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with great deference both to Mr. Steevens and Mr. Henley, I cannot but agree with Mr. Monk Mason, who denies that the tiger's mocking or sporting with the animal he intends to devour, is justly figurative of the treatment which a wife receives from the jealousy of her husband: for, besides that, the woman, (whom we must here suppose the subject of the mockery) in the interval between suspicion and assurance, is neither literally nor metaphorically, neither during her probation, nor at her conviction, the meat on which the jealous husband feeds, it is by no means an admissible interference that she is to be destroyed. That is, indeed, the dreadful catastrophe of Othello's jealousy, but it is an extremity of which, as yet, he has no conception; and which Iago, whatever he might design hereafter, would have too much prudence to suggest at present.

"It is the green-eyed monster," &c.

I think Sir T. Hanmer's emendation, "make," might be adopted, and cannot help thinking that Shakspeare meant to refer to some animal, real or fabulous, that makes, or is supposed to make, "the meat it feeds on ;" of some such he might have heard or read, though which it was be not now known: I think I have heard or read, though I cannot recollect where, of a sort of large dragon fly, that voids a greenish foam from its mouth, and then gradually sucks it in again :—if there be such creature, it would be sufficient to justify the expression. LORD CHEDWORTH. 379. "O misery!"

Here again Othello is naturally interrupted by the subtle Iago, who will not intermit the

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potent infusion of his poison-the case is different at the conclusion of his speech; and his grave adjuration,

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

381. Oth.

Why? why is this?"

This is defective. I suppose we should read

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Why? why is this, Iago?"

Matching thy inference. 'Tis not to make me jealous."

This line is at least a foot too long. We might read,

Matching thy inference; it not makes me jealous."

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The praises bestowed upon a lady's accomplishments, such as singing, dancing, conversation, &c. might probably excite a husband's jealousy, but I cannot discover how the manner of her eating, or the quality of her food, could have any effect that way; and as the words are equally burthensome to the metre and impertinent to the sense, they should be rejected as interpolation:

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'Tis not to make me jealous,

"To say my wife is fair, loves company," &c. 382. "Where virtue is, these are more virtuous."

As I cannot perceive how the qualities mentioned should be more virtuous in one position than in another, I must concur with the editor of the second folio, in reading "most virtuous"—

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not as the highest degree of comparison, but as expressing the quality absolutely and without exception or abatement; as we say, "most excellent," "most admirable," without any reference to "much" or 6% more."

"Where virtue is, these are more virtuous."

This, I confess, notwithstanding the explanations, I do not understand: more virtuous than what? I therefore wish to read, with the ignorant editor of the second folio, and the modern editions, most virtuous. LORD CHEDWORTH.

383. "Dost thou say so?"

Another hemistic, with the usual concomitant disorder, and another attempt at correction.

Oth. "Dost thou say so?"

Lag.

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She did deceive her father. "In marrying you, and when she seem'd to shake

"And fear your looks; even then she lov'd them most.'

Oth. "And so she did, 'tis true."

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Iag. 384. "

Why, go to, then," &c.

I am bound to thee for ever."

The excess, in this hemistic, might be removed:

"For too much loving you."

Oth."

I'm ever bound to you."

"Not a jot, not a jot.”

Here again is a corrupt hypermeter:

"I see this hath a little dash'd your spirits."

Oth. "No, not a jot.

Iag.

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Trust me, I fear it has."

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I will not."

Indeed,

"Should you do so, my lord, my speech would fall

"Into such vile success as my clear thoughts "Do aim not at; Cassio's my worthy friend."

"Trusty" is the reading of the first quarto, and the word in the present text, I think, is not worthy to supersede it. "Success," here, means simply, event, consequence; thus, in a Translation of Tacitus, by Greenwey, 1622: "As well the prosperous as unprosperous successes of the ancient commonwealth," &c.

385. "And (hapily) repent."

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pair:

Hapily" is haply; but the measure wants re

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be so:

"Farewell; if more of this thou dost perceive,

"Let me know more:-set on thy wife t

observe;

"Leave me, Iago."

Iag.

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My lord, I take my leave."

386. "I once more take my leave."

Something, here, has been either obtruded or omitted; it is impossible to ascertain which-the passage might have run thus:

"Fear not my government."

Iag.

388.

My lord, adieu,

"Most humbly I do once more take my leave."

Or, for I am declin'd

"Into the vale of years;-yet that's not much."

That argument, or this train of thinking, is little to the purpose-the fact is, she is lost, &c.

389. "And not their appetites! I had rather be a toad."

This line is intolerably long:-I would reduce it thus:

"And not their appetites.—I'd rather be

"A toad, and live o' th' vapour of a dungeon." "For others' uses," &c.

Use," which is sufficient for the sense, would save the metre.

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Prerogativ'd are they less than the base?"

I believe the meaning is, that the great are less privileged in the power of shunning or escaping evil, than the base are.

391. "I am to blame."

Something has been lost; perhaps to this ef

fect:

I will attend on them."

"I am very sorry that you are not well." This line, pleasing for its simplicity, occurs in Romeo and Juliet:

"Indeed, I'm sorry that you are not well."

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