the authority of her merit, did justly put down the vouch of very malice itself? Iago. "She that was ever fair and never proud, "Had tongue at will, and yet was never loud; "Never lack'd gold, and yet went never gay, "Fled from her wish, and yet faid, now I may; "She that when angered, her revenge be"ing nigh, "Bade her wrong ftay, and her difplea- "She that in wisdom never was fo frail "She that could think, and ne'er disclose "See fuitors following, and not look behind; "She was a wight, (if ever such wight "were)---- Def. To do what? Iago. "To fuckle fools, and chronicle fmall beer." Def. Oh most lame and impotent conclufion! Do not learn of him, Æmilia, though he be thy hufband. (24) How fay you, Caffio, is he not a moft profane and liberal cenfurer? So Queen Catharine, 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 tried by every tongue, every eye saw them, Envy and bafe opinion fet against them; I know my life fo even. K. Henry VIII, And much to the tenor of our Poet's sentiment, as I have corrected it, Aufonius fpeaks of chastity. Qua cafta eft? De qua mentiri fama veretur. (24) How fay you, Caflio? Is he not a moft profane and li Caf. He fpeaks home, Madam; you may relish him more in the foldier than in the scholar. Iago. [Afide.] He takes her by the palm; ay, well faid--whifper----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 courtfhip. You fay true, 'tis fo indeed. If fuch tricks as these strip you out of your lieutenancy, it had been better you had not kifled your three fingers fo oft, which now again you are moft apt to play the Sir in. Very good---well kiffed, and excellent courtefy'tis fo indeed-Yet again---your fingers to your lips? 'would they were clifter-pipes for your fake. [Trumpet. 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 warrior! Def. My dear Othello ! Oth. It gives me wonder, great as my content, To fee you here before me. O my foul's joy! If after every tempest come fuch calms, May the winds blow till they have wakened death; And let the labouring bark climb hills of feas Olympus high, and duck again as low As hell's from heaven! if I were now to die, 'Twere now to be moft happy; for I fear, My foul hath her content fo absolute, beral counsellor ] But in what refpect was Iago a counsellor? 'He caps fentences, indeed; but they are not by way of advice. but defcription: what he fays, is reflections on character and conduct in life. For this reafon, I am very apt to think our Author wrote cofrer. T VOL. XII. That not another comfort like to this Succeeds in unknown fate. Def. The Heavens forbid, But that our loves and comforts fhould increase, Even as our days do grow! Oth. Amen to that, sweet powers! I cannot speak enough of this content, That e'er our hearts fhall make ! [Kiffing her. Iago. Oh, you are well-tuned now; but I'll let down the pegs that make this music, as honeft as I am. Oth. Come, let's to the caftle. [Afide. [drowned. Now, friends, our wars are done; the Turks are I've found great love amongst them. Oh, my sweet, In mine own comfort. Pr'ythee, good Iago, Bring thou the master to the citadel, He is a good one, and his worthiness Does challenge much refpect. Come, Desdemona, Once more well met at Cyprus. [Exeunt Othello and Defdemona. Manent 1AGO 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 Defdemona is directly in love with him. Rod. With him? why, 'tis not poffible. lag. Lay thy fingers thus; and let thy foul be inftructed, Mark me with what violence the first loved the Moor, but for bragging, and telling her fantaftical lies. And will the love him still for prating? let not thy difcreet heart think it. Her eye must be fed. And what delight fhall the have to look on the Devil? (25) When the blood is made dull with the act of fport, there fhould be again to inflame it, and to give fatiety a fresh appetite, lovelinefs in favour, fympathy in years, manners, and beauties; all which the Moor is defective in. Now, for want of these required conveniences, her delicate tenderness will find itfelf abufed, 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 mot pregnant and unforced pofition) who ftands fo eminent in the degree of this fortune as Caffio 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 loose affection; a flippery and fubtle knave, a finder of occafions, (25) When the blood is made dull with the act of Sport, there fhould be a game to inflame it, and to give faticty a fresh appetite; loveliness in favour, fympathy 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 fpirits are dulled and exhaufted with fport, to raife and recruit them by fport for Sport and game are but two words for the fame thing. I have retrieved the pointing and reading of the elder Quarto, which certainly gives us the Poet's fenfe; that, when the blood is dulled with the exercife of pleafure, there should be proper incentives on cach 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 rekindle Defdemona's paffion. that has an eye can ftamp and counterfeit advan tages, though true advantage never prefent itself. A devilish knave! befides, the knave is handsome, young, and hath all those 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; she's full of moft bleffed condition. Iago. Bleffed figs' end! the wine fhe drinks is made of grapes. If he had been blessed, she would never have loved the Moor: Bleffed pudding! didit thou not fee her paddle with the palm of his hand? didft not mark that? Rod. Yes, that I did; but that was but courtesy. 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 embraced together. Villainous thoughts,, Rodorigo! when thefe mutualities fo marfhal the way, hard at hand comes the mafter and main exercife, the incorporate conclufion: pith-But, Sir, be you ruled by me. I have brought you from Venice. Watch you to-night; for the command, I'll lay't upon you. Caflio 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. lago. Sir, he's rafh, and very fudden in choler: and, haply, may strike 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 tale again, but by displanting of Caf |