v. Def. The heav'ns forbid,

But that our loves and comforts fhould encrease,
Ev'n as our days do grow!

Oth. Amen to that, fweet Powers!
I cannot speak enough of this content,
It stops me here it is too much of joy.
And this, and this, the greatest difcords be

That e'er our hearts fhall make !

[Kiffing her.

Lago Oh, you are well-tun'd now; but I'll let down the pegs that make this mufick, as honeft as I am. [Afide, Oth Come, let's to the caftle.

Now, friends, our wars are done; the Turks are drown'd.
How do our old acquaintance of this ifle?.
Honey, you fhall be well defir'd in Cyprus,
I've found great love amongst them.

Oh my Sweet,
I prattle out of fashion, and I dote.
In mine own comfort. Pr'ythee, good Iago,
Go to the bay, and difembark my coffers:
Bring thou the mafter to the cittadel,

He is a good one, and his worthiness

Does challenge much refpect. Come, Desdemona,
Once more well met at Cyprus.

[Exeunt Othello and Desdemona.

Manent Iago and Rodorigo.

Iago. Do you meet me prefently at the harbour. Come thither, if thou be'ft valiant; (as, they fay, bafe men, being in love, have then a nobility in their natures, more than is native to them)-lift me; the lieutenant to night watches on the Court of Guard. First, I must tell thee, this Desdemona is directly in love with him.

Rod. With him? why, 'tis not poffible?

Lago. Lay thy fingers thus; and let thy foul be inftructed. Mark me with what violence the first lov'd the Moor, but for bragging, and telling her fantaftical lies. And will fhe love him ftill for prating? Jet not thy dif creet heart think it. Her eye muft be fed. And what

delight

delight fhall fhe have to look on the Devil? (25) When the blood is made dull with the act of fport, there should be again to inflame it, and to give Satiety a fresh appetite, loveliness in favour, fympathy in years, manners, and beauties; all which the Moor, is defective in. Now, for want of thefe requir'd conveniences, her delicate tendernefs will find it felf abus'd, begin to heave the gorge, difrelish and abhor the Moor; yery nature will inftruct her in it, and compel her to fome fecond choice. Now, Sir, this granted, (as it is a moft pregnant and unforc'd pofition) who ftands fo eminent in the degree of this fortune, as Coffro does? a knave very voluble; no further confcionaple, than in putting on the meer form of civil and humane Seeming, for the better compaffing of his falt and most hidden loofe affection; a flippery and subtile knave, a finder of occafions, that has an eye can ftamp and counterfeit advantages, tho? true advantage never prefent it felf. A devilish knave! befides, the knave is handfom, young, and hath all thofe requifites in him, that folly and green minds look after. A peftilent compleat knave! and the woman hath found him already.

Rod. I cannot believe that of her, fhe's full of most blefs'd condition.

Jago. Blefs'd figs' end! the wine the drinks is made of grapes. If he had been blefs'd, fhe would never have lov'd the Moor: blefs'd pudding! didft thou not fee her paddle with the palm of his hand? didft not mark that?

(25) When the Blood is made dull with the Act of Sport, there should be a Game to inflame it, and to give Satiety a fresh Appetite; loveliness in Favour, Sympathy in Years, Manners, and Beauties.] This, 'tis true, is the Reading of the Generality of the Copies: but, methinks, 'tis a very peculiar Experiment, when the Blood and Spirits are dull'd and exhaufted with Sport, to raise and recruit them by Sport: for Sport and Game are but two Words for the fame thing. I have retriev'd the Pointing and Reading of the elder Quarto, which certainly gives us the Poet's Senfe; that, when the Blood is dull'd with the Exercife of Pleafure, there should be proper Incentives on each fide to raise it again, as the Charms of Beauty, Equality of Years, and Agreement of Manners and Difpofition: which were wanting in Qebello to rekindle Desdemona's Paffion,

I

Rod.

t

Rad. Yes, that I did; but that was but courte fie.

Iago. Letchery, by this hand; an index, and obfcure prologue to the hiftory of luft, and foul thoughts. They met fo near with their lips, that their breaths embrac'd together. Villanous thoughts, Rodorigo! when theft mutualities fo marfhal the way, hard at hand comes the mafter and main exercife, th' incorporate conclufion: pifh But, Sir, be you'rul'd by me. I have brought you from Venice. Watch you to night; for the command, I'll lay't upon you. Caffio knows you not: I'll not be far from you. Do you find fome occafion to anger Caffio, either by fpeaking too loud, or tainting his difcipline, or from what other courfe you please, which the time fhall more favourably minifter,

Rod. Well.

