Imatges de pàgina
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Oth. What fenfe had I of her ftoll'n hours of luft ?
I faw't not, thought it not, it harm'd not me;
I flept the next night well; was free, and merry;
I found not Caffia's kiffes on her lips;

He, that is robb'd, not wanting what is ftoll'n,
Let him not know't, and he's not robb'd at all.
Jago. I am forry to hear this.

Oth. I had been happy, if the general camp,
(Pioneers and all,) had tafted her fweet body,
So I had nothing known. Oh now, for ever
Farewel the tranquil mind! Farewel content!
Farewel the plumed troops, and the big war,
That make ambition virtue! oh, farewel!
Farewel the neighing fteed, and the frill trump,
The fpirit-ftirring drum, th' ear-piercing fife,
The royal banner, and all quality,

Pride, pomp, and circumflance of glorious war!
And, oh, you mortal engines, whofe rude throats
Th' immortal fave's dread clamours counterfeit,
Farewel! Othello's Occupation's gone!

Iago. Is't poffible, my Lord?

Oth. Villain, be fure, thou prove my love a whore; Be fure of it: give me the ocular proof,

[Catching held on him.

Or, by the worth of mine eternal foul,

Thou hadst been better have been born a dog,'
Than answer my wak'd wrath.

Iago. Is't come to this ?

Oth. Make me to fee't; or, at the leaft, fo That the probation bear no hinge, nor loop, To hang a doubt on: or, woe upon thy life! Jago. My noble Lord

prove

Oth. If thou doft flander her, and torture me, Never pray more; abandon all remorfe;

On horrors head horrors accumulate;

Do deeds to make heav'n weep, all earth amaz'd;
For nothing canft thou to damnation add,

Greater than that.

Iago. Oh grace! oh heav'n defend me! Are you a man? have you a foul? or fenfe?

N 3

it

God

God be w' you; take mine office.-O wretched fool, That liv'ft to make thine honefty a vice!

Oh monftrous world! take note, take note, oh world,
To be direct and honeft, is not fafe.

I thank you for this profit, and from hence
I'll love no friend, fith love breeds fuch offence.
Oth. Nay, ftay-thou shouldst be honest--
Iago. I fhould be wife, for honesty's a fool,
And lofes what it works for.

Oth. By the world,

I think, my wife is honeft; and think, fhe is not;
I think, that thou art juft; and think, thou art not;
I'll have fome proof. Her name, that was as fresh
As Dian's vifage, is now begrim'd and black

As my own face. If there be cords, or knives,
Poifon, or fire, or fuffocating fireams,

I'll not endure't

'Would, I were fatisfied!

Iago. I fee, Sir, you are eaten up with paffion; I do repent me that I put it to you.

You would be fatisfied

Oth. Would? nay, and will.

Iago. And may; but how? how fatisfied, my Lord ? Would you be fupervifor, grofly gape on?

Behold her tupp'd?

Oth. Death and damnation! oh!

lago. It were a tedious difficulty, I think,
To bring 'em to that profpect: damn them then,
If ever mortal eyes do fee them bolster,
More than their own. What then? how then?
What fhall I fay? where's fatisfaction?

It is impoffible you fhould fee this,

Were they as prime as goats, as hot as monkeys,
As falt as wolves in pride, and fools as grofs
As ignorance made drunk. But yet, I fay,
If imputation and ftrong circumftances,
Which lead directly to the door of truth,
Will give you fatisfaction, you might hav't.
Oth. Give me a living reafon fhe's difloyal.
Jago. I do not like the office;

But ince I'm enter'd in this caufe fo far,'

Prick'd

Prick'd to't by foolish honefty and love,
I will go on. I lay with Caffio lately,
And, being troubled with a raging tooth,
I could not fleep.-

There are a kind of men, fo loofe of foul,
That in their fleeps will mutter their affairs;
One of this kind is Caffio:

In fleep I heard him say,

"Sweet Defdemona,

"Let us be wary, let us hide our loves!"

And then, Sir, would he gripe, and wring my hand;
Cry-"Oh fweet creature!" and then kifs me hard,
As if he pluckt up kiffes by the roots,

That grew upon my lips; then lay his leg
Over my thigh, and figh and kiss, and then
Cry, "Curfed fate! that gave thee to the Moor."
Oth. Oh monftrous! monftrous!

Iago. Nay, this was but his dream.

