They are all but stomachs, and we all but food; Iago. There is no other way; 'tis she must do 't; Des. How now, good Cassio? what's the news with you? Cas. Madam, my former suit: I do beseech you, Exist, and be a member of his love, Can ransom me into his love again, But to know so must be my benefit;1 Besides, there is no necessity for fixing the commencement of Emilia's year or two, to the time of the marriage or the opening of the piece. She would with more propriety refer to the beginning of the acquaintance and intimacy between the married couple, which might extend beyond that period. Steevens. 9 the duty of my heart,] The elder quarto reads: the duty of my heart, The author used the more proper word, and then changed it, I suppose, for fashionable diction; [" the office of my heart," the reading of the folio ;] but, as fashion is a very weak protectress, the old word is now ready to resume its place. Johnson. A careful comparison of the quartos and folio incline me to believe that many of the variations which are found in the later copy, did not come from the pen of Shakspeare. See Hamlet, Act V, sc. i, Vol. XV. That duty was the word intended here, is highly probable from other passages in his works. his 26th Sonnet : "Lord of my love, to whom in vassalage So, in Again, in his Dedication of Lucrece, to Lord Southampton: "Were my worth greater, my duty would shew greater; mean time, as it is, it is bound to your lordship." Malone. Office may be the true reading. So, in Antony and Cleopatra: his goodly eyes-now turn 66 "The office and devotion of their view," &c. Steevens. 1 But to know so must be my benefit:] Si nequeo placidas affari Cæsaris aures, "Saltem aliquis veniat, qui mihi dicat, abi." Johnson, So shall I clothe me in a forc'd content, And shut myself up in some other course, 2 And shut myself up in some other course, To fortune's alms.] Shoot is the reading of one of the early quartos. The folio, and all the modern editions, have And shut myself up Johnson. The I cannot help thinking this reading to be the true one. idea seems taken from the confinement of a monastick life. The words, forc'd content, help to confirm the supposition. The meaning will therefore be, "I will put on a constrained appearance of being contented, and shut myself up in a different course of life, no longer to depend on my own efforts, but to wait for relief from the accidental hand of charity." Shakspeare uses the same expression in Macbeth: 66 and shut up "In measureless content." Again, in All's Well that Ends Well: "Whose basest stars do shut us up in wishes." Steevens. The quarto, 1622, reads-And shoot myself &c. I think, with Mr. Steevens, that it was a corruption, and that the reading of the folio is the true one. Hanmer reads: And shoot myself upon some other course, To fortune's alms. To fortune's alms means, waiting patiently for whatever bounty fortune or chance may bestow upon me. We have the same uncommon phrase in King Lear: Let your study "Be to content your lord, who hath receiv'd you I cannot agree with Steevens in approving of the present reading, nor of course, in his explanation of this passage, but think the quarto right, which reads shoot instead of shut. To say that a man will shut himself up in a course of life, is language such as Shakspeare would never make use of, even in his most whimsical or licentious moments. One of the meanings of the verb to shoot, is to push suddenly, or to push forward; and in that sense it is used in this place. Cassio means to say, that if he finds he has no chance of regaining the favour of the general, he will push forward into some other line of life, and seek his fortune; but I think it probable we ought to read: And shoot myself upon some other course, instead of up in some other course. M. Mason. Mr. M. Mason's explanation is a very forced one.-It appears from the information of Iago, that Cassio had not long been a soldier. Before Othello promoted him, for his good offices in respect to Desdemona, he was a great arithmetician, a coun Des. Alas! thrice-gentle Cassio, My advocation is not now in tune; My lord is not my lord; nor should I know him, So help me, every spirit sanctified, As I have spoken for you all my best; And stood within the blank of his displeasure,1 Than for myself I dare: let that suffice you. Iago. Is my lord angry? Emil. He went hence but now, And, certainly, in strange unquietness. Iago. Can he be angry? I have seen the cannon, Puff'd his own brother;-And can he be angry? Des. I pr'ythee, do so.