If fhe in chains of magick were not bound,
Whether a maid, fo tender, fair, and happy,
So oppofite to marriage, that the fhunn'd
'The wealthy curled darlings of our nation,
Would ever have, t'incur a general mock,
Run from her guardage to the footy bofom
Of fuch a thing as thou; to fear, not to delight?
Judge me the world, if 'tis not grofs in fenfe,

2

That thou hast practis'd on her with foul charms,
3 Abus'd her delicate youth with drugs or minerals,
That weaken Notion.I'll bar't difputed on;
'Tis probable, and palpable to thinking.

The wealthy CURLED darlings of our nation.] I read CULLED, i. e. felect, chofen. Ohakespear ufes this word very frequently,

Thefe CULL'D and choice drawn
Cavaliers from France.

Henry V. Curled was an improper mark of difference between a Venetian and Moor, which latter people are remarkably curl'd by nature.

WARBURTON, Curled is elegantly and oftenta tiously dreffed. He had not the hair particularly in his thought.

2 Judge me the world, &c.] The five following lines are not in the first edition.

POPE.

3 Abus'd her delicate youth with drugs, or minerals,

That weaken Motion.] Brabantio is here accufing Othello of having us'd fome foul play, and intoxicated Desdemona by drugs and potions to win her over to his love. But why, drugs to weaken motion? How then could the have un away with him volunta

2

१

rily from her father's houfe? Had
the been averfe to chufing Othello,
tho' he had given her medicines
that took away the use of her
limbs, might the not still have re-
tain'd her fenfes, and oppos'd the
marriage? Her father, 'tis evi-
dent, from feveral of his speeches,
is pofitive, that he must have been
abfed in her rational faculties;
or fhe could not have made fo
prepofterous a choice, as to wed
with a Moor, a Black, and refufe
the finest young gentlemen in
Venice. What then have we to
do with her motion being weak-
en'd? If I understand any thing
of the poet's meaning here, L
cannot but think, he must have
wrote;

Abus'd her delicate youth with
drugs, or minerals,
That weaken Notion.

i. e. her apprehenfion, right con-
ception and idea of things, under-
fanding, judgment, &c. THEOB.
Hammer reads with equal pro-
bability,

That waken motion,

I therefore apprehend and do attach thee
For an abufer of the world, a practicer
Of arts inhibited and out of warrant.
-Lay hold upon him; if he do resist,
Subdue him at his peril.

Oth. Hold your hands,

Both you of my inclining, and the rest.
Were it my cue to fight, I fhould have known iɛ
Without a prompter. Where will you I go
To answer this your charge?

Bra. To prifon, 'till fit time

Of law, and courfe of direct Seffion
Call thee to answer.

Oth. What if I do obey?

How may the Duke be therewith fatisfied,
Whose messengers are here about my fide,
Upon fome present business of the State,
To bring me to him?

Offi. True, moft worthy fignior,

The Duke's in Council; and your noble self,
I'm fure, is fent for.

Bra. How! the Duke in Council?

In this time of the night? Bring him away;
Mine's not an idle caufe. The Duke himself,
Or any of my Brothers of the State,

Cannot but feel this wrong, as 'twere their own;
For if fuch actions may have paffage free,

* Bond-flaves, and Pagans, fhall our Statesmen be.

4 Bond-flarves, and Pagans-] Mr. Theobald alters Pagans to Pazeants for this reafon, That Pagans are as firict and moral all the world over, as the most regular Chriftians in the prefervation of private property. But what then?

[Exeunt.

The fpeaker had not this high opinion of pagan morality, as is plain from hence, that this important difcovery, so much to the honour of paganism, was firft made by our editor.

WARBURTON.

SCENE

Changes to the Senate House.

Duke and Senators, fet at a table with lights, and

Duke.

5

T

attendants.

HERE is no compofition in these news,
That gives them credit.