Oth. But this denoted a fore-gone conclufion;
'Tis a fhrewd doubt, though it be but a dream.
Iago. And this may help to thicken other proofs,
That do demonftrate thinly.

Oth. I'll tear her all to pieces.

Iago. Nay, but be wife; yet we fee nothing done; She may be honeft yet.. Tell me but this,

Have you not fometimes feen a handkerchief,
Spotted with ftrawberries in your wife's hand?
Oth. I gave her fuch a one; 'twas my first gift.
Iago. I know not that; but fuch a handkerchief,
(I'm fure, it was your wife's,) did I to-day
See Caffio wipe his beard with.

Oth. If it be that-

Iago. If it be that, or any, if 'twas hers,
It speaks against her with the other proofs.
Oth. Oh, that the flave had forty thousand lives!
One is too poor, too weak for my revenge..
Now do I fee, 'tis true.Look here, lago,
All my fond love thus do I blow to heav'n;
'Tis gone;

Arife, black vengeance, from the hollow heil!
Yield up, oh love, thy crown and hearted throne

N 4

То

To tyrannous hate! fwell, bofom, with thy fraught, For 'tis of afpicks' tongues.

Iago. Yet be content.

Oth. Oh, blood, blood, blood

Iago. Patience, I fay; your mind, perhaps, may change.

Oth: Never, Iago. Like to the Pontick fea,
Whofe icy current and compulfive course,
Ne'er feels retiring ebb, but keeps due on'
To the Propontick, and the Hellefpont:

Even fo my bloody thoughts with violent pace
Shall ne'er look back, ne'er ebb to humble love,

'Till that a capable and wide revenge

Swallow them up: -Now, by yond marble heav'n, In the due rev'rence of a facred vow

I here engage my words

Iago. Do not rife yet:

Witnefs, you ever-burning lights above!
You elements, that clip as round about!
Witness, that here Fago doth give up

The execution of his wit, hands, heart, 1

[He kneels.

[Iago kneels

To wrong'd Othello's fervice. Let him command, (23) Nor, to obey, fhall be in me Remorfe,

What bloody bufinefs ever.

Oth. I greet thy love,

Not with vain thanks, but with acceptance bounteous, And will upon the inftant put thee to't:

Within these three days let me hear thee fay,

That Caffio's not alive.

lago. My friend is dead;

'Tis done at your requeft, But, let her live.

(23) Let bim command,

And to obey fhall be in me Remorse,

What bloody Bufinefs ever.] Thus all the old Copies, to the manifeft Depravation of the Poet's Senfe. Mr. Pope has attempted an Emendation, but with his old Luck and Dexterity.'

Not to obey shall be in me Remorfe, &c.
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I read, with the Change only of a fingle Letter;

Nor, to obey, fhall be in me Remorfe, &cit', a

i. e. Let your commands be ever fo bloody, Remorfe and Companion fhall not reftrain me from obeying them,

Oth,

Orb. Damn her, lewd Minx! oh, damn her, damn her! Come, go with me apart; I will withdraw To furnish me with fome fwift means of death For the fair Devil. Now art thou my Lieutenant.Jago. I am your own for ever.

1345A [Excunt.

SCENE, another Apartment in the Palace.

Enter Desdemona, Æmilia, and Clown.

Def. Clown. I dare not fay, he lies any where.

O you know, firrah, where Lieutenant Cafio lies?

Def. Why, man ?)

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Clown. He's a foldier; and for me to fay, a foldier lies, 'tis ftabbing.

Def. Go to; where lodges he?

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Clown. To tell you where he lodges, is to tell you where I lie.

D. Can any thing be made of this?

Clown. I know not where he lodges; and for me to devife a lodging, and fay, he lies here, or he lies there,

were to lie in mine own throat.

(

Def. Can you enquire him out? and be edified by report ?

Clown. I will catechize the world for him; that is, make questions, and bid them anfwer, (24)

Def. Seek him, bid him come hither; tell him, I have mov'd my Lord on his behalf, and hope, all will be well.

Clown. To do this is within the compass of man's wit, and therefore I will attempt the doing of it.

(24) Clown. I will catechize the World for him;

[Exit Clown,

That is, make Questions, and by them anfwer]

This Cleton is a Fool to fome purpofe. He was to go feek for one; he fays, he will as for him, and by his own Queftions make Anfwer. Without doubt, we ould read ;

-and bid them anftver.

i, e. the World; thofe, whom he queftions.

Mr. Warburton.

N 5

Dif.

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