lago. If she be black, and thereto have a wit,

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

Des. Worse and worse.

Emil. How, if fair and foolish?

lago. She never yet was foolish that was fair; For even her folly help'd her to an heir.

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

152

lago. There's none so foul, and foolish thereunto, But does foul pranks which fair and wise

ones do.

Des. O heavy ignorance!-thou praisest the worst best. But what praise couldst thou bestow on a deserving woman indeed; one that, in the authority of her merit, did justly put on the vouch of very malice itself?

lago. She that was ever fair, and never proud;

159

Had tongue at will, and yet was never loud;
Never lack'd gold, and yet went never gay;
Fled from her wish, and yet said,—now I may!
She that, being anger'd, her revenge being
nigh,

Bid her wrong stay, and her displeasure fly;

She that in wisdom never was so frail,

To change the cod's head for the salmon's

tail;

She that could think, and ne'er disclose her

mind,

See suitors following, and not look behind;
She was a wight,-if ever such wight were-

Des. To do what?

lago. To suckle fools, and chronicle small beer.

171

Des. O most lame and impotent conclusion!-Do not learn of him, Æmilia, though he be thy husband. -How say you, Cassio? is he not a most profane and liberal counsellor ?

Cas. He speaks home, madam; you may relish him more in the soldier, than in the scholar.

lago. [Aside.] He takes her by the palm: Ay, well said, whisper : with as little a web as this, will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio. Ay, smile upon her, do; I will gyve thee in thine own courtship. You say true; 'tis so, indeed: if such tricks as these strip you out of your lieutenantry, it had been better you had not kiss'd your three fingers so oft, which now again you are most apt to play the sir in. Very good; well kiss'd! an excellent courtesy! 'tis so, indeed. Yet again your fingers to your lips? 'would, they were clyster-pipes for your sake!

The Moor,-I know his trumpet.

Cas. 'Tis truly so.

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

Cas. Lo, where he comes!

Enter OTHELLO, and Attendants,

Oth. O my fair warrior!

Des. My dear Othello!

190

Oth. It gives me wonder great as my content, To see you here before me. O my soul's joy! If after every tempest come such calmness, May the winds blow 'till they have waken'd death! And let the labouring bark climb hills of seas Olympus high; and duck again as low

As hell's from heaven! If it were now to die,
'Twere now to be most happy; for, I fear,
My soul hath her content so absolute,

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

Des. The heavens forbid,

But that our loves and comforts should increase,

Even as our days do grow!

Oth. Amen to that, sweet 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 shall make !

lago. O, you are well tun'd now!

200

819

[Kissing her,

But

[Aside.

But I'll let down the pegs that make this musick,

As honest as I am.

Oth. Come, let us to the castle.

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

How do our old acquaintance of this isle ?— 220 Honey, you shall be well desir'd in Cyprus,

I have found great love amongst them. O my sweet,
I prattle out of fashion, and I dote

In mine own comforts.-I pr'ythee, good Iago,
Go to the bay, and disembark my coffers:
Bring thou the master to the citadel;

He is a good one, and his worthiness

Does challenge much respect.-Come, Desdemona, Once more well met at Cyprus.

229

[Exeunt OTHELLO, DESDEMONA, and Attendants. Iago. Do thou meet me presently at the harbour. Come hither. If thou be'st valiant; as (they say) base men, being in love, have then a nobility in their natures more than is native to them,-list 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 possible.

237

lago. Lay thy finger-thus, and let thy soul be instructed. Mark me with what violence she first lov'd the Moor, but for bragging, and telling her fantastical lies: And will she love him still for prating? let not thy discreet heart think it. Her eye must be fed; and what delight shall she have to

look

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,loveliness in favour; sympathy 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 itself abus'd, begin to heave the gorge, disrelish and abhor the Moor; very nature will instruct her in it, and compel her to some second choice. Now, sir, this granted (as it is a most pregnant and unforc'd position), who stands so eminently in the degree of this fortune, as Cassio does a knave very voluble; no farther conscionable, than in putting on the mere form of civil and humane seeming, for the better compassing of his salt and most hidden loose affection? why, none; why, none: A slippery and subtle knave; a finder out of occasions; that has an eye can stamp and counterfeit advantages, though true advantage never present itself: A devilish knave! besides, the knave is handsome, young; and hath all those requisites in him, that folly and green minds look after: A pestilent complete knave; and the woman hath found him already. 267

Rod. I cannot believe that in her; she is full of most bless'd condition.

lago. Bless'd figs' end! the wine she drinks is made of grapes: if she had been bless'd, she would never have lov'd the Moor: Bless'd pudding! Didst

thou