This is fome token from a newer friend: Of thy felt abfence now i feel a caufe: Caf. Go to, woman : Throw your vile gucffes in the devil's teeth, Bian. Why, whofe is it? [ber; Caf. I know not neither; I found it in my chamI like the work well: ere it be demanded, As like enough it will, I'd have it copied : Take it and do't, and leave me for this time. Bian. Leave you? wherefore? Caf. I do attend here on the General, And think it no addition, nor my wish, To have him fee me womaned. Bian. Why, I pray you? Caf. Not that I love you not. Bian. But that you do not love me; Caf. 'Tis but a little way that I can bring you, For I attend here. But I'll fee you foon. Bian. 'Tis very good, I must be circumftanced. [Exeunt. SCENE, A Court before the Palace. Enter OTHELLO and IAGO. IAGO. WILL you think fo? Oth. Think fo, Iago? Lago. What, to kiss in private? Oth. An unauthorised kiss? Iago. Or to be naked with her friend in bed, An hour or more, not meaning any harm? Oth. Naked in bed, Iago, and not mean harm? It is hypocrify against the devil: (43) They that mean virtuoufly, and yet do fo, The devil their virtue tempts, and they tempt Heaven. Iago. If they do nothing, 'tis a venial flip: But if I give my wife a handkerchief Oth. What then? Iago. Why then, 'tis hers, my Lord; and being She may, I think, beftow't on any man. Oth. She is protectress of her honour too; May the give that? [hers, lago. Her honour is an effence that's not feen; They have it very oft, that have it not : But for the handkerchief-- Oth. By Heaven, I would moft gladly have forgot it; Thou faidft-oh, it comes o'er my memory, (43) Naked in bed, lago, and mean no harm? It is hypocrify against the devil.] This paffage puts me in mind of fingular fet of devotees in the primitive church of both fexes, (whom S. Cyprian condemns in one of his epiftles) and which had continued a confiderable time, as we may fee from Dodwell's Cyprianic Differtations, where we have a full account of them. There were feveral of both fexes, who had made their vows and profeffions of chastity; and, as the extremeft trial of their virtue, fcrupled not to ly naked together in bed. Some had been excommunicated for it of the female fex, who yet ftuck to their innocence, and offered to undergo any trials of their virginity. Whether our Author had these dissembling devotees in his mind or no, I dare not pretend to fay: but fome of the fect, if I remember right, were detected and brought to punishment in his time. Mr-Warburton. 1 As doth the raven o'er th' infected houfe, Boding to ill,-----he had my handkerchief.. lago. Ay, what of that? Oth. That's not fo good now. lago. What if I faid, I'd feen him do you wrong? Or heard him fay, (as knaves be fuch abroad, (44) (4) -as knaves be fuh abroad,. 'ho having by their own importunate fuit, Or voluntary dotage of fame mistress, Convinced or fupplied them, cannot chufe But they must blav.] I altered this, as I have now reformed the text, in the Appendix to my Shakespeare Restorea. I cannot understand the vulgar reading, which poffef fes the copies. My emendation makes the fenfe of the paffage eafy and intelligible: that there are fome fuch longtongued knaves in the world, who, if they through the force of importunity extort a favour from their mistress, or if through her own fondness they make her pliant to their defires, cannot help boafting of their fuccefs. To convince, here, is not, as in the common acceptation, to make fenfible of the truth of any thing by reafons and arguments; but to overcome, get the better of, &c. So in Macbeth; -his two chamberlains Will I with wine and waffel fo convince, &c. Your Italy contains none fo accomplished a courtier to convince the honour of my mistress. To fupple, (a verb formed from the adjective, 'tis welk known, fignifies, to make pliant and flexible and is, particularly, a term in furgery, when any part fwoln and stiff is, by fomentations, &c. reduced, and made foft and pliable. I find the word ufed in our Author's time, in the fenfe that I here make it bear. Fit. Bro. And you, mas broker, The nerves. Staple of News Who having by their own importunate fuit, Oth. Hath he faid any thing? lago. He hath, my Lord; but be you well af-No more than he'll unfwear. Oth. What hath he faid? [fured,. Iago. Why, that he did I know not what he did Oth. What? what? Iago. Ly Oth. With her? Jago. With her, on her,----what you will--- Oth. Ly with her! ly on her! ly with her!' that's fulfome: handkerchief---confeffions - - handkerchief-handkerchief---to confefs and be hanged. for his labour---Firft to be hanged, and then---to confefs ----I tremble at it---Nature, would not inveft herself in fuch fhadowing without fome inftruction. It is not words that fhake me thus-----pifh-nofes, ears, and lips---is't poffible!---confefs!-handkerchief ----Oh devil !---- [Falls in a Trance. Iago. Work on, My medicine, work! thus credulous fools are caught; Enter CASSIO.. How now, Caffio?! He's monstrous vexed and musty at my chefs-play, Spanish Curate.. Dumb Knight Caf. What's the matter? Iago. My Lord is fell into, an epilepsy, The lethargy must have his quiet course; [Exit Caffio.. How is it, General? have you not hurt your head? Gth. Doft thou mock me? Iago. I mock you. not, by Heaven; Would you would bear your fortunes like a man. Oth. A horned man's a monster, and a beast. Iago. There's many a beast then in a populous. And many a civil monster. Oth. Did he confefs it? Iago. Good Sir, be a man; [city, Think, every bearded fellow, that's but yoked, Which they dare fwear peculiar. Your cafe is better.. And to fuppofe her chafte. No, let me know,. And knowing what I am, I know what the fhall be: Oth. Oh, thou art wife; 'tis certain. Jago. Stand you a while apart, Whilft you were here, o'erwhelmed with your grief |