Enter Sailors.

Offi. A meffenger from the gallies.
Duke. Now!---what's the bufinefs?

Sail. The Turkish preparation makes for Rhodes,
So was I bid report here to the State.
Duke. How fay you by this change?

1 Sen. This cannot be,

By no affay of reafon. 'Tis a pageant,'
To keep us in falfe gaze; when we confider
The importancy of Cyprus to the Turk,
And let ourselves again but understand,
That as it more concerns the Turk than Rhodes,
So may he with more facile queftion bear it; (12)
For that it ftands not in fuch warlike brace,
But, altogether lacks th' abilities

That Rhodes is dreffed in. If we make thought of
We must not think the Turk is fo unfkilful, [this,
To leave that latest which concerns him firft;
Neglecting an attempt of eafe and gain,
To wake, and wage a danger profit lefs.

Duke Nay, in all confidence, he's not for Rhodes.
Offi. Here is more news.

(12) So may be with more fertile question bear it;] This is Mr Pope's reading; but upon what authorities, I am yet to icarn. All the old impreffions, Quartos and Folios, I know have it;

So may he with more facile question bear it.

i. e. He may with a more eafy struggle, with lefs ftrength, carry Cyprus; and the Poet fubjoins this reafon for it, becaufe Cyprus was not near fo well fortified, nor in the condition to oppofe, as Rhodes was. I ought to mention, to the praife of my friend Mr Warburton's fagacity, that though he had none of the old editions to collate or refer to; he fent me word by letter, that the context abfolutely required facile queftion.

Enter a Meffenger.

Mef. The Ottomites (reverend and gracious,) Steering with due courfe towards the ifle of Rhodes,

Have there enjoined them with an after-fleet-1 Sen. Ay, so I thought; how many, as you guefs?

Mef. Of thirty fail; and now they do re-stem Their backward courfe, bearing with frank ap

pearance

Their purposes toward Cyprus. Signior Montano,
Your trufty and most valiant fervitor,

With his free duty, recommends you thus,
And prays you to believe him.

Duke. 'Tis certain then for Cyprus: Marcus Is he not here in town?

1 Sen. He's now in Florence.

[Luccicos,

Duke. Write from us to him, poft, poft-hafte, dispatch.

1 Sen. Here comes Brabantio, and the valiant Moor.

To them, enter BRABANTIO, OTHELLO, CASSIO, IAGO, RODORIGO, and Officers.

Duke. Valiant Othello, we muft ftraight employ Against the general enemy Ottoman. I did not fee you; welcome, gentle Signior:

[you,

[To Bra. We lacked your counsel, and your help to-night. Bra. So did I yours; good your Grace, pardon

me;

Neither my place, nor aught I heard of business,
Hath raifed me from my bed; nor doth the general
Take hold on me; for my particular grief
Is of fo flood-gate and o'erbearing nature,

That it ingluts and fwallows other forrows,
And yet is fill itself.

Duke. Why, what's the matter?

Bra. My daughter! oh, my daughter!

Sen. Dead?.

Bra. To me;

She is abufed, ftolen from me, and corrupted By fpells and medicines bought of mountebanks; For nature fo prepofterously to err,

(Being not deficient, blind, or lame of fenfe,) Sans witchcraft could not

Duke. Whoe'er he be that in this foul proceedHath thus beguiled your daughter of herfelf, [ing And you of her, the bloody book of law

You shall yourself read in the bitter letter,
After your own fenfe: yea, though our proper fon
Stood in your action.

Bra. Humbly I thank your Grace.

Here is the man, this Moor, whom now, it feems,
Your fpecial mandate, for the State-affairs,
Hath hither brought.

All. We're very forry for't.

Duke. What in your own part can you fay to this?

Bra. Nothing, but this is fo.

[To Othel.

Oth. Molt potent, grave, and reverend figniors, My very noble and approved good matters; That I have ta'en away this old man's daughter, It is most true; true, I have married her; The very head and front of my offending Hath this extent; no more. Rude am I in fpeech, And little blefs'd with the foft phrafe of peace; For fince thefe arms of mine had feven years' pith, 'Till now, fome nine moons waited, they have used Their dearest action in the tented field;

And little of this great world can I speak,

VOL. XII.

R

- More than pertains to feats of broils and battle;
And therefore little fhall I grace my cause
In fpeaking for myfelf. Yet, by your patience,
I will a round unvarnished tale deliver,

Of my whole courfe of love; what drugs, what charms,

What conjuration, and what mighty magic, (For fuch proceeding I am charged withal), I won his daughter with.

Bra. A maiden, never bold;

Of spirit fo fill and quiet, that her motion
Blushed at itself; and fhe, in spite of nature,
Of years, of country, credit, every thing,
To fall in love with what fhe feared to look on---
It is a judgment maimed, and most imperfect, (13)
That will confefs, affection fo could err
Against all rules of nature; and must be driven
To find out practices of cunning hell,

Why this fhould be. I therefore vouch again,
That with fome mixtures powerful o'er the blood,
Or with fome dram, conjured to this effect,
He wrought upon her.

(13) It is a judgment maimed and most imperfect,

That will confefs, perfection fo could err

Against all rules of nature] Perfection erring, seems a contradiction in terminis, as the fchoolmen call it. Befides, Brabantio does not blazon his daughter out for a thing of abfolute perfection; he only fays, fhe was indued with fuch an extreme innate modefty, that for her to fall in love fo prepofteroufly, no found judgment could allow but it mult be by magical practice upon her. I have ventured to imagine that our Author wrote;

That will confefs, affection fo could err, &c.

This is entirely confonant to what Brabantio would fay of her; and one of the fenators, immediately after, in his. examination of the Moor, thus addreffes himfelf to him; -But, Othello, speak;

Did you by indirect and forced courfes

Subdue and poifon this young maid's affections, &c.

Duke. To vouch this is no proof, Without more certain and more overt test, Than these thin habits and poor likelihoods Of modern feeming do prefer against him. 1 Sen. But, Othello, fpeak;

Did you by indirect and forced courfes
Subdue and poison this young maid's affections?
Or came it by request, and such fair question
As foul to foul affordeth?

Oth. I beseech you,

Send for the lady to the Sagittary,

And let her speak of me before her father:
If you do find me foul in her report,

The trust, the office I do hold of you,
Not only take away, but let your fentence
Even fall upon my life.

Duke. Fetch Desdemona hither.

[Exeunt two or three. Oth. Ancient, conduct them, you best know the

place. [Exit lago. And till the come, as truly as to Heaven

I do confefs the vices of my blood,
So justly to your grave ears I'll present
How I did thrive in this fair lady's love,
And the in mine.

Duke. Say it, Othello.

Oth. Her father loved me, oft invited me ; Still questioned me the story of my life,

From year to year; the battles, fieges, fortunes,
That I have pait.

I ran it through, even from my boyish days,
To th' very moment that he bade me tell it:
Wherein I fpoke of most disastrous chances,
Of moving accidents by flood and field;

Of hair-breadth 'fcapes in th' imminent deadly
Of being taken by the infolent foe, [breach;
And fold to flavery; of my redemption thence,