Olympus high ; and duck again as low
As hell's from heaven. If I were now to die,
"Twere now to be most happy; for I fear
My soul hath her content fo absolute,
That not another comfort like to this
Succeeds in unknown fate.

ACT III. SCENE V.

A Lover's Exclamation.

(6) Excellent wretch! perdition catch my soul,
But I do love thee, and when I love thee not,
Chaos is come again.

Othello's first Suspicion.
Think, my lord! why, by heaven, thou echo's me ;
As if there were some monster in thy thought
Too hideous to be sewn. Thou doft mean fomething:
I heard thee say but now, thou lik'st not that.
When Caflio left my wife. What did it not like ?

1

Oh Tupiter !
Now is the time that I could gladly yield to death ;
Left life with fome affiction should pollute
My heart's content.

G. E.
(6) Wretch] This word is found in all the copies; but ne-
vertheless Mr. Theobald and the Oxford editor read wencb,
which tho' doubtless it was

“ not formerly used in the low and vulgar acceptation it is at present,” (see page173) yet I am persuaded Shakespear gave us wretch, and Mr. Upton's remark seems very just and beautiful : speaking of Desdemona's name, which is deriy'd from Avodouflwy, i.e. the unfortunate ; he says,

and I make no question, but Othello, in his rapturous admiration, with some allusion to her name exclaims, Excellent wretchy"

Tke antient tragedians are full of these allusions; some instances I have mention'd above: this rapturous exclamation and allufion too has something ominous in it; and instances of these presaging and ominous expreßions our poet is full of.” tical Observations, p. 303.

&c.

See Cri.

And

And when I told thee, he was of my counsel,
Of my whole course of wooing; thou cried 'it, indeed?
And did'ft contract and purse thy brow together;
As if thou then had'ft shut up in thy brain
Some horrible conceit: if thou doit love me
Shew me thy thought.

lago. My lord, you know I love you.

Oth. I think thou doft :And for I know thou’rt full of love and honesty, And weigh'ft thy words before thou giv'it them breath, Therefore these stops of thine fright me the more: For such things, in a false disloyal knave, Are tricks of custom ; but in a man that's just, They're cold dilations working from the heart, That passion cannot rule.

REPUTATION.

my lord,

Good name in man and woman,

dear Is the immediate jewel of their souls ; Į (7) Who steals my purse. Ateals trafh, 'tis something, nothing;

'Twas

(7) Wbe, &c.) Mr. Theobald obferves, " Of riches, and other temporal poffefiions being uncertain, and often changing their maffers, we meet with several paffages in the classics, which might have given our author a hint for this sentiment. Nunc ager, &c.

Hor. Sat. 2. 1. 2.
That which was once Ofellus farm is gone,
Now call'a Umbrina's, but 'tis no man's own ;
None hath the property : it comes and goes,
As merry chance or stubborn fates dispose :
As gods think fit, and their firm nods decree,

Now to be us'd by others, then by me, Creech.
This Lucian seems to have imitated in an.epigram:
Ayço. Ayawendo, &c.
Home Ents

I saca

'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been flaves to thousands ;

But he that filches from me my good name, i Robs me of that, which not enriches him,

And makes me poor indeed.

Scene VI. Othello's Soliloquy after having been

work’d-up to Jealousy, by Iago.
This fellow's of exceeding honesty,
And knows all qualities with a learned spirit,
Of human dealings. (8) If I prove her haggard,
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'm black,
And have not those foft parts of conversation,
That chamberers have; or for I am déclind
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, the curfe 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 others uses.

SCENE VII. JEALOUSY.

Trifles light as air,
Are to the jealous, confirmations frong, ;
As proofs of holy writ.

1

I once was Achæmenides his land,

And now Menippus claims me for his own,
Thus pass I ftill from one to t'others hand;

Nor this, nor that mans; I belong to none,

But change as fortune pleafęs to command, (8) If, &c.] All the metaphor here is taken from falconry, and most beautifully kept up.

SCENE

Scene VIII The Tortures of Jealousy..

Enter Othello. lago. Look, where he comes ! not poppy, nor man

dragora,
Nor all the drousy fyrups of the world,
Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep,
(9) Which thou ow'dft yesterday.

Oth. Ha! false to me!
laga. Why, how now, general, no more of that.

Oth. Avant, be gone ; thou hast set me on the wreck;
I swear 'tis better to be much abus'd,
Than but to know a little.

lago. How, my lord.

Oth. What sense had I, of her stol'n hours of luft?
I saw't not, thought it not, it harm'd not me:
I slept the next night well, fed well, was free and

merry,
I found not Caffio's kisses on her lips ;
He that is robb’d, not wanting what is stol'n,
Let him not know't, 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 tafted her sweet body,
So I had nothing known. Oh now, for ever
Farewel the tranquil mind. Farewel content;
Farewel the plumed troops, and the big war,
That make ambition virtue! Oh farewel,
Farewel the neighing steed, and the thrill trump,
The spirit-ftirring drum, th' ear piercing fife,
The royal banner, and all quality,
Pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war:
And O you mortal engines, whose rude throats

(9) Sec vol. 1. p. 6. aote 8.

Th,

Th' immortal Jove's dread clamours counterfeit,
Farewel! Othello's occupation's gone.

lago. Is't possible, my Lord ?

Otb. Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore; Be sure of it : give me the ocular proof,

[Catching hold on bim] Or by the worth of mine eternal soul, Thou hadft been better have been born a dog, ... Than answer my wak'd wrath.

lago. Is't come to this ?

Oth. Make me to see't, or, at the least, fo 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 doft Nander her, and torture me,
Never pray more; abandon all remorse ;
On horrors, heady horrors accumulate,
Do deeds to make heav'n weep, all earth amaz'd;
For nothir.g canst thou to damnation add,
Greater than that,

lago. O grace! O heav'n forgive me !
Are you a man? have you a soul ? or sense ?
God be wi' you : take mine office. O wretched fool,
That liv't to make thine honesty a vice!
Oh monstrous world! take note, take note, O world,
To be direct and honest, is not safe.
I thank you for this profit, and from hence
I'll love no friend, fith love breeds such offence.

Oth. Nay, stay-thou should it be honest.

lago. I should be wise, for honesty's a fool, And loses that it works for.

Oth. By the world,
I think my wife is honest, and think she is not s
I think that thou art just, and think thou art not;
I'll have some proof. Her name that was as fresh

As