Iago. 'Faith, he to-night hath boarded a land carrack; If it prove lawful prize, he's made for ever. Caf. To whom? lago. Marry, to----Come, Captain, will you go? Enter OTHELLO. Oth. Have with you. Caf. Here comes another troop to feek for you. Enter BRABANTIO, RODORIGO, with Officers and Torches. Iago. It is Brabantio: General, be advised; Oth. Holla! ftand there. [They draw on both Sides.. Jago. You, Rodorigo! come, Sir, I am for you--Oth. Keep up your bright fwords, for the dew will ruft 'em. Good Signior, you fhall more command with years Than with your weapons. Bra. O thou foul thief! where haft thou ftowed. my daughter; Damned as thou art, thou haft enchanted her; (2) The -that she fhunned wealthy curled darlings of our nation.] Though I Have not difturbed the text, here, I ought to fubjoin a very probable conjecture which Mr Warburton propofed me: The wealthy culled darlings of our nation.. The wealthy curled darlings of our nation, i. e. picked, felect, chofen from the common fuitors. For -the epithet curled, as he obferves, was no mark of diftinction or difference between a Venetian and a Moor; which latter people are remarkably curled by Nature. And though called now, when our ears are nicer than our understandings, may not fo frequently find a place in the drama, the fame objection did not ly to the found of it in Shakespeare's days. Of all complexions the culled fovereignty. Love's Labour L. Call for our chiefeft men of difcipline King John.. Ibid. And culled these fiery spirits from the world. Ibid. For who is he, whofe chin is but enriched Thefe culled and choice-drawn cavaliers to France? Henry V. With one appearing hair, that will not follow Henry VI. Now ye familiar fpirits, that are rulled Troilus and Creffula No, Madam, we have culled fuch neceffaries. Romeo and Juliet. In tattered weeds, with overwhelming brows, &c. &c &c. Ibid. (10) Fudge me the world, if 'tis not grifs in fenfe, That thou ball pralt fed on her with foul charms, Abufed her delicate youth with drugs, or minerals, That weaken motion] Brabantio is here accusing Othello of having used fome foul play, and intoxicated Defdemona by That thou haft practifed on her with foul charms, Abufed her delicate youth with drugs or minerals, drugs and potions to win her over to his love. But why drugs to weaken motion? How then could he have run away with him voluntarily from her father's houfe? Had he been averfe to chufing Othello, though he had given her medicines that took away the ufe of her limbs, might the not ftill have retained her fenfes, and opposed the marriage?Her father, 'tis evident, from feveral of his speeches, is pofitive that the must have been abufed in her rational faculties, or fhe could not have made fo prepofterous a choice as to wed with a Moor, a black, and refufe the fineft young gentlemen in Venice. What then have we to do with her motion being weakened? If I understand any thing of the Poet's meaning here, I cannot but think he must have wrote; Abuted her delicate youth with drugs, or minerals, i.e. her apprehenfion, right conception and idea of things, understanding, judgment, &c. 'Tis ufual with us to fay, we have no notion of a thing, when we would mean, we don't very clearly understand it. The Roman claffics ufed the word in the fame manner; and Cicero has thus defined it. for us. Notionem appello, quod Græci tum evvorav tum wpóandiv. Die notionem nullum animal eft quod habeat præter hominem. Idem 1. de Legibus. Cujus rei rationem notionemque eodem volumine tradidit. Plin. lib. 17. cap. 28. &c. Nor is our Author infrequent in the ufage of this term. Does Lear walk thus? fpeak thus? Where are his eyes? Are lethargied, &c. Your judgments, my grave Lords, King Lear. Coriolanus. Muft give this cur the lie; and his own notion, Who wears my ftripes, &c. And all things elfe, that might To half a foul, and to a notion crazed Say, thus did Banquo. Macbeth. And, in Cymbeline he has expreffed the fame idea by an equi valent term: The drug he gave me, which he faid was precious Murderous to the fenfes ? I made this emendation in the appendix to my Shakefpeare Reftored, and Mr Pope has adopted it in his laft edi That weaken notion.---I'll have't disputed on; Oth. Hold your hands, Both you of my inclining, and the reft. Bra. To prifon, 'till fit time Of law, and courfe of direct feffion Oth. What if I do obey? How may the Duke be therewith fatisfied, Whofe meffengers are here about my fide, Upon fome prefent bufinefs of the State, To bring me to him? Off. True, moft worthy Signior. The Duke's in council; and your noble felf, Bra. How the Duke in council? Cannot but feel this wrong as 'twere their own; (11) For if fuch actions may have pallage free, Bendflaves and pagans shall our flate fmen be I have long had a fufpicion of pagans here. Would Brabantio infer, if his private injury were not redressed, the fenate fhould no longer pretend to call themselves Chriftians? But pagans are as ftrict and moral we find all the world ever, as the most regular SCENE changes to the Senate-house. Duke and Senators, fet at a Table, with Lights, and Attendants. Duke. There is no compofition in thefe news, That gives them credit. 1 Sen. Indeed they're difproportioned; My letters fay, a hundred and feven gallies. Duke. And mine a hundred and forty. 2 Sen. And mine two hundred: But though they jump not on a just account, (As in thefe cafes, where the aim reports, 'Tis oft with difference ;) yet do they all confirm A l'urkish fleet, and bearing up to Cyprus. Duke. Nay, it is poffible enough to judgment;. I do not fo fecure me in the error, But the main article I do approve In fearful fenfe. Sailors within.] What hoa! what hoa! what hoa! Chritians, in the preservation of private property. The dif ference of faith is not at all concerned, but mere human policy, in afcertaining the right of meum and tuum. I have ventured to imagine that our Author wrote; BondЛlaves and pageants fhall our statesmen be: i. e. if we'll let fuch injurious actions go unpunished, our ftatefmen must be flaves, cyphers in fice, and have no power of redrefling; be things of mere fhow, and gaudy ap pearance only. So, in Measure for Meafute; Mine were the very cypher of a function, To fine the faults, whofe fine ftands in record, And fo, in King Henry VIII. -if we ftand fill in fear, Our motion will be mocked or carped at: |