Their mortal natures, letting fafe go by
The divine Desdemona.

Mont. What is the ?

Caf. She that I spake of, our great Captain's Captain, Left in the conduct of the bold lago; Whose footing here anticipates our thoughts, A se'nnight's ipeed. Great Jove, Othello guard! And swell his fail with thine own powerful breath, I hat he may bless this bay with his tall ship, Make love's quick pants in Desdemona's arms, Give renew'd fire to our extinguish'd spirits, And bring all Cyprus comfort

Enter Desdemona, lago, Rodorigo, and Æmilia,
O behold!
The riches of the ship is come on shore :
You men of Cyprus, let her have your knees.
Hail to thee, lady! and the grace of heav'n,
Before, behind thee, and on every hand
Enwheel thee round.

Des. I thank you, valiant Caffio,
What tidings can you tell me of my lord ?

Cas. He is not yet arriv’d, nor know I aught
But that he's well, and will be shortly here.

Def. O, but I fear how lost you company?

Caf. The great contention of the sea and skies
Parted our fellowship. But, hark, a fail !

Within.) A fail, à fail !
Gent. They give this greeting to the Citadel :
This likewise is a friend.

Cas. See for the news :
Good Ancient, you are welcome. Welcome, mistress.

(To Æmilia. Let it not gall your patience, good lago, That I extend my manners.

Tis my breeding, That gives me this bold few of courtesie.

lago. Sir, would she give you so much of her lips, As of her tongue she oft bestows on me, You'd have enough.

Des. Alas! The has no speech.

lago.

lago. In faith, too much ;
I find it still, when I have list to sleep ;
Marry, before your ladyship, I grant,
She puts her tongue a little in her heart,
And chides with thinking.

Æmil. You have little cause to say so.
lago. Come on, come on; you're pictures out of

doors, Bells in your parlors, wild-cats in your kitchens, Saints in your injuries, devils being offended, Players in your housewifery, and housewives in your

beds! Def. O, fie upon thee, slanderer!

lago. Nay, it is true, or else I am a Turk; You rise to play, and go to bed to work. Æmil. You shall not write my praise. Iago. No, let me not. Def, What would'st thou write of me, if thou should'st

praise me? lago. Oh gentle lady, do not put me to't, For I am nothing, if not critical. Def. Come, one assay. There's one gone to the har

bour lago. Ay, Madam.

Des. I am not merry ; but I do beguile The thing I am, by seeming otherwise ; Come, how would'st thou praise me?

lago. I am about it; but, indeed, my invention comes from my pate, as birdlime does from freeze, it plucks out brains and all. But my muse labours, and thus she is delivered.

If she be fair and wife, fairness and wit,

The one's for use, the other ufeth it. Des. Well prais'd; how if she be black and witty? Iago. If she be black, and thereto have a wit,

She'll

find a white that mall her blackness fit. Def. Worse and worse. Æmil. How, if fair and foolih?

Iago. She never yet was foolish, that was fair ;

For even her folly helpt her to an heir. Def. These are old fond paradoxes, to make fools laugh i'th' alehouse. What miserable praise haft thou for her that's foul and foolish? Iago. There's none so foul and foolish thereunto,

But does foul pranks, which fair and wife ones do. Def. Oh heavy ignorance! thou praiseft the worst best. But what praise couldst thou bestow on a deserying woman indeed ? (14) one, that in the authority of her merit, did juftly put down the vouch of very malice it self? Iago. She that was ever fair, and never proud,

Had tongue at will, and yet was never loud;
Never lackt gold, and yet never went gay,
Fled from her wish, and yet said, now I may;
She that when anger'd, her revenge being nigh,
Bad her wrong stay, and her displeasure fly ;
She that in wisdom never was so frail
To change the cod's head for the salmon's tail;
She that could think, and ne'er disclose her mind,
See suitors followings and not look behind;