1 Sen. Indeed, they're difproportion'd;
My letters fay, a hundred and feven Gallies.
Duke. And mine a hundred and forty.
2 Sen. And mine, two hundred;

But though they jump not on a juft account,
• As in these cafes where they aim reports,
'Tis oft with diff'rence; yet do they all confirm
A Turkish fleet, and bearing up to Cyprus.

Duke. Nay, it is poffible enough to judgment.
I do not fo fecure me in the error,

But the main article I do approve

In fearful fenfe.

Sailors within.] What hoa! what hoa! what hoa!

WARBURTON.

5 There is no compofition-] for information than conje&ture: Compofition, for confiftency, con- Which not only improves the cordancy. WARBURTON. fenfe, but, by changing the verb As in th fe cafes, where THEY into a noun, and the noun into a aim reports, Thefe Venetians verb, mends the expreffion. feem to have had a very odd fort of perfons in employment, who did all by hazard, as to what, and bow, they fhould report; for this is the fenfe of man's aim ing reports. The true reading, without queftion, is,

where THE aim reports. i. e. where there is no better ground

The folio has,

-the aim reports. But, they aim reports, has a fenfe fufficiently eafy and commodious. Where men report not by certain knowledge, but by aim and conje&ture.

Enter

Enter Sailors.

Offi. A meffenger from the Gallies.
Duke. Now?-What's the business?

Sail. The Turkish preparation makes for Rhodes.
So was I bid report here to the State.

Duke. How fay you by this change?
1 Sen. This cannot be,

? By no affay of reason. 'Tis a pageant,
To keep us in falfe gaze; when we confider
Th' importancy of Cyprus to the Turk,
And let ourselves again but understand,
That as it more concerns the Turk than Rhodes,
So may he with more facile queftion bear it;
For that it ftands not in fuch warlike brace,
But altogether lacks th' abilities

That Rhodes is dress'd in. If we make thought of this,
We must not think the Turk is fo unskilful,

To leave that latest which concerns him first;

Negletting an attempt of eafe and gain,

To wake and wage a danger profitless.

Duke. Nay, in all confidence, he's not for Rhodes.
Offi. Here is more news.

Enter a Messenger.

Mef. The Ottomites, reverend and gracious, Steering with due courfe toward the Ifle of Rhodes, Have there injointed them with an after-fleet1 Sen. Ay, fo I thought; how many, as you guess?

7 By no affay of reafon.] Bring it to the teft, examine it by reafon as we examine metals by the affay, it will be found counterfeit by all trials.

8

facile queftion-] Quef tion is for the act of feeking. With more eafy endeavour.

9 For that it fland's not, &c.] The feven following lines are added fince the first edition.

POPE. 1warlike brace,] State of defence. To arm was called to brace on the armour.

Mef.

Mef. Of thirty fail; and now they do re-stem Their backward course, bearing with frank appear

ance

Their purposes toward Cyprus. Signior Montano,
Your trufty and most valiant Servitor,

With his free duty, recommends you thus,
And prays you to believe him.

Duke. 'Tis certain then for Cyprus. Marcus Luc-
cicos,

Is he not here in town?

1 Sen. He's now in Florence.

Duke. Write from us, to him, poft, post-hafte.'
Defpatch.

1 Sen. Here comes Brabantio, and the valiant Moor.

To them, enter Brabantio, Othello, Caffio, Iago,
Rodorigo, and Officers.

Duke. Valiant Othello, we muft ftraight employ

you,

Against the general enemy Ottoman.

I did not fee you; welcome, gentle fignior, [To Brab. We lack'd your counfel, and your help to night.

Bra. So did I yours. Good your Grace, pardon me; Neither my place, nor aught I heard of business, Hath rais'd me from my bed; nor doth the general

care

Take hold on me, for my particular grief

And prays you to believe him.] The late learned and ingenious Mr. Thomas Clark of Lincoln's Inn, read the paffage thus,

And prays you to relieve him. But the prefent reading may Aand. He intreats you not to doubt

VOL. VIIL

3

the truth of this intelligence.

3-general care ] The word care, which encumbers the verse, was probably added by the players. Shak Speare ufes the general as a substantive, though, I think, not in this fenfe.