Page images
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

lago. In faith, too much;

I find it ftill, when I have lift to fleep;
Marry, before your ladyfhip, I grant,
She puts her tongue a little in her heart,
And chides with thinking.

Emil. You have little cause to say fo.

lago. Come on, come on; you're pictures out of doors,

Bells in your parlours, wild-cats in your kitchens, Saints in your injuries, devils being offended, Players in your housewifery, and housewives in your beds!

Def. O, fie upon thee, flanderer!

lago. Nay, it is true, or elfe I am a Turk; You rife to play, and go to bed to work. Emil. You fhall not write my praife.. lago. No, let me not.

Def. What would't thou write of me, if thou fhould't praife me?

Iago. O gentle lady, do not put me to't, For I am nothing, if not critical.

Def. Come, one affay. There's oue gone to the harbour

Iago. Ay, Madam.

Def. I am not merry; but I do beguile The thing I am, by feeming otherwife; Come, how would'st thou praise me?

Iago. I am about it; but, indeed, my invention comes from my pate, as birdlime does from freeze, it plucks out brains and all. But my mufe labours,

and thus fhe is delivered.

If fhe be fair and wife, fairness and wit,

The one's for ufe, the other ufeth it.

Def. Well prais'd; how if she be black and witty?
Iago. If he be black, and thereunto have a wit,
She'll find a white that fall her blackness fit.

VOL. IX.

R

Def.

Def. Worfe and worse.

Emil. How, if fair and foolish?

Iago. She never yet was foolish, that was fair ;
For even her folly helpt her to an heir.

Def. These are old fond paradoxes, to make fools laugh i' th' alehouse. What miserable praise hast thou for her that's foul and foolish?

Iago. There's none fo foul and foolish thereunto,

But does foul pranks, which fair and wife ones do Def. Oh, heavy ignorance! thou praiseft the worst beft. But what praife couldft thou beftow on a deferving woman indeed? one that in the authority of her merit, did justly put on the vouch of very malice itfelf?

Iago. She that was ever fair, and never proud,

Had tongue at will, and yet was never loud;
Never lack'd gold, and yet went never gay,
Fled from her wifh, and yet faid, now I may;
She that when anger'd, her revenge being nigh,
Bad her wrong flay, and her difpleafure fly;
She that in wifdom never was fo frail

To change the cod's head for the falmon's tail;
She that could think, and ne'er difclofe her mind,
See fuitors following, and not look behind;

She was a wight, (if ever fuch wight were)—

Def. To do what?

Iago. To fuckle fools, and chronicle fmall beer.

Def. O moft lame and impotent conclufion! do not learn of him, Æmilia, tho' he be thy husband. How fay you, Caffio, is he not a moft profane and liberal councellor ?

Caf. He fpeaks home, Madam; you may relish him more in the foldier, than in the fcholar.

Iago. [Afide.] He takes her by the palm; ay, well faid-whisper-With as little a web as this, will I

enfnare

enfnare as great a fly as Caffio. Ay, fmile upon her, do I will gyve thee in thine own courtship. You fay true, 'tis fo, indeed.-If fuch tricks as thefe ftrip you out of your lieutenancy, it had been better you had not kifs'd your three fingers fo oft, which now again you are most apt to play the Sir in. Very good-well kifs'd, and excellent courtesy--'tis fo, indeed. Yet again-your fingers to your lips? 'would, they were clifter-pipes for your fake. [Trumpet

I know his trumpet.

The Moor,
Caf. 'Tis truly fo.

Def. Let's meet him, and receive him.
Caf. Lo, where he comes!

[blocks in formation]

SCENE VI.

Enter Othello and Attendants.

Def. My dear Othello!

H my fair warrior!

