Imatges de pàgina
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To fhew the love and duty that I bear you
With franker spirit. Therefore, as I am bound,
Receive it from me. I fpeak not yet of proof,
Look to your wife, obferve her well with Caffio;
Wear your eye, thus; not jealous, nor fecure.
I would not have your free and noble nature
Out of felf-bounty be abus'd; look to't;
I know our country-difpofition well;
In Venice they do let heaven fee the pranks,

They dare not fhew their husbands; their best confcience

Is not to leave't undone, but keep't unknown.

Oth. Doft thou say fo?

Iago. She did deceive her father, marrying you; And when she feem'd to fhake, and fear your looks, She lov'd them most.

Oth. And fo fhe did,

Iago. Go to, then;

She, that, fo young, could give out fuch a Seeming 2 To feal her father's eyes up, clofe as oak

8 Out of felf-bounty be abus'd ;] Self-bounty, for inherent generofity. WARBURTON.

9 our country-difpofitionIn Venice- -] Here Iago feems to be a Venetian.

1 And when the feem'd] This and the following argument of Jago ought to be deeply impreffed on every reader. Deceit and falsehood, whatever conveniences they may for a time promife or produce, are, in the fum of life, obftacles to happines‹. Thofe

who profit by the cheat, diftrult the deceiver, and the act by which kindness was fought, puts an end to confidence.

The fame objection may be made with a lower degree of ftrength against the imprudent

generofity of difproportionate
marriages. When the first heat
of paffion is over, it is easily fuc-
ceeded by fufpicion, that the
fame violence of inclination
which caufed one irregularity,
may ftimulate to another; and
those who have fhewn, that their
paffions are too powerful for their
prudence, will, with very flight
appearances against them, be
cenfured, as not very likely to
reftrain them by their virtue.
2 To feal her father's
eyes up,
clofe as oak-] There is little
relation between eyes and oak, Í
would read,

She feal'd her father's eyes up
clofe as owls.
As blind as an owl, is a proverb.

He thought, 'twas witchcraft-But I'm much to

blame:

I humbly do befeech you of your pardon,

For too much loving you.

Oth. I'm bound to thee for ever

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Iago. I fee, this hath a little dafh'd your fpirits. A Oth. Not a jot, not a jot.

Iago. Trust me, I fear, it has

I hope, you will confider, what is spoke

Comes from my love. But, I do fee, you're mov'dI am to pray you, not to ftrain my fpeech

3 To groffer iffues, nor to larger reach, Than to fufpicion.

Oth. I will not.

Tago. Should you do fo, my Lord,

4 My fpeech would fall into fuch vile fuccefs,

As my thoughts aim not at.

friend.

My Lord, I fee, you're mov'd-
Oth. No, not much mov'd-

Caffio's my worthy

I do not think, but Defdemona's honest.

Iago. Long live fhe fo! and long live you to think

fo!

Oth. And yet, how nature erring from itfelfIago. Ay, there's the point; as, to be bold with you, Not to affect many propofed matches

Of her own clime, complexion and degree,
Whereto we see in all things Nature tends,
Foh! one may fmell, in fuch, as will moft rank,

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Foul difproportions, thoughts unnatural.
But, pardon me, I do not in pofition
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, fo repent.

Oth. Farewel, farewel;

If more thou doft perceive, let me know more:
Set on thy wife t'obferve. Leave me, Iago.

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Tago. My Lord, I take my leave.

Oth. Why did I marry?

This honeft creature, doubtless,

[Going.

Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds. Iago. My Lord, I would, I might entreat your honour

To fcan this thing no farther; leave it to time;
Altho' 'tis fit that Caffio have his place,
For, fure, he fills it up with great ability;
Yet if you please to hold him off a while,
You fhall by that perceive him, and his means.
Note, if your lady 7 ftrain his entertainment
With any ftrong, 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;

8

And hold her free, I do befeech your honour.
Oth. Fear not my government.
Iago. I once more take

6 You fall by that perceive

him, and his means;] You fhall discover, whether he thinks his best means, his most powerful intereft, is by the folicitation of your lady.

7frain his entertainment]

my

leave.

[Exit.

Prefs hard his re-admiffion to his pay and office. Entertainment was the military term for admiffion of foldiers.

8 Fear not my government.] Do not distrust my ability to contain my paffion.

SCENE

SCENE VI.

Manet Othello.

Oth. This fellow's of exceeding honesty,
And knows all qualities, with a learned fpirit,
Of human dealings. If I prove her haggard,
2 Tho' that her jeffes were my dear heart-ftrings,
3 I'd whiftle her off, and let her down the wind
To prey at fortune. Haply, for I'm black,
And have not thofe foft parts of converfation
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 curfe of marriage!
That we can call thefe 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 other's ufe. Yet 'tis the plague of Great ones;
Prerogativ'd are they lefs than the bafe;

'Tis deftiny unfhunnable, like death.
Ev'n then, this + forked plague is fated to us,

9with a learned irit,] Learned, for experienced.

WARBURTON. The conftruction is, He knows with a learned Spirit all qualities of hi man dealings.

I

If I prove her haggard,] A baggard hawk, is a wild hawk, a baruk unrec.aimed, or irreclaimable.

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To prey at fortune.-] The falconers always let fly the hawk against the wind; if the flies with the wind behind her the feldom returns. If therefore a hawk was for any reason to be difmiffed, fhe was let down the wind, and from that time fhifted for herself, and prey'd at fortune. This was told me by the late Mr. Clark.

5 forked plague-] In allufion to a barbed or forked arrow, which, once infixed, cannot be extracted.

Or rather, the forked plague is the cuckold's horns. Mr. PERCY. When

When we do quicken. Desdemona comes!

Enter Defdemona and Æmilia:

If the be falfe, oh, then heaven mocks itself:
I'll not believe't.

Def. How now, my dear Othello?

Your dinner, and the generous Inlanders,
By you invited, do attend your presence.
Oth. I am to blame.

Def. Why do you fpeak fo faintly?

Are you not well?

Oth. I have a pain upon my forehead here.

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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 in with you.

Def. I am very forry, that you are not well.

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[Exeunt.

Manet Emilia.

Emil. I am glad, I have found this napkin;
This was her first remembrance from the Moor;
My wayward husband hath a hundred times
Woo'd me to steal it. But fhe fo loves the token,
For he conjur'd her, she should ever keep it,
That fhe referves it evermore about her,

To kifs and talk to. I'll have the work ta'en out,
And giv't Iago;

What he'll do with it, heav'n knows, not I:

I nothing know, but for his fantasy.

VOL. VIII.

Dd

Enter

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