Chapter 6

--Thou'dst have, great Glamis, That which cries, "thus thou must do, if thou have _it_; And that," &c.

As the object of Macbeth's desire is here introduced speaking of itself, it is necessary to read,

--thou'dst have, great Glamis, That which cries, "thus thou must do, if thou have _me_."

NOTE XIII.

--Hie thee hither, That I may pour my spirits in thine ear; And chastise with the valour of my tongue All that impedes thee from the golden round, Which fate and metaphysical aid doth _seem_ To have thee crown'd withal.

For _seem_, the sense evidently directs us to read _seek_. The crown to which fate destines thee, and which preternatural agents _endeavour_ to bestow upon thee. The _golden round_ is the _diadem_.

NOTE XIV.

_Lady Macbeth_.--Come, all you spirits That tend on _mortal thoughts_, unsex me here; And fill me, from the crown to th' toe, top-full Of direst cruelty! make thick my blood, Stop up th' access and passage to remorse; That no compunctious visitings of nature Shake my fell purpose, nor _keep peace_ between Th' effect and it!

--Mortal thoughts,-- This expression signifies not _the thoughts of mortals_, but _murderous, deadly_, or _destructive designs_. So in Act v.

Hold fast the _mortal_ sword.

And in another place,

With twenty _mortal_ murthers.

--Nor keep _peace_ between Th' 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. This phrase, is indeed, not usual in this sense; but was it not its novelty that gave occasion to the present corruption?

NOTE XV.