That came a wooing with you; and many a time, Hath ta'en your part; to have so much to do Des. Why, this is not a boon; To your own person: Nay, when I have a suit, And fearful to be granted. Oth. I will deny thee nothing: Whereon, I do beseech thee, grant me this, To leave me but a little to myself. Des. Shall I deny you? no: Farewell, my lord. Oth. Farewell, my Desdemona: I will come to thee straight. Des. Emilia, come :-Be it as your fancies teach you; Whate'er you be, I am obedient. [Exit, with EMILIA. Oth. Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul, But I do love thee! and when I love thee not, Chaos is come again. Iago. My noble lord, Oth. What dost thou say, Iago? Iago. Did Michael Cassio, when you woo'd my lady, Know of your love? Oth. He did, from first to last: Why dost thou ask? Iago. But for a satisfaction of my thought; No further harm. Oth. Why of thy thought, Iago? Iago. I did not think, he had been acquainted with her. poise-] i. e. Weight. wretch! This word is still, in some parts of England, a term of the softest and fondest tenderness. It expresses the utmost degree of amiableness, joined with an idea which perhaps all tenderness includes, of feebleness, softness, and want of protection.-JOHNSON. Oth. Indeed! ay, indeed :-Discern'st thou aught in By heaven, he echoes me, As if there were some monster in his thought Too hideous to be shown. -Thou dost mean some thing: I heard thee say but now,-Thou lik❜dst not that, Some horrible conceit: If thou dost love me, Iago. My lord, you know I love you. Oth. And weigh'st thy words before thou giv'st them breath,— Are tricks of custom; but, in a man that's just, Iago. For Michael Cassio, I dare be sworn, I think that he is honest. Oth. I think so too. Iago. Men should be what they seem; Or, those that be not, 'would they might seem none! P They are close denotements, working from the heart, That passion cannot rule,] i. e. Indications, or discoveries, not openly revealed, but involuntarily working from the heart, which cannot rule and suppress its feelings.-MALONE. Iago. I think, that Cassio is an honest man. Oth. Nay, yet there's more in this: Why then, I pray thee, speak to me as to thy thinkings, As thou dost ruminate; and give thy worst of thoughts The worst of words. Iago. Good my lord, pardon me; Though I am bound to every act of duty, I am not bound to that all slaves are free to. Utter my thoughts? Why, say, they are vile and false,- Keep leets, and law-days, and in session sit Oth. Thou dost conspire against thy friend, Iago, Iago. To spy into abuses; and, oft, my jealousy You'd take no notice; nor build yourself a trouble Oth. What dost thou mean? Iago. Good name, in man, and woman, dear my lord, Is the immediate jewel of their souls: Who steals my purse, steals trash; 'tis something, no thing; 'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands; But he, that filches from me my good name, १ vicious in my guess,] i. e. Apt to put the worst construction on every thing he attempts to account for. r STEEVENS. conjects,] i. e. Conjecture; a word used by other writers. Robs me of that, which not enriches him, Oth. By heaven, I'll know thy thought. Iago. You cannot, if my heart were in your hand; Nor shall not, whilst 'tis in my custody. Oth. Ha! Iago. O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; Who dotes, yet doubts; suspects, yet strongly loves! Iago. Poor, and content, is rich, and rich enough; To him that ever fears he shall be poor:- Oth. Why! why is this? Think'st thou, I'd make a life of jealousy, To follow still the changes of the moon, With fresh suspicions? No: to be once in doubt, To such exsufflicate" and blown surmises, Matching thy inference. 'Tis not to make me jealous, make-] The emendation of Hanmer, and followed by Johnson and Malone; the old copies read mocke. t - fineless,] Unbounded, endless, unnumbered. exsufflicate-] i. e. Contemptible, abominable; from exsufflare, low Lat. -NARES' Glossary. blown surmises, Matching thy inference.] That is, such as you have mentioned in describing the torments of jealousy.-M. MASON. And, on the proof, there is no more but this,— Iago. I am glad of this; for now I shall have reason 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. Iago. And so she did. Why, go to, then ; She that, so young, could give out such a seeming, 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. self-bounty-] For inherent generosity. And, when she seem'd-] 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 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.-JOHNSON. a To seel her father's eyes up, close as oak,] The oak is the most close-grained wood of general use in England. Close as oak, means close as the grain of oak. To seel is an expression from falconry.-STEEVENS. |