SCENE IV. How now? who has put in? Enter Gentleman. Gent. 'Tis one lago, Ancient to the General. Their mortal natures, letting fafe go by 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! 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. Def. I thank you, valiant Caffio. What tidings can you tell me of my Lord? Gent. They give this greeting to the citadel: Caf. See for the news. Good Good Ancient, you are welcome. Welcome, miftrefes, [To Emilia. Let it not gall your patience, good Iago, [Saluting her. That gives me this bold fhew of courtesy. Iago. Sir, would fhe give you fo much of her lips, Def. Alas! fhe has no speech. I find it ftill, when I have lift to fleep; 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; 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; To change the cod's head for the falmon's tail! 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, The Moor, I know his trumpet. 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, May the winds blow till they have waken'd Death; As hell's from heav'n! if I were now to die, Def. The heav'ns forbid, But that our loves and comforts fhould increase, Oth. Amen to that sweet prayer! I cannot speak enough of this content, And this, and this, the greatest difcords be [Kissing her. 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 prattle out of fashion, and I doat Oh my fweet, In mine own comfort. Pr'ythee, good Iago, Does challenge much refpect. Come, Defdemona, 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 |