Did an Egyptian to my mother give 1;
She was a charmer 2, and could almost read

I That handkerchief

Did an Egyptian to my mother give;] In the account of this tremendous handkerchief, are some particulars, which lead me to think that here is an allusion to a fact, heightened by poetical imagery. It is the practice in the eastern regions, for persons of both sexes to carry handkerchiefs very curiously wrought. In the MS. papers of Sir John Chardin, that great oriental traveller, is a passage which fully describes the custom: "The mode of wrought handkerchiefs (says this learned enquirer,) is general in Arabia, in Syria, in Palestine, and generally in all the Turkish empire. They are wrought with a needle, and it is the amusement of the fair sex there, as among us the making tapestry and lace. The young women make them for their fathers, their brothers, and by way of preparation before hand for their spouses, bestowing them as favours on their lovers. They have them almost constantly in their hands in those warm countries, to wipe off sweat." But whether this circumstance ever came to Shakspeare's knowledge, and gave rise to the incident, I am not able to determine.

WHALLEY.

Shakspeare found in Cinthio's novel the incident of Desdemona's losing a handkerchief finely wrought in Morisco work, which had been presented to her by her husband, or rather of its being stolen from her by the villain who afterwards by his machinations robbed her of her life. The eastern custom of brides presenting such gifts to their husbands, certainly did not give rise to the incident on which this tragedy turns, though Shakspeare should seem to have been apprized of it. However, the preceding note is retained as illustrative of the passage before us. MALONE.

2 She was a CHARMER,] In Deut. xviii. 11, there is an injunction: "Let none be found among you that is a charmer." In Perkins's Discourse of the damned Art of Witchcraft, 8vo. 1610, it is said that "Inchantment is the working of wonders by a charme;” and a charm is afterwards defined, a spell or verse, consisting of strange words, used as a signe or watchword to the

66

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 oft,
Make it a darling like your precious eye;
To lose or give't away, were such perdition,
As nothing else could match.

DES.

Is it possible?

OTн. 'Tis true: there's magick in the web of it: A sibyl, that had number'd in the world

5

The sun to make two hundred compasses,

Devil to cause him to worke wonders." In this Discourse is an enumeration of the wonders done by inchanters, as raising storms and tempests, &c. and at the conclusion it is said: ". by witches we understand not those only which kill and torment, but all diviners, charmers, jugglers, all wizzards, commonly called wise men and wise women; yea, whosoever do any thing (knowing what they do) which cannot be effected by nature or art." REED.

3 TO LOSE or giv't away,] Thus the quarto 1622. The folio -To lose't, &c. STEEVENS,

Shakspeare, in this incident of the handkerchief, may have recollected Soliman and Perseda, 1599, a drama which he has frequently quoted, where the same importance is ascribed to a carkanet.

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"Perseda. - - Accept this carkanet,

My grandame on her death bed gave it me, "And there even there, I vow'd unto myselfe, "To keep the same untill my wand'ring eye Should finde a harbour for my heart to dwell." MALONE.

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4 A sibyl, &c.] This circumstance perhaps is imitated by Ben Jonson in The Sad Shepherd:

"A Gypsan lady, and a right beldame,

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Wrought it by moonshine for me, and star-light," &c.
STEEVENS.

number'd

The sun TO MAKE, &c.] Thus the quarto 1622. The folie -to course. STEEVENS.

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 7.

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?

That is, numbered the sun's courses: badly expressed.

WARBURTON.

The expression is not very infrequent: we say, I counted the clock to strike four; so she number'd the sun to course, to run two hundred compasses, two hundred annual circuits. JOHNSON. I have preferred the original reading, because we have in Hamlet:

"When yon same star, that's eastward from the pole, "Had made his course, to illume that part of heaven." MALONE.

6 And it was died in MUMMY, &c.] The balsamick liquor running from mummies, was formerly celebrated for its anti-epileptick virtues. We are now wise enough to know, that the qualities ascribed to it are all imaginary; and yet this fanciful medicine still holds a place in the principal shops where drugs are sold. So, in The Bird in a Cage, by Shirley, 1633:

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make mummy of my flesh, and sell me to the apothecaries."

Again, in The Honest Lawyer, 1616:

"That I might tear their flesh in mammocks, raise

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My losses, from their carcases turn'd mummy." Mummy, however, is still much coveted by painters, as a transparent brown colour that throws a warmth into their shadows. STEEVENS.

Conserv'd of maidens' hearts.] Thus the folio. The quarto

reads:

So, in The Microcosmos of John Davies of Hereford, 4to. 1605:

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Mummy made of the mere hart of love." STEEVENS.

- rash ?] Is vehement, violent. JOHNSON.

OTH. Is't lost? is't gone? speak, is it out of the

way?

DES. Heaven bless us !

Отн.

Say you?

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

Отн. На!

DES. I say, it is not lost.

Отн.

Fetch't, let me see it.

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

I pray, talk me of Cassio9.

ОTH. The handkerchief,

DES.

A man that, all his time,

Hath founded his good fortune on your love;

Shar'd dangers with you ;

OTн. The handkerchief,

DES. In sooth, you are to blame.

OTH. Away!

EMIL.Is not this man jealous?

DES. I ne'er saw this before.

[Exit OTHELLO.

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 man1:

9 I pray, talk me of Cassio.] This and the following short speech, are omitted in all the ancient editions but the first quarto. STEEVENS.

I 'Tis not a year or two shows us a man :] From this line it may be conjectured, that the author intended the action of this play to be considered as longer than is marked by any note of time. Since their arrival at Cyprus, to which they were hurried on their wedding-night, the fable seems to have been in one con

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 hus

band.

Enter LAGO 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",

tinual progress, nor can I see any vacuity in which a year or two, or even a month or two, could be put. On the night of Othello's arrival, a feast was proclaimed; at that feast Cassio was degraded, and immediately applies to Desdemona to get him restored. Iago, indeed, advises Othello to hold him off a while, but there is no reason to think, that he has been held off long. A little longer interval would increase the probability of the story, though it might violate the rules of the drama. See Act V. Sc. II. JOHNSON.

This line has no reference to the duration of the action of this play, or to the length of time that Desdemona had been married. What Emilia says, is a sort of proverbial remark, of general application, where a definite time is put for an indefinite. 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.

the DUTY of my heart,] The elder quarto reads:

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 vol. vii.