She was a wight, (if ever such wight were)....
Def. To do what?
Jago. To fuckle fools, and chronicle small beer.
Def. Oh most lame and impotent conclusion ! do not

(14) One, that in the Authority of her Merit, did juftly put on the Vouch of very Malice it self.] Tho' all the printed copies agree in this Reading, I cannot help suspe&ing it. If the Text should be genuine, I confess, it is above my Understand. ing. In what Sense can Merit be said to put on the Vouch of Malice? I should rather think, Merit was so safe in it felf, as to repel and put off all that Malice and Envy could advance and affirm to its Prejudice. I have ventur'd to reform the Text to this Construction,' by a very flight Change that snakes it intelligible.

learn

Learn of him, Æmilia, tho' he be thy husband. (15) How fay you, Cafio, is he not a most profane and liberal censurer?

Caf. He speaks home, Madam ; you may relish him more in the soldier, than in the scholar.

lago. [Afide.] He takes her by the palm ; ay, well said whisper With as little a web as this, will I ensnare as great a fly as Caffio. Ay, smile upon her, do

I will gyve thee in thine own courtship. You say true, 'cis so, indeed. - If such tricks as these strip you out of your lieutenancy, it had been better you had not kiss'd your three fingers so oft, which now again you are most apt to play the Sir in. Very good – well kiss'd, and excellent courtefie _'tis fo, indeed Yet again -- your fingers to your lips ? 'would, they were clifter-pipes for your fake.

[Trumpet. The Moor,

I know his trumpet.
Caf. 'Tis truly fo.
Def. Let's meet him, and receive him.
Cas. Lo, where he comes !

Enter Othello and Attendants.
Oth. Oh my fair warrior!
Def. My dear Othello !

Oih. It gives me wonder, great as my content,
To see you here before me. O my soul's joy!
If after every tempest come such calms,
May the winds blow 'till they have waken'd death :
And let the labouring bark climb hills of seas
Olympus high ; and duck again as low
As hell's from heav'n! If I were now to die,
'Twere now to be most happy ; for, I fear,
My soul hath her content fo absolute,

(15) How say you, Callio ? Is he not a most profane and libes ral Counsellor? ). But in what Respect was lago a Counsellor ? He caps Sentences, indeed; but they are not by way of Ado vics, but Description: what he says, is, Reflexions on Charac. ter and Conduct in Life. For this Reason, I am very ap to think, our Author wrote Censurer.

That

That not another comfort like to this
Succeeds in unknown fate.

Del. The heav'ns forbid,
But that our loves and comforts should encrease,
Ev'n as our days do grow

!
Oth. Amen to that, sweet Powers !
I cannot speak enough of this content,
It stops me here : it is too much of joy.
And this, and this, the greatest discords be [Kiffing her.
That e'er our hearts shall make!

lago. Oh, you are well-tun'd now ; but I'll let down the pegs that make this musick, as honest as I am.

[ Afide. Oth. Come, let's to the castle. Now, friends, our wars are done ; the Turks are drown'd. How do our old acquaintance of this ille? Honey, you shall be well defir'd in Cyprus, I've found great love amongst them. Oh my Sweet, I prattle out of fashion, and I dote In mine own comfort. Pr'ythee, good lago, Go to the bay, and disembark my coffers : Bring thou the master to the citadel, He is a good one, and his worthiness Does challenge much respect. Come, Desdemona, Once more well met at Cyprus.

[Exeunt Othello and Desdemonai Manent Iago and Rodorigo. lago. Do you meet me presently at the harbour. Come thither, if thou be’lt valiant ; (as, they say, base men, being in love, have then a nobility in their natures, more than is native to them) lift me ; the lieutenant to night watches on the Court of Guard. First, I must tell thee, this Desdemona is directly in love with him.

Rod. With him ? why, 'tis not possible?

lago. Lay thy fingers thus ; and let thy foul be inItructed. Mark me with what violence the first lov'd the Moor, but for bragging, and telling her fantastical lies. And will the love him ftill for prating ? let not

thy