I.v.23 (420, 7) thoud’st have, great Glamis,/That which cries, Thus thou must do, if thou have it] As the object of Macbeth’s desire is here introduced speaking of itself, it is necessary to read,

  —­thoud’st have, great Glamis,
  That which cries, thus thou must do, if thou have me.

I.v.39 (422, 8) The raven himself is hoarse] Dr. Warburton reads,

  —­The raven himself’s not hoarse.

Yet I think the present words may stand.  The messenger, says the servant, had hardly breath to make up his message; to which the lady answers mentally, that he may well want breath, such a message would add hoarseness to the raven.  That even the bird, whose harsh voice is accustomed to predict calamities, could not croak the entrance of Duncan but in a note of unwonted harshness.

I.v.42 (422, 2) mortal thoughts] This expression signifies not the thoughts of mortals, but murtherous, deadly, or destructive designs.  So in act 5,

  Hold fast the mortal sword.

And in another place,

  With twenty mortal murthers.

I.v.47 (422, 3) nor keep peace between/The effect, and it!] The intent of lady Macbeth evidently is to wish that no womanish tenderness, or conscientious remorse, may hinder her purpose from proceeding to effect; but neither this, nor indeed any other sense, is expressed by the present reading, and therefore it cannot be doubted that Shakespeare wrote differently, perhaps thus,

  That no compunctious visitings of nature
  Shake my fell purpose, nor keep pace between
  Th’ effect, and it.—­

To keep pace between may signify to pass between, to intervene. Pace is on many occasions a favourite of Shakespeare’s.  This phrase is indeed not usual in this sease, but was it not its novelty that gave occasion to the present corruption? [The sense is, that no compunctious visitings of nature may prevail upon her, to give place in her mind to peaceful thoughts, or to rest one moment in quiet, from the hour of her purpose to its full completion in the effect.  REVISAL.] This writer thought himself perhaps very sagacious that be found a meaning which nobody missed, the difficulty still remains how such a meaning is made by the words. (see 1765, VI, 394, 6)

I.v.49 (423, 5) take my milk for gall] Take away my milk, and put gall into the place.

I.v.51 (423, 6) You wait on nature’s mischief!] Nature’s mischief is mischief done to nature, violation of nature’s order committed by wickedness.

I.v.55 (423,8) To cry, hold, hold!] On this passage there is a long criticism in the Rambler.

I.v.58 (424,1) This ignorant present time] Ignorant has here the signification of unknowing; that it, I feel by anticipation these future hours, of which, according to the process of nature, the present time would be ignorant.