Iago. And did you fee the handkerchief? Oth. Was that mine? Iago. Yours, by this hand: and to fee how he prizes the foolish woman your wife---She gave it him, and he hath given it his whore. Oth. I would have him nine years a killing:. A fine woman! a fair woman! a fweet woman! Iago. Nay, you must forget that. Oth. Ay, let her rot and perish, and be damned to-night; for fhe fhall not live. No, my heart is turned to ftone: I ftrike it, and it hurts my hand. Oh, the world hath not a fweeter creature----She might ly by an Emperor's fide and command him tasks. Iago. Nay, that's not your way. Oth. Hang her, I do but fay what fhe is---fo delicate with her needle---an admirable musician--Oh, the will fing the favagenefs out of a bear: of fo high and plenteous wit and invention! lago. She's the worfe for all this. Qth Oh, a thousand, a thousand times:And then of fo gentle condition !—. Ingo. Ay, too gentle. Oth. Nay, that's certain. But yet the pity of it, lago--Oh, Iago, the pity of it, lago Iago. If you are fo fond over her iniquity, give her patent to offend; for if it touch not you, it comes near nobody. Oth. I will chop her into meffes: cuckold me! Oth. With mine officer! Oth. Get me fome poifon, Iago, this night; I'll not expoftulate with her, left her body and her beauty unprovide my mind again: this night, Iago. Tago. Do it not with poifon, firangle her in her bed, Even in the bed the hath contaminated. Oth. Good, good: The justice of it pleases; very good. Iago. And for Caffio, let me be his undertaker: You shall hear more by midnight. [A Trumpet within. Oth. Excellent good.-What trumpet is that fame? Iago. Something from Venice, fure. 'Tis Lodovico Come from the Duke: and, fee, your wife is with him. Enter LODOVICO, DESDEMONA, and Attendants, from the Palace. Lod. Save you, worthy General. Lod. The Duke and the Senators of Venice greet you. [Gives him a Letter. Oth. I kifs the inftrument of their pleasures. Def. And what's the news, good coufin Lodovico? Iago. I am very glad to fee you, fignior. Welcome to Cyprus. Lod. I thank you; how does Lieutenant Caffio? lago. Lives, Sir. Def. Coufin, there's fall'n between him and my Lord An unkind breach: but you fhall make all well. Gth. Are you fure of that? Def. My Lord?. Oth. [Afide. This fail you not to do, as you will”--- [Reads. Lod. He did not call; he's busy in the paper. Is there divifion 'twixt my Lord and Caffio? Def. A most unhappy one; I would do much Tattone them, for the love I bear to Caffio. Oth. Fire and brimtone! Def. My Lord! Oth. Are you wife? Def. What, is he angry? Lod. 'May be, the letter moved him. For, as I think, they do command him home, (45) Deputing Caffio in his government. Def. Trust me, I am glad on't. Oth. Indeed! Def. My Lord! Oth. I am glad to fee you mad. Oth. Devil! Def. I have not deferved this. . [Afide. [Striking her. Lod. My Lord, this would not be believed in Venice, Though I fhould fwear I faw't. 'Tis very much; Make her amends, fhe weeps. Oth. Oh devil, devil! If that the earth could teem with woman's tears, Each drop the falls would prove a crocodile : Out of my fight----- (45) For as I think, they do command him home, Deputing Caffio in his government.] Had Mr Rymer intended or known how to make a serious and fenfible critic on this play, methinks, here is a fair opening given for inquiry and animadverfion. Othello is, as it were, but just arrived at Cyprus upon an emergency of defending it against the Turks; the fenate could hardly yet have heard of the Ottoman fleet being scattered by tempeft; and Othello is at once remanded home, without any imputation suggested on his conduct, or any hint of his being employed in a more urgent commiffion. 'Tis true, the deputation of Caffio in his room feems defigned to heighten the Moor's refentment: but fome probable reafon fhould have been affigned, and thrown in to the audience, for his being recalled what lago fays afterwards, that Othello is to go to Mauritania, this is only a lie of his own invention, to carry a point with Rodorigo. It is in little omillions of this fort, that Shakespeare's indolence, or neglect of art, is frequently te be cenfured. As to Def. I will not stay t' offend you. Lod. Truly, an obedient lady: I do befeech your Lordship, call her back. Oth. Mistress,-- Def. My Lord. Oth. What would you with her, Sir? Lod. Who, I, my Lord? [Going. Oth. Ay; you did wish that I would make her turn; Sir, fhe can turn and turn, and yet go on; And turn again. And the can weep, Sir, weep; And the's obedient: as you fay, obedient; Very obedient---proceed you in your tears--Concerning this, Sir,---oh well-painted paffion !--I am commanded home---get you away, I'll fend for you anon,---Sir, I obey the mandate, And will return to Venice.---Hence, avant!--[Exit Def. Caffio fhall have my place. And, Sir, to-night I do entreat that we may fup together. You are welcome, Sir, to Cyprus--Goats and monkies! Manent LODOVICO and IAGO. [Exit. Lod. Is this the noble Moor, whom our full Senate Call all-in-all fufficient? this the Nature Which paffion could not fhake? whofe folid virtue (46) (46) whofe folid virtue The hot of accident, nor dart of chance Could neither graze nor pierce.] But 'tis no commendation to the most solid virtue to be free from the attacks of fortune: but that it is fo impenetrable as to fuffer no impreffion. Now, to graze, fignifies, only to touch the superficies of any thing. That is the attack of Fortune: and by that virtue is tried, but not difcredited. We ought certainly therefore to read, Can neither raze nor pierce. VOL. XII. The fhot of accident, nor dart of change, i. e. neither lightly touch upon, nor pierce into. The igno- My wound is not a flight raze with an arrow, But it hath pierced my heart, and burned my marrow. In the fame manner the French used their word rafer, which fometimes fignifies brufhing over, touching a thing but lightly. Il fe dit des corps qui poffent fort près de quelques autres, et ne les touchent que légerément; fays Richelet. So with them, rafer les eaux, means, to skim lightly over the water. And in the fame manner, the beft Latin poets used their verb, radere, to skim along by, run gently over. Lucret. V. 2570 --ripas radentia flumina redunt. Radimus. ·Proje&aque Saxa Pachini Proxima Circae raduntur littera terra. Idem VI. 117. Virg. En. V. 170. Idem Æn. III. 699. Id. Æn. VII. 10. &c. &c. But to return to our Author. The fhot of accident, nor dart of change, &c. Which fhackles accident and bolts up change. 1 |