Emil.

Look, where he comes.

Des. I will not leave him now, till Cassio
Be call'd to him.-How is't with you, my lord?

Enter OTHELLO.

Oth. Well, my good lady:-[aside.] O, hardness to dissemble!

How do
Des.

you, Desdemona?

Well, my good lord.

Oth. Give me your hand: This hand is moist, my lady. Des. It yet has felt no age, nor known so sorrow. Oth. This argues fruitfulness, and liberal heart ;— Hot, hot, and moist: This hand of yours requires A sequester from liberty, fasting and prayer, Much castigation, exercise devout;" For here's a young and sweating devil here, That commonly rebels. 'Tis a good hand, A frank one.

Des.

You may, indeed, say so; For 'twas that hand that gave away my heart.

Oth. A liberal hand: The hearts, of old, gave hands: But our new heraldry is—hands, not hearts."

Des. I cannot speak of this.

Oth. What promise, chuck?

Come now your promise.

Des. I have sent to bid Cassio come speak with you. Oth. I have a salt and sullen rheumP offends me;

Lend me thy handkerchief.

Des.

Oth. That which I gave you.

Here, my lord.

Des.

I have it not about me.

Oth. Not?

No, indeed, my lord.

Des.

exercise devout;] Exercise was the religious term.

our new heraldry is-hands, not hearts.] The new heraldry here spoken of, is the arms of the new dignity of baronets which king James the First, soon after he came to his crown, created for money. They had granted them as an addition to their paternal arms, a hand gules in an escutcheon argent. The poet insinuates that some then created had hands indeed, but not hearts; 1. e. money to pay for the creation, but no virtue to purchase the honour.WARBURTON.

P

sullen rheum-] That is, a rheum obstinately troublesome.-JOHNSON. VOL. VIII.

2 F

Oth.

That is a fault :

That handkerchief

Did an Egyptian to my mother give;

She was a charmer, and could almost read

The thoughts of people: she told her, while she kept it, 'Twould make her amiable, and subdue my father Entirely to her love; but if she lost it,

Or made a gift of it, my father's eye

Should hold her loathly, and his spirits should hunt
After new fancies: She, dying, gave it me;

And bid me, when my fate would have me wive,
To give it her. I did so: and take heed of't,
Make it a darling like your precious eye;
To lose or giv't away, were such perdition,
As nothing else could match.

Des.

Is it possible?
Oth. 'Tis true: there's magick in the web of it;
A sibyl, that had number'd in the world
The sun to make two hundred compasses,
In her prophetick fury sew'd the work:

The worms were hallow'd, that did breed the silk ;
And it was died in mummy," which the skilful
Conserv'd of maidens' hearts.

Des.

Indeed! is't true?

Oth. Most veritable; therefore look to't well.

Des. Then 'would to heaven, that I had never seen it. Oth. Ha! wherefore?

Des. Why do you speak so startingly and rash ?"

Oth. Is't lost? is't gone? speak, is it out of the way? Des. Heaven bless us !

Des. It is not lost; But what an if it were?

Oth. Ha!

Des. I say, it is not lost.

Oth.

Fetch't, let me see it.

Des. Why, so I can, sir, but I will not now;

¶ And it was died in mummy, &c.] Mummy is still much coveted by painters, as a transparent brown colour that throws a warmth into their shadows. STEEVENS.

rash ?] Is vehement, violent.

This is a trick, to put me from my suit;

I pray, let Cassio be receiv'd again.

Oth. Fetch me that handkerchief: my mind misgives.

Des. Come, come ;

You'll never meet a more sufficient man.

Oth. The handkerchief,

Des.

Oth. The handkerchief,

Des.

I pray, talk me of Cassio.

A man that, all his time,

Has founded his good fortune on your love;

Shar'd dangers with you ;

Oth.

Des. In sooth,

You are to blame.

Oth.

Emil.

The handkerchief,

Away!

[Exit OTHELLO.

Is not this man jealous?

Des. I ne'er saw this before.

Sure, there's some wonder in this handkerchief:
I am most unhappy in the loss of it.

Emil. 'Tis not a year or two shows us a man:
They are all but stomachs, and we all but food;
They eat us hungerly, and when they are full,
They belch us. Look you! Cassio, and my husband.

Enter IAGO and CASSIO.

Iago. There is no other way; 'tis she must do't; And, lo, the happiness! go, and impórtune her.

Des. How now, good Cassio? what's the news with you? Cas. Madam, my former suit: I do beseech you,

That, by your virtuous means, I may again

Exist, and be a member of his love,

Whom I, with all the duty of my heart,

Entirely honour; I would not be delay'd:
If my offence be of such mortal kind,
That neither service past, nor present sorrows,
Nor purpos'd merit in futurity,

Can ransome me into his love again,

But to know so must be my benefit;
So shall I clothe me in a forc'd content,

And shut myself up in some other course,

To fortune's alms."

Des.

Alas! thrice-gentle Cassio,

My advocation is not now in tune;

My lord is not my lord; nor should I know him,
Were he in favour,' as in humour, alter'd.

So help me, every spirit sanctified,

As I have spoken for you all my best,

And stood within the blank of his displeasure,"
For my free speech! You must awhile be patient:
What I can do, I will; and more I will,

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, When it hath blown his ranks into the air ;*

And, like the devil, from his very arm

Puff'd his own brother;-And can he be angry?
Something of moment, then I will go meet him;
There's matter in't indeed, if he be angry.

Des. I pr'ythee, do so.-Something, sure, of state,—
[Exit IAGO.
Either from Venice; or some unhatch'd practice,'
Made démonstrable here in Cyprus to him,-
Hath puddled his clear spirit: and, in such cases,
Men's natures wrangle with inferior things,
Though great ones are their object. 'Tis even so;
For let our finger ache, and it indues❜

And shut myself up in some other course,

To fortune's alms.] Being discarded from the military line, he proposes to confine or shut himself up, as he formerly had, within the limits of a new profession.-HENLEY.

t

u

-favour,] Look, countenance.

—within the blank of his displeasure,] Within the shot of his anger.— JOHNSON.

* 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.

some unhatch'd practice,] Some treason that has not taken effect.

indues-] i. e. Embrues, tinctures.-MALONE.

Our other healthful members ev'n to that sense
Of pain: Nay, we must think, men are not gods;
Nor of them look for such observances

As fit the bridal. Beshrew me much, Emilia,

3

I was (unhandsome warrior as I am,)

Arraigning his unkindness with my soul;
But now I find, I had suborn'd the witness,

And he's indited falsely.

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.

Emil. But jealous souls will not be answer'd so;
They are not ever jealous for the cause,

But jealous for they are jealous: 'tis a monster,
Begot upon itself, born on itself.

Des. Heaven keep that monster from Othello's mind !
Emil. Lady, amen.

Des. I will go seek him.-Cassio, walk hereabout:

If I do find him fit, I'll move your suit,

And seek to effect it to my uttermost.
Cas. I humbly thank your ladyship.

[Exeunt DESDEMONA and EMILIA.

Enter BIANCA.

What make you from home?

Bian. Save you, friend Cassio!

Cas.
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 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;

b

the bridal.] i. e. The nuptial feast a Saxon word.-STEEVENS.
(unhandsome warrior—] i. e. Evidently unfair assailant.—JoHNSON.