That never fet a fquadron in the field,
Nor the divifion of a battle knows

More than a spinfter; but the bookith theoric,
Wherein the toged counf lors can propofe (4)

ful a wife, that he was his heaven on earth; that he idolized her, and forgot to think of happiness in an after state, as placing all his views of biffs in the fingle enjoyment of her. In this fenfe, beauty, when it can fo feduce and ingrofs a man's thoughts, may be faid almost to damn him, Jeffica, fpeaking of Baffanio's happinefs in a wife, fays fomething almoft equal to this:

For having fuch a blessing in his lady,

He finds the Joys of heaven here no earth;
And if om earth he do not merit it,

In reafon he thould never come to beaven.

Merchant of Venice. Beaumont and Fletcher likewife, in their King and no King,! make Tigranes fpeak of fuch a degree of beauty fufficient to damn fouls; >

-had the fo tempting fair,

That she could with it off for damning fouls.

i.e. either, for that it did damn fouls, or for fear it should. (4) Wherein the tongued confuls] So the generality of the impreffions read; but the oldest Quarto has it, toged, (which gave the hint for my emendation) the fenators, that affifted the duke in council, in their proper gowns.- -Jago, a little lower, fays to Brabantio;

Zounds, Sir, you're robbed; for fhame, put on your gown.

Now, I think, 'tis pretty certain that lago does not mean, "Slip on your might gown, but your gown of office, your fenatorial gown; put on your authority, and purfue the thief who has tole your daughter." Befides, there is not that contraft of terms betwixt tongued, as there is betwixt toged and foldierfhip. This reading is peculiarly proper here, and the fame oppofition is alinoft for ever made by the Roman wris ters. For inftance;

Cicero, in offic:

Cedant arma tog.

Idem in P'ifonem:

-Sed quod paris eft infigne et otii, toga; contrà autem

arma, tumultus, atque belli..

Vell. Paterculus de Scipione Emiliano :..

As mafterly as he; mere prattle, without practice, Is all his foldierfhiphe had th' election; And I, of whom his eyes had feen the proof At Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other grounds Christian and Heathen (5) must be belee'd anccalm'd -paternifque Lucii Pauli virtutibus fimillimu, omnibus belli ac toga dotibus, &c.

Caffius Ciceroni :

Etenim tus toga omnium armis felicior.

Ovid. Metamo. lib. xv.

Cæfar in urte fua deus eft; quam Marte togaque
Præcipuum, &c.

Idem in Epift. ex Ponto, li. 2. ep. 1.

-Jam nunc bec à me, juvenum belloque togque

Maxime.

Juvenal, Sat. 10.

Militia.

-nocitura toga, nocitura petuntur

And in a great number of paffages more that might be quoted. But now let me proceed to explan, why I have ventured to fubftitute counsellors in the roon of confuls; and then, I hope, the akeration will not appear arbitrary. The Venetian nobility 'tis well known, conftitite the great council of the fenate and are a part of the dininistration, and fummoned affift and counfel the Doge, who is prince of the fenat and, in that regard, has only precedency before Cr magiftrates. So that, in this refpect, they may properly be called coun fellors. Again, when the officer omes from the Duke to Brabantio, in a fubfequent scene of this act, he fays;

the

Vev

The Duke's in council, and your noble felf,

I'm fure, is fent for.

And when Brabantio comes into the fenate, the Duke fays to him;

We lacked your counfel, and your help to-night. Now Brabantio was a fenator, but no conful. Befides, though the government of Venice was democratic at first, under confuls and tribunes, that form of power has been totally abrogated fince Doges have been elected; and whatever confuls of other states may be refident there, yet they have no more a voice, or place, in the public councils, or in what concerns peace or war, than foreign ambassadors can have in our parliament.

(5) Must be led and calmed] There is no consonance of

By Debitor and Creditor, this Counter-Cafter;
He, in good time, mult his lieutenant be, [cient.
And I, (God blefs the mark!) his Moorfhip's an-
Rod. By Heaven, I would have rather been his
hangman.

