Is, not to leav't undone, but keep't unknown'.
Oth. Dost thou say so?

Iago. She did deceive her father, marrying you;
And, when she seem'd to shake, and fear your looks,
She lov'd them most.

Oth. Iago.

And so she did.

Why, go to, then;

She that, so young, could give out such a seeming,

To seal her father's eyes up, close as oak,—

He thought, 'twas witchcraft.-But I am much to blame; I humbly do beseech you of your pardon,

For too much loving you.

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

I am bound to thee for ever.

Iago.

Trust me, I fear it has.

I hope, you will consider what is spoke

Comes from my love.-But, I do see you are mov'd:-
I am to pray you, not to strain my speech

To grosser issues, nor to larger reach,

I do not think but Desdemona's honest.

Iago. Long live she so; and long live you to think so!
Oth. And yet, how nature, erring from itself,-

Iago. Ay, there's the point :-as,-to be bold with you,

Not to affect many proposed matches,

Of her own clime, complexion, and degree,

Whereto, we see, in all things nature tends.
Foh! one may smell in such a will most rank,
Foul disproportion, thoughts unnatural.-

But pardon me; I do not in position

1 Is, not to LEAVE'T undone, but KEEP'T unknown.] So the folio, and the 4to, 1630 the 4to, 1622, has leave and keep, and in the preceding line it omits the material word," not."

2 As my thoughts AIM not AT.] This is the reading of both 4tos: the folio, "Which my thoughts aim'd not." The 4to, 1622, has "trusty friend" for "worthy friend" of the folio, and 4to, 1630.

Distinctly speak of her, though I may fear,
Her will, recoiling to her better judgment,
May fall to match you with her country forms,
And happily repent‘.

Oth.

Farewell, farewell.

If more thou dost perceive, let me know more:
Set on thy wife to observe.

Leave me, Iago.

Iago. My lord, I take my leave.

[Going.

Oth. Why did I marry?-This honest creature, doubtless, Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds.

Iago. My lord, I would, I might entreat your honour'

6

To scan this thing no farther; leave it to time.
Although 'tis fit that Cassio have his place,
(For, sure, he fills it up with great ability)
Yet if you please to hold him off a while,
You shall by that perceive him and his means:
Note, if your lady strain his entertainment
With any strong or vehement importunity;
Much will be seen in that. In the mean time,
Let me be thought too busy in my fears,
(As worthy cause I have to fear I am)
And hold her free, I do beseech your honour.
Oth. Fear not my government.

Iago. I once more take my leave.

Oth. This fellow's of exceeding honesty,

And knows all qualities' with a learned spirit
Of human dealings: if I do prove her haggard',

I do not in POSITION

[Returning.

[Exit.

Distinctly speak of her,] The corr. fo. 1632 tells us to read suspicion for position;" but if suspicion were the word, we should be inclined to think that "not" had also been misprinted for but, the meaning of Iago then being, "I but speak of her distinctly in suspicion." We do not feel justified in recommending an alteration of the text.

4 And HAPPILY repent.]

Happily" here, of course, means perhaps, and ought properly to have been spelt haply; but a word of three syllables was required by the line. The second "farewell" is from the folio.

My lord, I would, I might entreat your honour] In the 4to, 1622, this line

is absurdly made the conclusion of Othello's speech.

6 Although 'tis fit] So the folio: the 4to, 1622, "Tho' it be fit ;" and the 4to, 1630, "And though 'tis fit." In the next line but one the folio omits the necessary word "hold."

7 And knows all QUALITIES] So the 4tos, but in the folios "qualities" became quantities: in the corr. fo. 1632 “ qualities” is restored to its place.

- if I do prove her HAGGARD,] A "haggard" is a wild, and, as Johnson truly says, an unreclaimed hawk. See Vol. ii. pp. 40. 684. In Sir T. Browne's

Though that her jesses were my dear heart-strings,
I'd whistle her off, and let her down the wind,
To prey at fortune'. Haply, for I am black,
And have not those soft parts of conversation.
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 curse of marriage!
That we can call these delicate creatures our's,
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' uses. Yet, tis the plague of great ones;
Prerogativ'd are they less than the base;

"Tis destiny unshunnable, like death:
Even then this forked plague is fated to us,
When we do quicken. Desdemona comes2:

Enter DESDEMONA and EMILIA.

If she be false, oh! then heaven mocks itself.-
I'll not believe it.

Des.

How now, my dear Othello!

Your dinner and the generous islanders,

By you invited, do attend your presence.

Oth. I am to blame.

Des. Why is your speech so faint? are you not well?
Oth. I have a pain upon my forehead here.

Des. Faith, that's with watching; 'twill away again :

Religio Medici, sect. 10, we read, - -"Thus I teach my haggard and unreclaimed reason to stoop to the lure of faith."

