Jago. No, let me not.

Def. What wouldft thou write of me, if thou fhouldft praife me? Jago. Oh gentle lady, do not put me to’t,

For I am nothing, if not critical.

Def. Come, one affay. There's one gone to the harbour
Jago. Ay, madam.

Def. I am not merry; but I do beguile

The thing I am, by seeming otherwise;

Come, how wouldst thou praise me?

Jago. 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 muse 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?
Jago. If he be black, and thereto have a wit,

She'll find a white that shall her blackness fit.

Def. Worfe and worse.

Emil. How if fair and foolish?

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

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

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

But does foul pranks, which fair and wife ones do.

Des. Oh heavy ignorance! thou praifeft the worst best. Büt what praise couldst thou beftow on a deferving woman indeed? one, that in the authority of her merit, did justly put on the vouch of very malice it self?

Jago.

Jago. She that was ever fair, and never proud,
Had tongue at will, and yet was never loud;
Never lackt 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 ftay, and her difpleasure 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?

Jago. To fuckle fools, and chronicle small beer.

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

Caf. He fpeaks home, madam, you may relish him more in the foldier, than in the scholar.

Jago. [Afide.] He takes her by the palm, ay, well said whisper -- With as little a web as this, will I 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 these strip you out of your lieutenancy, it had been better you had nor kiss'd your three fingers so oft, which now again you are most apt to play the Sir in. Very good well kifs'd and excellent curtefie ---- 'tis fo indeed. Yet again gers to your lips? would they were clifter-pipes for your fake.

The Moor, I know his trumpet.

Caf. 'Tis truly fo.

Def. Let's meet him, and receive him.

Caf. Lo, where he comes!

your fin

[Trumpet.

VOL. VI.

sff

tor catch, fhackle.

SCENE

SCENE VI.

Enter Othello, and Attendants.

Oth. Oh my fair warrior!

Def. My dear Othello.

Oth. It gives me wonder, great as my content,

To see you here before me.

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 hath her content so abfolute,
That not another comfort like to this
Succeeds in unknown fate.

Def. The heav'ns forbid,

But that our loves and comforts should increase,
Ev'n as our days do grow.

Oth. Amen to that, fweet powers!
I cannot speak enough of this content,
It stops me here: it is too much of joy.
And this and this the greatest discords be

That e'er our hearts fhall make.

3

[Kiffing her.

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

[Afide.

Oth. Come, let's to the caftle.

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

How do our old acquaintance of this isle?

Honey, you shall 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 Jago,
Go to the bay, and difembark my coffers:
Bring thou the mafter to the cittadel,

He is a good one, and his worthinefs

Does challenge much respect. Come, Desdemona,

Once more well met at Cyprus. [Exeunt Othello and Desdemona. SCENE VII.

Manent Jago and Rodorigo.

base men being in love, more than is native to

Jago. Do you meet me presently at the harbour. Come thi ther, if thou be'ft valiant; as they fay, have then a nobility in their natures, them----lift me; the lieutenant to-night watches on the court of guard. First, I must tell thee this: Desdemona is directly in love with him.

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

Jago. Lay thy fingers thus; and let thy foul be inftructed. Mark me with what violence fhe first lov'd the Moor, but for bragging, and telling her fantastical lies. And will she love him

Her eye

ftill for prating? let not thy difcreet heart think it. must be fed. And what delight fhall fhe have to look on the devil? When the blood is made dull with the act of fport, there fhould be a game to inflame it, and to give fatiety a fresh appetite; loveliness in favour, fympathy in years, manners, and beauties: all which the Moor is defective in. Now for want of these requir'd conveniences, her delicate tenderness will find it felf abus❜d, begin to heave the gorge, difrelish and abhor the Moor; very nature will instruct her in it, and compel her to fome fecond choice. Now, Sir, this granted, (as it is a most pregnant and unforc'd position) who stands so eminent in the degree of this fortune, as Caffio does? a knave very voluble; no further conscionable, than in putting on the meer form of civil and hu

sff 2

man

man seeming, for the better compaffing of his falt and most hidden loose affection? a flippery and fubtile knave, a finder of occafions, that has an eye can stamp and counterfeit advantages, tho' true advantage never present it self. A devilish knave! befides, the knave is handsom, young, and hath all those requisites in him, that folly and green minds look after. A peftilent compleat knave! and the woman hath found him already.

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

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

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

d

Jago. Letchery, by this hand; an index, and obscure prologue to the history of luft, and foul thoughts. They met so near with their lips, that their breaths embrac'd together. Villanous thoughts, Rodorigo! when thefe mutualities fo marshal the way, hard at hand comes the master, and main exercise th' 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 some occafion to anger Caffio, either by speaking too loud, or tainting his discipline, or from what other courfe you please, which the time fhall more favourably minister. Rod. Well.

Jago. Sir, he's rafh, and very fudden in choler: and happily may strike at you. Provoke him that he may; for even out of that will I cause those of Cyprus to mutiny: whofe qualification fhall come into no true taste again, but by difplanting of Caffio. So fhall you have a fhorter journey to your defires, by the means I fhall then have to prefer them: And the impediments most profitably removed, without which there was no expectation of our Rod. profperity.

a mutabilities.