The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-02-18
From: the Philadelphia Times.l
Hart on Macbeth.

or Professor Harris lecture on "Msc
BETH" we quote portion of the comment
upon the soliloguy. The passage Is in act
one, scene seven, beginning with, elf 1t
were done when tits done" etc.: "The
first rema to be made upon this passage Is
the obvious and now generally admitted fact
that the WORD 'done' is used in this FIRST
line in two entirely different senses, and that
this play upon the word is intentional.
This repetition of q word in 40 altered sense
is very common with Shakespeare. We
have other examples in this same play, as
|Cleanse the stutf'd bosom of that perilous
stuff ". Ki., '44). In the passage now
under consideration the first 'done' means
done WITH ended; if, when the deed
is perpetrated, that were the end Of it. This
Interpretation is now generally accepted by
all critics and actors, and therefore need not
SO generally observed by actors and readers,
though Through inadvertence probably
rather than from denial, is that the first
|.done' is strongly emphatic. 1t is, In fact,
BY this strong emphasis only that the true
meaning OF the passage is brought out: III
1t were done when tits done,; that Is the
awful abyss over,which his mind hangs and
looks down before taking the fatal leap. IL
is an easy and a quick thing to put an END TO
the life of you, sleeping Duncan, but is that,
after all, the end of the atfiir!
$50 far, critics are substantially agreed. On
sthlrd point, however, there is wide and ir-
reconcilabe difference OF opinion. The words
Immediately following the secona done
admit of two altogether different interpre-
tations, this change being represented to the
eve by the change Of single point IN the
punctuation. The one class OF Interpreters
fn1 of IxI0 q
end of the first line, making the line CON-
plete in itseE-a sort Of text or keynote to
ali that follows. eff it were done>when tits
done, then stwere WE'LL The line is, accord
ing to these interpreters, sort of announce
ment of the terrible problem with which
Mucbeth's mint! is wrestling. In its struc.
ture as thus divided the sentence re.
minds us Of the somewhat similar open.
ing OF HaH1let;s ,seAloquy: Ito. be, or
not TO be-; that is the question.
According 30 the Interpretation here
proposed, the first four words of the second
line are to be connected with what follows
lit were done quickly, II the assassination
could trammei up be-consequeRce.' That
IS, there woulGlbe no, hesitation about it. the
thing would be'dispatehed at once If security
could be had tbstno evilsonsequeDces should
follow the assassination. This construction
was first proposed, so fsE Gs now appears. by
some writer ia the Boston Courier, April
2E, 1857. The writen.Grges it with muct
earneslness und ne little .plausibility. !:Rich
ard Grant White adopts the suggestion, and
so.points the text ia his. edition. The inter.
probation, no SeSeT, has not met with gene.
ral favor, and 1t is net likely to be adopted BY
critics, editors, reaaets, Or. actors. The Ole
traditional construction seems certainly tue
more natural! and ohQ;Gls.opc. According IL
this the doubt raised blythe 'if! ia the first liae
Is resumed and coatinned by tie if in the
secoRS line, and lhstagin by tho equivalent
shat but in the tourbl line, the thought
not coming TO full ,e.spressiaE until the
seventh line: If this and this ans the other
be true, then we'd jsmp thei life to come.
Another. point to be noticed in tbeS remark.
able lines Is also one Of Emphasis, aAd fortu.
nately one on which there is pretty general
uniformity of opinion and practice. Mac.
beth, having thus distinctly brought before
his mind the question OF the,oonseGGaaceso OF
his contemplated crime, suddenly stariles as
BY the audsc.ous declaration, tgulte In keep
ing with his whole characters that by Tcon-
sequence oLc means the results In this
world only; # be could be ASSURED OF
escaping punishment here be would take
the risk OF what may happen hereafter. A
more deliberate defiance of future ,retribu.
ton is nowhere 20 be found. It prepares,
aud pro baby was intended to prepare, thesI
mind of the reader Cor the fearful depths Of
crime into which Macbeth was ABOUT to be
led. This sudden turn OF the thought Isl
first expressed By the single WORD here,
which becomes, therefore, terribly emphasize:
That but this blow might be the be~aN md
the end.all here He then goes on to sag;
s But here'-tbat is, only kere--thus making |
it sui more restrictive; and. thar there may |
be no possible doubt as to his meaning. |
adds: t0n this bank and sboal OF
time.' The words, then, Oh which |
The voice sheald rest in the reading |
are .here,' .but,' and time They all thrust
the idea out into the utmost asominence
and In an ascending scale, and theg prepare
Us for the awsCs elk * ( the closing words.
The attitude OF Macbeth Is not that OF specu'
aung irresolution, like Hamlet's, tat an
attitude Of specializing audaeity, which sesps
boldly into crime, with full Knowledge ot its
character and consequences, snd the asat
seven lines must be taken together, as one
inbroken whole. to bring out this idea In itS
oil proportions:
:. II tt were done when tits done then stwere well
II were done quickly: ifthe asaasslusttoR
10ntG tEumInei up the consequence, and catch, I
With bis snrcease, success; thst but this blow III
Night De tue bs-ssi and the end.all here.
We'd jump ths NE 70 seAs" N 4 u