I know (9) our country-difpofition well;

In Venice they do let heaven see the pranks,

They dare not fhew their husbands; their beft confcience

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

Oth. Doft thou fay fo?

lago. She did deceive her father, marrying you; (1) And when the feem'd to fhake and fear your looks, She lov'd them moft.

Oth. And fo fhe did.

lago. Go to, then;

She, that, fo young, could give out fuch a Seeming
(2) To fcal her father's eyes up, clofe as oak
He thought, 'twas witchcraft-

blame :

But I'm much to

I humbly do befeech you of your pardon,

For too much loving you.

Oth. I'm bound to thee for ever.

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

In Venice Here Iago feems to be a Venetian.

(1) And when the feem'd] This and the following argument of lago ought to be deeply impreffed on every reader. Deceit and falfehood, whatever conveniencies they may for a time promife or produce, are, in the fum of life, obftacles to happinefs. Those who profit by the cheat, distrust 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 mar riages. When the firft heat of paffion is over, it is eafily fucceeded by fufpicion, that the fame violence of inclination which caufed one irregularity, may ftimulate to another; and those who have shewn, 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 ber father's eyes up, close as oak relation between eyes and oak. I would read, She feal'd her father's eyes up clefe as owls. As blind as an owl, is a proverb.

-] There is little

The oak is (I believe) the most closegrain'd wood of the growth of England. Clofe as oak, means clofe as the grain of the oak.

I am ftill of my former opinion.

Mr. STEEVENS.

Jago. Truft me, I fear, it has :

I hope, you will confider, what is fpoke

Comes from my love. But, I do fee, you're mov'd — I am to pray you, not to strain my fpeech

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

Oth. I will not.

Iago. Should you do fo, my Lord,

(4) My speech would fall into such vile fuccefs,

As my thoughts aim not at.

My Lord, I fee your mov'd

Caffe's my worthy friend.

Oth. No, not much mov'd

I do not think, but Desdemona's honeft.

lago. Long live fhe fo! and long live you to think fo! Oth. And yet, how nature erring from itself

lago. 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 smell, in fuch, a (5) 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, lage.
Jago. 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.

(3) To groffer iffues, -] Iues, for conclufions.

WARB.

(4) My Speech would fall into fuch vile fuccefs,] Success, for fuc-.

ceffion, i, e. conclufion; not profperous iffuc."

WARBURTON.

I rather think there is a depravation, and would read,

My fpeech would fall into fuch vile excels.

If fuccefs be the right word, it feems to mean confequence or event, as fucceffo is ufed in Italian.

(5) coill moft rank,] Will is for wilfulness. It is fo ufed by Afcbam. A rank will, is felf-will overgrown and exuberant.

Q 2

Jago,

lago. My Lord, I would, I might entreat your Ho

nour

To scan 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,
(6) 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 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
Oth. (8) Fear not my government.
Iago. I once more take my leave.

SCENE VI

Manet Othello.

honour.

Oth. This fellow's of exceeding honesty,
And knows all qualities, (9) with a learned spirit,
Of human dealings. (1) If I prove her haggard,
(2) Tho' that her jeffes were my dear heart-ftrings;

[Exit.

(6) You shall by that perceive bim, and bis means. ] You shall difcover, whether he thinks his best means, his most powerful intereft, is by the folicitation of your lady.

(7)-frain bis entertainment -] Prefs hard his re-admiffion to pay and office. Entertainment was the military term for admiffion of foldiers.

his

(8) Fear not my government.] Do not diftruft my ability to contain my paffion.

(9) —— with a learned spirit.] Learned for experienced.

WARBURTON. The construction is, He knows with a learned fpirit all qualities of buman dealings.

(1)

hawk, I prove her baggard,] A baggard hawk, is a wild

a bawk unreclaimed, or irreclaimable.

(2) Tho' that ber jeffes were my dear beart-firings ;] felles are fhort ftraps of leather tied about the foot of a hawk, by which the is held on the fift.

HANMER.

(3)-I'd

(3) 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 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 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 other's ufe. Yet 'tis the plague of Great ones ;= Prerogativ'd are they lefs than the base;

'Tis deftiny unfhunnable, like death.

Ev'n then, this (4) forked plague is fated to us,
When we do quicken. Desdemona comes!

Enter Defdemona and Emilia.

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 Islanders,
By you invited, do attend your prefence.
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.

(3) I'd while her off, and let her down the wind

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 kawk was for any reafon to be difmiffed, fhe was let down the wind, and from that time shifted for herself, and prey'd at fortune This was told me by the late Mr. Clark. (4) 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.

Oth. Your napkin is too little.

[She drops ber bandkerchief.

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

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

SCENE VII.

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, the fhould ever keep it,
That the referves it evermore about her,
To kifs and talk to. I'll have the work ta'en out,
And give't laga;

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

I nothing know, but for his fantasy.

Enter lago.

you here alone?

lago. How now? what do

Emil. Do not you chide; I have a thing for

lago. You have a thing for me?

It is a common thing

Emil Ha?

Iago. To have a foolish wife.

you.

Emil, Oh, is that all? What will you give me now

For that fame handkerchief?

Jago. What handkerchief?

Emil. What handerchief?

Why, that the Moor first gave to Desdemona;

That which fo often you did bid me steal.

Jago. Háft ftolen it from her?

Emil. No; but the let it drop by negligence;

And, (5) to th' advantage, I, being here, took 't up.
Look, here 'tis.

(5)

it up.

to th' advantage, &c. -] 1 being opportunely here, took

lago.