woman indeed? (23) one, that in the authority of her merit, did justly put down the vouch of very malice itfelf? Jago. She that was ever fair, and never proud, Had tongue at will, and yet was never loud ; Never lackt gold, and yet went never gay, Fled from her wish, and yet faid, now I may; She that when anger'd, her revenge being nigh, Bade her wrong stay, and her difpleasure jy; She that in wisdom never was fo frail To change the cod's head for the falmon's tail; She that could think, and ne'er disclose her mind, See fuitors following, and not look behind; She was a wight, (if ever fuch wight were). D. To do what? Jago. To fuckle fools, and chronicle fmall beer. Def. Oh moft lame and impotent conclufion! do not learn of him, Emilia, tho' he be thy husband. (24) How fay you, Caffio is he not a moft profane and liberal cenfurer? Cof. (23) One, that in the authority of her merit, did justly put on the wouch of very malice itself.] Tho' all the printed copies agree in this reading, I cannot help fufpecting it. If the text fhould be genuine, I confess, it is above my understanding. In what fenfe can merit be faid to put on the vouch of malice? I fhould rather think, merit was so safe in itself, as to repel and put off all that malice and envy could advance and affirm to its prejudice; was upon its guard against every attack of Í have ventur'd to reform the text to this calumny, and defied it. conftruction, by a very flight change that makes it intelligible. To the fame purpofe the Duke fays, in Measure for Measure, Lord Angelo is precife, Stands at a guard with envy, So, Queen Catherine, fpeaking of herself and the clearness of her life and conduct, My Lords, I care not (fo much I am happy Above a number) if my actions Were try'd by ev'ry tongue, ev'ry eye saw them, Envy and bafe opinion fet against them; I know my life fo even. K. Henry VIII. And much to the tenour of our Poet's fentiment, as I have cor rected it, AUSONIUS fpeaks of chastity. Quæ cafta eft? De quâ mentiri Fama veretur. (24) How fay you, Caffio? Is he not a moft profane and liberal coun fellor?] Caf. He fpeaks home, Madam; you may relish him more in the foldier, than in the fcholar. lago. [Afide.] He takes her by the palm; ay, well faid-whifper-With With as little a web as this, will I enfnare as great a fly as Caffio. Ay, fmile upon her, do -I will gyve thee in thine own courtship. You say true, 'tis fo, indeed.-If fuch tricks as these strip you out of your lieutenancy, it had been better you had not kifs'd your three fingers fo oft, which now again you are most apt to play the Sir in. Very good-well kifs'd, and excellent courtefy- 'tis fo, indeed -Yet again your fingers to your lips? 'would, they were clifter-pipes for your fake. The Moor,-I know his trumpet. Caf. 'Tis truly fo. Def. Let's meet him, and receive him. Caf. Lo, where he comes! Enter Othello, and Attendants. Oth. Oh my fair warrier! Def. My dear Othello ! [Trumpet. Oth. It gives me wonder, great as my content, May the winds blow 'till they have waken'd death; As hell's from heav'n! If I were now to die, Des. The heav'ns forbid, But that our loves and comforts fhould encrease, Oth. Amen to that, fweet Powers! fellor?] But in what refpect was lago a counfellor? He caps fentences, indeed; but they are not by way of advice, but defcription: what he fays, is, reflexions on character and conduct in life. For this reason, I am very apt to think, our Author wrote cenfurer. I can 1 cannot fpeak enough of this content, It flops me here: it is too much of joy. And this, and this, the greatest difcords be [Kiffing her. That e'er our hearts fhall make! the Iago. Oh, you are well-tun'd now; but I'll let down that make this mufic, as honest as I am. [Afide. Oth. Come, let's to the caftle. pegs Now, friends, our wars are done; the Turks are drown'd. How do our old acquaintance of this isle ? Honey, you shall be well defir'd in Cyprus, I've found great love amongst them. Oh my fweet, In mine own comfort. Pr'ythee, good Iago, He is a good one, and his worthiness Does challenge much refpect. Come, Desdemona, [Exeunt Othello and Defdemona. Manent lago and Rodorigo. Iago. Do you meet me prefently at the harbour. Come thither, if thou be'ft valiant; (as, they fay, base 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. Rad. With him? why, 'tis not poffible? Iago. 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 fantastical lies. And will the love him ftill for prating? let not thy difcreet heart think it. Her eye must be fed. And what delight fhall fhe have to look on the Devil? (25) when the blood is made dull with the act of sport, there (25) When the blood is made dull with the act of sport, there should be a game to inflame it, and to give fatiety a fresh appetite; loveliness in favour, Sympathy in years, manners, and beauties.] This, 'tis true, is the there fhould be again to inflame it, and to give fatiety 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 tenderness will find itself abus'd, begin to heave the gorge, difrelifh and abhor the Moor; very nature will inftruct her in it, and compel her to fome fecond choice. Now, Sir, this granted, (as it is a most pregnant and unforc'd pofition) who ftands fo eminent in the degree of this fortune, as Cafft, does? a knave very voluble; no further confcionable, than in putting on the mere form of civil and humane feeming, for the better compaffing of his falt and most hidden loofe affection; a flippery and fubtile knave, a finder of occafions, that has an eye can ftamp and counterfeit advantages, tho' true advantage never prefent itself. A devilish knave! befides, the knave is handfome, 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. Red. I cannot believe that of her, the's full of moft blefs'd condition. lage. Blefs'd figs' end! the wine fhe drinks is made of grapes. If he had been blefs'd, he would never have lov'd the Moor: Blefs'd pudding! didft thou not fee her paddle with the palm of his hand? didst not mark that? Rod. Yes, that I did; but that was but courtefy. Igo. 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 the reading of the generality of the copies: but, methinks, 'tis a very peculiar experiment, when the blood and fpirits are dull'd and exhausted with sport, to raife 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 fenfe; that, when the blood is dull'd with the exercife of pleasure, 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 Othello to re. kindle Desdemona's paffion. VOL. VIII. together. Villainous thoughts, Rodorigo! when these mutualities fo marshal the way, hard at hand comes the mafter and main exercife, the incorporate conclufion : pish-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 Caffie, either by speaking too loud, or tainting his discipline, or from what other courfe you please, which the time fhall more favourably minifter. Rod. Well. : lago. Sir, he's rafh, and very fudden in choler: and, haply, may ftrike at you. Provoke him, that he may ; for even out of that will I cause those 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 opportunity. Jago. I warrant thee. Meet me by and by at the citadel. I muft fetch his neceffaries afhore. Farewel. Rod. Adieu. Manet Jago. Iago. That Caio loves her, I do well believe: For that I do fufpect, the lufty Moor LExit. Hath leapt into my feat. The thought whereof Till |