critic applied it? According to this rule it is confeffed, that a foldier fhould be brave, generous, and a man of honour. This is to be his dramatic character. But either one or more of any order may be brought in. If only one, then the character of the order takes its denomination from the manners of that one. Had therefore the only foldier in this play been lago, the rule had been tranfgreffed, and Rymer's cenfure well founded. For then this eternal villain muft have given the character of the foldiery; which had been unjust and un natural. But if a number of the fame order be reprefented, then the character of the order is taken from the manners of the majority; and this, according to nature and common fenfe. Now in this play there are many of the order of the foldiery, and all, excepting Iago, reprefented as open, generous, and brave. From thefe, the foldier's charac ter is to be taken; and not from Tage, who is brought as an exception to it, unless it be unnatural to fuppofe there could be an exception: or that a 'villain ever infinuated himself into that corps. And thus Shak feare ftands clear of this impertinent critic.fin. WARB.

that they can draw no aid from critical illustration. The fiery opennefs of Othello, magnanimous, artlefs, and credulous, boundlefs in his confidence, ardent in his affection, inflexible in his refolution, and obdurate in his revenge; the cool malignity of Iago, filent in his refentment, fubtle in his defigns, and ftudious at once of his intereft and his vengeance; the foft fimplicity of Desdemona, confident of merit, and conscious of innocence, her artless perfeverance in her fuit, and her flowness to fufpect that she can be fufpected, are fuch proofs of Shakespeare's skill in human nature, as, I fuppofe, it is vain to seek in any modern writer. The gradual progress which lago makes in the Moor's conviction, and the circumftances which he employs to inflame him, are fo artfully natural, that, though it will perhaps not be faid of him as he fays of himself, that he is a man not eafily jealous, yet we cannot but pity him when at last we find him perplexed in the extreme.

There is always danger left wickedness conjoined with abili ties should teal upon efteem, though it miffes of approbation; but the character of lago is fo Conducted, that he is from the firft fcene to the laft hated and defpifed.

Even the inferiour characters of this play would be very confpicuous

fpicuous in any other piece, not only for their juftness but their ftrength. Cafio is brave, benevolent, and honeft, ruined only by his want of stubbornness to refift an infidious invitation. Rodorigo's fufpicious credulity, and impatient fubmiffion to the cheats which he fees practifed upon him, and which by perfuafion, he fuffers to be repeated, exhibit a strong picture of a weak mind betrayed by unlawful defires, to a falfe friend; and the virtue of Emilia is fuch as we often find, worn loosely, but not caft off, eafy to commit fmal!

crimes, but quickened and alarmed at atrocious villanies.

The Scenes from the beginning to the end are bufy, varied by happy interchanges, and regularly promoting the progreffion of the ftory; and the narrative in the end, though it tells but what is known already, yet is neceffary to produce the death of Othello.

Had the fcene opened in Cyprus, and the preceding incidents been occafionally related, there had been little wanting to a drama of the moft exact and fcrupulous regularity.

APPEN

P. 10. Key.] This doubtefs is meant of a key for tuning the harpsichord, fpinette or virginal; we call it now a tuning hammer, as it is used as well to trike down the iron pins whereon the ftrings are wound, as to torn them. As a key it acts like that of a watch.

Mr. HAWKINS. P. 22. Mir. Abhorred flaveThe modern editions, take this fpeech from Miranda, and give it to Profpero; tho' there is nothing in it but what she may fpeak with great propriety: efpecially as it accounts for her being enough in the way and power of Caliban to enable him to make

the attempt complained of. Mr. Dryden, in the alteration made by him and Sir William Davenant, in this play, led the way to this change which Mr. Theoball calls judicious, vol. i. p. 18. n. 10. and adds, it would be very indecent for Miranda to reply to what was laft fpoke:" but it is probable the Poet thought otherwife, and that it was not only decent, but neceffary, for her to clear her character, by fhewing how the monster acquired an opportunity of making the attack. The Poet himfelf fhews he intended Miranda fhould be his tutorefs, in the latter end of the fecond fcene of the fecond act, when he makes Caliban fay I've teen thee, in her, my Miftrefs fhewed me thee and thy dog and thy brush,' to Stephano, who has juft affured the monster, he was the man in the moon when-Time was. Mr. HOLT.

P. 45. For patter read utter.
REVISAL.

P. 48. Young fcamels from the

rocks. Theobald fubftitutes fhamois, for scamels; which laft word, he fays, has poffeffed all the editions. I am inclined to retain scamels: For in an old Will, dated 1593, I find the bequeft of " a bed of Scammelcolour," i. e. of the colour of an animal fo called, whofe fkin was then in ufe for drefs or furniture, This, at leaft, fhews the exiftence of the word at that time, and in Shakespeare's fenfe.

Mr. WARTON.

P. 74. Weak mafters though ye

be.]The Revifalreads, weak minifters, probably, but without neceffity. The meaning may be, Though you are but inferiour masters of these fupernatural powers, though you poffefs them but in a low degree.

P. 86. It is obferved of the Tempeft that its plan is regular; this the Revifal thinks, what I think too, an accidental effe& of the ftory, not intended or regarded by the authour. P. 94. Beteem-] Or pour down upon them.

POPE. P. 104. For through bush, &c, read in all the places thorough. -P. 106. knavish Sprite, Call'd Robin-goodfellow: are you not be,

that shrewd, and

That fright the maidens of the