For I mine own gain'd knowledge should profane, If I fhould time expend with fuch a snipe,

But for my sport, and profit. I hate the Moor;
And it is thought abroad, that 'twixt my sheets
He has done my office: I know not, if't be true;
But I, for mere fufpicion in that kind,

Will do, as if for furety. He holds me well;
The better fhall my purpose work on him.
Caffio's a proper man: Let me fee now;
To get his place, and to plume up my will,
A double knavery,-How? how?-Let me fee :-
After fome time, to abuse Othello's ear,
That he is too familiar with his wife :-
He hath a perfon, and a fmooth difpofe,

To be fufpected; fram'd to make women false.
The Moor is of a free and open nature,
That thinks men honeft, that but feem to be fo;
And will as tenderly be led by the nofe,
As affes are.

I have't;-It is engender'd :-Hell and night
Muft bring this monstrous birth to the world's light.
[Exit.

&c.

S

to plume up, &c.] The first quarto reads to make up, STEEVENS.

6 The Moor is of a free and open nature,] The first quarto reads

The Moor, a free and open nature too,

That thinks, &c. STEEVENS.

ACT

ACT II.

SCENE I.

The capital of Cyprus.

A platform.

Enter Montano, and two Gentlemen.

Mont. What from the cape can you difcern at fea? 1 Gent. Nothing at all: it is a high-wrought flood; I cannot, 'twixt the heaven and the main,

Defery a fail.

Mont. Methinks, the wind hath spoke aloud at land;

A fuller blaft ne'er fhook our battlements:
If it had ruffian'd fo upon the fea,

What ribs of oak, when mountains melt on them",
Can hold the mortice? What shall we hear of this?
2 Gent. A fegregation of the Turkish fleet :
For do but ftand upon the foaming fhore 8,
The chiding billow feems to pelt the clouds ;

7

when monntains melt on them,] Thus the folio. The quarto reads,

66

when the huge mountain melts."

This latter reading might be countenanced by the following paf fage in the Second Part of King Henry IV:

The quarto is furely the better reading; it conveys a more natural image, more poetically expreffed. Every man who has been on board a veffel in the Bay of Bifcay, or in any very high fea, must know that the vaft billows feem to melt away from the ship, not on it. MONCK MASON.

8

the foaming hore,] The elder quarto reads-banning fhore, which offers the bolder image; i. e. the shore that execrates the ravage of the waves. So, in King Henry VI. P. I. "Fell, banning hag, enchantrefs, hold thy tongue.'

STEEVENS.

The

A

The wind-fhak'd furge, with high and monftrous main,

Seems to caft water on the burning bear, "And quench the guards of the ever-fixed pole: I never did like moleftation view

On the enchafed flood.

Mont. If that the Turkish fleet

Be not infhelter'd, and embay'd, they are drown'd; It is impoffible they bear it out.

Enter a third Gentleman.

3 Gent. News, lords! our wars are done : .

The defperate tempeft hath fo bang'd the Turks,

That their defignment halts: A noble ship of Venice

Hath feen a grievous wreck and fufferance

On most part of their fleet.

Mont. How? is this true?

1

3. Gent. The fhip is here put in,

A Veronefe: Michael Caffio,

Lieutenant

And quench the guards of the ever-fixed pole :] Alluding to the ftar Ar&ophylax. JOHNSON.

The elder quarto reads-ever-fir'd pole. STEEVENS.
The hip is here put in,

A Veronefe; Michael Caffio, &c.] The author of The Revi fal is of opinion, that the poet intended to inform us, that Othello's lieutenant Caffio was of Verona, an inland city of the Venetian flate; and adds, that the editors have not been pleased to fay what kind of fhip is here denoted by a Veronea. By a Veroneja or Veronefè (for the Italian pronunciation must be retained, otherwife the meafure will be defective) a fhip of Verona is denoted; as we fay to this day of fhips in the river, fuch a one is a Dutchman, a Jamaica-man, &c. STEEVENS.

Veronefja, a fhip of Verona. But the true reading is Veronefes pronounced as a quadrifyllable.

