Utter my thoughts!-Why, fay, they're vile and falfe;
As where's that Palace, whereinto foul things
Sometimes intrude not? who has a breast so pure,
But fome uncleanly apprehenfions

Keep leets and law-days, and in feffions fit
With meditations lawful?

Oth. Thou doft confpire against thy friend, lago,
If thou but think'ft him wrong'd, and mak'st his ear
A ftranger to thy thoughts.

Iago. I do befeech you,

Though, I perchance, am vicious in my guess,-
(As, I confefs, it is my nature's plague
To spy into abufe; and oft my jealoufy
Shapes faults that are not;) I intreat you then,
From one that fo imperfectly conceits,

Your wisdom would not build yourself a trouble
Out of my scattering and unfure observance :
It were not for your quiet, nor your good,
Nor for my manhood, honefty, and wisdom,
To let you know my thoughts.

Oth. What doft thou mean?

Iago. Good name in man and woman, dear my Lord, Is the immediate jewel of their fouls.

Who fteals my purfe, fteals trafh; 'tis fomething, nothing; (34)

(34) Who freals my purfe, fteals trafb; 'tis fomething, nothing; 'Twas mine, 'tis bis; and has been flave to thousands.]

Of riches, and other temporal poffeffions, being uncertain, and often changing their masters, we meet with feveral paffages in the Claffics, which might have given our Author a hint for this fentiment. Nunc ager Umbreni fub nomine, nuper Ofelli

Dictus, erit nulli proprius; jed cedet in ufum
Nunc mihi, nunc alii.

Horat, Serm. lib. ii. 2.

This Lucian feems to have imitated in an epigram,
̓Αγρὸς ̓Αχαιμενίδα γενόμεν πολὲ, νῦν δὲ Μενίππο,

Καὶ πάλιν ἐξ ἑτέρα βήσομαι εἰς ἕπερον.

Καὶ γὰρ ἐκεινΘ. ἔχειν με πολ ̓ ᾧελο, καὶ πάλιν ὗτος
Οιεται, εἰμὶ δ ̓ ὅλως ἐδένος ἀλλὰὶ τύχης.
Nil proprium ducas, quod mutarier poteft.

Ουκ διδ ̓ ὅτῳ πέποιθας ἀργυρίω, πάτερ.
Ο καιρὸς ὁ τυχῶν τοῖς μὲν εἰ κεκλημένοις
Εδωκε, τῶν κεκλημένων δ ̓ ἀφείλεῖο.
Χρήματα δ' ἀνθρώπων ἄλλοτε ἄλλος ἔχει.

Publ. Syrus.

Apollodorus.

Solon. 'Twas

"Twas mine, 'tis his; and has been flave to thousands; 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

I go. You cannot, if my heart were Nor fhall not, whilft 'tis in my custody.

in

your

hand;

Oth. Ha!.

lago. Oh, beware, my Lord, of jealoufy; 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; suspects, yet strongly loves! Oth. Oh mifery!

lago. Poor, and content, is rich, and rich enough; But riches endlefs, is as poor as winter,

To him that ever fears he shall be poor.

Good heav'n! the fouls of all my tribe defend
From jealousy!

Oth. Why? why is this?

Think't thou, I'd make a life of jealousy?
To follow ftill the changes of the moon

With fresh fufpicions? No; to be once in doubt,
Is once to be refolv'd. Exchange me for a goat,
When I fhall turn the bufinefs of my foul
To fuch exfuflicate and blown furmifes,

Matching thy inference. "Tis not to make me jealous,
To fay, my wife is fair, feeds well, loves company,
Is free of fpeech, fings, plays, and dances well;
Where virtue is, thefe are most virtuous.
Nor from mine own weak merits will 1 draw
The fmallef fear, or doubt of her revolt ;-
For fhe had eyes, and chose me.
No, I go,
I'll fee, before i doubt; when I doubt, prove;
And, on the proof, there is no more but this,
Away at once with love, or jealoufy.

Tago. I'm glad of this; for now I fhall have reafon. To fhew the love and duty that I bear you

With franker fpirit. Therefore, as I'm bound,

9

Receive

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 heav'n 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 the feem'd to shake, 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 feeming
To feal her father's eyes up, close as oak-

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 you for ever.

lago. I fee, this hath a little dash'd your spirits. Oth. Not a jot, not a jot.

Iago. Truft me, I fear, it has :

I hope, you will confider, what is spoke

Comes from my love. But, I do fee, you're mov'd→→

I am to pray you, not to strain my speech

To groffer iffues, nor to larger reach,

Than to fufpicion.

Oth. I will not.

Iago. Should you do fo, my Lord, (35)

(35) Should you do fo, my Lord,

My Speech would fall into fuch vile excefs,

Which my thoughts aim not at.] This is Mr. Pope's reading, and, I am afraid, as erroneous as it is unauthoriz'd. For, fuppofe, Othello were to believe all that Iago told him on fufpicion, how would Jago's fpeech fall into the worfe excess thereupon? All the old copies, that I have seen, read, fuccefs: and this is certainly the Author's meaning." If you should believe all I have faid, my speech would "fucceed worfe, have more vile confequences in your refentment against your wife, than I had any aim, or purpose, to excite." VOL. VIII.

My

My speech would fall into fuch vile fuccefs,
Which my thoughts aim not at. Caffie's my worthy friend.
My Lord, I fee, you're mov'd-

Oth. No, not much mov'd

I do not think, but Defdemana's honeft.

Iago. Long live the fo! and long live you to think fo!
Oth. And yet, how Nature erring from itfelf-

Iago. 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 fee in all things Nature tends:
Foh! one may fmell, in fuch, a will most rank,
Foul difproportions, thoughts unnatural.
But, pardon me, I do not in pofition
Diftinctly 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, lago.
Iago. 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 awhile,
You fhall by that perceive him, and his means;
Note, if your lady ftrain his entertainment'
With any ftrong, or vehement importunity;
Much will be feen in that. In the mean time,
Let me be thought too bufy in my fears,
(As worthy caufe I have to fear, I am ;)
And hold her free, I do befeech your Honour.
Oth. Fear not my government.
logo. I once more take my leave.

[Exit,

Manet

Manet Othello.

Oth. This fellow's of exceeding honefty, And knows all qualities, with a learned fpirit, Of human dealings. If I prove her haggard, Tho' that her jefes were my dear heart-strings, I'd whistle 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 muchShe's gone, I am abus'd, and my relief Muft be to loath her. Oh the curfe 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' ufe. Yet 'tis the plague of Great ones; Frerogativ'd are they lefs than the bafe; 'Tis deftiny unfhunnable, like death. Ev'n then, this forked plague is fated to us, When we do quicken. Dejdemona comes!

Enter Defdemona and Emilia.

If he be falfe, oh, then heav'n mocks itself:
I'll not believe't.

Def. How now, my dear Othello?

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

Def. Why do you fpeak 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.

1

[She drops her handke clief.

Let it alone: come, I'll go in with you.

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

O 2

Manet