and entangling him in their labyrinths. In thought he is absent and
perplexed, sudden and desperate in act, from a distrust of his own
resolution. His energy springs from the anxiety and agitation of his
mind. His blindly rushing forward on the objects of his ambition and
revenge, or his recoiling from them, equally betrays the harassed
state of his feelings.--This part of his character is admirably set
off by being brought in connexion with that of Lady Macbeth, whose
obdurate strength of will and masculine firmness give her the
ascendancy over her husband's faltering virtue. She at once seizes
on the opportunity that offers for the accomplishment of all their
wished-for greatness, and never flinches from her object till all is
over. The magnitude of her resolution almost covers the magnitude of
her guilt. She is a great bad woman, whom we hate, but whom we fear
more than we hate. She does not excite our loathing and abhorrence
like Regan and Goneril. She is only wicked to gain a great end; and
is perhaps more distinguished by her commanding presence of mind and
inexorable self-will, which do not suffer her to be diverted from a
bad purpose, when once formed, by weak and womanly regrets, than by
the hardness of her heart or want of natural affections. The
impression which her lofty determination of character makes on the
mind of Macbeth is well described where he exclaims:

--Bring forth men children only;
For thy undaunted mettle should compose
Nothing but males!

Nor do the pains she is at to 'screw his courage to the sticking-
place', the reproach to him, not to be 'lost so poorly in himself',
the assurance that 'a little water clears them of this deed', show
anything but her greater consistency in depravity. Her strong-nerved