Iago. Nothing, my Lord; or if-I know not what. Oth. Was not that Caffio, parted from my wife? Iago. Caffio, my Lord? no, fure, I cannot think it, That he would fteal away fo guilty-like, Seeing you coming. Oth. I believe, 'twas he. Def. How now, my Lord? I have been talking with a fuitor here, Def. Why, your lieutenant Caffio. Good my Lord, If I have any grace, or power to move you, * His prefent reconciliation take. For if he be not one that truly loves you, Oth. Went he hence now? That he hath left part of his grief with me, Oth. The fooner, Sweet, for you. Def. To-morrow dinner then? I meet the Captains at the citadel. Def. Why then to-morrow night, or Tuesday morn, Or Tuesday noon, or night, or Wednesday morn, 4 T'incur a private check. When shall he come? What you should ask me, that I would deny, Hath ta'en your part, to have so much to do I will deny thee nothing. Def. Why, this is not a boon. 'Tis as I fhould entreat you wear your gloves, To your own perfon. Nay, when I have fuit, And fearful to be granted: Ob. I will deny thee nothing; Whereon I do befeech thee, grant me this, Def. Shall I deny you? No. Farewel, my Lord, 4 -the wars must make ex amples Out of their beft,] The Severity of military difcipline muft not spare the best men of the army, when their punishment may afford a wholesome example. SCENE SCENE V. Manent Othello, and Iago. Oib. Excellent Wretch!Perdition catch my foul, 6 But I do love thee; and when I love thee not, Iago. My noble Lord, Oth. What doft thou fay, Iago? Jago. Did Michael Caffio, when you woo'd my lady, Know of your love? Oth. He did, from first to laft. Why doft thou ask? 5 Excellent Wretch! Perdition catch my foul, But I do love thee; &c.] Tho' all the printed copies concur in this reading, I think, it is very reasonably to be fufpected. Othello is exclaiming here with admiration and rapturous fondnefs: but Wretch can fcarce be admitted to be used, unless in compaffion or contempt. I make no queftion, but the poet wrote; Excellent Wench!-Perdition catch my foul, &c. It is to be obferv'd, that, in SHAKESPEARE'S time, Wench, Lafs, and Girl, were not used in that low and vulgar acceptation as they are at this time of day; but very frequently with dignity. THEOBALD. The meaning of the word aureich, is not generally under Cc 4 lago. Iago. But for a fatisfaction of my thought, No farther harm. Oth. Why of thy thought, Iago? Iago. I did not think, he had been acquainted with it. Oth. Oh, yes, and went between us very oft. Oth. Indeed! ay, indeed. Difcern'ft thou aught in that? Is he not honeft? Iago. Honest, my Lord? Oth. Honeft? ay, honest. Iago. My Lord, for aught I know.. Iago. Think, my Lord!- Oth. Think, my Lord! why doft thou echo me; As if there were fome monster in thy thought, thing: I heard thee fay but now, thou lik'dft not that,- Iago. My Lord, you know, I love you. And for I know, thou art full of love and honesty, breath, Therefore these ftops of thine fright me the more. For fuch things, in a falfe difloyal knave, Are tricks of custom; but, in a man that's juft, They're They're close dilations working from the heart, That paffion cannot rule. Iago. For Michael Caffio, I dare be sworn, I think, that he is honeft. Oth. I think so too. lage. Men fhould be what they feem; * Or, those that be not, 'would they might feem none! Oth. Certain, men should be what they seem. Iago. Why, then, I think, Caffio's an honeft man. I pray thee, speak to me as to thy thinkings, The worst of words. Iago. Good my Lord, pardon me. Though I am bound to every act of duty, I am not bound to that, all slaves are free to. Utter my thoughts!Why, fay, they're vile and false; tions, except that the earlier quarto has clofe denotements; which was the authour's first expreffion, afterwards changed by him, not to cold dilation, for cald is read in no ancient copy nor, I believe, to clofe dilations, butto close delations; to occult and fecret accufations, working involuntarily from the heart, which tho refolved to conceal the fault, cannot rule its paffion of resentment. Or, thofe that be not, 'would they might feem NONE!] There is no fenfe in this reading. I fuppofe Shakespear wrote, KNAVES. would they might feem WARB. I believe the meaning is, would they might no longer feem, or bear the fhape of men. As |