women, born with Heavenly compassion in your hea. ts. And dying thus around us every day! SCENE FROM "MACBETH." Macbeth alone. Macbeth. Is this a dagger which I see before me? Shakespeare. The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee: I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible To feeling as to sight? or art thou but A dagger of the mind; a false creation, As that which now I draw. Thou marshal'st me the way that I was going; Mine eyes are made the fools o' the other senses, And on thy blade, and dudgeon, gouts of blood, Thus to mine eyes. Now o'er the one half world Whose howl's his watch, thus with his stealthy pace, Which now suits with it. While I threat, he lives: I go, and it is done; the bell invites me. Enter Lady Macbeth. (A bell rings.) (Exit.) Lady M. That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold: What hath quench'd them, hath given me fire: Hark! - Peace! It was the owl that shriek'd, the fatal bellman, Which gives the stern'st good-night. He is about it: The doors are open; and the suspected grooms Do mock their charge with snores. I have drugg'd their possets, That death and nature do contend about them, Whether they live or die. Macbeth (within). Who's there? — what ho! Lady M. Alack! I am afraid they have awak'd, Confounds us: - Hark! He could not miss them. - Had he not resembled My father as he slept, I had done 't. - My husband? Enter Macbeth. Macb. I have done the deed: - Did'st thou not hear a noise? Lady M. I heard the owl scream, and the crickets cry. Lady M. This is a sorry sight. Donalbain. (Looking on his hands.) A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight. Macb. There's one did laugh in his sleep, and one cried, murder! That they did wake each other; I stood and heard them: But they did say their prayers, and address'd them Again to sleep. Lady M. There are two lodg'd together. Macb. One cried, God bless us! and Amen, the other; As they had seen me, Listening their fear. I could not say, amen, with these hangman's hands, Consider it not so deeply. When they did say, God bless us. Lady M. Macb. But wherefore could not I pronounce amen? I had most need of blessing, and amen Stuck in my throat. Lady M. These deeds must not be thought After these ways; so, it will make us mad. Macb. Methought, I heard a voice cry, Sleep no more! Macbeth doth murder sleep, the innocent sleep; Lady M. What do you mean? Macb. Still it cried, Sleep no more! to all the house. Glamis hath murder'd sleep; and therefore Cawdor Shall sleep no more, Macbeth shall sleep no more! Lady M. Who was it that thus cried? Why, worthy thane, You do unbend your noble strength, to think So brainsickly of things: Go, get some water, And wash this filthy witness from your hand.- Macb. I'll go no more: I am afraid to think what I have done; Look on 't again, I dare not. Lady M. Infirm of purpose! Give me the daggers: The sleeping, and the dead, How is 't with me, when every noise appals me? Clean from my hand? No; this my hand will rather Making the green - one red. Re-enter Lady Macbeth. Lady M. My hands are of your color; but I shame To wear a heart so white. — (Knock.) I hear a knocking At the south entry: —— retire we to our chamber: A little water clears us of this deed: How easy is it then? Your constancy Hath left you unattended. — (Knocking.) Hark, more knocking: Get on your night-gown, lest occasion call us, And show us to be watchless : :- - Be not lost So poorly in your thoughts. Macb. To know my deed, - 'twere best not know myself. (Knock.) Wake Duncan with thy knocking! Ay, 'would thou couldst! THE HIGH TIDE ON THE COAST OF LINCOLNSHIRE. (1571.) The old mayor climbed the belfry tower, 66 Good ringers, pull your best," quoth he. Ply all your changes, all your swells, 6 Play uppe The Brides of Enderby.'" Men say it was a stolen tyde The Lord that sent it, He knows all; But in myne ears doth still abide The message that the bells let fall: By millions crouched on the old sea-wall. I sat and spun within the doore, My thread brake off, I raised myne eyes; Lay sinking in the barren skies, "Cusha! Cusha! Cusha!" calling, Where the reedy Lindis floweth, Floweth, floweth, Leave your meadow grasses mellow, Quit your cowslips, cowslips yellow; Come uppe Whitefoot, come uppe Lightfoot, Come uppe Jetty, rise and follow, Come uppe Whitefoot, come uppe Lightfoot, Jetty, to the milking shed." If it be long, ay, long ago, When I beginne to think howe long, Againe I hear the Lindis flow, Swift as an arrowe, sharp and strong; And all the aire, it seemeth mee, Bin full of floating bells (sayth shee), Alle fresh the level pasture lay, And not a shadowe mote be seene, Save where full fyve good miles away The steeple towered from out the greene, And lo! the great bell farre and wide Was heard in all the country side That Saturday at eventide. The swanherds where their sedges are Till floating o'er the grassy sea Then some looked uppe into the sky, And all along where Lindis flows To where the goodly vessels lie, And where the lordly steeple shows. They sayde, "And why should this thing be? What danger lowers by land or sea? They ring the tune of Enderby! |