As where's that palace, whereinto foul things. Keep lects, and law-days, and in session sit Oth. Thou dost conspire against thy friend, Iago, [ea lago. I do beseech you, Oth. What dost thou mean? Iago. Good name, in man and woman, dear Is the immediate jewel of their souls: 'Twas mine,'tis his, and has been slave to thousands; Oth. By heaven, I'll know thy thought. Nor shall not, whilst 'tis in my custody. Cth. Ha! Iago. O, beware, my lord, of jealousy ; Iago. Poor,and content, is rich, and rich enough; Oth. Why? why is this? * i. e. Think'st thou, I'd make a life of jealousy, 10 Tosay-my wife is fair, feeds well, loves company, 20 conscience 30 Is-not to leave undone, but keep unknown. Oth. Dost thou say so? 35 40 45 Jago. She did deceive her father, marrying you; And, whenshe seem'd toshake,and fear your looks, She lov'd them most'. The poet's meaning is, "Who has a breast so little apt to form ill opinions of others, but that foul suspicions will sometimes mix with his fairest and most candid thoughts, and erect a court in his mind, to enquire of the offences apprehended?" i. e. am apt to put the worst construction on every thing. 'i. e. loaths that which nourishes and sustains it." This being a miserable state, Iago bids him beware of it. unbounded, endless, unnumbered treasures. "The allusion is to a bubble. 6 Self-bounty, for inherent generosity. 'Dr. Johnson observes, that "this and the following argument of lago ought to be deeply impressed on every reader. Deceit and falsehood, whatever conveniencies 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 was 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 shewn, 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." Close as oak, means, close as the grain of the oak: To seel is an expression taken from falconry. 3 Y 3 I am Iago. Should you do so, my lord, 2 My speech should fall into such vile success My lord, I see you are mov'd. Oth. No, not much mov'd: I do not think but Desdemona's honest. Oth. And yet, how nature erring from itself,- Not to affect many proposed matches, Of her own clime, complexion, and degree; Oth. Farewell, farewell: And knows all qualities, with a learned' spirit, 20 12 If she be false, O, then heaven mocks itself!- Des. How now, my dear Othello? [Going. 30 If more thou dost perceive, let me know more; honour To scan this thing no further; leave it to time: 2 [Exit. [well? again: Oth. Your napkin 14 is too little; [She drops her handkerchief. 35 Let it alone. Come, I'll go in with you. Des. I am very sorry that you are not well. [Exeunt Des. and Oth. Emil. I am glad, I have found this napkin; This was her first remembrance from the Moor: 40 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, 45 And give it Iago: What he'll do with it, heaven knows, not I; Enter Iago. Iago. How now? what do you here alone? 8 'Issues, for conclusions. Iago means, "Should you do so, my lord, my words would be attended by such infamous degree of success, as my thoughts do not even aim at." 3 A rank will, is self-will overgrown and exuberant. 4 i. e. You shall discover whether he thinks his best means, his most powerful interest, is by the solicitation of your lady. i. e. press hard his re-admission to his pay and office.-Entertainment was the military term for admission of soldiers. • i. e. do not distrust my ability to contain my passion. 'Learned, for experienced. A haggard hawk is a wild hawk, a hawk difficult to be reclaim'd.-It appears also, that haggard was a term of reproach sometimes applied to a wanton. 'Jesses are short straps of leather tied about the foot of a hawk, by which she is held on the fist. 10 Dr. Johnson observes, that 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 prey'd at fortune. i. e. men of intrigue. 12 In allusion, according to Dr. Johnson, to a barbed or forked arrow, which, once infixed, cannot be extracted. Or, according to Dr. Percy, the forked plague may mean the cuckold's horns. "The generous islanders are the islanders of rank, distincyour pocket-handkerchief. tion. i. e. Emil. Iago. You have a thing for me?-It is a com- Iago. To have a foolish wife. [now 5 Amil. O, is that all? what will you give me Iago. What handkerchief? Jago. Hast stolen it from her? Amil. No; but she let it drop by negligence; And, to the advantage, I, being here, took it up'. Look, here it is. Iago. A good wench; give it me. Amil. What will you do with it, that you have been so earnest To have me filch it? Farewell the neighing steed, and the shrill trump, Pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war! Iago. Is it possible?-My lord, Oth. Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore; 10 Be sure of it; give me the ocular proof; [Catching hold on him. 15 Iago. Why, what is that to you? [Snatching it. 20 Amil. If it be not for some purpose of import, Give it me again: Poor lady! she'll run mad, When she shall lack it. Iago. Be not you known on 't; I have use for it. I will in Cassio's lodging lose this napkin, Look, where he comes! Not poppy, nor man- Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world, Oth. Ha! ha! false to me? to me? Jago. Why, how now, general? no more of that. Oth. Avaunt! be gone! 