Oth. I have a salt and sullen rheum offends me; 66 dum cauponare recusant "Ex verâ geniti nobilitate viri; "Interea è caulis hic prorepit, ille tabernis, "Et modo fit dominus, qui modo servus erat. See another stroke at them in Othello." Malone. My respect for the sentiments of Sir William Blackstone might have induced me to print both them, and the epigram referred to, in both places, even if the preceding remark of Mr. Malone had not, in this second instance, afforded them an apt introduction. Steevens. ―our new heraldry, &c.] I believe this to be only a figurative expression, without the least reference to King James's creation of baronets. The absurdity of making Othello so familiar with British heraldry, the utter want of consistency as well as policy in any sneer of Shakspeare at the badge of honours instituted by a Prince whom on all other occasions he was solicitous to flatter, and at whose court this very piece was acted in 1613, most strongly incline me to question the propriety of Dr. Warburton's historical explanation. Steevens. To almost every sentence of Dr. Warburton's note, an objec tion may be taken; but I have preserved it as a specimen of this commentator's manner. It is not true that King James created the order of baronets soon after he came to the throne. It was created in the year 1611.-The conceit that by the word hearts the poet meant to allude to the gallantry of the reign of Elizabeth, in which men distinguished themselves by their steel, and that by hands those courtiers were pointed at, who served her inglorious successor only by their gold, is too fanciful to deserve an answer. Thus Dr. Warburton's note stood as it appeared originally in Theobald's edition; but in his own, by way of confirmation of his notion, we are told, that "it was not uncommon for the satirical poets of that time to satirise the ignominy of James's reign" and for this assertion we are referred to Fletcher's Fair Maid of the Inn. But, unluckily, it appears from the office-book of Sir Henry Herbert, a MS. of which an account is given in Vol. I, that Fletcher's plays were generally performed at court soon after they were first exhibited at the theatre, and we may be assured that he would not venture to offend his courtly auditors. The Fair Maid of the Inn, indeed, never was performed before King James, being the last play but one that Fletcher wrote, and not produced till the 22d of Jan. 1625–6, after the death both of its author and King James; but when it was written, he must, from the circumstances already mentioned, have had the court before his eyes. In various parts of our poet's works he has alluded to the custom of plighting troth by the union of hands. So, in Hamlet: VOL. XVI. Hh "Since love our hearts, and Hymen did our hands Again, in The Tempest, which was probably written at no great distance of time from the play before us: "Mir. My husband then? "Fer. Ay, with a heart as willing "As bondage e'er of freedom. Here's my hand. The hearts of old, says Othello, dictated the union of hands, which formerly were joined with the hearts of the parties in them; but in our modern marriages, hands alone are united, without hearts. Such evidently is the plain meaning of the words. I do not, however, undertake to maintain that the poet, when he used the word heraldry, had not the new order of baronets in his thoughts, without intending any satirical allusion, Malone. salt and sullen rheum-] Thus the quarto, 1622. The folio, for sullen, has sorry. Malone. 7 Sullen, that is, a rheum obstinately troublesome. I think this better. Johnson. 8 That handkerchief Did an Egyptian to my mother give;] In the account of this tremendous handkerchief, are some particulars, which lead me to think that here is an allusion to a fact, heightened by poetical imagery. It is the practice in the eastern regions, for persons of both sexes to carry handkerchiefs very curiously wrought. In the MS. papers of Sir John Chardin, that great oriental traveller, is a passage which fully describes the custom: “The mode of wrought handkerchiefs (says this learned enquirer,) is general in Arabia, in Syria, in Palestine, and generally in all the Turkish empire. They are wrought with a needle, and it is the amusement of the fair sex there, as among us the making tapestry and lace. The young women make them for their fathers, their brothers, and by way of preparation before hand for their spouses, bestowing them as favours on their lovers. They have them almost constantly in their hands in those warm countries, to wipe off sweat." But whether this circumstance ever came to Shakspeare's knowledge, and gave rise to the incident, I am not able to determine. Whalley. Shakspeare found in Cinthio's novel the incident of Desde She was a charmer, and could almost read The thoughts of people: she told her, while she kept it, 'Twould make her amiable, and subdue my father Entirely to her love; but if she lost it, Or made a gift of it, my father's eye Should hold her loathly, and his spirits should hunt Des. Is it possible? The sun to make3 two hundred compasses, mona's losing a handkerchief finely wrought in Morisco work, which had been presented to her by her husband, or rather of its being stolen from her by the villain who afterwards by his machinations robbed her of her life. The eastern custom of brides presenting such gifts to their husbands, certainly did not give rise to the incident on which this tragedy turns, though Shakspeare should seem to have been apprized of it. However the preceding note is retained as illustrative of the passage before us. Malone. 