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to undertake for me: I am desperate of my fortunes, if they check me here.

Iago. You are in the right: good-night, lieutenant, I must to the watch.

Cas. Good night, honest Iago. [Exit Cassio.

Manet IAGO.

Iago. And what's he then that says I play the
villain?

When this advice is free, I give, and honest,
Likely to thinking, and, indeed, the course
To win the Moor again. For 'tis most easy
Th' inclining Desdemona to subdue

In

any

honest suit; she's framed as fruitful As the free elements. And then for her

To win the Moor, were't to renounce his baptism, All seals and symbols of redeemed sin,

His soul is so enfettered to her love

That she may make, unmake, do what she list,
Even as her appetite shall play the god

With his weak function. Am I then a villain,
To counsel Cassio to this parallel course,
Directly to his good? Divinity of hell!
When devils will their blackest sins put on,
They do suggest at first with heavenly shews,
As I do now.- For while this honest fool
Plies Desdemona to repair his fortune,
And she for him pleads strongly to the Moor,

I'll pour this pestilence into his ear,

That she repeals him for her body's lust:

And by how much she strives to do him good,
She shall undo her credit with the Moor.
So will I turn her virtue into pitch,

And out of her own goodness make the net
That shall enmesh them all. How now, Rodorigo!
Enter RODORIGO.

Rod. I do follow here in the chace, not like a (53) hound that hunts, but one that fills up the cry. My money is almost spent; I have been to-night exceedingly well cudgelled; and I think, the issue will be, I shall have so much experience for my pains; and so with no money at all, and a little more wit, return again to Venice.

Iago. How poor are they that have not patience! What wound did ever heal but by degrees? [craft; Thou knowest we work by wit, and not by witchAnd wit depends on dilatory Time.

Does't not go well? Cassio hath beaten thee,
And thou by that small hurt hast cashiered Cassio.

(53) If the north side of the moon be on the left hand, and the person of Rodorigo (Hudibras) be looked at horizontally, it will be found to resemble a dog running; its head is towards the right hand, and this dog was before noticed by Iago's likening Rodorigo to a brach of quick

scent.

Tho' other things grow fair against the sun,
Yet fruits that blossom first will first be ripe :
Content thyself a while. In troth, 'tis morning:
Pleasure and action make the hours seem short,
Retire thee; go where thou art billeted ;
Away, I say; thou shalt know more hereafter:
Nay, get thee gone.
[Exit Rodorigo.

Two things are to be done;

My wife must move for Cassio to her mistress:
I'll set her on :·

Myself, the while, to draw the Moor apart,

And bring him (jump,) when he may Cassio find Soliciting his wife,-ay, that's the way:

Dull not, device, by coldness and delay. [Exit.

ACT III.

SCENE, before Othello's Palace.

Enter CASSIO with Musicians.

Cassio. Masters, play here, I will content your

pains,

[general:

Something that's brief; and bid, good-morrow,

[Music plays, and enter Clown from the House.

(54) Clown. Why, masters, have your instruments been in Naples, that they speak i' th' nose thus? Mus. How, sir, how? [ments? (55)

Clown. Are these, I pray you, wind instuMus. Aye, marry, are they, sir.

(54) The Clown in this play has the same prototype as King Lear's Fool, drawn before in fig. 89.

(55) In figure 102 is represented a groupe of musicians with wind instruments, such as they appear about the center of the moon; the uppermost of them corresponding with Crowdero in Hudibras, whose position being known, furnishes a clue for tracing the others there,

Fig. 102.

Clown. Oh, thereby hangs a tale.
Mus. Whereby hangs a tale, sir?

Clown. Marry, sir, by many a wind instrument
But, masters,
But, masters, here's money for you:

that I know.

and the general so likes your music, that he desires you for love' sake to make no more noise with it.

Mus. Well, sir, we will not..

Clown. If you have any music that may not be keard, to't again; but as they say, to hear music, the general does not greatly care.

Mus. We have none such, sir.

Clown. Then put up your pipes in your bag, for I'll away. Go, vanish into air, away.

[Exeunt. Mus

Cas. Dost thou hear, mine honest friend. Clown. No, I hear not your honest friend; I hear you.

Cas. Pr'ythee keep up thy quillets, there's a poor piece of gold for thee. If the gentlewoman that attends the general's wife be stirring, tell her, there's one Cassio entreats of her a little favour of specch. Wilt thou do this?

Clown. She is stirring, sir, if she will stir hither, I shall seem to notify unto her. [Exit Clown.

Cas. Do, my good friend.

To him, enter LAGO.

In happy time, lago.

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