mired the Moor for his Valour, and the Tranfition from extreme Admiration to Love is very eafy in a female Mind.

Mr. Rymer alledges, that Shakespear makes Defdemona a Senator's Daughter inftead of a fimple Citizen; and this he imputes to him as a Fault, which is perhaps a great Instance of his Judgment.

There is lefs Improbability in supposing a noble Lady, educated in Sentiments fuperior to the Vulgar, fhould fall in love with a Man merely for the Qualities of his Mind, than that a mean Citizen should be poffeffed of fuch exalted Ideas, as to overlook the Disparity of Years and Complexion, and be enamoured of Virtue in the Perfon of a Moor.

However, it is not true, that Shakespear has changed a fimple Citizen into a Lady of Quality, fince Defdemona in the Novel is mentioned as a Woman of high Birth.

Cinthio calls her Cittadina, which Mr. Rymer tranflates a fimple Citizen; but the Itahans by that Phrase mean a Woman of Quality.

If they were, for Example, to speak of a Woman of the middle Rank in Rome, they would fay, Una Romana; if of a noble Lady, Una Cittadina Romana: So in Venice they call a fimple Citizen Una Venitiana; but a Woman of Quality, Una Cittadina Venitiana.

That Simplicity in the Manners of Defdemona, which Mr. Rymer calls Folly and Meannefs of Spirit, is the Characteristic of Virtue and Innocence.

Desdemona

Defdemona was confcious of no Guilt, and therefore fufpected no Blame: She had fo lately given the Moor an inconteftable Proof of her Affection, that it was not unnatural for her to impute his fudden Starts of Paffion to fome other Caufe than Jealousy.

The whole Strefs of the Proof against Def demona is laid upon the Handkerchief, as well in the Novel as the Play; though I think in the Novel it is more artfully managed; there the Moor infifts upon feeing it in the Captain's. Poffeffion e'er he will refolve any Thing against his Wife, and the Lieutenant contrives to give him this Satisfaction.

Othello, in the Play, has not the least Appearance of Proof against his Wife, but feeing the Handkerchief in the Lieutenant's Poffeffion; yet this is brought about by mere Accident.

Bianca, to whom Caffio had given it to have the Work copied, (which, by the way,. was an odd Whim for a Soldier) comes to him while he is engaged in a private Discourse with Iago; and Othello obferving them concealed,. and in a Fit of Jealoufy, throws the Handkerchief at his Head..

This happens well for Iago's Plot; but as he did not, and indeed could not foresee, this lucky Accident, methinks it would have been more natural, fince every Thing depended. upon that, to have made it the Effect of fome Contrivance of his..

The Outlines of Iago, Defdemona, and Caffio's Characters are taken from the Novel; but that of Othello is entirely the Poet's own.

In

In Cinthio we have a Moor, valiant indeed, as we are told, but fufpicious, fullen, cunning, obftinate and cruel.

Such a Character married to the fair Defdemona must have given Difguft on the Stage; the Audience would have been his Enemies, and Defdemona herself would have funk into Contempt for chufing him.

With what Judgment then has Shakespear changed the horrid Moor of Cinthio into the amiable Othello, and made the fame Actions which we deteft in one, excite our Compaffion in the other!

The Virtues of Shakespear's Moor are no less characteristic than the Vices of Cinthio's ; they are the wild Growth of an uncultivated Mind, barbarous and rude as the Clime he is born in; thus, his Love is almost Phrenfy; his Friendship Simplicity; his Juftice cruel and his Remorfe Self-Murder.

The

The ninth Novel of the fecond Day of the Decamerone of Boccaccio.

S

OME Italian Merchants meeting at Paris, whither their different Affairs had brought them, they went, as was their Custom, to fup together at a Tavern; and, towards the Clofe of the Entertainment, their Spirits being raised by the Wine, of which they drank pretty freely, they began, after having difcuffed feveral other Subjects, to fpeak of their Wives, whom they had left behind them in their Houses; and one of them, laughing, said :

"I know not how my Wife employs herself in my Absence, but this I am certain of; that when I am at a Distance from her, I freely indulge myself in the Purfuit of any young Girl that pleases me, and never fail to make myself Mafter of her Perfon, if I poffibly can."

Another replied, "that he did the fame; becaufe, added he, whether I believe my Wife unfaithful, or not, fhe will be so if fhe pleases."

A

A Third affured his Companions" that he was of the fame Opinion ;" and, in fine, they all agreed in declaring," that they believed their Wives would not lofe Time in their Abfence;" except a Genoefe Merchant, named. Bernabo Lomillin.

This young Man, who was paffionately fond of his Wife, affirmed, "that by the especial Providence of God he had married a Woman fo accomplished in all Virtues, that Italy could fcarce produce her Equal."

"Her Perfon, faid he, is perfectly beautiful; the is in the Prime of her Youth; and is not only skilled in all domeftic Employments fit for a Perfon of her Rank, but fhe reads, writes, and difcourfes upon Business, as well as if fhe was a Merchant; fhe is alfo wife, prudent and amiable; and fo abfolutely chafte, that I am perfuaded, if I was to be abfent from her ten Years, fhe would preferve her Fidelity to me inviolable."

This laft Praise extremely diverted a young Merchant of Piacenza, named Ambrogiuolo,. who, laughing, afked Bernabo "if he poffeffed this Privilege above other Men by a Patent. from the Emperor.

"This Happiness, replied Bernabo, a little offended, is not granted by the Emperor, but by God, whom I look upon to be little more powerful than the Emperor."

"I do not in the leaft doubt, replied Ambro-giuolo, but that you believe what you fay; but you have too little confidered the Nature of

Things,