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picions which, like bubbles blown into a wide extent, have only an empty shew without solidity; or that, in consequence of such empty fears, I will close with thy inference against the virtue of my wife. JOHNSON 273. -blown surmises,

Matching your inference.] That is—such as you have mentioned in describing the torments of jealousy. The part of Iago's speech particularly alluded to, is that where he says,

But, Oh, what damned moments counts he o'er,
Who doats, yet doubts; suspects, yet strongly
MONCK MASON.

loves. 277. Where virtue is, these are most virtuous:] An action in itself indifferent, grows virtuous by its end and application. JOHNSON.

I know not why the modern editors, in opposition to the first quarto and folio, read most instead of more.

A passage in All's Well that Ends Well, is perhaps the best comment on the sentiment of Othello: "I have those good hopes of her, education promises: his disposition she inherits; which makes fair gifis fairer." Gratior e pulchro veniens et corpore virtus.

STEEVENS.

Most is the reading of the second folio. REMARKS. 291. Out of self-bounty be abus'd;-] Self-bounty, for inherent generosity. WARBURTON.

292.

netian.

our country disposition

In Venice] Here lago seems to be a Ve

[blocks in formation]

There is nothing in any other part of the play, pro→ perly understood, to imply otherwise.

HENLEY. 295. Is not to leave undone, but keep unknown.] The folio, perhaps more clearly, reads:

Is not to leave't undone, but keep't unknown.
STEEVENS.

298. And, when she seem'd-] This and the fol lowing argument of Iago ought to be deeply impres sed on every reader. Deceit and falsehood, whatever conveniences they may for a time promise and produce, are, in the sum of life, obstacles to happiness. Those, who profit by the cheat, distrust the deceiver, and the act, by which kindness was sought, puts an end to confidence.

The same objection may be made, with a lower degree of strength, against the imprudent generosity of disproportionate marriages. When the first heat of passion is over, it is easily succeeded by suspicion, that the same violence of inclination, which caused one irregularity, may stimulate to another: and those who have shewn, that their passions are too powerful for their prudence, will, with very slight appearances against them, be censured, as not very likely to restrain them by their virtue. JOHNSON.

303. To seel her father's eyes up, close as oak-] The oak is (I believe) the most close-grained wood of general use in England. Close as oak, means, close as the grain of the oak. I see no cause for alteration. To seel is an expression taken from falconry.

STEEVENS.

Το

To seel, signifies to hood-wink, see before.
314. To grosser issues,] Issues, for conclusions.

WARBURTON.

318. My speech would fall into such vile success, ] Success, for succession, i. e. conclusion; not prosperous issue. WARBURTON.

I rather think there is a depravation, and would read:

My speech will fall into such vile excess.

If success be the right word, it seems to mean consequence or event, as successo is used in Italian.

JOHNSON.

I think success may, in this instance, bear its common interpretation. What Iago means, seems to be this: "Should you do so, my lord, my words would be attended by such an infamous degree of success, as my thoughts do not even aim at." Iago, who coun- < terfeits the feelings of virtue, might have said, fall into success, and vile success, because he would appear to Othello, to wish that the inquiry into Desdemona's guilt might prove fruitless and unsuccessful.

STEEVENS.

The following passages will perhaps be considered as proofs of Dr. Johnson's explanation.

Palace of Pleasure, bl. let.

"Then the poor desolate women, fearing lest their case would sorte to some pitifull successe."

Promos and Cassandra, 1578:

"God forbyd all hys hope should turne to such

successe."

Hij

HENDERSON.

329.

329. will most rank,] Will, is for wilfulness. It is so used by Ascham. A rank will is self-will overgrown and exuberant. JOHNSON. 347. You shall by that perceive him, and his means,] You shall discover whether he thinks his best means, his most powerful interest, is by the solicitation of your lady. JOHNSON. 348. -strain his entertainment] Press hard his re-admission to his pay and office. Entertainment was the military term for admission of soldiers.

JOHNSON. 354. Fear not my government.] Do not distrust my ability to contain my passion.

JOHNSON. 357. with a learned spirit,] The construction is, He knows with a learned spirit all qualities of human dealings. JOHNSON. 358. If I do prove her haggard,] A haggard is a particular species of hawk. It is difficult to be reclaimed, but not irreclaimable.

From a passage in Vittoria Corombona, it appears that haggard was a term of reproach sometimes applied to a wanton: "Is this your perch, you haggard? fly to the stews."

Turbervile says, that "the haggart falcons are the most excellent birds of all other falcons." Latham gives to the haggart only the second place in the valued file.- -Haggard, however, had a popular sense, and was used for wild by those who thought not on the language of falconers. STEEVENS.

359. Though that her jesses were my dear heart

strings,]

strings,] Jesses are short straps of leather tied about the foot of a hawk, by which she is held on the fist. HANMER.

In Heywood's comedy, called A Woman killed with Kindness, 1617, a number of these terms relative to hawking occur together :

"Now she hath seiz'd the fowl, and 'gins to

plume her;

"Rebeck her not; rather stand still and check her.

"So: seize her gets, her jesses, and her bells.”

STEEVENS. 360. I'd whistle her off, and let her down the wind To prey at fortune.-] The falconers always let fly the hawk against the wind; if she flies with the wind behind her, she seldom returns. If, therefore, a hawk was for any reason to be dismissed, she was let down the wind, and from that time shifted for herself, and preyed at fortune. This was told me by the late Mr. Clark. JOHNSON. I'll whistle her off, &c.] This passage may possibly receive illustration from a similar one in Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy, p. 2. sect. 1. mein. 3. "As a long-winged hawke, when he is first whistled off the fist, mounts aloft, and for his pleasure fetcheth many a circuit in the ayre, still soaring higher and higher, till he comes to his full pitch, and in the end, when the game is sprung, comes down amaine, and stoupes upon a sudden."

PERCY.

Again, in Beaumont and Fletcher's Bonduca :
Hiij

"-he

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