Oth. It gives me wonder, great as my content, To fee you here before me. O my foul's joy! If after every tempeft come fuch calms,

May the winds blow 'till they have waken'd death: And let the labouring bark climb hills of feas Olympus high; and duck again as low

As hell's from heav'n! if I were now to die,
'Twere now to be most happy: for, I fear,
My foul Kath her content fo abfolute,

That not another comfort like to this
Succeeds in unknown fate.

Def. The heav'ns forbid,

But that our loves and comforts fhould increase,
Ev'n as our days do grow!

Oth. Amen, to that sweet Prayer!

I cannot speak enough of this content,
It ftops me here: it is too much of joy.

And this, and this, the greateft difcords be [Kiffing her.
That e'er our hearts fhall make!

R 2

Iago.

Iago. Oh, you are well-tun'd now; but I'll let down the pegs that make this music, as honest as I am.

Oth. Come, let's to the caftle.

[Afide.

Now, friends, our wars are done; the Turks are drown'd.

How do our old acquaintance of this isle ?

Honey, you fhall be well defir'd in Cyprus,

I've found great love amongst them. Oh my Sweet,
I prattle out of fashion, and I dote

In mine own comfort. Pr'ythee, good Iago,
Go to the bay, and difembark my coffers:
Bring thou the mafter to the citadel,

He is a good one, and his worthiness

Does challenge much refpect. Come, Defdemona,
Once more well met at Cyprus.

Exeunt Othello and Defdemona.

SCENE VII.

Manent Iago and Rodorigo.

Lago. D Cyme thither, if thou beft valiant; (as, O you meet me presently at the harbour.

they fay, base men, being in love, have then a nobility in their natures, more than is native to them)— lift me; the liutenant to-night watches on the Court of Guard. First, I muft tell thee, this Defdemona is directly in love with him.

Red. With him? why, 'tis not poffible?

Iago. Lay thy fingers thus; and let thy foul be infructed. Mark me with what violence the first lov'd the Moor, but for bragging, and telling her fantastical lies. And will fhe love him ftill for prating? let not thy difcreet heart think it. Her eye must be fed. And what delight fhall fhe have to look on the Devil? when the blood is made dull with the act of sport, there should be again to inflame it, and to give Satiety a fresh appetite, lovelinefs in favour, fympathy in

years,

years, manners, and beauties; all which the Moor is defective in. Now, for want of thefe requir'd conveniences, her delicate tenderness will find itfelf abus'd, begin to heave the gorge, difrelifh and abhor the Moor; very nature will inftruct her in it, and compel her to fome second choice. Now, Sir, this granted, (as it is a moft pregnant and unforc'd pofition). who ftands fo eminent in the degree of this fortune, as Caffio does? a knave very voluble; no further conscionable, than in putting on the mere form of civil and humane Seeming, for the better compaffing of his falt and most hidden loose affection; a flippery and fubtil knave, a finder of occafions, that has an eye can ftamp and counterfeit advantages, tho' true advantage never prefent itfelf. A devilish knave! befides, the knave is handsom, young, and hath all those requifites in him, that folly and green minds look after. A peftilent complete knave! and the woman hath found him already.

Rod. I cannot believe that of her, fhe's full of most blefs'd condition.

Iago. Blefs'd figs' end! the wine fhe drinks is made of grapes. If he had been blefs'd, fhe would never have lov'd the Moor: Blefs'd pudding! didst thou not fee her paddle with the palm of his hand.? didst not mark that?

Rod. Yes, that I did; but that was but courtesy.

Iago. Letchery, by this hand; an index, and obfcure prologue to the hiftory of luft, and foul thoughts. They met fo near with their lips, that their breaths embrac'd together. Villanous thoughts, Rodorigo! when these mutualities fo marfhal the way, hard at hand comes to the mafter and main exercise, the incorporate conclufion: pifh-But, Sir, be you rul'd by me. I have brought you from Venice. Watch you to-night; for the command, I'll lay't upon you. Caffio knows you not: I'll not be far from you. Do you find fome occafion to anger Caffio, either by fpeaking

R 3

« PreviousContinue »