Jago. But there's no remedy, 'tis the curfe of ferPreferment goes by letter and affection, [vice; And notby old gradation, where each fecond Stood her to the firft. Now, Sir, be judge yourIf I in ary just term am affigned

To love the Moor.

Rod. I would not follow him then.

Iago. Sir, content you;

[felf

I follow hin to ferve my turn upon him.
We cannot be mafters, nor all masters
Cannot be trily followed. You fhall mark
Many a 'duteus and knee-crooking knave,
That, doating on his own obfequious bondage,
Wears out his ime, much like his master's afs,
For nought bu provender; and when he's old, ca-
Thiered:

Whip me fuch honeft knaves Others were are,
Who trimm'd in forms and vifages of duty,
Keep yet their hearts attending on themselves;
And, throwing but shows of service on their lords,
Well thrive by them; and when they've lin'd their

coats,

L

Do themselves homage. These folks have some soul, And fuch a one do I profefs myself.

It is as fure as you are Rodorigo,

Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago:

metaphor in thefe two terms. I have chofe to read with. the firft Folio, and feveral other of the old editions. Beleea is a fea term as well as calmed; and, a fhip is said to be beleed when the lyes close under the wind on the ler-shore, makes no fail.

In following him, I follow but myself,
Heaven is my judge, not I, for love and duty,
But feeming fo, for my peculiar end:

For when my outward action doth demonftrate
The native act and figure of my heart
In compliment extern, 'tis not long after
But I will wear my heart upon my fleeve,
For daws to peck at; I'm not what I feem.
Rod. What a full fortune doth the thick-lips owe,
If he can carry her thus?

Iago. Call up her father,

Roufe him, make after him, poifon his delight;
Proclaim him in the streets, incenfe her kinimen:
And though he in a fertile climate dwell,
Plague him with flies; tho' that his joy be joy,
Yet throw fuch changes of vexation on't,
As it may lofe fome colour.

Rod. Here is her father's houfe, I'll call aloud. lago. Do, with like timorous accent, and dire As when, by night and negligence, the fire [yell, Is fpied in populous cities.

Rod. What, ho! Brabantio! Signior Brabantio, ho. Iago. Awake! what ho! Brabantio! ho! thieves!

thieves!

Look to your house, your daughter, and your bags: Thieves! thieves!

ERABANTIO appears above at a Window.

Bra. What is the reafon of this terrible fummons? What is the matter there?

Rod. Signior, is all your family within?

Iago. Are all doors lock'd?

Bra. Why, wherefore afk you this?

Jago. Zounds! Sir, you're robb'd: for fhame, put

on your gown,

Your heart is burft, you have loft half

your foul:

Ev'n now, ev'n very now, an old black ram
Is tupping your white ewe.

Arife, arife,

Awake the fnorting citizens with the bell,
Or elfe the devil will make a grandfire of you.
Arife, I fay.

Bra. What, have you loft your

wits?

[voice?

Rod. Moft reverend Signior, do you know my
Bra. Not I; what are you?
Rod. My name is Rodorigo.
Bra. The worfe welcome;

I've charged thee not to haunt about my doors:
In honest plainness thou hast heard me fay,

My daughter's not for thee. And now in madness, Being full of fupper and diftemp'ring draughts, Upon malicious bravery doft thou come

To ftart my quiet.

Rod. Sir, Sir, Sir

Bra. But thou must needs be fure,

My fpirit and my place have in their power

To make this bitter to thee.

Rod. Patience, good Sir.

Bra. What telleft thou me of robbing? this is

My houfe is not a grange.

Rod. Moft grave Brabantio,

In fimple and pure foul, I come to you.

[Venice:

Iago. Zounds! Sir, you are one of those that v! not ferve God, if the devil bid you. Because we come to do you fervice, you think we are ruffians. You'll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse, you'll have your nephews neigh to you; you'll have courfers for coufins, and gennets for germans.

Bra. What profane wretch art thou?

Iago. I am one, Sir, that comes to tell you, your daughter and the Moor are now making the beaft with two backs.