Which ever as she could with haste despatch,
She'd come again, and with a greedy ear
Devour up my discourse: Which I observing,
Took once a pliant hour; and found good means
To draw from her a prayer of earnest heart,
That I would all my pilgrimage dilate,
Whereof by parcels she had something heard,
But not intentively: I did consent;
And often did beguile her of her tears,
When I did speak of some distressful stroke
That my youth suffer'd. My story being done,
She gave me for my pains a world of sighs:
She swore,-In faith, t' was strange, 't was passing
strange;

'T was pitiful, 't was wondrous pitiful:

She wish'd she had not heard it; yet she wish'd
That heaven had made her such a man: she thank'd

me;

And bade me, if I had a friend that lov'd her,

I should but teach him how to tell my story,
And that would woo her. Upon this hint I spake :
She lov'd me for the dangers I had pass'd;
And I lov'd her that she did pity them.
This only is the witchcraft I have us'd;

Here comes the lady, let her witness it.

Enter DESDEMONA, IAGO, and Attendants.

Duke. I think this tale would win my daughter too. Good Brabantio,

Take up this mangled matter at the best :

Men do their broken weapons rather use,
Than their bare hands.

Bra.

I pray you, hear her speak;

If she confess that she was half the wooer,
Destruction on my head if iny bad blame

Light on the man!-Come hither, gentle mistress;
Do you perceive in all this noble company

Where most you owe obedience?

Des.

My noble father,

I do perceive here a divided duty:

To you, I am bound for life and education;
My life and education both do learn me

How to respect you; you are the lord of duty;-
I am hitherto your daughter: But here's my husband❤
And so much duty as my mother show'd

To you, preferring you before her father,
So much I challenge that I may profess
Due to the Moor, my lord. ·

Bra.
God be with you!—I have done:—
Please it your grace, on to the state affairs;
I had rather to adopt a child than get it.
Come hither, Moor:

I here do give thee that with all my heart

Which, but thou hast already, with all my heart
I would keep from thee.--For your sake, jewel,
I am glad at soul I have no other child;
For thy escape would teach me tyranny,

To hang clogs on them.-I have done, my lord.
Duke. Let me speak like yourself; and lay a sentence,
Which, as a grise, or step, may help these lovers
When remedies are past, the griefs are ended,
By seeing the worst, which late on hopes depended.
To mourn a mischief that is past and gone
Is the next way to draw new mischief on.
What cannot be preserv'd when fortune takes,
Patience her injury a mockery makes.

The robb'd that smiles steals something from the thief;
He robs himself that spends a bootless grief.

Bra. So let the Turk of Cyprus us beguile;

We lose it not so long as we can smile.
He bears the sentence well that nothing bears
But the free comfort which from thence he hears:
But he bears both the sentence and the sorrow
That, to pay grief, must of poor patience borrow.

These sentences, to sugar, or to gall,

Being strong on both sides, are equivocal :
But words are words; I never yet did hear

That the bruis'd heart was pierced through the ear.
I humbly beseech you, proceed to the affairs of state.
Duke. The Turk with a most mighty preparation
makes for Cyprus :-Othello, the fortitude of the place
is best known to you: And though we have there a
substitute of most allowed sufficiency, yet opinion, a
more sovereign mistress of effects, throws a more safer
voice on you: you must therefore be content to slubber
the gloss of your new fortunes with this more stubborn
and boisterous expedition.

Oth. The tyrant custom, most grave senators,
Hath made the flinty and steel couch of war
My thrice-driven bed of down: I do agnize a
A natural and prompt alacrity

I find in hardness; and do undertake
These present wars against the Ottomites.
Most humbly therefore bending to your state,
I crave fit disposition for my wife;
Due reference of place, and exhibition;
With such accommodation, and besort,
As levels with her breeding.

Duke.

Why; at her father's.

Des. I would not there reside,

To put my father in impatient thoughts,

By being in his

eye. Most gracious duke, To my unfolding lend your prosperous ear; And let me find a charter in your voice

To assist my simpleness.

Duke. What would you, Desdemona?

Des. That I love the Moor to live with him, My downright violence and storm of fortunes a Agnize-confess, acknowledge.

May trumpet to the world: my heart 's subdued
Even to the very quality of my lord:
I saw Othello's visage in his mind;
And to his honours and his valiant parts
Did I my soul and fortunes consecrate.
So that, dear lords, if I be left behind,
A moth of peace, and he go to the war,
The rights for why I love him are bereft me,
And I a heavy interim shall support

By his dear absence: Let me go with him.
Oth. Let her have your voice.

Vouch with me, heaven, I therefore beg it not,
To please the palate of my appetite;

Nor to comply with heat the young affects,
In my defunct and proper satisfaction za
But to be free and bounteous to her mind:
And heaven defend your good souls that you think
I will your serious and great business scant,
When she is with me: No, when light-wing'd toys
Of feather'd Cupid seel with wanton dulness
My speculative and offic'd instrument,

That my disports corrupt and taint my business,
Let housewifes make a skillet of my helm,
And all indign and base adversities

Make head against my estimation.

Duke. Be it as you shall privately determine, Either for her stay or going; the affair cries haste, And speed must answer it.

Sen. You must away to-night.

Oth. With all my heart. Duke. At nine i' the morning here we'll meet again. Othello, leave some officer behind,

We

We print this passage (which Steevens says will prove a lasting source of doubt and controversy) as we find it. would only observe, that comply may be used in the sense of supply, that affects are affections, and that defunct does not necessarily mean dead.

And he shall our commission bring to you;
And such things else of quality and respect
As doth import you.

Oth.

So please your grace, my ancient;

A man he is of honesty and trust:

To his conveyance I assign my wife,

With what else needful your good grace shall think
To be sent after me.

Good night to every one.-And, noble signior, [TO BRA. If virtue no delighted beauty lack,

Your son-in-law is far more fair than black.

1 Sen. Adieu, brave Moor! use Desdemona well. Bra. Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see; She has deceiv'd her father, and may thee.

[Exeunt DUKE, Senators, Officers, &c. Oth. My life upon her faith! Honest Iago, My Desdemona must I leave to thee; I prithee let thy wife attend on her; And bring them after in the best advantage. Come, Desdemona, I have but an hour Of love, of worldly matter and direction, To spend with thee: we must obey the time.

Rod. Iago.

[Exeunt OTHELLO and DESDEMONA.

Iago. What say'st thou, noble heart?
Rod. What will I do, think'st thou ?

Iago. Why, go to bed and sleep.

Rod. I will incontinently drown myself.

Iago. If thou dost I shall never love thee after. Why, thou silly gentleman!

Rod. It is silliness to live when to live is torment: and then have we a prescription to die when death is our physician.

Iago. O villainous! I have looked upon the world for four times seven years; and since I could distinguish betwixt a benefit and an injury, I never found man that