"Still question'd me the story of my life "From year to year."

"From year to year," I am persuaded, is interpolation; there is no force, nor sense in the words; and their disturbance of the metre condemns them to ejection:

"Still question'd me the story of my life, "The battles, sieges, fortunes I have pass'd." "To the very moment that he bade me tell it."

"

This is a common but very incorrect mode of speech; "that" is the relative to moment, and stands for "which," but it should be "in which" or " at which:" the adverb "when" might be admitted, and would not injure the

metre.

Portance in my travel's history."

Portance," here, I believe, is only a modification of "import," or "importance," and signifying, relative circumstances, material incidents.

274. "And that would woo her. Upon this hint, I spake."

"On," instead of "upon" would restore this line to harmony.

"Good Brabantio."

Perhaps to this hemistic belonged,

I pray you, good Brabantio, be advis'd." "I am hitherto your daughter."

By what precedes, I understand the sense to be, I am hitherto, or, as far as these duties require, your daughter.

"I am hitherto your daughter."

She divides her duties, giving the chief to her father, modestly reserving love only, under the name of duty, to her husband: "hitherto" does not here refer to time, but to the account of her duties. B. STRUTT.

275. "Due to the Moor, my lord."

"The Moor" I take to be an interpolation; it is not wanted for the sense, and spoils the mea

sure:

"Due to m'y lord."

Bra. "

God be with you! I have done." “I had rather to adopt a child, than get it.” This is a mode of expression, the inaccuracy of which has been already noted; we might better read,

I

"I rather would adopt a child," &c.

"Come hither, Moor."

suppose some words have been lost: perhaps, And since 'tis as it is.”

66

"I here do give thee that

"Which, but thou hast already, with all my

heart

"I would keep from thee."

The accusative pronoun "it" is wanting; I give thee that, which I would keep from thee, but that-or, elliptically, but, thou hast it already.

66

Let me speak like yourself.”

Let me assume your place; let me speak as if

your case were my own.

276. "Into your favour."

Perhaps :

"Into your grace and favour as before."

277. "

I humbly beseech you, proceed to the affairs of state."

Does the editor give this as metre? we should read,

"Beseech you now, proceed to th' affairs of state."

278. "The Turk, with a most mighty preparation," &c.

Why the Duke, in thus entering on the great business of the state, should descend, all at once, from verse to prose, is a question that the early botchers and interpolators of Shakspeare would, perhaps, only be competent to answer. 279. "Allow'd sufficiency.”

Acknowledged ability.

"A sovereign mistress of effects."

i. e. A ruling cause.

Seems to mean, arduousness: but perhaps we should read, with some of the modern copies, hardiness.

"These present wars."

The quarto (1622), and the folio, have,

"This present wars,

of which, perhaps, the true reading is,

This present war."

Fit disposition for my wife; "Due reference of place, and exhibition." Jaffier says, in Venice Preserved,

"I have treated Belvidera like your daughter, "The daughter of a senator of Venice;

"Distinction, place, attendance, and observance "Due to her worth, she ever has commanded." 281. " Gracious duke,

"To my unfolding lend a gracious ear.'

I wonder the correction of the folio, to avoid this offensive repetition, has not been adopteda prosperous ear.'

66

A moth is a useless insect, gendered in inactivity and idleness.

"Vouch with me, heaven."

The first quarto, without a hemistic, or any defect,

"Your voices, lords; beseech you, let her will "Have a free way. I therefore beg it not."

"Vouch with me, heaven," was the interpolation of some conceited actor.

"Nor to comply with heat," &c.

After all that has been advanced upon this -passage, what Dr. Johnson proposed appears to be the most satisfactory :

"Nor to comply with heat (the young affects "In me defunct) and proper satisfaction."

Mr. Theobald was mighty uneasy, on Desdemona's account, at this remark of Othello's; but the good-natured critic ought to have considered that virility is not destroyed, nor, always, even impaired, by the "defunction" of that impetuosity with which it usually commences. It is not the efficiency of manhood that, in the Moor, is now "defunct;" but only "that raging motion," "that carnal sting," "that unbitted lust," which in youthful constitutions is apt to domineer.The hey-day of his blood, "indeed," is tame, and "waits upon the judgment;" but of his effectual vigour, Mr. Theobald might have found a consoling assurance, from the mouth of that shrewd observer, Iago, who cannot suppress a suspicion that the "lusty Moor had leapt into his seat." As to the construction in Dr. Johnson's regulation, I cannot but think it defensible, notwithstanding Mr. Malone's objections.

291. "With what else needful your good grace shall think

"To be sent after me.”

This is foul construction-it must mean either, whatever else that is needful-(and then the context will not hold)-that your good grace shall think; or else, with whatever your good grace shall think needful. This latter appears to be the sense intended; but the construction is inadequate to it.

I have but an hour

Of love, of worldly matters and direction, "To spend with thee: we must obey the

time."

Vide Homer's Iliad, 11th Book. Iphidamus.