Utter my thoughts !-Why, say, they're vile and false;
As where's that Palace, whereunto foul things
Sometimes intrude not? who has a breast fo pure,
But some uncleanly apprehensions
Keep leets and law-days, and in sessions fit
With meditations lawful ? .

Oth. Thou dost conspire against thy friend, Iago,
If thou but think'it him wrong d, and mak’ft his ear
A ftranger to thy thoughts.

Idgo. I do beseech you,
Though, I perchance, am vicious in my guess,
(As, I confess, it is my nature's plague
To fpy into abuse; and oft my jealousy
Shapes faults that are not ;) 1 intreat you then,
From one that so imperfectly conceits,
Your wisdom would not build yourself a trouble
Out of my scattering and unsure observance :
It were not for your quiet, nor your good,
Nor for my manhood, honesty, and wisdom,
To let you know my thoughts.

Oth. What doft thou mean?

lago. Good name in woman, dear my Lord, Is the immediate jewel of their souls. Who steals my purse, fteals trah; 'tis something, no

thing i (34) (34) Wbo steals my purse, Reals trash; 'tis fomet bing, vorbing ;

'Twas mine, 'iis bis; and bas been save to tbousands. Of siches, and other temporal poffeßions, being uncertain and often changing their masters, we meet with several passages in the Classics, wbich might have given our Author a hint for this sentiment.

Nunc ager Umbreni fub nomine, nuper Ofelli
Dietus, erit nulli proprius ; sed cedet in ufum
Nunc mihi, nunc alii.

Horat. Serm. lib, ii. 2. This Lucian seems to have imitated in an epigram. 'Αγρός Αχαιμενίδα γενόμεν πολέ, νύν δε Μενίππε,

Και πάλιν εξ ετέρα βήσομαι εις έτερον.
Και γάρ εκέινς έχειν με πολ' ωείο, και πάλιν έτος

"Oselan, cipei de onws idévos aind' túzens. Nil proprium ducas, quod murarier poteft.

"Ουκ όιδ' έσω πέπoιθας αργυρία, πάτερ.

ο καιρός και τυχών τοϊς μεν και κεκλημένοις "Εδωκε, των κεκλημένων δ' αφείλειο.

Apollodorus. Χρήματα δ' ανθρώπων αλλόθε άλλος έχει. .

Solon,

man and

Publ. Syrus.

'Twas

'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thoufands }
But he, that filches from me my good name,
Robs me of that, which not enriches him,
And makes me poor indeed.

Oth. I'll know thy thoughts

lago. You cannot, if my heart were in your hands Nor Thall not, whilft 'tis in my custody.

Oib. Ha!

Iago. Oh, beware, my Lord, of jealousy; It is a green-ey'd monster, which doth mock The meat it feeds on. That cuckold lives in bliss, Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger ; But, oh, what damned minutes tells he o'er, Who doats, yet doubts; fufpects, yet strongly loves!

Oth. Oh misery

lago. Poor, and content, is rich, and rich enough; But riches endless, is as poor as winter, To him that ever fears he shall be poor. Good heav'n! the souls of all my tribe defend From jealousy!

Orb. Why? why is this? Think'st thou, I'd make a life of jealousy? To follow still the changes of the moon With fresh fufpicions ? No; to be once in doubt, Is once to be resolv'd. Exchange me for a goat, When I fhalbturn the business of my soul To such exfufficate and blown furmises, Matching thy inference. Tis not to make me jealous, To say, my wife is fair, feeds well, loves company, Is free of speech, fings, plays,' and dances well; Where virtue is, these are most virtuous. Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw The smallest fear, or doubt of her revolt; For she had eyes, and chose me. No, lago, I'll see, before I doubt; when I doubt, prove ; And, on the proof, there is no more but this, Away at once with love, or jealousy,

lago. I am glad of this; for now I shall have reason To thew the love and duty that I bear you With franker spirit. Therefore, as I'm bound,

Receive

Receive it from me, I speak not yet of proof.
Look to your wife, observe her well with Caffio;
Wear your eye, thus : not jealous, nor securė.;
I would not have your free and noble nature
Qut of self-bounty be abus’d: look to't.
I know our country disposition well;
In Venice they do let heav'n see the pranks,
They dare not shew their husbands; their best conscience
Is not to leav't undone, but keep't unknown.

Oth, Dolt thou fay so ?

lago. She did deceive her father, marrying you ; And when the feemid to shake, and fear your looks, She lov'd them most.

