Languages & literature > Key to the drama

e 98 )
to join yourfelf. This was Headed by
Archibald, the noble Thane of Argyle, and
who unqueftionably offered his fervices to
adminiftration from motives truly patriotic.
His family was refpeftable, his adherents
numerous, and by that influence, fuftained
by an excellent underftanding, and princi¬
ples of unbounded generoflty, he flattered
himfelf with being able, by advifing an
equal diftribution of honours, not regard¬
ing names, but the qualities of the perfons,
to operate a reconciliation of parties, and
that all fhould combine in one, and that
one exert itfelf for the public profperity.
Macbeth had difeernment enough to fee that
a perfon of Argyle’s power and candid in¬
tentions would loon become very popular;
and Argyk having a more favourable opi¬
nion of Macbeth's principles than you, Gla-
mis, - rather fought than fhunned a con¬
nexion with him; Macbeth, on his part,
appeared to efpoufe very warmly every pro-
pofltion that came from Argyle ; although
He was at the fame time fecretly managing
the weak King in fuch a manner as to ob-
ItruX, or at leafl to delay the execution of
every falutary fcheme, to the end that he
might rather aggravate than fuffer to abate
that mean opinion which the nobles and
gentry in general had long entertained of
the unfortunate King. In fhort, by that
confidence