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Def. It yet hath felt no age nor known no forrow. Oth. This argues fruitfulness and liberal heart: Hot, hot, and moist---this hand of yours requires A fequefter from liberty; faiting and prayer, Much caftigation, exercife devout;

For here's a young and fweating devil here,
That commonly rebels; 'tis a good hand,
A frank one.

Def. You may indeed say so;

For 'twas that hand that gave away my heart. Oth. A liberal hand. The hearts of old gave hands; (40)

But our new heraldry is hands, not hearts.

Def. I cannot speak of this.----Come, now your promife.

(40)

-The hearts of old gave hands

But our new beralary is bands, not hearts.J

The fenfe of the fentence here is very clear; but, notwithstanding, I have a fufpicion that a point of history is obliquely alluded to. Soon after King James the First came to the crown, in order to raise a fum, he created the new dignity of baronets: each man was to pay fo much for his titie. Amongst their other prerogatives of honour, they had this, viz. an addition to their paternal arms of a Hand, guies in an efcutcheon argent. And we are not to doubt, but this was the new heraldry hinted at by our Author: and the fatire is moft exquifite, plainly infinuating, that fome, then created, had hands indeed, but no hearts: that is, money to pay for the creation, but no virtue to purchase the honour. But the finest part of the Poet's address in this allufion, is, the compliment he paid by it to his old mistress Elizabeth. For James's pretence for railing this fum, by the new creation, was the reduction of Ulfter and other provinces in Ireland; the memory of which he would per petuate by this addition to the arms, which is the arms of Ulfter. Now the methods ufed by Elizabeth, in the conqueft of that kingdom, were fo different from this, (the dignities fhe conferred being on thofe who had employed their steel, not their gold in that fervice) that nothing could more add to her glory than being compared to her fucceffor in this point of view. Mr Varburton

Oth. What promise, chuck?

Def. I've fent to bid Caffio come speak with you. Oh I have a falt and forry rheum offends me;. Lend me thy handkerchief.

Def. Here, my Lord.

Oth. That which I gave you.

Def. I have it not about me.
Oth. Not?------

Def. No, indeed, my Lord.

Oih. That's a fault. That handkerchief (41)

(41)

-That handkerchief

Did an Egyptian to my mother give ;] Because this epifode of the handkerchief has been attacked by fnarlers and buffoon-critics, I am tempted to fubjoin an obfervation or two in juftification of our Author's conduct. The Poet feems to have been aware of the levity of fuch judges, as fhould account the giving away an handkerchief too flight a ground for jealoufy. He therefore obviates this, upon the very moment of the handkerchief being lot, by making. lago fay;

Trifles, light as air

Are, to the jealous, confirmations strong
As proofs of holy writ.

Befides this, let us fee how finely the Poet has made this handkerchief of fignificancy and importance. Cynthio Giraldi, from whom he has borrowed the incident, only fays, that it was the Moor's gift, upon his wedding, to Defdemona; that it was most curiously wrought after the Moorish fashion, and very dear both to him and his wife; il quel Pannicello era lavorato alla Niorefca fottiliffimamente, et era cariffimo alla Donna et parimente al Mora: But our Author, who wrote in a a fuperftitious age, (when philtres were in vogue for procuring love, and amulets for preferving it). makes his handkerchief derived from an inchantress; ma-gic and mystery are in its materials and workmanship; its qualities and attributes are folemnly laid down and the gift recommended to be cherished by its owners on the most inducing terms imaginable, viz. the making the party amiable to her husband, and the keeping his affections fteady. Such circumftances, if I know any thing of the matter, are

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, fubdue my father
Entirely to her love; but if she lost it,
Or made a gift of it, my father's eye

Should hold her loathed, and his fpirits hunt
After new fancies. She dying, gave it me;
And bid me, when my fate would have me wived,
To give it her. I did fo; and take heed on't;----
Make it a darling, like your precious eye;

To lofe't, or give't away, were fuch perdition,
As nothing else could match.