Iago. Sir, he's rafh, and very fudden in choler: and, happily, may ftrike at you. Provoke him, that he may; for even out of that will I caufe thofe of Cyprus to mutiny: "whofe qualification fhall come into no true tafte again, but by difplanting of Caffio. So fhall you have a fhorter journey to your defires, by the means I fhall then have to prefer them: And the impediments moft profitably removed, without which there was no expectation of our profperity.

Rod. I will do this, if you can bring it to any op portunity.

Iago. I warrant thee. Meet me by and by at the cittadel. I muft fetch his neceffaries afhore.

Rod. Adieu.

M

Manet Iago.

Farewel

Iago. That Caffio loves her, I do well believe:
That the loves him, 'tis apt, and of great credit.
The Moor, howbeit that I endure him not,
Is of a conftant, loving, noble nature;
And, I dare think, he'll prove to Desdemona
A moft dear Hufband. Now I love her too,"
Not out of abfolute luft, (though, peradventure,
I ftand accountant for as great a fin ;)

[Exit.

But

But partly led to diet my revenge, e
For that I do fufpect, the lufty Moor

Hath leapt into my feat. The thought whereof
Doth, like a poisonous mineral, gnaw my inwards;
And nothing can, or fhall, content my foul,

Till I am even'd with him, wife for wife :
Or failing fo, yet that I put the Moor
At leaft into a jealoufie fo ftrong,

That judgment cannot cure. Which thing to do, (26)
If this poor brach of Venice, whom, I trace
For his quick hunting, ftand the putting on,
I'll have our Michael Caffio on the hip,
Abuse him to the Moor in the right garb;
(For I fear Caffio with my night-cap too,)

Make the Moor thank me, love me, and reward me,
For making him egregiously an afs;

And practifing upon his peace and quiet,

Even to madnefs. 'Tis here-but yet confus'd;

Knavery's plain face is never feen, till us’d.

SCENE, the STREET.

Enter Herald with a Proclamation.

[Exit.

Her. T is Othello's pleasure, our noble and valiant General, that upon certain tidings now arriv'd, importing the meer perdition of the Turkish fleet, every

(26) Which thing to do,

J

If this poor Trafh of Venice, whom I trace

For his quick hunting, ftand the putting on ] A trifling, infignificant Fellow may, in fome Refpects, very well be cail'd Trash; but what Confonance of Metaphor is there betwixt Traf, and quick hunting, and franding the putting on? The Allufion to the Chafe SHAKESPEARE feems to be fond of applying to Rodorigo, who fays of himself towards the Conclufion of this A;

I follow her in the Chase, not like a Hound that hunts, but one that fills up the Cry.

I have a great Sufpicion, therefore, that the Poet wrote;

If this poor Brach of Venice,

which, we know, is a degenerate Species of Hound, and a Term generally us'd in Contempt: and this compleats and perfects the metaphorical Állufion, and makes it much more Satirical. Mr. Warburton.

man

man put himself into triumph: fome to dance, Tome to make bonefires, each man to what fport and revels his mind leads him. For, befides this beneficial news, it is the celebration of his nuptials. So much was his pleasure, fhould be proclaimed. All offices are open, and there is full liberty of feafting, from this present hour of five, 'till the bell have told eleven. Blefs the ifle of Cyprus, and our noble General Othello! [Exit.

Oth.

SCENE, the CASTLE.

Enter Othello, Defdemona, Caffio, and Attendants.

OD Michael, look you to the guard to night Let's teach our felves that honourable stop,

Gi

Not to out-fport difcrétion.

Caf. Iago hath direction what to do:

But, notwithstanding, with my perfonal eye
Will I look to't.

Oth. Iago is moft honeft:

Michael, good night. To morrow, with your earlieft,

Let me have speech with

dear, love,

you. Come, my The purchase made, the fruits are to enfue; That profit's yet to come 'tween me and you. Good night.

;

Exeunt Othello and Desdemona.

Enter Iago,

1.Caf. Welcome, Iago; we muft to the Watch.

Jago. Not this hour, lieutenant: 'tis not yet ten o'th' clock. Our General caft us thus early for the love of his Defdemona: whom let us not therefore blame; he hath not yet made wanton the night with her and fhe is sport for Jove.

Caf. She's a moft exquifite lady.

Lago. And, I'll warrant her, full of game.

Gaf. Indeed, she's a most fresh and delicate creature,

Iago.