That weaken Notion. I'll hav't difputed on; Oth. Hold your hands, Both you of my inclining, and the rest. Were it my cue to fight, I fhould have known it Bra. To prifon, 'till fit time Of law, and courfe of direct Seffion Oth. What if I do obey? How may the Duke be therewith fatisfied, Offi. True, moft worthy fignior, The Duke's in Council; and your noble self, Bra. How! the Duke in Council? In this time of the night? bring him away; Cannot but feel this wrong, as 'twere their own; B b (11) For if fuch Actions may have Paffage free, Bondflaves and Pagans fhall our Statesmen be.] I have long had a Sufpicion of Pagans here. Would Brabantia infer, if his private Injury were not redress'd, the Senate should no longer pretend to call themselves Chriftians? But Pagans are as ftrict and moral, we find, all the World over, as the most regular Chriftians, in the Prefervation of private Property. The Difference of Faith is not at all concern'd, but mere humane Policy, in afcertaining the Right of meum and tuum, I have ventur'd to imagine, that our Author wrote, BondЛlaves and Pageants ball our Statesmen be. SCENE changes to the Senate Houfe. Duke and Senators, fet at a table with lights, and attendants. Duke. There is no compofition in thefe news, That gives them credit. 1 Sen. Indeed, they're difproportion'd; But though they jump not on a juft account, Duke. Nay, it is poffible enough to judgment; But the main article I do approve, In fearful fenfe. Sailors within.] What hoa! what hoa! what hoa! Enter Sailor. Offi. A meffenger from the Gallies. Sail. The Turkish preparation makes for Rhodes, So was I bid report here to the State. Duke. How fay you by this change? I Sen. This cannot be, By no affay of reafon. 'Tis a pageant, ད་ i. e. if we'll let such injurious Actions go unpunish'd, our Statesmen must be Slaves, Cyphers in Office, and have no Pow'r of redreffing; be Things of meer Show, and gaudy Appearance only. So, in Meaf. for Meaf. N Mine were the very Cypher of a Function, And, fo, in King Henry VIII. if we fand ftill, in fear Our Motion will be mock'd or carped at, Το To keep us in falfe gaze; when we confider That as it more concerns the Turk than Rhodes, But altogether lacks th' abilities That Rhodes is drefs'd in. If we make thought of this, Duke. Nay, in all confidence he's not for Rhodes Enter a Meffenger. Mef. The Ottomites, (reverend and gracious,) Steering with due courfe toward the Ifle of Rhodes, Have there injoin'd them with an after fleet— I Sen. Ay, fo I thought; how many, as you guefs? With his free duty, recommends you thus, Duke. 'Tis certain then for Cyprus: Marcus Luccicos, Is he not here in town? I Sen. He's now in Florence. (12) So may be with more fertile Question bear it ;] This is Mr. Pope's Reading; but upon what Authorities, I am yet to learn. All the old Impreffions, Quarto's and Folio's, I know, have it; I i. e. He may with a more eafy Struggle, with lefs Strength, carry Cyprus; and the Poet fubjoins this Reason for it, because Cyprus was not near fo well fortified, nor in the Condition to oppose, as Rhodes was. ought to mention, to the Praise of my Friend Mr. Warburton's Sagacity, that tho' he had none of the old Editions to collate or refer to, he sent me word by Letter, that the Context abfolutely requir'd facile Queftion. Duke. Write from us, to him, poft, poft-hafte, dispatch 1 Sen. Here comes Brabantio, and the valiant Moor. To them, enter Brabantio, Othello, Caffio, lago, Rodo rigo, and Officers. Duke. Valiant Othello, we muft ftraight employ you, Against the general enemy Ottoman. I did not fee you; welcome, gentle fignior; [To Braban. We lack'd your counfel, and your help to night. Bra. So did I yours; good your Grace, pardon me ; Is of fo flood-gate and o'er-bearing nature, Duke. Why? what's the matter? Bra. My daughter! oh my daughter!- Bra. To me ; She is abus'd, ftolen from me, and corrupted (Being not deficient, blind, or lame of sense,) Duke. Who-e'er he be, that in this foul proceeding Hath thus beguil'd your daughter of her felf, And you of her, the bloody book of law You fhall your felf read in the bitter letter, After your own fenfe; yea, though our proper Son Bra, Humbly I thank your Grace. Here is the man, this Moor, whom now, it seems, Hath hither brought. All. We're very forry for❜t. Duke. What in your own part can you fay to this? Bra. Nothing, but this is so. [To Othel. Oth. Moft potent, grave, and reverend figniors, My My very noble and approv'd good masters; Hath this extent; no more. Rude am I in my speech, For fince these arms of mine had feven years Pith, And little of this great world can I speak, In fpeaking for my felf. Yet, by your patience, Of my whole course of love; what drugs, what charms, (For fuch proceeding I am charg'd withal,) · I won his daughter with. Bra. A maiden, never bold; Of fpirit fo ftill and quiet, that her motion (13) It is a Fudgment maim'd and most imperfect That will confefs, Perfection so could err Against all Rules of Nature.] Perfection erring, feems a Contradiction in Terminis, as the Schoolmen call it. Befides, Brabantio does not blazon his Daughter out for a Thing of abfolute Perfection; he only fays, fhe was indued with fuch an extreme innate Modefty, that for her to fall in Love fo prepofteroufly, no found Judgment could allow, but it must be by magical Practice upon her. I have ventur'd to imagine that our Author wrote; That will confefs, Affection so could err, &c. This is entirely confonant to what Brabantio would say of her; and one of the Senators, immediately after, in his Examination of the Moor, thus addreffes himself to him; But, Othello, fpeak; Did you by indirect and forced Courfes Subdue and poyfon this young Maid's Affections, &c. Bb 3 Againft |