-Something, sure, of state,— Our other healthful members ev'n to that sense ter-caster;" and now, being discarded from the military line, he purposes to confine or shut himself up, as he formerly had, within the limits of a new profession. Henley. 3 in favour,] In look, in countenance. Johnson. See p. 251, n. 9. Steevens 4 within the blank of his displeasure,] Within the shot of his anger. Johnson. See Hamlet, Act IV, sc. ii, Vol. XV. Steevens. 5 I have seen the cannon, When it hath blown &c.] In Iago's speech something is suppressed. He means to say, I have seen his ranks blown into the air, and his own brother puff'd from his side,—and mean while have seen him cool and unruffled. And can he now be angry? Malone. 6 some unhatch'd practice,] Some treason that has not taken effect. Johnson. Of pain: Nay, we must think, men are not gods; As fit the bridal. Beshrew me much, Emilia, I was (unhandsome warrior as I am3) Emil. Pray heaven, it be state matters, as you think; And no conception, nor no jealous toy, Concerning you. Des. Alas, the day! I never gave him cause. But jealous for they are jealous: 'tis a monster, Des. Heaven keep that monster from Othello's mind! Des. I will go seek him.-Cassio walk hereabout: 7 For let our finger ache, and it indues Our other healthful members ev'n to that sense Of pain:] I believe it should be rather, Subdues our other healthful members to a sense of pain. Johnson. Dr. Johnson's conjecture may be supported by a passage in one of Desdemona's speeches to the Senate: 66 My heart's subdued "Even to the very quality of my lord." Again, in p. 347: 66 and subdue my father "Entirely to her love." Steevens. To indue appears to have signified in Shakspeare's time, to tincture, to embrue, and is so used here. See Hamlet, Act IV, sc. vii, Vol. XV. The words 'Tis even so, relate to what Desdemona has just conjectured. "This is certainly the case; some state affair has disturbed him." Malone. How a member is to be tinctured or embrewed to any particular sensation, I am glad it is not my office to explain. Steevens. 8 the bridal.] i. e. the nuptial feast; a Saxon word. Thus, in the ancient romance of Fwain and Gawain: "The bridal sat, for soth to tell "Till king Arthur come" &c. Again, in Gamelyn, or the Coke's Tale: 9 "At every bridale he would sing and hop." Steevens. (unhandsome warrior as I am)] Unhandsome warrior, is evidently unfair assailant. Johnson. See note on the same expression, Act II, sc. i. Steevens. If I do find him fit, I 'll move your suit, [Exeunt DEs. and EMIL, Enter BIANCA. Bian. Save you, friend Cassio! Cas. What make you from home? How is it with you, my most fair Bianca? I' faith, sweet love, I was coming to your house. Bian. And I was going to your lodging, Cassio. What! keep a week away? seven days and nights? Eight score eight hours? and lovers' absent hours, More tedious than the dial eight score times? O weary reckoning! Cas. Pardon me, Bianca; I have this while with leaden thoughts been press'd; But I shall, in a more continuate time,1 Strike off this score of absence. Sweet Bianca, [Giving her DESDEMONA'S Handkerchief. Take me this work out.2 1 O, Cassio, whence came this? in a more continuate time,] Thus the folio. The quar to, 1622, has-a more convenient time. Malone. A more continuate time is time less interrupted, time which I can call more my own. It gives a more distinct image than convenient. Johnson. The word occurs again in Timon of Athens, sc. i: breath'd, as it were, "To an untirable and continuate goodness." See Timon of Athens, Act I, sc. i, Vol. XV. 2 Take me this work out.] The meaning is not, "Pick out the work, and leave the ground plain;" but, Copy this work in another handkerchief." Johnson. So, in a comedy, by Middleton, called, Women beware of Wo. "To take out other works in a new sampler." Again, in the preface to P. Holland's Pliny, 1601: " Nicophanes (a famous painter) gave his mind wholly to antique pictures, partly to exemplifie and take out their patterns, after that in long continuance of time they were decaied." Again, in Sidney's Arcadia, Book II: " why doest thou in thy beautiful sampler set such a work for my desire to take out ?" Steevens. So, in Hearne's Liber Niger Scaccarii, Vol. II, p. 578, 581, and 585: " to take out the arms," means, to copy them. Tollet: |