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And, on the proof, there is no more but this,-
Away at once with love, or jealousy.

Iago. I am glad of this; for now I shall have reason
To show the love and duty that I bear you
With franker spirit: therefore, as I am bound,
Receive it from me :-I speak not yet of proof.
Look to your wife; observe her well with Cassio;
Wear your eye-thus, not jealous, nor secure :
I would not have your free and noble nature,
Out of self-bounty, be abus'd; look to't:

I know our country disposition well;

In Venice they do let heaven see the pranks

They dare not show their husbands; their best conscience Is-not to leave undone, but keep 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. And so she did.

Iago. Why, go to, then ;

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

To seel 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. I am bound to thee for ever.

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

lago. 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

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To grosser issues, nor to larger reach,

Than to suspicion.

Oth. I will not.

[3] This and the following argument of Iago ought to be deeply impressed on every reader. Deceit and falsehood, whatever conveniences they may for a time promise or produce, are, in the sum of life, obstacles to happiness. Those, who profit by the cheat, distrust the deceiver, and the act, by which kindness is sought, puts an end to confidence. The same objection may be made with a lower degree of strength against the imprudent generosity of disproportionate marriages. When the first heat of passion is over, it is easily succeeded by suspicion, that the same violence of inclination, which caused one irregularity, may stimulate to another; and those who have shown, that their passions are too powerful for their prudence, will, with very slight appearances against them, be censured as not very likely to restrain them by their virtue. JOHNSON.

[4] Close as oak, means close as the grain of the oak. To seel a hawk. is to sew up his eyelids. STEEVENS.

5] Issues, for conclusions. WARBURTON.

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Iago. Should you do so, my lord,

My speech should fall into such vile success

As my thoughts aim not at.

Cassio's my worthy friend :

My lord, I see you are mov'd.

Oth. No, not much mov'd :—

I do not think but Desdemona's honest.

lago. 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,
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, lago.
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
To scan this thing no further; leave it to time:
And though it be 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 opportunity;
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.

lago. I once more take my leave.
Oth. This fellow's of exceeding honesty,

[Exit.

And know's all qualities, with a learned spirit,

Of human dealings: If I do prove her haggard,

[6] Will, is for wilfulness. It is so used by Ascham. A rank will is self-will Overgrown and exuberant. JOHNSON.

[7] Press hard his re-admission to his pay and office.

JOHNSON.

A haggard hawk is a wild hawk, a hawk irreclaimable.

JOHNSON.

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 softs 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.' O 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 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 comes :
Enter DESDEMONA and EMILIA.

If she be false, O, 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:

Let me but bind it hard, within this hour

It will be well.

Oth. Your napkin' is too little;

[He puts the handkerchief from him, and it drops. Let it alone. Come, I'll go in with you.

Des. I am very sorry that you are not well.

[Exeunt ОTH. and DESD. 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 would ever keep it,) That she reserves it evermore about her,

[9] Jesses are short straps of leather tied about the foot of a hawk, by which she is held on the fist.

HANMER.

[1] The falconers 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.

JOHNSON.

[2] Ray says, that a pocket bandkerchief is so called about Sheffield in Yorkshire. STEEVENS.

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To kiss, and talk to. I'll have the work ta'en out,'

And give it lago :

What he'll do with it, heaven knows, not I;

I nothing, but to please his fantasy.

Enter IAGO.

Iago. How now! what do you here alone?

Emil. Do not you chide; I have a thing for you. lago. A thing for me ?-It is a common thing. Emil. Ha!

Iago. To have a foolish wife.

Emil. O, is that all? what will you give me now For that same handkerchief?

Iago. What handkerchief?

Emil. What handkerchief?

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 the advantage, I, being here, took❜t up. Look, here it is.

lago. A good wench; give it me.

[earnest

Emil. What will you do with it, that you have been so To have me filch it?

Iago. Why, what's that to you?

[Snatching it.

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

lago. Be not you known of'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 conceits 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.

Look, where he comes! Not poppy, nor mandragora,

[3] That is copied. Her first thoughts are to have a copy made of it for her husband, and restore the original to Desdemona. But the sudden coming in of lago, in a surly humour, makes her alter her resolution, to please him. The same phrase occurs between Cassio and Bianca, sc. iv. BLACKSTONE. [4] The mandragoras or mandrake has a soporific quality, and the ancients used it when they wanted an opiate of the most powerful kind. STEEVENS. H

VOL. X.

Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world,

Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep
Which thou ow'dst yesterday.

Oth. Ha ha! false to me?

To me?

lago. Why, how now, general? no more of that.

Oth. Avaunt! begone! thou hast set me on the rack :— I swear, 'tis better to be much abus'd,

Than but to know't a little.

Iago. How now, my lord?

Oth. What sense had I of her stolen hours of lust?
I saw it not, thought it not, it harm'd not me :

I slept the next night well, was free and merry ;
I found not Cassio's kisses on her lips :

He that is robb'd, not wanting what is stolen,
Let him not know it, and he's not robb'd at all.
lago. I am sorry to hear this.

Oth. I had been happy, if the general camp,
Pioneers and all, had tasted her sweet body,
So I had nothing known: O now,
for ever,
Farewell the tranquil mind! Farewell content!
Farewell the plumed troop, and the big wars,
That make ambition virtue.! O, farewell!
Farewell the neighing steed, and the shrill trump,
The spirit-stirring drum, the ear-piercing fife,
The royal banner; and all quality,

Pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war!
And O, you mortal engines, whose rude throats
The immortal Jove's dread clamours counterfeit,
Farewell! Othello's occupation's gone!

Iago, Is it possible ?My lord,

Oth. Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore ; Be sure of it; give me the ocular proof; [Taking him by

Or, by the worth of mine eternal soul,

Thou hadst been better have been born a dog,

Than answer my wak'd wrath.

Iago. Is it come to this?

the throat.

Oth. Make me to see it; or (at the least) so prove it,

That the probation bear no hinge, nor loop,

To hang a doubt on: or, woe upon thy life!

lago. My noble lord,

Oth. If thou dost slander her, and torture me,

[5] That is, the most abject and vilest of the camp. Pioneers were generally degraded soldiers, appointed to the office of pioneer, as a punishment for misconduct.

GROSE.

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