applause. Our audiences come to the theatre to be
complimented on their goodness. They compare notes with the
amiable characters in the play, and find a wonderful
similarity of disposition between them. We have a common
stock of dramatic morality out of which a writer may be
supplied without the trouble of copying from originals
within his own breast. To know the boundaries of honour, to
be judiciously valiant, to have a temperance which shall
beget a smoothness in the angry swellings of youth, to
esteem life as nothing when the sacred reputation of a
parent is to be defended, yet to shake and tremble under a
pious cowardice when that ark of an honest confidence is
found to be frail and tottering, to feel the true blows of a
real disgrace blunting that sword which the imaginary
strokes of a supposed false imputation had put so keen an
edge upon but lately; to do, or to imagine this done in a
feigned story, asks something more of a moral sense,
somewhat a greater delicacy of perception in questions of
right and wrong, than goes to the writing of two or three
hackneyed sentences about the laws of honour as opposed to
the laws of the land or a commonplace against duelling. Yet
such things would stand a writer nowadays in far better
stead than Captain Ager and his conscientious honour; and he
would be considered a far better teacher of morality than
old Rowley or Middleton if they were living.

* * * * *

Though some resemblance may be traced between the Charms in
Macbeth and the Incantations in this Play, which is supposed
to have preceded it, this coincidence will not detract much
from the originality of Shakspeare. His Witches are
distinguished from the Witches of Middleton by essential
differences. These are creatures to whom man or woman
plotting some dire mischief might resort for occasional
consultation. Those originate deeds of blood, and begin bad
impulses to men. From the moment that their eyes first meet
with Macbeth's, he is spellbound. That meeting sways his
destiny. He can never break the fascination. These Witches
can hurt the body: those have power over the soul. Hecate in
Middleton has a Son, a low buffoon: the hags of Shakspeare
have neither child of their own, nor seem to be descend