbeth's desire is here
introduced speaking of itself, it is necessary to read,
--_thoud'st have, great Glamis, That which cries_, thus thou must do, if
thou have me.
I.v.39 (422, 8) The raven himself is hoarse] Dr. Warburton reads,
--_The raven himself's_ not hoarse.

Yet I think the present words may stand. The messenger, says the
servant, had hardly breath _to make up his message_; to which the lady
answers mentally, that he may well want breath, such a message would
add hoarseness to the raven. That even the bird, whose harsh voice is
accustomed to predict calamities, could not croak the entrance of
Duncan but in a note of unwonted harshness.
I.v.42 (422, 2) mortal thoughts] This expression signifies not the
thoughts of mortals, but _murtherous, deadly_, or destructive designs.
So in act 5,
Hold fast the mortal sword.
And in another place,
With twenty mortal murthers.
I.v.47 (422, 3) nor keep peace between/The effect, and it!] The intent of
lady Macbeth evidently is to wish that no womanish tenderness, or
conscientious remorse, may hinder her purpose from proceeding to
effect; but neither this, nor indeed any other sense, is expressed by the
present reading, and therefore it cannot be doubted that Shakespeare
wrote differently, perhaps thus,
_That no compunctious visitings of nature Shake my fell purpose, nor
keep_ pace _between Th' effect, and it_.--
To keep pace between may signify to pass between, to intervene. Pace
is on many occasions a favourite of Shakespeare's. This phrase is
indeed not usual in this sease, but was it not its novelty that gave
occasion to the present corruption? [The sense is, that no compunctious
visitings of nature may prevail upon her, to give place in her mind to
peaceful thoughts, or to rest one moment in quiet, from the hour of her
purpose to its full completion in the effect. REVISAL.] This writer
thought himself perhaps very sagacious that be found a meaning which
nobody missed, the difficulty still remains how such a meaning is made
by the words. (see 1765, VI, 394, 6)

I.v.49 (423, 5) take my milk for gall] Take away my milk, and put gall
into the place.
I.v.51 (423, 6) You wait on nature's mischief!] _Nature's mischief_ is
mischief done to nature, violation of nature's order committed by
wickedness.
I.v.55 (423,8) To cry, _hold, hold_!] On this passage there is a long
criticism in the Rambler.
I.v.58 (424,1) This ignorant present time] Ignorant has here the
signification of _unknowing_; that it, I feel by anticipation these future
hours, of which, according to the process of nature, the present time
would be ignorant.
I.vi.3 (425,3) our gentle senses] Senses are nothing more _than each
man's sense_. Gentle senses is very elegant, as it means placid, calm,
composed, and intimates the peaceable delight of a fine day. (see 1765,
VI,396,2)
I.vi.7 (426,5) coigne of 'vantage] Convenient corner.
I.vi.13 (426,7) How you should bid god-yield as for your pains] I
believe yield, or, as it is in the folio of 1623, eyld, is a corrupted
contraction of shield. The wish implores not reward but protection.
I.vii.1 (428,1) If it were _done_] A man of learning recommends
another punctuation:
_If it were done, when 'tis done, then 'twere well. It were done quickly,
if, &c._
I.vii.2 (428,2) If the assassination/Could tramel up the consequence] Of
this soliloquy the meaning is not very clear; I have never found the
readers of Shakespeare agreeing about it. I