9 She was a charmer,] In Deut. xviii, 11, there is an injunction: "Let none be found among you that is a charmer." In Perkins's Discourse of the Damned Art of Witchcraft, 8vo. 1610, it is said that "Inchantment is the working of wonders by a charme;" and a charm is afterwards defined," a spell or verse, consisting of strange words, used as a signe or watchword to the Devil to cause him to worke wonders." In this Discourse is an enumeration of the wonders done by inchanters, as raising storms and tempests, &c. and at the conclusion it is said: "by witches we understand not those only which kill and torment, but all diviners, charmers, jugglers, all wizards, commonly called wise men and wise women; yea, whosoever do any thing (knowing what they do) which cannot be effected by nature or art." Reed. 1 To lose or giv 't away,] Thus the quarto, 1622. The folio To lose 't &c. Steevens. 2A sibyl, &c.] This circumstance perhaps is imitated by Ben Jonson in The Sad Shepherd: "A Gypsan lady, and a right beldame, Wrought it by moonshine for me, and star-light," &c. Steevens. 3 number'd In her prophetick fury sew'd the work: The worms were hallow'd, that did breed the silk; Des. Indeed! is 't true? Oth. Most veritable; therefore look to 't well. Des. Why do you speak so startingly and rash? Oth. Is 't lost? is 't gone? speak, is it out of the way? Des. It is not lost; But what an if it were? The sun to make &c.] Thus the quarto, 1622. The folio That is, numbered the sun's courses: badly expressed. Warburton. The expression is not very infrequent: we say, I counted the clock to strike four; so she number'd the sun to course, to run two hundred compasses, two hundred annual circuits. Johnson. I have preferred the original reading, because we have in Hamlet: "When yon same star, that 's eastward from the pole, "Had made his course, to illume that part of heaven." Malone. And it was dy'd in mummy, &c.] The balsamick liquor running from mummies, was formerly celebrated for its anti-epileptick virtues. We are now wise enough to know, that the qualities ascribed to it are all imaginary; and yet this fanciful medicine still holds a place in the principal shops where drugs are sold. So, in The Bird in a Cage, by Shirley, 1633: 66 - make mummy of my flesh, and sell me to the apothecaries." Again, in The Honest Lawyer, 1616: "That I might tear their flesh in mammocks, raise Mummy, however, is still much coveted by painters, as a transparent brown colour that throws a warmth into their shadows. Steevens. 5 which the skilful Conserv'd of maidens' hearts.] Thus the folio. The quarto reads: with the skilful Conserves, &c. 66 So, in the Microcosmos of John Davies of Hereford, 4to. 1605 : Mummy made of the mere hart of love." Steevens, rash?] is vehement, violent. Johnson. Oth. Ha! Des. I say, it is not lost. Oth. Fetch 't, let me see it. Des. Why, so I can, sir, but I will not now; This is a trick, to put me from my suit; I pray, let Cassio be receiv'd again. Oth. Fetch me that handkerchief: my mind misgives. Des. Come, come; You'll never meet a more sufficient man. Oth. The handkerchief, Des. Oth. The handkerchief, I pray, talk me of Cassio." A man that, all his time, Hath founded his good fortune on your love; Shar'd dangers with you; Oth. Des. In sooth, You are to blame. The handkerchief, Sure, there's some wonder in this handkerchief: I am most unhappy in the loss of it. Emil. 'Tis not a year or two shows us a man:8 7 I pray, talk me of Cassio.] This and the following short speech, are omitted in all the ancient editions but the first quarto. Steevens. 8 'Tis not a year or two shows us a man:] From this line it may be conjectured, that the author intended the action of this play to be considered as longer than is marked by any note of time. Since their arrival at Cyprus, to which they were hurried on their wedding-night, the fable seems to have been in one continual progress, nor can I see any vacuity in which a year or two, or even a month or two, could be put. On the night of Othello's arrival, a feast was proclaimed; at that feast Cassio was degraded, and immediately applies to Desdemona to get him restored. Iago, indeed, advises Othello to hold him off awhile, but there is no reason to think, that he has been held off long. A little longer interval would increase the probability of the story, though it might violate the rules of the drama. See Act V, sc. ij. Johnson. This line has no reference to the duration of the action of this play, or to the length of time that Desdemona had been married. What Emilia says, is a sort of proverbial remark, of general application, where a definite time is put for an indefinite. |