For I have lost him on a dangerous sea. Mon. Is he well shipp'd? Cas. His bark is stoutly timber'd, and his pilot Therefore my hopes, not surfeited to death3, [Within.] A sail, a sail, a sail! Enter a Messenger. Cas. What noise? Mess. The town is empty; on the brow o' the sea Stand ranks of people, and they cry, "a sail." Cas. My hopes do shape him for the governor. [Guns heard. 2 Gent. They do discharge their shot of courtesy: Our friends, at least. Cas. I pray you, sir, go forth, And give us truth who 'tis that is arriv'd. 2 Gent. I shall. [Exit. Mon. But, good lieutenant, is your general wiv'd? Cas. Most fortunately: he hath achiev'd a maid, That paragons description, and wild fame; One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens', And in th' essential vesture of creation, Does bear all excellency. - How now? who has put in ? 3 Re-enter Second Gentleman. 2 Gent. Tis one Iago, ancient to the general. not surfeited to death,] The meaning seems to be that Cassio's hopes are not destroyed by constant repetition and disappointment. This passage has occasioned much dispute. One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens,] The quarto, 1622, omits the words "quirks of." 5 Does bear all excellency.] The folio reads, "Does tire the ingeniuer," which has been taken for inginer, though if that were the true word, we cannot tell why the compositor should have put so many letters into it. Our text is that, not only of the quarto, 1622, but of the quarto, 1630, which sometimes agrees with the folio, sometimes with the quarto, 1622, and now and then with neither. VOL. VII. M m Cas. He has had most favourable and happy speed: Tempests themselves, high seas, and howling winds, The gutter'd rocks, and congregated sands, Traitors ensteep'd' to clog the guiltless keel, As having sense of beauty, do omit Their mortal natures, letting go safely by The divine Desdemona. Mon. What is she? Cas. She that I spake of, our great captain's captain, Left in the conduct of the bold Iago; Whose footing here anticipates our thoughts, A se'nnight's speed.-Great Jove! Othello guard, Enter DESDEMONA, EMILIA, IAGO, RODERIGO, and The riches of the ship is come on shore. Enwheel thee round! Des. I thank you, valiant Cassio. • Traitors ENSTEEP'D to CLOG] The quarto, 1622, by a mere misprint, no doubt, has enscerp'd for "ensteep'd :" both quartos have "clog" for enclog of the folio. Two lines lower, the quarto, 1622, has "common natures" for "mortal natures." 7 Make love's quick pants in Desdemona's arms,] So the folio: the quartos, "And swiftly come to Desdemona's arms." In the next line but one, "And bring all Cyprus comfort" is only in the quartos, but evidently necessary for the verse ending with "O, behold !" 8 What tidings can you tell ME of my lord ?] The folio omits “me,” necessary to the measure, and found in every older copy. It was added in the folio, 1632. Des. O! but I fear.-How lost you company? Cas. The great contention of the sea and skies Parted our fellowship. [Within.] A sail, a sail! But, hark! a sail. [Guns heard. 2 Gent. They give their greeting to the citadel: This likewise is a friend. Cas. See for the news1. [Exit Gentleman. [To EMILIA. Good ancient, you are welcome.-Welcome, mistress. Let it not gall your patience, good Iago, That I extend my manners: 'tis my breeding That gives me this bold show of courtesy. [Kissing her. Iago. Sir, would she give you so much of her lips, As of her tongue she oft bestows on me, You'd have enough. Des. Alas! she has no speech. Iago. In faith, too much2; I find it still, when I have leave to sleep: Emil. You have little cause to say so. Iago. Come on, come on; you are pictures out of doors, Bells in your parlours, wild cats in your kitchens, Players in your housewifery, and housewives in your beds. 9 They give THEIR greeting] The quartos agree in "their" the folio, this. Boswell tells us that "the quarto" has this: it is a mistake, but some modern editors, without reference to the folio, seem to have taken his word for it, and have printed "their," as if such were the reading of the folio. 1 See for the news.] Thus the folio, and the quarto, 1630: the earlier quarto "So speaks this voice." 2 In faith, too much ;] The quarto, 1622, only, "I know too much ;" and it gives the next line, in opposition to the other authorities, "I find it, for when I ha' list to sleep." The folio has "leave to sleep." Des. O, fie upon thee, slanderer3! Iago. Nay, it is true, or else I am a Turk : No, let me not. Des. What would'st thou write of me, if thou should'st praise me? Iago. O gentle lady, do not put me to't, For I am nothing, if not critical. Des. Come on; assay. There's one gone to the harbour? Iago. Ay, madam. Des. I am not merry; but I do beguile Iago. I am about it, but, indeed, my invention If she be fair and wise,-fairness, and wit, The one's for use, the other useth it. Des. Well prais'd! How, if she be black and witty? Iago. If she be black, and thereto have a wit, She'll find a white that shall her blackness fit*. Des. Worse and worse. Emil. How, if fair and foolish? Iago. She never yet was foolish that was fair; For even her folly help'd her to an heir. Des. These are old fond paradoxes', to make fools laugh i' the alehouse. What miserable praise hast thou for her that's foul and foolish? O, fie upon thee, slanderer!] In the folio and quarto, 1630, this speech is assigned to Desdemona: in a hand-writing of the time, it is given to Emilia in the Duke of Devonshire's copy of the quarto, 1622, the prefix being wanting as the play was first printed. 4 her blackness FIT.] The quarto, 1622, only reads hit for "fit." In Iago's next speech, the same edition has "to a hair" for "to an heir." 5 - old FOND paradoxes,] “Fond” (i, e. foolish) is in no copy but the folio. "Fond" generally occurs in this sense. Iago. There's none so foul, and foolish thereunto, But does foul pranks which fair and wise ones do. Des. O heavy ignorance! thou praisest the worst best. But what praise could'st thou bestow on a deserving woman indeed? one that, in the authority of her merit, did justly put on the vouch of very malice itself? Iago. She that was ever fair, and never proud; To change the cod's head for the salmon's tail; Iago. To suckle fools, and chronicle small beer. Des. O, most lame and impotent conclusion!—Do not learn of him, Emilia, though he be thy husband.How say you, Cassio? is he not a most profane and liberal counsellor? Cas. He speaks home, madam: you may relish him more in the soldier, than in the scholar. Iago. [Aside.] He takes her by the palm': ay, well said, whisper with as little a web as this, will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio. Ay, smile upon her, do; I will gyve thee in thine own courtship. You say true; 'tis so, indeed: if such tricks as these strip you 6 See suitors following, and not look behind ;] This line is wanting only in the quarto, 1622. 7 He takes her by the palm :] In a hand-writing of the time, in the Duke of Devonshire's copy of the quarto, 1622, we read opposite this speech, “Aside, to him selfe." We follow the text of the folio, which does not vary from that of the quarto, 1630, excepting in the words " gyve thee" for catch you. The quarto, 1622, has the same, and one or two other immaterial variations. |