Page images
PDF
EPUB

SCENE IV.

How now? who has put in?

Enter Gentleman.

Gent. 'Tis one lago, Ancient to the General.
Caf. H'as had most favourable and happy speed:
Tempefts themselves, high feas, and howling winds,
The gutter'd rocks, and congregated fands,
(Traitors enfteep'd to clog the guiltless keel),
As having fenfe of beauty, do omit

Their mortal natures, letting fafe go by
The divine Defdemona.

Mont. What is the?

Caf. She that I fpake of, our great Captain's Captain, Left in the conduct of the bold Iago;

Whofe footing here anticipates our thoughts,

A fe'en-night's speed. Great Jove, Othello guard!
And fwell his fail with thine own powerful breath,
That he may blefs this bay with his tall fhip,
Make love's quick pants in Defdemona's arms,
Give renew'd fire to our extinquifh'd fpirits,
And bring all Cyprus comfort

[blocks in formation]

Enter Defdemona, Iago, Rodorigo, and Emilia. O behold!

The riches of the ship is come on shore:

You men of Cyprus, let her have your knees.
Hail to thee, Lady! and the grace of heav'n,
Before, behind thee, and on every hand
Enwheel thee round.

Def. I thank you, valiant Caffio.

What tidings can you tell me of my Lord?
Caf He is not yet arriv'd, nor know I aught
But that he's well, and will be fhortly here.
Def. O, but I fear-How loft you company?
Caf. The great contention of the fea and fkies
Parted our fellowship. But hark, A fail!
Within.] A fail, a fail!

Gent. They give this greeting to the citadel:
This likewife is a friend.

Caf. See for the news.

Good

Good Ancient, you are welcome. Welcome, miftrefes,

[To Emilia.

Let it not gall your patience, good Iago,
That I extend my manners. 'Tis my breeding,

[Saluting her.

That gives me this bold fhew of courtesy.

Iago. Sir, would fhe give you fo much of her lips,
As of her tongue fhe oft bestows on me,
You'd have enough.

Def. Alas! fhe has no speech.
Iago. In faith, too much.

I find it ftill, when I have lift to fleep;
Marry, before your Ladyfhip, I grant
She puts her tongue a little in her heart,
And chides with thinking.

Emil. You have little cause to say so.

Iago. Come on, come on; you're pictures out of doors,

Bells in your parlours, wild-cats in your kitchens, Saints in your injuries, devils being offended, [beds! Players in your housewifery, and housewives in your Def. O, fie upon thee, flanderer!

Iago. Nay, it is true, or elfe I am a Turk; You rife to play, and go to bed to work. Emil You fhall not write my praife.

Iago. No, let me not.

Def. What would't thou write of me, if thou should't praise me?

Iago. O gentle Lady, do not put me to`t, For I am nothing, if not critical *.

Def. Come, one effay. There's one gone to the harbour

Iago. Ay, Madam.

Def. I am not merry; but I do beguile The thing I am, by feeming otherwife; Come, how would'ft thou praise me?

Iago. I am about it; but indeed "

my invention comes from my pate, as birdlime does from freeze, "it plucks out brains and all." But my mufe labours, and thus fhe is delivered.

If he be fair and wife, fairness and wit,

The one's for ufe, the other ufeth it.

* ciical, for fatyiwal.

Def.

Def. Well prais'd; how if she be black and witty ? Iago. If he be black, and thereto have a wit,

She'll find a white that shall her blackness fit.

Def. Worfe and worse.

Emil. How, if fair and foolish?

Iago. She never yet was foolish that was fair;
For even her folly help'd her to an heir.

Def. These are old fond paradoxes, to make fools laugh i' th' alehoufe. What miferable praise hast thou for her that's foul and foolish?

Iago. There's none fo foul and foolish thereunto,

But does foul pranks, which fair and wife ones do. Def Oh heavy ignorance! thou praisest the worst beft. But what praise could'st thou bestow on a deferving woman indeed? one that in the authority of her merit did justly put on the vouch of very malice itself? Iago. "She that was ever fair, and never proud,

"Had tongue at will, and yet was never loud;
"Never lack'd gold, and yet went never gay,
"Fled from her wish, and yet faid, Now I may;
"She that, when anger'd, her revenge being nigh,
"Bade her wrong stay, and her displeasure fly;
She that in wifdom never was fo frail,

To change the cod's head for the falmon's tail!
"She that could think, and ne'er difclofe her mind,
"See fuitors following, and not look behind;

She was a wight, (if ever fuch wight were)Def. To do what?