The fhip is here put in,

A Veronefè.

It was common to introduce Italian words, and in their proper pronunciation then familiar. So Spencer in the Faerie Queen,

4

B. iii.

Lieutenant to the warlike Moor, Othello,
Is come on fhore: the Moor himself's at fea,
And is in full commiffion here for Cyprus.

Mont. I am glad on't; 'tis a worthy governor. 3 Gent. But this fame Caffio,-though he speak of comfort,

Touching the Turkish lofs,-yet he looks fadly, And prays the Moor be fafe; for they were parted With foul and violent tempeft.

Mont. Pray heaven he be;

For I have ferv'd him, and the man commands
Like a full foldier. Let's to the sea fide, ho!
As well to fee the veffel that's come in,

B. iii. C. xiii. 10.

With fleeves dependant Albencfe wife.

The author of the Revifal obferves, that "the editors have not "been pleased to inform us what kind of fhip is here denoted by "the name of a Veroneffa." But even fuppofing that Veronessa is the true reading, there is no fort of difficulty. He might juft as well have inquired, what kind of a fhip is a Hamburger. This is exactly a parallel form. For it is not the fpecies of the fhip which is implied in this appellation. Our critic adds, "the poet "had not a ship in his thoughts. He intended to inform us, "that Othello's lieutenant, Caffio, was of Verona. We should "certainly read,

66 The fhip is here put in.

"A Veronefe, Michael Caffio, (&c.)

"Is come on fhore.".

This regulation of the lines is ingenious. But I agree with Han mer, and I think it appears from many parts of the play, that Caffio was a Florentine. In this fpeech, the third gentleman, who brings the news of the wreck of the Turkish fleet, returns his tale, and relates the circumstances more distinctly. In his former speech he says, "A noble ship of Venice saw the distress of the Turks." And here he adds, "The very fhip is just now puc into our port, and she is a Veronefe." That is, a fhip fitted out or furnished by the people of Verona, a city of the Venetian state. WARTON.

I believe we are all wrong. Verona is an inland city. Every inconfiftency may, however, be avoided, if we read The Veroneffa, i. e. the name of the fhip is the Veronea. Verona, how. ever, might be obliged to furnish fhips towards the general defence of Italy. STEEVENS,

As to throw out our eyes for brave Othello;

Even 'till we make the main', and the aerial blue,
An indiftinct regard.

Gent. Come, let's do fo;

For every minute is expectancy
Of more arrivance.

Enter Caffio.

Caf. Thanks to the valiant of this warlike ifle';
That fo approve the Moor; O, let the heavens
Give him defence against the elements,
For I have loft him on a dangerous fea!
Mont. Is he well fhipp'd?

Caf. His bark is ftoutly timber'd, and his pilot

Of

'Even 'till we make the main,, &c.] This line and half is wanting in the eldest quarto. STEEVENS.

2

warlike ile,] Thus the folio. The first quarto reads— worthy ifle. STEEVENS.

3 His bark is foutly timber'd,

Therefore my bones, not furfeited to death,

Stand in bold cure. I do not understand thefe lines. I know not how hope can be furfeited to death, that is, can be encreafed, till it is deftroyed; nor what it is to ftand in bold cure; or why hope fhould be confidered as a disease. In the copies there is no variation. Shall we read

Therefore my fears, not furfeited to death,

Stand in bold cure?

This is better, but it is not well. Shall we ftrike a bolder stroke, and read thus?

Therefore my hopes, not forfeited to death,

Stand bold, not fure. JOHNSON.

Therefore my hopes not furfeited to death,

Stand in bolt cure] Prefumptuous hopes, which have no foundation in probability, may be faid to furfeit themselves to death, or forward their own diffolution. To fand in bold cure, is to erect themselves in confidence of being fulfilled. A paral lel expreffion occurs in K. Lear, act iii. fc. 6.

This reft might yet have balm'd his broken fenfes,
"Which, if conveniency will not allow,
"Stand in hard cure.”

Again,