I find in the few words spoken in the novel by Desdemona, a faint-very faint-outline of the beautiful creation of our poet. "How can you be so melancholy, my lord, after having received so high and honourable a distinction from the Senate? says she to her husband, when he bemoans his fate at having to separate from her, in order to go to Cyprus. "My love for you, Desdemona," replies the Moor, "disturbs my enjoyment of the rank conferred upon me, since I am now exposed to this alternative. Parting from you is like parting from my life." "Ah, husband," cries Desdemona, "why do you perplex yourself with such idle imaginations? I will follow thee wherever thou goest, though it were necessary to pass through fire. If there are dangers in our way, I will share them with thee.” Again she is said to be a "very sweet lady who only loved her husband." When she argues with Othello concerning the pardon of Cassio, he grows angry, and says, "It is somewhat extraordinary, Desdemona, that you should take so much trouble about this fellow; he is neither your brother nor your relation that he should claim so much of your affection.” His wife with sweetness replied, "I have none but the purest motives for speaking in the business. I only am sorry that you should lose so excellent a friend as is the Lieutenant. But then I should remember you Moors are so warm of constitution that trifles transport you to anger." This expression, "you Moors," is important, as it is subsequently followed by another strong observation by Desdemona, on the swarthy colour of her mate. "I know not," she says, "what to say of the Moor;

he used to treat me most affectionately, and I begin to fear that my example will teach young women never to marry against their parents' consent, nor to connect themselves with men from whom they are separated by nature, climate, education and complexion." She says this to the Ensign's wife, with accompaniment of a flood of tears. I think these reiterated remarks upon the colour of Othello determined Shakespeare to emphasize his frequent allusions to the sable tint of his most generous, and most to be pitied hero. It is curious that there is no other name mentioned in the story but that of Desdemona, one never seen elsewhere in Italian

novel or poem. Othello is called the Moor only; Iago, the Ensign; Cassio, the Lieutenant; and Emilia, the Ensign's wife. It has been surmised as a possibility that the name of Othello was suggested to Shakespeare by a perusal of a work by Reynolds entitled "God's Revenge against Adultery," in which a person is named Othello, a German soldier. In the old Romance of Euordamus, published in 1605, occurs the name of Iago, the Spanish for James, and also of Emilia, his wife; but Othello was printed in 1602. Time presses, and your patience is, I fear, beginning to be exhausted. With Giraldi Cintio, I must perforce close this paper, not but that I have much more I could say, but the sand is falling low in the hour-glass, and I have but a few minutes left wherein to apologise for venturing to read such a paper. In the words of the epilogue of an old Italian comedy by Porta, I will say, "I and my material-Io e la materia mia-humbly beseech you, gentle audience, to forgive us the waste of precious

time we have occasioned you. If from the sea of words we have uttered, there be a few which have given you pleasure and instruction, let them plead for us and you; in your great charity, magnify them, until they cover all our faults and obtain our pardon."

R. DAVEY.