Def. Is't poffible?

Oth. 'Tis true; there's magic in the web of it; A Sybil, that had numbered in the world The fun to courfe two hundred compaffes, In her prophetic fury fewed the work:

the very foul and effence of poetry: fancy here exerts its great creating power, and adds a dignity that furprifes, to its fubject. After this, let us hear the coarfe pleasantries of Mr Rymer. "So much ado, fo much strefs, fo much paf"fion, and repetition about an handkerchief! Why was "not this called The Tragedy of the Handkerchief? What can "be more abfurd, than (as Quintilian expreffes it) in par"vis litibus has tragoedias movere? We have heard of Firtu"natus's purfe, and of the invisible cloak, long ago worn "thread-bare, and ftowed up in the wardrobe of obfolete

66

romance one might think, that were a fitter place for "this handkerchief, than that it, at this time of day, be "worn on the stage, to raise every where all this clutter "and turmoil. Had it been Defdemona's garter, the fa"gacious Moor might have fmelt a rat: but the handker"chief is fo remote a trifle, no booby, on this fide Maart"tania, could make any confequence from it."- Whether this be from the spirit of a true critic, or from the licence of a railer, I may be too much prejudiced to determine: fu leave it to every indifferent judgment.

The worms were hallowed that did breed the filk; And it was dyed in mummy, which the skilful Conferved of maidens' hearts.

Def. Indeed! is't true?

Oth. Moft veritable, therefore look to't well. Def. Then would to Heaven that I had never feen't! Oth. Ha! wherefore?

Def. Why do you fpeak fo ftartingly and rafh? Oth. Is't loft? is't gone? fpeak, is it out o' th' way? Def. Blefs us!

Oth. Say you?

Def. It is not loft; but what an if it were?
Oth. Ha!

Def. I fay it is not lost.

Oth. Fetch't, let me fee't.

Def. Why, fo I can, Sir; but I will not now: This is a trick to put me from my fuit

Pray you, let Caffio be received again. Oth. Fetch me the handkerchiefmifgives-----

my mind

Def. Come, you'll ne'er meet a more fufficient man. Oth. The handkerchief--

Def. A man that all his time,

Hath founded his good fortunes on your love;

Shared dangers with you.

Oth. The handkerchief-----

Def. Infooth you are to blame.

Oth. Away!

[Exit Othello,

Manent DESDEMONA, and EMILIA.

Emil. Is not this man jealous?

Def. I ne'er faw this before.

Sure there's fome wonder in this handkerchief:
I'm most unhappy in the lofs of it.

Emil. 'Tis not a year or two fhews us a man: They are all but ftomachs, and we all but food;

They eat us hungerly, and when they're full,
They belch us. Look you, Caffio and my husband.
Enter IAGO and CASSIO.

Iego. There is no other way, 'tis she must do't; And io, the happinefs! go and importune her. Def. How now, good Caffio, what's the news with you?

Caf. Madam, my former fuit. 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 office of my heart,
Entirely honour. I would not be delayed;
If my offence be of fuch mortal kind,
That not my service past, nor present forrows,
Nor purpofed merit in futurity,

Can raniom me into his love again,

But to know fo must be my benefit:

So fhall I cloath me in a forced content,
And thut myself up in tome other courie, (42)
To Fortune's alms.

Def. Alas, thrice gentle Caffio,

(42) And fout myself up in fome other course,

To Fortune's arms. i. e. to be embraced by Fortune : which was a greater happiness than Caffio yet dreamt of. I don't know whether we are to dispute here with Mr Pope's eyes, or his underftanding, for departing from all the old copies, which read as they should do;

And that myself up in some other course,

To Fortune's alms.

i. e. To chance, and cafualty. So before, in this play; I'd whistle her off, and let her down the wind To prey at Fortune.

i. e. at random. And fo, in King Lear;

Let your itudy

Be to content your Lord, who hath received you
At Fortune's alms.

. e. a beggar; ftript of the indulgence of fortune.

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