it Recht erkennt Dr. Blair die lebhaften und mannichs faltigen Charakterschilderungen und den starken und natürlis chen Ansdruck der Leidenschaften für die den dieses großen tragischen Genies *). Troucrspiele sind: Romeo and Juliet John Troilus and Creffida Lear Macbeth Julius Caefar

beiden Haupttugens Seine eigentlichen Hamlet King Cymbeline King Anthony and

Cleopatra Coriolanus Othello. Aber auch seine historischen Schauspiele gehören in diese Klasse: Three Parts of K. Henry VI K. Richard II — K. Richard III -Two Parts of Henry IV K. Henry V K. Henry VIII Ob die Trauerspiele: Titus Andronicus Pericles Locrine Sir John Oldcastle The Life and Death of Lord Cromwell und A Yorkshire Tragedy, von Shakspeare sind, ist noch zweifelhaft. den Werken keines Dichters vérursacht die Auswahl irgend einer einzelnen Scene von hervorstechender Schönheit größere Unschlüßigkeit, eben weil der Anspruch und Wetteifer hervors stechender Schönheiten so groß ist, als bei den shakspearischen Trauerspielen. Um indeß doch diese Beispielsammlung nicht ganz ohne eine Probe daraus zu lassen, mögen zwei von den vielen

Ji 3

Bei

*) Umständlicher s. in meiner Schrift: Ueber William Shakspeare, vorzüglich den dritten Abschnitt; über sein Genie.

vielen trefflichen Seenen hier statt so vieler andrer dienen: diejenigen nämlich, worin Macbeth und Lady Macbeth über ihr Vorhaben, den Mord zu begehen, noch mit sich selbst kämpfen und über die Vollbringung der That die erste Gewiss-usanast empfinden. Ich gebe sie nach der neuesten berichtigten Ausgabe von Malone;

Macbeth, alone.

If it were done, when 'tis done, then 'twere well

It were done quickly; If the affaffination,

Could trammel up the confequence, and catch,

4

With his furceafe, fuccefs; that but this blow
Might be the be-all and the end-all here,
But here, upon this bank and fhoal of time,
We'd jump the life to come. But, in these cafes,
We still have judgment here; that we but teach
Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return
To plague the inventor: This even-handed juftice
Commends the ingredients of our poifon'd chalice
To our own lips. He's here in double trust;
First, as I am his kinfman and his fubject,
Strong both against the deed; then, as his hoft,
Who fhould against his murderer fhut the door,
Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan
Hath borne his faculties fo meek, hath been
So clear in his great office, that his virtues
Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongu'd, against
The deep damnation of his taking-off;
And pity, like a naked new - born babe,
Striding the beaft, or heaven's cherubin, hors'd
Upon the fightless couriers of the air,,

Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,
That tears shall drown the wind.

I have no fpur

To prick the fides of my intent, but only

1

Vaulting ambition, which o'er-leaps itself,
And falls on the other How now! what news?
Enter Lady MACBETH,

Lady M. He has almost supp'd: Why have you left the chamber?

Macb. Hath he ask'd for me?

Lady M. Know you not, he hath ?

Macb. We will proceed no further in this business: He hath honour'd me of late; and I have bought Golden opinions from all forts of people,

Which would be worn now in their newest glofs,
Not caft afide fo foon.

Lady M. Was the hope drunk,

Wherein you dreft yourself? hath it flept fince?.
And wakes it now, to look fo green and pale

At what it did fo freely.

From this time
Such I account thy love. Art thou afeard

To be the fame in thine own act and valour,
As thou art in defire? Would'ft thou have that
Which thou esteein'ft the ornament of life,
And live a coward in thine own efteem?
Letting I dare not wait upon I would,
Like the poor cat i'the adage?

Macb. Pr'ythee, peace:

I dare do all that may become a man;
Who dares do more, is none.

Lady M. What beast was it then,

That made you break this enterprize to me?
When you durft do it, then you were a man;
And, to be more than what you were, you would
Be so much more the man. Nor time, nor place,

Did then adhere, and yet you would make both:

They have made themselves, and that their fitness now Does unmake you. I have given fuck; and know,

How tender 'tis, to love the babe that milks me:
I would, while it was finiling in my face,
Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums,
And dafh'd the brains out, had I fo fworn,.

But screw your courage to the sticking place,
And we'll not fail. When Duncan is asleep,
(Whereto the rather shall this day's hard journey
Soundly invite him) his two chamberlains' ';
Will I with wine and waffel fo convince,
That memory, the warder of the brain,
Shall be a fume, and the receipt of reafon
A limbeck only: When in fwinifh fleep
Their drenched natures lie, as in a death,
What cannot you and I perform upon ::
The unguarded Duncan? what not put upon
His fpungy officers? who shall bear the guilt
Of our great quell.

Macb. Bring forth men children only! For thy undaunted mettle should compose Nothing but males. Will it not be receiv'd, When we have mark'd with blood those fleepy two Of his own chamber, and us'd their very daggers, That they have don't?

Lady M. Who dares receive it other,

As we shall make our grief and clamour roar
Upon his death.

Macb. I'm fettled and bend up

Each corpóral agent to this terrible feat..

Away, and mock the time with faireft fhow; L

Falle face must hide what the falle heart doth know.

ACTII SC. I. d
If it

Macbeth..

Is this a dagger, which I fee before me,

The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch

thee.

I have thee not; and yet I fee thee still.
Art thou not, fatal vifion, fenfible

To feeling as to fight? or art thou but
A dagger of the mind? a falfe creation,
Proceeding from the heat-oppreffed brain?
I see thee yet, in form as palpable

As

this which now I draw.

Thou marshall'ft me the way that I was going;
And fuch an instrument I was to use,

Mine eyes are made the fools o'the other senses,
Or else worth all the reft; I fee thee ftill;
And on thy blade, and dudgeon, gouts of blood,
Which was not fo before. There's no fuch thing:
It is the bloody bufinefs, which informs

Thus to mine eyes. Now o'er the one half world
Nature feems dead, and wicked dreams abuse

The curtain'd sleep; now witchcraft celebrates
Pale Hecate's offerings; and wither'd murder,
Alarum'd by his fehtinel, the wolf,"

Whofe howl's his watch, thus with his ftealthy pace,
With Tarquin's ravishing fides, towards his defign
Moves like a ghost. -Thou fure and firm fet earth,
Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear
Thy very stones prate of my where-about,
And take the present horrour from the time,
Which now fuits with it,

Whiles 1 threat, he

lives;

Words to the heat of deed too cold breath gives.