Forfooth, a great arithmetician, ; More than a spinfter; but the bookish theorick, (2) a Florentine,] It appears from many paffages of this play, (rightly understood) that Caffio was a Florentine, and Iago a Venetian. #HANMER. (3) in a fair wife; In the former editions this hath been printed, a fair wife; but farely it must from the beginning have been a mistake, becaufe it appears from a following part of the play, that Caffio was an unmarried man: On the other hand, his beauty is often hinted at, which it is natural enough for rough foldiers to treat with fcorn and ridicule. I read therefore, A fellow almoft damn'd in a fair phyz. - a Florentine, HANMER. A fellow almoft damn'd in a fair wife;] But it was Iago, and not Caffio, who was the Florentine, as appears from A 3. Scene 1. The paffage therefore fhould be read thus, (a Florentine's A fellow almoft damn'd in a fair svife; These are the words of Othello, (which lago in this relation repeats) and fignify, that a Florentine was an unfit perfon for command, as being always a flave to a fair wife; which was the cafe of Iago. The Oxford Editor, fuppofing this was faid by lago of Caffio, will have Caffio to be the Florentine; which, he fays, is plain from many paffages in the Play, rightly understood. But becaufe Caffio was no married man, (tho' I wonder it did not appear he was, from Tome paffages rightly understood) he alters the line thus, A fellow almoft damn'd in a fair Phyz. A White-friers' phrafe. WARBURTON. Whether Iago fingly was a Florentine, or both he and Caffio were fo, does not appear to me of much confequence. That the latter was actually married, is not fufficiently implied in a fellow almoft damn'd in a fair wife, fince may mean, according to Iago's licentious manner of expreffing himself, no more than a man very near being married. Had Shakespeare, confiftently with Iago's character, meant to make him fay, Caffio was damn'd in being married to a bandfome woman, he would have made him fay it outright, and not have interpofed the palliative almoft. The fucceeding parts of his converfation fufficiently evince that the Poet thought no mode of conception or expreffion too fhocking for Iago. Mr. STEEVENS. This is one of the paffages which muft for the prefent be refigned to corruption and obfcurity. I have nothing that I can, with any approach to confidence, propofe. I cannot think it very plain from Act III. Scene 1. that Caffio was or was not a Florentine. (4) Wherein the toged confuls can propose And I, Sir, (blefs the mark!) his Moor-fhip's Ancient. man. Iago. But there's no remedy; 'tis the curfe of fervice! Preferment goes (6) by letter and affection, (7) And not by old gradation, where each fecond Stood heir to th' firft. Now, Sir, be judge yourself, (4) Wherein the tongued Confuls -] So the generality of the impreffions read; but the oldeft quarto has it toged; the Senators, that affifted the Duke in Council, in their proper Gowns. But let me explain, why I have ventur'd to fubftitute Counsellors in the room of Confuls: The Venetian nobility constitute the great Council of the Senate, and are a part of the administration; and fummon'd to affift and counsel the Doge, who is Prince of the Senate. So that they may very properly be called Counsellors. Tho' the Government of Venice was democratick at first, under Confuls and Tribunes; that form of power has been totally abrogated, fince Doges have been elected. Wherein the toged Confuls THEOBALD. -] Confuls, for couns❜lors. WARBURTON. (5) – must be LED and calm'd-] So the old Quarto. The firft Folio reads belee'd: but that spoils the measure hindered. I read LET, WARBURTON. Belee'd fuits to calmed, and the measure is not lefs perfect than in many other places. (6) friends. by letter -] By recommendation from powerful (7) And not by old gradation, -] What is old gradation? He immediately explains gradation very properly. But the idea of old does not come into it, Old gradation, is gradation established by ancient practice. Where is the difficulty? (8) If I in any juft term am affin'd To love the Moor. Rod. I would not follow him then. Iago. O Sir, content you; I follow him to ferve my turn upon him. coats, Do themselves homage. Thefe folks have fome foul, And fuch a one do I profefs myfelf. It is as fure as you are Rodorigo, Were I the Moor, I would not be lago. Heav'n is my judge! Not I, for love and duty, But feeming fo, for my peculiar end. For when my outward action doth demonftrate (1) In compliment extern, 'tis not long after Rod. What a full fortune does the thick-lips owe, If he can carry't thus ? Fago. Call up her father, Roufe him. Make after him, poison his delight, (8) If I in any just term am affin'd-] Affined is the reading of the third quarto and the first folio. The fecond quarto and all the modern editions have affign'd. The meaning is, Do Iftand within any fuch terms of prepinquity or relation to the Moor, as that it is my duty to love bim? (و) -] Knave is here for fervant, but honeft knaves. with a mixture of fly contempt. (1) In compliment extern, outward fhew of c'vility. ] In that which I do only for an And And though he in a fertile climate dwell, Plague him with flies; though that his joy be joy, Rod. Here is her father's houfe, I'll call aloud. Rod. What, ho! Brabantio! Signior Brabantio! ho. Look to your houfe, your daughter, and your bags. SCENE II. Brabantio appears above, at a Window. Bra. What is the reafon of this terrible fummons ? Rod. Signior, is all your family within? lago. Are all doors lock'd? Bra Why? wherefore ask you this? lago. Sir, you are robb'd. For fhame, put on your Gown. Your heart is burft, you have loft half your foul; (2) As when, by night and negligence, the fire Is SPIED in populous cities.] This is not fenfe, take it which way you will. If night and negligence relate to fpied, it is abfurd to fay the fire was fpied by negligence. If night and negligence refer only to the time and occafion, it fhould then be by night, and thro' negligence. Otherwife the particle by would be made to fignify time applied to one word, and caufe applied to the other. We fhould read therefore, Is SPRED, by which all the fe faults are avoided. But what is of most weight, the fimilitude, thus emended, agrees best with the fact it is applied to. Had this notice been given to Brobantio before his daughter ran away and married, it might then indeed have been well enough compared to the alarm given of a fire juft fpied, as foon as it was begun. But being given after the parties were bedded, it was more fitly compared to a fire fpred by night and negligence, fo as not to be extinguifhed. WARBURTON. The particle is ufed equivocally; the fame liberty is taken by writers more correct. The wonderful creature! a woman of reafon! N 4 Is Is tupping your white ewe. Arife, arise, Bra. What, have you loft your wits? Rod. My name is Rodorigo. Bra. The worfer welcome ; my voice I've charg'd thee not to haunt about my doors. To ftart my quiet. Rad. Sir, Sir, Sir Bra. But thou must needs be füre, My fpirit and my place have in their power Rod. Patience, good Sir. Bra. What tell'ft thou me of robbing? This is Venice,, My houfe is not a grange.. Rod. Moft grave Brabantio, In fimple and pure foul, I come to you. lago. Sir, you are one of thofe that will not serve God, if the Devil bid you. Because we come to do you fervice, you think we are ruffians. You'll have your daughter cover'd with a Barbary horfe, you'll have your nephews neigh to you; you'll have courfers for coufins, and gennets for germanes. Bra. What profane wretch art thou? lago. I am one, Sir, that comes to tell you, your daughter and the Moor are now making the beaft with two backs. What profane wretch art thou?] That is, what wretch of grofs. and licentious language? In that fense Shakespeare often ufes the word profane. your daughter and the Moor are making the beast with two backs.] In a "Dictionaire des Proverbes François, Par G. D, B. "Bruffels, 1710, 12mo," under the word dos I find the following article: "Faire la bete a deux dos," pour dire faire l'amour. Mr. PERCY. Bra |