9 Though that her JESSES were my dear heart-strings,] "Jesses," Hanmer correctly tells us, were short straps of leather tied about the foot of a hawk, by which she was held on the fist.

1 I'd whistle her off, and let her down the wind,

To prey at fortune.] The falconers, Johnson observes, always let fly the hawk against the wind; if she flies with the wind behind her, she seldom returns. If, therefore, a hawk was for any reason to be dismissed, she was let down the wind, and from that time shifted for herself, and preyed at fortune.

2 DESDEMONA comes:] Our text, here and in the next line, is that of both the 4tos: the folio has,

"Look where she comes:

If she be false, heaven mock'd itself."

This is evidently wrong. Afterwards, in the question, "Why is your speech so faint?" we also follow the 4tos: the folio gives it, "Why do you speak so faintly?" another reading injurious to the measure.

Let me but bind it hard, within this hour

It will be well.
Oth.

[Offering to bind his head3.

Your napkin is too little;

[The napkin falls to the ground.

Let it alone. Come, I'll go in with you.
Des. I am very sorry that you are not well.

[Exeunt ОTH. and DES. [Taking it up.

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 she so loves the token,
(For he conjur'd her she should ever keep it)
That she reserves it evermore about her,

To kiss, and talk to. I'll have the work ta'en out',
And giv't Iago: what he will do with it,

Heaven knows, not I;

I nothing, but to please his fantasy 3.

Enter IAGO.

Iago. How now! what do you here alone?

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

Iago. A thing for me?-it is a common thing-
Emil. Ha?

Iago. To have a foolish wife.

Emil. Oh! is that all? What will you give me now For that same handkerchief?

Iago.

Emil. What handkerchief!

What handkerchief?

Offering to bind his head.] This and other stage-directions in this part of the scene are deficient in all the old copies : "Offering to bind his head" is a MS. note in the corr. fo. 1632. We may suppose that while Desdemona is offering to bind Othello's head, and Othello telling her to "let it alone," the handkerchief falls to the ground, and Emilia immediately afterwards takes it up.

I'll have the work TA'EN OUT,] "Ta'en out," in the phraseology of the time, meant copied out, not picked out. So in Middleton's "Women Beware Women," "She intends

To take out other works in a new sampler;"

a passage which the Rev. Mr. Dyce (Middleton's Works, Vol. iv. p. 520) has not thought it necessary to illustrate, not recollecting, perhaps, this passage in Shakespeare, to which it so accurately applies.

5 I nothing, but to please his fantasy.] Thus the folio, and the 4to, 1630: the 4to, 1622, reads, “I nothing know, but for his fantasy."

A thing for me?] The folio alone makes the line of twelve syllables, by reading, "You have a thing for me? It is a common thing."

Why, that the Moor first gave to Desdemona;
That which so often you did bid me steal.
Iago. Hast stolen it from her?

Emil. No, 'faith: she let it drop by negligence;
And, to th' advantage, I, being here, took❜t up.
Look, here it is.

Iago.

A good wench; give it me.

Emil. What will you do with't, that you have been so

earnest

To have me filch it?

Iago.

Why, what's that to you?

Emil. If it be not for some purpose of import, Give't me again: poor lady! she'll run mad, When she shall lack it.

[Snatching it.

Iago. Be not acknown on't'; I have use for it. Go; leave me.

[Exit EMILIA.

I will in Cassio's lodging lose this napkin,
And let him find it: trifles, light as air,
Are to the jealous confirmations strong
As proofs of holy writ. This may do something.
The Moor already changes with my poison®:
Dangerous conccits are in their natures poisons,
Which at the first are scarce found to distaste;
But with a little act upon the blood,

Burn like the mines of sulphur.-I did say so:

Enter OTHELLO, at a distance.

Look, where he comes! Not poppy, nor mandragora',
Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world,

Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep

Which thou ow'dst yesterday.

Be not ACKNOWN on't;] So the folio: the 4to, 1630, has the word "acknown" also, but with the addition of " you,"—" Be not you acknown on't." The 4to, 1622, reads, "Be not you known on't." The meaning of course is, "Be not acquainted with it-know nothing about it."

8 The Moor already changes with my poison:] This line, which is in the folio, and in the 4to, 1630, is not in the 4to, 1622.

9

ACT upon the blood,] The 4to, 1622, alone reads art for "act," and in the next line, minds for "mines."

1

nor MANDRAGORA,] The "mandragora," or mandrake, has a soporific quality, and the ancients, says Steevens, used it when they wanted an opiate of the most powerful kind. In " Antony and Cleopatra," A. i. sc. 6, the heroine exclaims, "Give me to drink mandragora," &c.