Hydra, fuch an answer would ftop them all. To be now a fenfible man, by and by a fool, and prefently a beast! Every inordinate cup is unblefs'd, and the ingredient is a devil. Iago. Come, come, good wine is a good familiar creature, if it be well us'd: exclaim no more against it. And, good lieutenant, I think, you think, I love you. Caf. I have well approv'd it, Sir.. I drunk! Iago. You, or any man living, may be drunk at fome time, man. I tell you what you fhall do: our General's wife is now the General. I may fay fo, in this respect, for that he hath devoted and giv'n up himself to the contemplation, mark and denotement of her parts and graces, (29). Confefs yourself freely to her: importune her help, to put you in your place again. She is of fo free, fo kind, fo apt, fo bleffed a difpofition, fhe holds. it a vice in her goodnefs not to do more than the is requested. This broken joint, between you and her hufband, intreat her to fplinter. And, my fortunes against any lay worth naming, this crack of your love fhall grow ftronger than it was before. Cal. You advise me well, Iago. I proteft in the fincerity of love, and honeft kindness. Caf. I think it freely,; and betimes in the morning I will befeech the virtuous Desdemona to undertake for (29) For that he hath devoted, and given up himself to the contempla. tion, mark, and devotement of ber parts and graces.] I remember, it is faid of Antony, in the beginning of his tragedy, that he, who ufed to fix his eyes altogether on the dreadful ranges of war, now bends, now turns,, The office and devotion of their view. Upon a ftrumpet's front. This is finely exprefs'd; but I cannot perfwade myself that our Poet would ever have faid, any one devoted himself to the devotement of any thing. All the copies agree; but the mistake certainly arofe from a fingle letter being turn'd up fide-down at prefs; I read; -to the contemplation, mark, and denotement of her parts and graces. The three words are, indeed, in fome degree tautological; but the practise is allow'd to add an energy to the thing it would exprefs. me: me: I am defperate of my fortunes, if they check me here. Iage. You are in the right: good-night, lieutenant, I muft to the watch. Caf. Good-night, honeft lago. Manet Iago. [Exit Caffio. Iago. And what's he then, that fays, I play the villain? In any honeft fuit; fhe's fram'd as fruitful To win the Moor, were't to renounce his baptism, His foul is fo enfetter'd to her love That she may make, unmake, do what fhe lift, Enter Rodorigo. 3 Rodorigo!* Rod. I do follow here in the chace, not like a hound : that hunts, but one that fills up the cry. My money is almoft fpent: I have been to-night exceedingly well cudgell'd; and I think, the iffue will be, I fhall have fo much experience for my pains; and fo with no money at all, and a little more wit, return again to Venice. Iago. How poor are they, that have not patience! What wound did ever heal but by degrees? Thou know'ft, we work by wit, and not by witchcraft ; ; Does't not go well? Caffio hath beaten thee, Two things are to be done; (30) My wife must move for Cao to her mistress: I'll fet her on: Myfelf, the while, to draw the Moor apart, Solliciting his Wife, -ay, that's the way: Dull not, device, by coldness and delay. (30) Two things are to be done; My wife must move for Caffio to ber mifirefs:: [Exit. I'll fet ber on to draw the Moor apart.] Mr. Pope has falfified the text, because it wanted a little help: fo that, in the first place, we don't see what were the two things to be done: and, then, it was Iago, not his wife, that was to draw the Moor apart. The old books read; -Two things are to be done; My wife must move for Caffio to her mistress: Til fet ber on myfelf, awhile, to draw the Moor apart. This unreasonable long alexandrine was certainly a blunder of the editors a flight tranfpofition and change will regulate it, as the Poet intended, My wife muft move for Caffio to her mistress: I'll fet her on. Myfelf, the while, to draw the Moor aparty SCENE, before Othello's Palace. Enter Caffio, with Muficians. CASSIO. ASTERS, play here, I will content your pains, {Mufick plays; and enter Clown from the House. Clown. Why, maflers, have your inftruments-been in -Noples, that they fpeak i'th' nofe- thus ? Muf. How, Sir, how? Clown. Are thefe, I pray you, wind-inftruments? Clown. Oh, thereby hangs a tail. Mf. Whereby hangs a tale, Sir? Clown. Marry, Sir, by many a wind-inftrument that I know. But, Mafters, here's money for you and the General fo likes your mufick, that he defires you for love's fake to make no more noife with it. Muf. Well, Sir, we will not.. Clown. If you have any mufick that may not be heard, to't again; But, as they fay, to hear mufick, the General does not greatly care. Muf. We have none fuch, Sir. Clown. Then put up your pipes in your bag for I'll. away. Go, vanish into air, away. [Exeunt Muf.. Cof. Doft thou hear, mine honeft friend? (31) Clown. No, I hear not your honeft friend; hear you. (31) Caf. Doft thou hear me, mine boneft friend? Clown. No, I hear not your boneft friend; I hear you ] Tho' the clown has his defign of playing at crofs purposes here, he has no defign to make fuch an abfurd answer. But, for this, the inattention of our editors is only accountable: 'tis plain, to make the low jak intelligible, we must expunge [me] out of Caffo's speech; as both Mr. Warburton and Dr. Thomas Bentley obferv'd to me: and their obfervation happens to have the fanction of the elder quarto. Caf Caf. Pr'ythee, keep up thy quillets, there's a poor piece of gold for thee: if the gentlewoman, that attends the General's wife, be ftirring, tell her, there's one Caffio entreats of her a little favour of speech. Wilt thou do this? Clown. She is ftirring, Sir; if fhe will ftir hither,. I fhall feem to notify unto her. [Exit Clown. Caf. Do, my good friend. To him, enter Iago. In happy time, Iao. Iago. You have not been a bed then? Caf. Why, no; the day had broke, before we parted. I have made bold to fend in to your wife ; My fuit is, that fhe will to De demona Iago. I'll fend her presently; And I'll devife a mean to draw the Moor Caf. I humbly thank you for't. I never knew To him, enter Emilia. [Exit. Emil. Good-morrow, good lieutenant, I am forry For your displeasure; but all will, fure, be well. The General and his wife are talking of it: And fe freaks for you ftoutly. The Moor replies, That he, you hurt, is of great fame in Cyprus, And great affinity; and that in wisdom [you; He might not but refufe you. But he protefts, he loves And needs no other fuitor, but his likings, To bring you in again. C. Yet I beseech you, If you think fit, or that it may be done, Give me advantage of fome brief discourse With Desdemona alone. Amil. Pray you, come in; I will bestow you where you fhall have time To fpeak your bofom freely. Ca. I'm much bound to you. [Exeunt. Enter |