love of his Defdemona: whom let us not therefore blame; he hath not yet made wanton the night with her; and fhe is sport for Jove.

CAS. She's a moft exquifite lady.

IAGO. And, I'll warrant her, full of game.

CAS. Indeed, fhe is a moft fresh and delicate

creature.

IAGO. What an eye fhe has! methinks, it founds a parley of provocation.8

CAS. An inviting eye; and yet, methinks, right modeft.

IAGO. And, when she speaks, is it not an alarm'

to love? 2

CAS. She is, indeed, perfection.3

IAGO. Well, happiness to their fheets! Come, lieutenant, I have a stoop of wine; and here without are a brace of Cyprus gallants, that would fain have a measure to the health of the black Othello.

"She caft off

"My company betimes to-night, by tricks," &c.

STEEVENS. 8 —a parley of provocation.] So, the quarto, 1622. Folioto provocation. MALONE.

9 — an alarm-] The voice may found an alarm more properly than the eye can found a parley. JOHNSON.

The eye is often faid to Speak. Thus we frequently hear of the language of the eye. Surely that which can talk may, without any violent ftretch of the figure he allowed to found a parley. The folio reads-parley to provocation. RITSON.

So, in Troilus and Creffida:

"There's language in her eye" &c.

See Vol. XI. p. 382, n. 3. STEEVFNS.

2

is it not an alarm to love?] The quartos read-'tis an alarm to love. STEEVINS.

3 She is, indeed, perfection.] In this and the seven short speeches preceding, the decent character of Callio is moft powerfully contrafted with that of the licentious lago. STEEVENS.

CAS. Not to-night, good Iago; I have very poor and unhappy brains for drinking: I could well wifh courtesy would invent fome other cuftom of entertainment.

LAGO. O, they are our friends; but one cup: I'll drink for you.

4

CAS. I have drunk but one cup to-night, and that was craftily qualified too, and, behold, what innovation it makes here: I am unfortunate in the infirmity, and dare not task my weakness with any

more.

IAGO. What, man! 'tis a night of revels; the gallants defire it.

CAS. Where are they?

LAGO. Here at the door; I pray you, call them in.

CAS. I'll do't; but it diflikes me.

[Exit CASSIO. LAGO. If I can faften but one cup upon him, With that which he hath drunk to-night already, He'll be as full of quarrel and offence

As my young mistress' dog. Now, my fick fool, Roderigo,

Whom love has turn'd almoft the wrong fide outward,

To Defdemona hath to-night carous'd
Potations pottle deep; and he's to watch:
Three lads of Cyprus,'-noble fwelling fpirits,
That hold their honours in a wary distance,

-craftily qualified-] Slily mixed with water.

JOHNSON.

5 Three lads of Cyprus,] The folio reads-Three elfe of Cyprus.

STEEVENS.

The very elements of this warlike ifle,-
Have I to-night flufter'd with flowing cups,
And they watch too. Now, 'mongst this flock of
drunkards,

Am I to put our Caffio in fome action

That may offend the ifle:-But here they come:
If confequence do but approve my dream,7
My boat fails freely, both with wind and ftream.

Re-enter CASSIO; with him MONTANO, and Gentlemen.

CAS. 'Fore heaven, they have given me a rouse already.

8

MON. Good faith, a little one; not past a pint, as I am a foldier.9

LAGO. Some wine, ho!

The very elements] As quarrelfome as the difcordia femina rerum; as quick in oppofition as fire and water. JOHNSON.

If confequence do but approve my dream,] Every fcheme fubfifting only in the imagination may be termed a dream. JOHNSON.

8

-given me a roufe &c.] A roufe appears to be a quantity of liquor rather too large.

So, in Hamlet; and in The Chriftian turn'd Turk, 1612: our friends may tell

"We drank a roufe to them."

See p. 59, n. 3. STEEVENS.

9 As I am a foldier.] If Montano was Othello's predeceffor in the government of Cyprus, (as we are told in the Perfonæ Dramatis,) he is not very characteriflically employed in the prefent fcene, where he is tippling with people already flufter'd, and encouraging a fubaltern officer who commands a midnight guard, to drink to excefs. STEEVENS.

And let me the canakin clink, clink; [Sings.
And let me the canakin clink:

A foldier's a man ;

A life's but a fpan; 2

Why then, let a foldier drink.

Some wine, boys!

[Wine brought in.

CAS. 'Fore heaven, an excellent fong.

IAGO. I learn'd it in England, where (indeed) they are most potent in potting: your Dane, your German, and your fwag-bellied Hollander,Drink, ho!—are nothing to your English.

4

CAS. Is your Englishman so expert in his drinking?5

LAGO. Why, he drinks you, with facility, your Dane dead drunk; he fweats not to overthrow your Almain; he gives your Hollander a vomit, ere the next pottle can be fill'd.

2 A life's but a fpan;] Thus the quarto. The folio reads, Oh man's life but a span. STEEVENS.

3

in England, where (indeed) they are moft potent in potting:] Les meilleurs buveurs en Angleterre, is an ancient French proverb. STEEVENS.

4 -moft potent in potting: your Dane, your German, &c.] Enquire at ordinaries: there must be fallets for the Italian, tooth-picks for the Spaniard, pots for the German!" Prologue to Lyly's Midas, 1592. MALONE.

5

-your Dane,] See p. 61, n. 7.

-fo expert in his drinking?]

STEEVENS.

Thus the quarto, 1622. Folio-fo exquifite. This accomplishment in the English is likewife mentioned by Beaumont and Fletcher in The Captain:

"Lod. Are the Englishmen

"Such ftubborn drinkers?

"Pifo.

not a leak at fea

"Can fuck more liquor; you fhall have their children
"Chriften'd in mull'd fack, and at five years old

"Able to knock a Dane down." STEEVENS.

CAS. To the health of our general.

MON. I am for it, lieutenant; and I'll do you juftice.'

LAGO. O fweet England!

6

King Stephen was a worthy peer,"
His breeches coft him but a crown;
He held them fixpence all too dear,
With that he call'd the tailor-lown."

He was a wight of high renown,
And thou art but of low degree:
'Tis pride that pulls the country down,
Then take thine auld cloak about thee.

Some wine, ho!

CAS. Why, this is a more exquifite fong than the

other.

LAGO. Will you hear it again?

CAS. No; for I hold him to be unworthy of his

-I'll do you justice.] i. e. drink as much as you do. See Vol. IX. p. 229, n. 4. STEEVENS. 6 King Stephen &c.] Thefe ftanzas are taken from an old fong,· which the reader will find recovered and preferved in a curious work lately printed, entitled, Relicks of Ancient Poetry, confifting of old heroick ballads, fongs, &c. 3 vols. 12mo. JOHNSON.

So, in Greene's Quip for an Upftart Courtier: "King Stephen wore a pair of cloth breeches of a noble a pair, and thought them paffing coftly." STEEVENS.

7 a worthy peer,] i. e. a worthy fellow. In this fenfe peer, fere, and pheere, are often ufed by the writers of our earliest romances. STEEVENS.

A worthy peer is a worthy lord, a title frequently beftowed upon kings in our old romances. So, in Amadis de Gaule, 1619: "Sir, although you be a king and a great lord." Spenfer constantly uses the word peer in this fenfe. Pheere is in every respect a very different word. RITSON.

8lown.] Sorry fellow, paltry wretch. JOHNSON.