[17]
Why does Shakspeare appoint Macbeth to the noble hazard of meeting the fierce Macdonwald in single
authority of a very ancient, and of a very modern, writer. The divine Dante says:
"Vedi come storpiato è Maometto:
Dinanzi a me sen'va piangendo Ali,
Fesso nel volto dal mento al ciuffetto."—
Inferno, c. xxviii. v. 31.
Charles Ewart, sergeant in the Scots Greys,—Charles Ewart,—who, after three combats for his prize, bravely brought off a French eagle in the glorious battle won by the immortal Duke of Wellington at Waterloo, describes some of the circumstances of his action, in this extract from his letter dated Rouen, June 1 8th, 1815:—"It was in the first charge I took the eagle from the enemy: he and I had a hard contest for it; he thrust for my groin; I parried it off, and cut him through the head; after which I was attacked by one of their lancers, who threw his lance at me, but missed the mark, by my throwing it off with my sword by my right side; then I cut him from the chin up-