Iago. To fuckle fools, and chronicle fmall beer.

Def. O moft lame and impotent conclufion! do not learn of him, Æmilia, though he be thy husband. How fay you, Caffio, is he not a moft profane and liberal + counfellor?

Caf. He speaks home, Madam; you may relifh him more in the foldier than in the fcholar.

Iago. [Afide.] He takes her by the palm; ay, well faid-whifper-With as little a web as this, will I liberal, for licentious.

infnare

infnare as great a fly as Caffio. Ay, fmile upon her,
do-I will gyve thee in thine own courtship. You
fay true, 'tis fo, indeed.—If fuch tricks as these strip
you out of your lieutenancy, it had been better you had
not kifs'd your three fingers fo oft, which now again
you are most apt to play the Sir in. Very good,
well kifs'd, and excellent courtefy 'tis fo indeed.
Yet again-your fingers to your lips? 'would they were
clyfter-pipes for your fake.

The Moor, I know his trumpet.
Caf. 'Tis truly fo.

Def. Let's meet him, and receive him.

Caf. Lo, where he comes!

SCENE VI. Enter Othello and Attendants.

Oth. O my fair warrior!

Def. My dear Othello!

Oth. It gives me wonder, great as my content,
To fee you here before me. O my foul's joy!
If after every tempeft comes fuch calms,

May the winds blow till they have waken'd Death;
And let the labouring bark climb hills of feas
Olympus high, and duck again as low

As hell's from heav'n! if I were now to die,
'Twere now to be most happy; for I fear
My foul hath her content fo abfolute,
That not another comfort like to this
Succeeds in unknown fate.

Def. The heav'ns forbid,

But that our loves and comforts fhould increase,
Ev'n as our days do grow!

Oth. Amen to that sweet prayer!

I cannot speak enough of this content,
It stops me here: it is too much of joy.

And this, and this, the greatest difcords be [Kissing her.
That e'er our hearts fhall make !

Iago. Oh, you are well-tun'd now; but I'll let down the pegs that make this mufic, as honest as I am.

[Afide.

Oth. Come, let's to the castle. Now, friends, our wars are done; the Turks are drown'd. How do our old acquaintance of this ifle?

VOL. VIII.

T

Honey,

Honey, you shall be well defir'd in Cyprus,
I've found great love amongst them.

I prattle out of fashion, and I doat

Oh my fweet,

In mine own comfort. Pr'ythee, good Iago,
Go to the bay, and difimbark my coffers.
Bring thou the master to the citadel;
He is a good one, and his worthiness

Does challenge much refpect. Come, Defdemona,
Once more well met at Cyprus.

SCENE

[Exeunt Othello and Defdemona. VII. Manert lago and Rodorigo. Iago. Do you meet me prefently at the harbour. Come thither, if thou be'ft valiant, (as, they fay, base men, being in love, have then a nobility in their natures, more than is native to them) — lift me; the Lieutenant to-night watches on the court of guard. First, I must tell thee, this Defdemona is directly in love with him.

Rod. With him? why, 'tis not poffible.

Jago. Lay thy fingers thus; and let thy foul be inftructed. Mark me with what violence fhe first lov'd the Moor, but for bragging, and telling her fantastical eyes. And will the love him ftill for prating? let not thy difcreet heart think it. Her eye must be fed. And what delight fhall fhe have to look on the devil? When the blood is made dull with the act of fport, there fhould be, again to inflame it, and to give fatiety a fresh appetite, lovelinefs in favour, fympathy in years, manners, and beauties; all which the Moor is defective in. Now, for want of thefe requir'd conveniencies, her delicate tenderness will find itself abus'd, begin to heave the gorge, difrelish and abhor the Moor; very nature will inftru&t her in it, and compel her to fome fecond choice. Now, Sir, this granted, (as it is a moft pregnant and unforce'd poíition), who ftands fo eminent in the degree of this fortune, as Caffio does? a knave very voluble; no further confcionable, than in putting on the mere form of civil and humane feeming, for the better compafling of his falt and most hidden loofe affection; a flippery and fubtil knave, a finder of occafions; that has an eye can famp and counterfeit advantages, tho'

true

« PreviousContinue »