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MACBETH

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ACT I. SCENE III.

A HEATH.

MACBETH, BANOUO, AND THE THREE WITCHES.

1st Witch. BANQUO, and Macbeth, all hail!
Macb. Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more:
By Sinel's death, I know I am thane of Glamis;
But how of Cawdor? the thane of Cawdor lives,
A prosperous gentleman; and, to be king,
Stands not within the prospect of belief,
No more than to be Cawdor. Say, from whence
You owe this strange intelligence? or why
Upon this blasted heath you stop our way
With such prophetic greeting?—Speak, I charge you.
[Witches vanish.
Ban. The earth hath bubbles, as the water has,
And these are of them: Whither are they vanish'd ?
Macb. Into the air: and what seem'd corporal, melted
As breath into the wind.—'Would they had staid!

Painted by Henry Fuseli, R.A. Engraved by James Caldwall.


ACT IV. SCENE I.

A DARK CAVE, IN THE MIDDLE A CAULDRON BOILING.

THREE WITCHES, MACBETH, HECATE, &c.

1st Witch. SHOW!
2nd Witch. Show!
3rd Witch. Show!
All. Show his eyes, and grieve his heart;
Come like shadows, so depart.
[Eight Kings appear, and pass over the stage in order; the last with a glass in his hand;
Banquo following.
Macb. Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo; down!
Thy crown does sear mine eyeballs:—And thy hair,
Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first:—
A third is like the former:—Filthy hags!
Why do you show me this?—A fourth?—Start, eyes!
What! will the line stretch out to the crack of doom?
Another yet?—a seventh?—I'll see no more:—
And yet the eighth appears, who bears a glass
Which shows me many more; and some I see,
That two-fold balls and treble sceptres carry:
Horrible sight!—Now, I see, 'tis true;
For the blood-bolter'd Banquo smiles upon me,
And points at them for his.—

Painted by Sir Joshua 'Reynolds, R. A. Engraved by Robert Thew.

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