See page 133, note 4. A SONG, SUNG BY GUIDERIUS AND ARVIRAGUS OVER FIDELE, Supposed to be dead. BY MR. WILLIAM COLLINS. To fair Fidele's grassy tomb, Soft maids and village hinds shall bring No wailing ghost shall dare appear And melting virgins own their love. No wither'd witch shall here be seen, The red-breast oft at evening hours When howling winds, and beating rain, Or midst the chace on every plain, Each lonely scene shall thee restore; OTHELLO. THE story is taken from Cynthio's Novels. Pope. I have not hitherto met with any translation of this novel (the seventh in the third decad) of so early a date as the age of Shakspeare; but undoubtedly many of those little pamphlets have perished between his time and ours. It is highly probable that our author met with the name of Othello in some tale that has escaped our researches; as I like. wise find it in God's Revenge against Adultery, standing in one of his Arguments as follows: "She marries Othello, an old German soldier." This History (the eighth) is professed to be an Italian one. Here also occurs the name of Iago. It may indeed be urged that these names were adopted from the tragedy before us: but I trust that every reader who is conversant with the peculiar style and method in which the work of honest John Reynolds is composed, will acquit him of the slightest familiarity with the scenes of Shakspeare. This play was first entered at Stationers' Hall, Oct. 6, 1621, by Thomas Walkely. Steevens. I have seen a French translation of Cynthio, by Gabriel Chap-puys, Par. 1584. This is not a faithful one; and I suspect, through. this medium the work came into English. Farmer. This tragedy I have ascribed (but on no very sure ground) to the year 1611. Malone. The time of this play may be ascertained from the following circumstances: Selymus the Second formed his design against Cyprus in 1569, and took it in 1571. This was the only attempt. the Turks ever made upon that island after it came into the handsof the Venetians, (which was in the year 1473) wherefore the time must fall in with some part of that interval. We learn from the play that there was a junction of the Turkish fleet at Rhodes, in order for the invasion of Cyprus, that it first came sailing towards Cyprus, then went to Rhodes, there met another squadron, and then resumed its way to Cyprus. These are real historical facts which happened when Mustapha, Selymus's general, attacked Cyprus in May, 1570, which therefore is the true period of this performance. See Knolles's History of the Turks, p. 838,, 846, 867. Reed. PERSONS REPRESENTED. Duke of Venice. Two other senators. Gratiano, brother to Brabantio. Lodovico, kinsman to Brabantio. Othello, the Moor: Cassio, his lieutenant; Iago, his ancient. Roderigo, a Venetian gentleman. Montano, Othello's predecessor in the government of Cyprus.* Clown, servant to Othello. Herald. Desdemona, daughter to Brabantio, and wife to Othello. Emilia, wife to lago. Bianca, a courtezan, mistress to Cassio. Officers, gentlemen, messengers, musicians, sailors, SCENE, For the first act, in Venice; during the rest of the play, at a sea-port in Cyprus. * Though the rank which Montano held in Cyprus cannot be exactly ascertained, yet from many circumstances, we are sure he had not the powers with which Othello was subsequently invested. Perhaps we do not receive any one of the Persone Dramatis to Shakspeare's plays, as it was originally drawn up by himself. These appendages are wanting to all the quartos, and are very rarely given in the folio. At the end of this play, however, the following enumeration of persons occurs: "The names of the actors.-Othello, the Moore.-Brabantio, Father to Desdemona.-Cassio, an Honourable Lieutenant.-Jago, a Villaine.-Rodorigo, a gull'd Gentleman.-Duke of Venice.-Senators.- -Montano, Governour of Cyprus -Gentlemen of Cyprus.Lodovico, and Gratiano, two noble Venetians.-Saylors.-Clowne.➡➡ Desdemona, Wife to Othello.-Amila, Wife to lago.—Bianca, a Curtegan." Steevens. |