With fresh suspicions? No: to be once in doubt,
Is-once to be resolv'd: Exchange me for a goat,
When I shall turn the business of my soul

To such exsufflicate and blown surmises,

1

Matching thy inference. 'Tis not to make me jealous,
To say my wife is fair, feeds well, loves company,
Is free of speech, sings, plays, and dances well;
Where virtue is, these are more virtuous: 2
Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw
The smallest fear, or doubt of her revolt;
For she had eyes, and chose me: No, Iago;
I'll see, before I doubt; when I doubt, prove;
And, on the proof, there is no more but this,
Away at once with love, or jealousy.

Iago. I am glad of this; for now I shall have reason To show the love and duty that I bear youWith franker spirit: therefore, as I am bound, Receive it from me: I speak not yet of proof. Look to your wife; observe her well with Cassio; Wear your eye—thus, not jealous, nor secure : I would not have your free and noble nature, Out of self-bounty3 be abus'd; look to't:

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.

9 To such exsufficate-] Whether our poet had any authority for the word exsufflicate, which I think is used in the sense of swollen, and appears to have been formed from sufflatus, I am unable to ascertain: but I have not thought it safe to substitute for it another word equally unauthorised. MALONE. Mr. Nares explains it by contemptible, abominable.

1

blown surmises,

Matching thy inference.] That is, such as you have mentioned in describing the torments of jealousy.

2 Where virtue is, these are more virtuous :] An action in itself indifferent, grows virtuous by its end and application,

3 Out of self-bounty,] Self-bounty for inherent generosity.

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,

To seel her father's eyes up, close as oak, 5

He thought, 'twas witchcraft: - but I am much to

blame; I humbly do beseech you For too much loving you.

Oth.

I am bound to thee for ever.

Iago. I see, this bath a little dash'd your spirits.
Oth. Not a jot, not a jot.

Iago.

Trust me, I fear it has.

But, I do see you are mov'd:

I hope, you will consider, what is spoke

Comes from my love;

I am to pray you, not to strain my speech.
To grosser issues, nor to larger reach,
Than to suspicion.

Oth. I will not.

+ And, when she seem'd-] This and the following argument of lago 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.

5 To seel her father's eyes up, close as oak,] close-grained wood of general use in England.

The oak is the most
Close as oak, means

close as the grain of oak. To seel is an expression from falconry. To grosser issues,] Issues, for conclusions.

Iago.
Should you do so, my lord,
My speech should fall into such vile success

As my thoughts aim not at. Cassio's my worthy friend :My lord, I see you are mov'd.

Oth.

No, not much mov'd:

I do not think but Desdemona's honest.

Iago. Long live she so! and long live you to think so!
Oth. And yet, how nature erring from itself, —
Iago. Ay, there's the point: - As, to be bold with

Not to affect many proposed matches,

Of her own clime, complexion, and degree;

Whereto, we see, in all things nature tends:

Foh! one may smell, in such, a will most rank,7
Foul disproportion, thoughts unnatural. —
But pardon me; I do not, in position,
Distinctly speak of her: though I may fear,
Her will, recoiling to her better judgment,
May fall to match you with her country forms,
And (happily) repent.

Oth.

Farewell, farewell:
If more thou dost perceive, let me know more;
Set on thy wife to observe: Leave me, Iago.
Iago. My lord, I take my leave.

[Going.

Oth. Why did I marry? This honest creature,

doubtless,

Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds.

Iago. My lord, I would, I might entreat your honour

To scan this thing no further; leave it to time:
And though it be fit that Cassio have his place,
(For, sure, he fills it up with great ability,)
Yet, if you please to hold him off a while,
You shall by that perceive him and his means :

7

8

a will most rank,] Will, is for wilfulness. It is so used by Ascham. A rank will, is self-will overgrown and exuberant.

You shall by that perceive him and his means:] You shall discover whether he thinks his best means, his most powerful interest, is by the solicitation of your lady.

Note, if your lady strain his entertainment?
With any strong or vehement importunity;
Much will be seen in that. In the mean time, to n
Let me be thought, too busy in my fears, 5
(As worthy cause I have, to fear I am,) vay 1
And hold her free, I do beseech your honour
Oth. Fear not my government.1
Iago. I once more take my leave.

Joms ob sw (191)

Oth. This fellow's of exceeding honesty,

2

3

www [Exit.

And knows all qualities, with a learned spirit,
Of human dealings: If I do prove her haggard,3le I
Though that her jesses were my dear heart-strings,✨{ [
I'd whistle her off, and let her down the wind,

5

To prey at fortune. Haply, for I am black me? And have not those soft parts of conversation grey 78 That chamberers have: Or, for I am declin'd

Into the vale of years;

yet that's not much;

She's gone; I am abus'd; and my relief.50
Must be to loath her. O curse of marriage,

That we can call these delicate creatures ours,
And not their appetites! I had rather be a toad,

9

· strain his entertainment-] Press hard his re-admission to his pay and office. Entertainment was the military term for admission of soldiers.

1 Fear not my government.] Do not distrust my ability to contain my passion.

2 with a learned spirit,] The construction is, He knows with a learned spirit all qualities of human dealings.

3

If I do prove her haggard,] A haggard hawk, is a wild hawk, a hawk unreclaimed or irreclaimable.

+ Though that her jesses were my dear heart-strings,] Jesses are short straps of leather tied about the foot of a hawk, by which she is held on the fist.

5 I'd whistle her off, and let her down the wind,

To prey at fortune.] 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 preyed at fortune.

6

chambercrs] i. e. men of intrigue.

And live upon the vapour of a dungeon,
Than keep a corner in the thing I love,

For others' uses. Yet 'tis the plague of great ones;
Prerogativ'd are they less than the base;

'Tis destiny unshunnable, like death;

Even then this forked plague' is fated to us,
When we do quicken. Desdemona comes :

Enter DESDEMONA and EMILIA.

If she be false, O, then heaven mocks itself!-
I'll not believe it.

Des.

How now, my dear Othello?

Your dinner, and the generous islanders

By you invited, do attend your presence.

Oth. I am to blame.

Des. Why is your speech so faint? are you not well? Oth. I have a pain upon my forehead here.

Des. Faith, that's with watching; 'twill away again :

Let me but bind it hard, within this hour

It will be well.

Oth.

Your napkin is too little;

[He puts the Handkerchief from him, and it drops.

Let it alone. Come, I'll go in with you.

Des. I am very sorry that you are not well.

[Exeunt ОTH. and DES.

Emil. I am glad I have found this napkin; This was her first remembrance from the Moor: My wayward husband hath a hundred times Woo'd me to steal it

(For he conjur'd her,

but she so loves the token,

she would ever keep it,)

That she reserves it evermore about her,

7

-forked plague ] In allusion to a barbed or forked arrow, which, once infixed, cannot be extracted. But perhaps the forked plague is the cuckold's horns.