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? 30 Or, by the worth of mine eternal soul, Oth. Make me to see it; or (at the least) so That the probation bear no hinge, nor loop, Oth. If thou dost slander her, and torture me, Do deeds to make heaven weep, all earth amaz'd; Iago. O grace! O heaven defend me! That liv'st to make thine honesty a vice!- Oth. By the world, 40I think my wife be honest, and think she is not; Oth. What sense had I of her stolen hours of lust? Oth. I had been happy, if the general camp, 55 I Iago. And may; But, how? how satisfied, my Would you, the supervisor, grossly gape on? Behold her tupp'd '? Oth. Death and damnation! O! Iago. It were a tedious difficulty, I think, 60It is impossible, you should see this, * The mandragoras, or mandrake, has a soporific i.e. 1i. e. I being opportunely here, took it up. quality, and the ancients used it when they wanted an opiate of the most powerful kind. possessedst, or hadst. i. e. pity. A ram, in Staffordshire and some other counties, is called a tup. Were they as prime as goats, as hot as monkeys, There are a kind of men so loose of soul, In sleep I heard him say,-Sweet Desdemona, And then, sir, would he gripe, and wring my hand; Oth. But this denoted a foregone conclusion'; Oth. I'll tear her all to pieces. She may be honest yet. Tell me but this, Oth. If it be that, [Lago kneels. Witness, you ever-burning lights above! 10 You elements that clip us round about! Witness, that here lago doth give up The execution of his wit, hands, heart, To wrong'd Othello's service! Let him command, 15 What bloody work soever'. Oth. I greet thy love, [teous, Not with vain thanks, but with acceptance boun- [quest: lago. My friend is dead; 'tis done at your reBut let her live. Oth. Damn her, lewd minx! O, damn her! 30 1351 40 Clown. I dare not say, he lies any where. Clown. He's a soldier; and for me to say a soldier lies, is stabbing. Des. Go to; Where lodges he? Clown. To tell you where he lodges, is to tell you where I lie. Des. Can any thing be made of this? Clown. I know not where he lodges; and for me to devise a lodging, and say—he lies here, or 45 he lies there, were to lie in mine own throat. Arise, black vengeance, from thy hollow cell! lago. Pray, be content. [change. Iago. Patience, I say; your mind, perhaps, may 55 Des. Can you enquire him out? and be edify'd by report? Clown. I will catechize the world for him; that is, make questions, and make them answer. Des. Seek him, bid him come hither: tell him, I have mov'd my lord in his behalf, and hope, all will be well. Clown. To do this is within the compass of man's wit; and therefore I will attempt the doing of it. [Exit, Des. Where should I lose that handkerchief, Emilia? Emil. I know not, madam. Prime is prompt, from the Celtic or British prim. 2 Living for speaking, manifest. 3 Coni. e. swell, clusion, for fact, * Hearted throne, is the heart on which thou wast enthroned. because the draught is of poison. i. e. ample; capacious. 7 Mr. Tollet explains this passage thus: Let him command any bloody business, and to obey shall be in me an act of pity and com passion for wrong'd Othello.-Remorse frequently signifiès pity, mercy, compassion, or a tenderness of heart, unattended with the stings of a guilty conscience. Des. The thoughts of people; she told her, while she kept it, eye Des. A man that, all his time, Hath founded his good fortunes on your love; Oth. The handkerchief. Des. In sooth you are to blame. Amil. Is not this man jealous? Des. I ne'er saw this before. [Exit Othello. Sure there's some wonder in this handkerchief: 40I am most unhappy in the loss of it. 45 "Twould make her amiable, and subdue my father 50 Des. Is it possible? Oth. 'Tis true; there's magic in the web of it: 55 Emil. 'Tis not a year or two shews us a man: They are all but stomachs, and we all but food; They eat us hungerly, and, when they are full, They belch us. Look you! Cassio, and my husband. Enter Iago, and Cassio. Iago. There is no other way; 'tis she must do't; And, lo, the happiness! go, and importune her. Des. How now, good Cassio? what's the news with you? Cas. Madam, my former suit: I do beseech you, Whom I, with all the duty of my heart, Intirely honour; I would not be delayed: If my offence be of such mortal kind, That neither service past, nor present sorrows, Can ransom me into his love again, 60 But to know so must be by benefit; A Portugueze coin (so called from the cross stamped upon it), in value three shillings sterling. ?i, e, a rheum obstinately troublesome. i. e. number'd the sun's courses. i. e. vehement, violent. And |