Malcolm.  Let us seek out some desolate shade, and there
Weep our sad bosoms empty.
Macduff.  Let us rather
Hold fast the mortal sword; and, like good men,
Bestride our downfal birth-doom:  each new morn,
New widows howl, new orphans cry, new sorrows
Strike heaven on the face, that it resounds
As if it felt with Scotland, and yell’d out
Like syllables of dolour.

He who can discover what is meant by him that earnestly exhorts him to bestride his downfal birth-doom, is at liberty to adhere to the present text; but those who are willing to confess that such counsel would to them be unintelligible, must endeavour to discover some reading less obscure.  It is probable that Shakespeare wrote: 

—­like good men,
Bestride our downfall’n birthdom—­

The allusion is to a man from whom something valuable is about to be taken by violence, and who, that he may defend it without encumbrance, lays it on the ground, and stands over it with his weapon in his hand.  Our birthdom, or birthright, says he, lies on the ground, let us, like men who are to fight for what is dearest to them, not abandon it, but stand over it and defend it.  This is a strong picture of obstinate resolution.

Birthdom for birthright is formed by the same analogy with masterdom in this play, signifying the privileges or rights of a master.

Perhaps it might be birth-dame for mother; let us stand over our mother that lies bleeding on the ground.

NOTE XL.

  Malcolm.  Now we’ll together; and the chance of goodness
  Be like our warranted quarrel!

The chance of goodness, as it is commonly read, conveys no sense.  If there be not some more important errour in the passage, it should, at least, be pointed thus: 

 —­And the chance, of goodness,
  Be like our warranted quarrel!

That is, may the event be, of the goodness of heaven, [pro justicia divina,] answerable to the cause.

But I am inclined to believe that Shakespeare wrote,

 —­and the chance, O goodness,
  Be like our warranted quarrel!

This some of his transcribers wrote with a small o, which another imagined to mean of.  If we adopt this reading, the sense will be, and O! thou sovereign goodness, to whom we now appeal, may our fortune answer to our cause.

NOTE XLI.

ACT V. SCENE III.

Macbeth.  Bring me no more reports, let them fly all,
Till Birnam wood remove to Dunsinane,
I cannot taint with fear.  What’s the boy Malcolm? 
Was he not born of woman?—­
—­fly false thanes,
And mingle with the English epicures.

In the first line of this speech, the proper pauses are not observed in the present editions.