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Enter Sailors.

Ofi. A messenger from the gallies.
Duke. Now!---what's the business?

Sail. The Turkish preparation makes for Rhodes,

So was I bid report here to the State.

Duke. How fay you by this change?
1 Sen. This cannot be,

By no afsay of reafon. 'Tis a pageant,'
To keepús in false gaze; when we confider
The importancy of Cyprus to the Turk,
And let ourselves again but understand,
That as it more concerns the Turk than Rhodes,
So may he with more facile question bear it; (12)
For that it stands not in such warlike brace,
But altogether lacks th' abilities

That Rhodes is dressed in. If we make thought of
We must not think the Turk is so unskilful, [this,
To leave that latest which concerns him first;
Neglecting an attempt of eafe and gain,
To wake, and wage a danger profitless.

Duke Nay, in all confidence, he's not for Rhodes.
Offi. Here is more news.

(12) So may he with more fertile question bear it;] This is Mr Pope's reading; but upon what authorities, I am yet to icarn. All the old impreffions, Quartos and Folios, I know have it;

1

So may he with more facile question bear it.

i. e. He may with a more easy struggle, with lefs strength, carry Cyprus; and the Poet fubjoins this reafon for it, because Cyprus was not near so well fortified, nor in the condition to oppose, as Rhodes was. I ought to mention, to the praife of my friend Mr Warburton's fagacity, that though he had none of the old editions to collate or refer to; he sent me word by letter, that the context abfolutely required facile question.

Enter a Messenger. Mes. The Ottomites (reverend and gracious,) Steering with due course towards the ifle of

Rhodes,

Have there enjoined them with an after-fleet1 Sen. Ay, fo I thought; how many, as you guess?

Mef. Of thirty fail; and now they do re-stem Their backward course, bearing with frank ap

pearance

Their purposes toward Cyprus. Signior Montano, Your trufty and most valiant servitor,

With his free duty, recommends you thùs,

And prays you to believe him.

Duke. "Tis certain then for Cyprus: Marcus

Is he not here in town?

1 Sen. He's now in Florence.

[Luccicos,

Duke. Write from us to him, post, post-hafte,

dispatch.

i Sen. Here comes Brabantio, and the valiant Moor.

To them, enter BRABANTIO, OTHELLO, CASSIO, IAGO, RODORIGO, and Officers.

[you,

Duke. Valiant Othello, we must straight employ Against the general enemy Ottoman. I did not fee you; welcome, gentle Signior:

[To Bra. We lacked your counsel, and your help to-night. Bra. So did I yours; good your Grace, pardon

me;

Neither my place, nor aught I heard of business,
Hath raifed me from my bed; nor doth the general
Take hold on me; for my particular grief
Is of fo flood-gate and o'erbearing nature,

i

That it ingluts and fwallows other forrows,
And yet is still itself.

Duke. Why, what's the matter?

Bra. My daughter! oh, my daughter! -
Sen. Dead?

Bra. To me;

She is abused, stolen from me, and corrupted
By spells and medicines bought of mountebanks;
For nature fo preposterously to err,

(Being not deficient, blind, or lame of fenfe,)
Sans witchcraft could not.

Duke. Whoe'er he be that in this foul proceed-
Hath thus beguiled your daughter of herself, [ing
And you of her, the bloody book of law
You shall yourself read in the bitter letter,
After your own fenfe: yea, though our proper fon

Stood in your action.

Bra. Humbly I thank your Grace.
Here is the man, this Moor, whom now, it feems,
Your special mandate, for the State-affairs,

Hath hither brought.

All. We're very forry for't.

Duke. Whatin your own part can you say to this?

Bra. Nothing, but this is fo.

[To Othel.

Oth. Most potent, grave, and reverend figniors,
My very noble and approved good matters;
That I have ta'en away this old man's daughter,
It is most true; true, I have married her;
The very head and front of my offending
Hath this extent; no more. Rude am I in fpeeclı,
And little bless'd with the soft phrase of peace;
For fince these arms of mine had feven years' pith,
'Till now, fome nine moons wasted, they have ufed
Their dearest action in the tented field;

And little of this great world can I speak,
VOL. XII.

R

1

1

-More than pertains to feats of broils and battle;
And therefore little shall I grace my cause

In speaking for myself. Yet, by your patience,
I will a round unvarnished tale deliver,

Of my whole course of love; what drugs, what

charms,
What conjuration, and what mighty magic,
(For fuch proceeding I am charged withal),
I won his daughter with.

Bra. A maiden, never bold;
Of spirit so still and quiet, that her motion
Blushed at itself; and she, in spite of nature,
Of years, of country, credit, every thing,
To fall in love with what she feared to look on---
It is a judgment maimed, and most imperfect, (13)
That will confefs, affection fo could err
Against all rules of nature; and must be driven
To find out practices of cunning hell,
Why this should be. I therefore vouch again,
That with fome mixtures powerful o'er the blood,
Or with fome dram, conjured to this effect,
He wrought upon her.

(13) It is a judgment maimed and most imperfect,
That will confefs, perfection so could. err

Against all rules of nature] Perfection erring, seems a contradiction in terminis, as the schoolmen call it. Befides, Brabantio does not blazon his daughter out for a thing of abfolute perfection; he only says, she was indued with fuch an extreme innate modesty, that for her to fall in love fo prepofteroufly, no found judgment could allow but it must be by magical practice upon her. I have ventured to imagine that our Author wrote;

That will confess, affection fo could err, &c.

This is entirely confonant to what Brabantio would fay of her; and one of the fenators, immediately after, in his. examination of the Moor, thus addresses himself to him;

_ But, Othello, speak;

Did you by indirect and forced courses

Subdue and poison this young maid's affections, &c.

Duke. To vouch this is no proof, Without more certain and more overt teft, Than these thin habits and poor likelihoods Of modern feeming do prefer against him.

1 Sen. But, Othello, speak; Did you by indirect and forced courses Subdue and poifon this young maid's affections? Or came it by request, and fuch fair question As foul to foul affordeth?

Oth. I beseech you,

Send for the lady to the Sagittary,
And let her speak of me before her father :
If you do find me foul in her report,
The trust, the office I do hold of you,

Not only take away, but let your fentence
Even fall upon my life.

Duke. Fetch Desdemona hither.

[Exeunt two or three.

Oth. Ancient, conduct them, you best know the [Exit lago.

place.
And till the come, as truly as to Heaven
I do confefs the vices of my blood,
So juftly to your grave ears I'll present
How I did thrive in this fair lady's love,
And the in mine.

Duke. Say it, Othello.

Oth. Her father loved me, oft invited me;

Still questioned me the story of my life,
From year to year; the battles, fieges, fortunes,
That I have pait.

I ran it through, even from my boyish days,
To th' very moment that he bade me tell it :
Wherein I spoke of most disastrous chances,
Of moving accidents by flood and field;
Of hair-breadth 'scapes in th' imminent deadly
Of being taken by the infolent foe,
And fold to flavery; of my redemption thence,

[breach;

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