513. lam hurt to death-he dies.] Montano thinks he is mortally wounded, yet by these words he seems determined to continue the duel, and to kill his antagonist Cassio. So when Roderigo runs at Cassio, in the 5th act, he says-" Villain, thou dy'st." TOLLET. He dies, i. e. he shall die. He may be supposed to say this as he is offering to renew the fight. The first quarto reads STEEVENS. 'Zounds, I bleed still; I am hurt to death. And adds in the margin-he faints. This shews that the words-he dies-were at first ignorantly inserted by the editors of the folio (where alone they are found) who were misled by Cassio's saying that he was "hurt to death;" and afterwards thinking it necessary to omit the oath that originally stood in this line, they absurdly supplied its place, by introducing this improper marginal direction into the text. MALONE. 516. -all sense of place and duty?] The rest, 522. -all place of sense and duty? So Hanmer. JOHNSON. -to carve forth his own rage,] So the quarto. The reading of the folio-for his own rage, is perhaps better. 524. -it frights the isle MALONE. From her propriety.]-From her regular and proper state. JOHNSON. 529. In quarter-] In their quarters; at their lodging. JOHNSON. Rather at peace, quiet. They had been on that very spot (the court or platform, it is presumed, before the castle) ever since Othello left them, which can scarcely be called being in their quarters, or at their lodging. REMARKS. It required one example, if no more, to evince that in quarter ever signified quiet, at peace.-Perhaps the tomohawk of criticism has never been thrown with more desperate dexterity than by this very Remarker, whose oscitancy in this instance exposes him to a severe retaliation. But little attention would have shewn, that the them, whom he speaks of Othello's having left, was only Cassio; who, being joined by Iago, where Othello (but not on the platform) had just left him, is dissuaded from setting the watch immediately; entreated to partake of a stoop of wine, in company with a brace of Cyprus gallants, then waiting without; and prevailed upon, though reluctantly, to invite them in. In this apartment the carousal happens, and wine is repeatedly called for, till at last Cassio, finding its too powerful effects, goes out to set the watch. At the proposal of Montano, himself and Jago follow Cassio towards the platform, and the latter sets on Roderigo to insult him. The scuffle ensues; an alarm is given, and Othello comes forth to inquire the cause. When, therefore, Iago answers: I do not know :-friends all but now, even now In quarter it is evident the quarter referred to, was that apartment of the castle assigned to the officers on guard, where Othello, after giving Cassio his orders, had, a little before, before, left him; and where Iago, with his companions, immediately found him. HENLEY. 537. you are thus forgot?] i. e. you have thus forgot yourself. STEEVENS. 543. That you unlace-] Slacken, or loosen. Put in danger of dropping; or perhaps strip of its orna JOHNSON. ments. Dr. Johnson gives no reason for this interpretation. I believe that unlace in this passage means-" You UNLESS OF ONLES your reputation," from the verb Onleran. HORNE TOOK E. 544. spend your rich opinion—] Throw away and squander a reputation so valuable as yours. JOHNSON. 551 self charity-] Care of one's self. JOHNSON. 556. And passion, having my best judgment collied,] Thus the folio reads, and I believe rightly. Othello means, that passion has discoloured his judgment. The word is used in The Midsummer-Night's Dream: -like lightning in the collied night.” 66 To colly anciently signified to besmut, to blacken as with coal. So, in a comedy called The Family of Love, -1608.- carry thy link a't'other side the way, thou collow'st me and my ruffe." The word (as I am assured) is still used in the midland counties.-Colly, however, is from coal, as collier. STEEVENS. 561. he that is approv'd in this offence,] He that is convicted by proof, of having been engaged in this .offence. JOHNSON. 566. -and on the court and guard of safety!] This, it must be confessed, is the reading of all the old copies. Yet I have no doubt that the words were transposed by mistake at the press, when the first quarto was printed, which the other editions have followed. I would read: on the court of guard and safety. The court of guard was formerly a military phrase, meaning the guard-room. The same phrase having occurred already in this play, act ii. line 232. puts the emendation proposed beyond a doubt : "-the lieutenant to-night watches on the court of guard.”A similar mistake has happened again in the present scene, where, in the old copy we find— Have you forgot all place of sense and duty? instead of—all sense of place, &c. MALONE. As a collocation of words as seemingly perverse occurs in the Midsummer-Night's Dream, and is justi. fied there, in the following instance "I shall desire you of more acquaintance.” I forbear to disturb the text in the passage under con. sideration. STEEVENS. 568. If partially affin'd-] Affin'd is bound by proximity of relationship; but here it means related by nearness of office. In the first scene it is used in the former of these senses; "If I, in any just term, am affin'd STEEVENS. 607. Lead him off.] I am persuaded, these words were originally a marginal direction. In our old plays plays all the stage directions were couched in imperative terms:-Play musick-Ring the bell-Lead him off. MALONE. 620. tos. there is more offence, &c.] Thus the quar The folio reads-there is more sense, &c. STEEVENS. 626. -cast in his mood-] Ejected in his anger. 632. JOHNSON. and speak, parrot ?] A phrase signifying to act foolishly and childishly. So Skelton, "These maidens full mekely with many a divers flour, "Freshly they dress and make sweete my hourę, "With spake parrot I pray you full courteously thei saye." WARBURTON. 670. for that he hath devoted, and given up himself to the contemplation, mark, and devotement, of her parts and graces.-] I remember, it is said of Antony, in the beginning of his tragedy, that he who used to fix his eyes altogether on the dreadful ranges of war : now bends, now turns, 66 "The office and devotion of their view "Upon a strumpet's front." This is finely expressed; but I cannot persuade myself that our poet would ever have said, any one devoted himself to the devotement of any thing. All the copies agree; but the mistake certainly arose from a single letter being turned upside down at press. 692. THEOBALD. -this advice is free-] This counsel has an appearance |