Iago.

I think, that Cassio is an honest man.

Oth. Nay, yet there's more in this:

Why then,

I pray thee, speak to me as to thy thinkings,

As thou dost ruminate; and give thy worst of thoughts 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, say, they are vile and false,—
As where's that palace, whereinto foul things
Sometimes intrude not? who has a breast so pure,
But some uncleanly apprehensions

Keep leets, and law-days, and in session sit
With meditations lawful?

Oth. Thou dost conspire against thy friend, Iago,
If thou but think'st him wrong'd, and mak'st his ear
A stranger to thy thoughts.

Iago.
I do beseech you,-
Though I, perchance, am vicious in my guess,
As, I confess, it is my nature's plague
To spy into abuses; and, oft, my jealousy
Shapes faults that are not,-I entreat you then,
From one that so imperfectly conjects,"

You'd take no notice; nor build yourself a trouble
Out of his scattering and unsure observance :-
It were not for your quiet, nor your good,
Nor for my manhood, honesty, or wisdom,
To let you know my thoughts.

Oth.

What dost thou mean?

Iago. Good name, in man, and woman, dear my lord, Is the immediate jewel of their souls:

Who steals my purse, steals trash; 'tis something, no

thing;

'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands;

But he, that filches from me my good name,

vicious in my guess,] i. e. Apt to put the worst construction on every thing conjects,] i. e. Conjecture; a word used by other writers.—

he attempts to account for.

J

STEEVENS.

Robs me of that, which not enriches him,
And makes me poor indeed.

Oth. By heaven, I'll know thy thought.

Iago. You cannot, if my heart were in your hand; Nor shall not, whilst 'tis in my custody.

Oth. Ha!

Iago.

O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;
It is the green ey'd monster, which doth makes
The meat it feeds on: That cuckold lives in bliss,
Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger;
But, O, what damned minutes tells he o'er,

Who dotes, yet doubts; suspects, yet strongly loves!
Oth. O misery!

Iago. Poor, and content, is rich, and rich enough;
But riches, fineless,' is as poor as winter,

To him that ever fears he shall be poor :

Good heaven, the souls of all my tribe defend
From jealousy!

Oth.

Why! why is this?

Think'st thou, I'd make a life of jealousy,
To follow still the changes of the moon,

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,

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:
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;

make-] The emendation of Hanmer, and followed by Johnson and Malone; the old copies read mocke.

t

- fineless,] Unbounded, endless, unnumbered.

exsufflicate-] i. e. Contemptible, abominable; from exsufflare, low Lat. -NARES' Glossary.

blown surmises,

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

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 you
With 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-bounty' 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.

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,"

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

blame;

I humbly do beseech you of your pardon,
For too much loving you.

Oth.

I am bound to thee for ever.

y self-bounty-] For inherent generosity.

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

To seel her father's eyes up, close as oak,] The oak is the most close-grained wood of general use in England. Close as oak, means close as the grain of oak. To seel is an expression from falconry-STEEVENS.

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

Iago.

Trust me, I fear it has.

I hope, you will consider, what is spoke

Comes from my love ;-But, I do see you are mov'd :

I am to pray you, not to strain my speech

To grosser issues," nor to larger reach,

Than to suspicion.

Oth. I will not.

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 willd most rank,
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.

[you,

[Going.

Oth. Why did I marry?—This honest creature, doubt

less,

Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds. Iago. My lord, I would, I might entreat your honour

C

JOHNSON.

d

issues,] For conclusions.

success-] i. e. Consequence or event; as successo is used in Italian.

will-] For wilfulness. It is so used by Ascham. A rank will, is selfwill overgrown and exuberant.-JOHNSON.

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

Oth. This fellow's of exceeding honesty,
And knows all qualities, with a learned spirit,
Of human dealings: If I do prove her haggard,'
Though that her jesses* were my dear heart-strings,
I'd whistle her off, and let her down the wind,
To prey at fortune.' Haply, for I am black;
And have not those soft parts of conversationTM
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

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,

[Exit.

•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.-JOHNSON.

strain his entertainment—] Press hard his re-admission to his pay and office. Entertainment was the military term for admission of soldiers.-JonNSON. Fear not my government.] Do not distrust my ability to contain my passion. -JOHNSON.

h

a learned spirit,] Learned for experienced. The construction is, He knows with a learned spirit all qualities of human dealings.—WARBURTON

and JOHNSON.

huggard,] i. e. A wild hawk, unreclaimed or irreclaimable.—-JOHNSON. jesses] i. e. Short straps of leather tied about the foot of a hawk, by which she is held on the fist.-HANMER.

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.-JOHNSON.

- parts of conversation—] Parts is here synonymous with arts.—REED. chamberers-] i. e. Men of intrigue.