Oth. And so she did.

lago. Go to then; She, that, so young, could give out such a seeming To feal her father's eyes up, close as oak He thought, 'twas witchcraft-but I'm much to blame: I humbly do beseech you of your pardon, For too much loving you. Oth. I'nı bound to you

for ever. lag. I fee, this hath a little dash'd your fpirits. Oih. Not a jot, not a jot.

lago. Trust me, I fear, it has :
I hope, you will consider, what is spoke
Comes from my love. But I do fee you're movi-
I am to pray you, not to strain my speech
To grosser issues, nor to larger reach,
Than to fufpition.

Oth. I will not.
lago. Should you do fo, my Lord, (35)
(35) Should you do so, my Lord,

My Speech would fill into fu:b vile excess,

Which my thoughts aim rot al.] This is Mr. Pope's reading, and, I am afraid, as erre ne us as it is unauthriz'd. For, suppose, 0.bello were to believe all that Iago told him on suspicion, how would lego's speech fall into the worse excess thereupon ? All the old copies, that I liave seen, read, fuccess: and this is certainly the Author's meaning. “ If you should believe all I have said, my specch would

ucceed worse, have more 'vile consequences in your resentiment “ against your wife, than I had any aim, or purpose, 10 excite." Vol. VIII.

M

My speech would fall into such vile success,
Which my thoughts aim not at. Casio's my worthy
My Lord, I see you're mov'd-

[friend, Oih. No, not much moy'd I do not think, but Desdemona's honeft,

Iago. Long live she fo! and long live you to think fo! Oih. And yet, how Nature erring from itself

lago. Ay, there's the point ;-as (to be bold with you)
Not to affect many proposed matches
Of her own clime, complexion and degree,
Whereto we see in all things Nature tends :
Foh! one may smell, in such, a will most rank,
Foul disproportions, thoughts unnatural.
But, pardon me, I do not in position
Distinctly speak of her ; tho' I may fear,
Her will, recoiling to her better judgment,
May fall to match you with her country forms,
And, haply, so repent.

Oth. Farewel, farewel;
If more thou dost perceive, let me know more ;
Set on thy wife t'observe. Leave me, Iago.
lago. My Lord, I take my leave.

[Going
Oih. Why did I marry ?
This honeft creature, doubtless,
Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds.

lago. My Lord, I would, I might entreat your Honour To scan this thing no farther; leave it to time : Altho''tis fit that Casio have his place, For, fure, he fills it up with great ability; Yet if you please to hold him off a while, You shall by that perceive him, and his means ; Note, if your lady strain his entertainment With any strong, or vehement importunity ; Much will be seen in that. In the mean time, Let me be thought too busy in my fears, (As worthy cause I have to fear, I am ;) And hold her free, I do beseech your Honour.

Oth. Fear not my government. lago. I once more take my leave.

[Exit.

Manet

Manet Othello,
Orh. This fellow 's of exceeding honesty,
And knows all qualities, with a learned fpirit,
Of human dealings. If I prove her haggard,
Tho' that her jesses were my dear heart-ftrings,
I'd whistle her off, and let her down the wind
To prey at fortune. Haply, for I'm black,
And have not those soft parts of conversation
That chamberers have; or, for I am declin'd
Into the vale of years, yet that's not much
She's
gone,

I am abus'd, and my relief
Must be to loath her. Oh the curse of marriage!
That we can call these delicate creatures ours,
And not their appetites! I had rather be a toad,
And live upon the vapour of a dungeon,
Than keep a corner in the thing I love,
For others' use. Yet 'tis the plague of Great ones;
Prerogativ'd are they less than the base ;
'Tis destiny unshunable, like death.
Ev'n then, this forked plague is fated to us,
When we do quicken. Desdemona comes !

Enter Desdemona and Æmilia.
If she be false, oh, then heav'n mocks itself;
I'll not believ't.

Def. How now, my dear Othello ??
Your dinner, and the generous islanders,
By you invited, do attend your presence.

Oth. I am to blame,

Def. Why do you speak fo faintly?
Are you not well

Oth. I have a pain upon my forehead here.

Def: Why, that's with watching, 'twill away again;
Let me but bind it hard, within this hour
It will be well.
Oth. Your napkin is too little;

[She drops her handkerchief.
Let it alone : come, I'll go
Def, I am very sorry, that you are not well. [Exeunt,

Manet

in with you.

O 2