Where virtue is, these make more virtuous.

Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw
The smallest fear, or doubt of her revolt,

For fhe had eyes, and chofe me.

No, lago,

I'll fee, before I doubt; when I doubt, prove;

And, on the proof, there is no more but this,

Away at once with love or jealousy.

IAGO. I'm glad of this; for now I fhall have reafon

To show the love and duty that I hear you

With franker fpirit.

Receive it from me.

Look to your wife,

Therefore, as I'm bound,

I fpeak not yet of proof.
observe her well with Caffio ;

Wear your eye, thus; not jealous, nor secure!
I would not have your free and noble nature
Out of felf-bounty be abus'd; look to't.

I know our country-difpofition well;

In Venice they do let Heav'n fee the pranks

They dare not show their husbands.

OTн. Doft thou fay fo?

IAGO. She did deceive her father, marrying you;

And when the feem'd to shake, and fear your looks.

She lov'd them most.

Отн. And fo fhe did.

IAGO. Go to then ;

She, that, so young, could give out fuch a seeming

To feal her father's eyes up, close as oak

He thought 'twas witchcraft-But I'm much to blame :

I humbly do befeech you of your pardon,

For too much loving you.

Отн. I am bound to you for ever.

IAGO. I fee this hath a little dash'd your fpirits,

Отн. Not a jot, not a jot.

IAGO. Trust me, I fear it has :

I hope you will confider what is spoke

Comes from my love. But I do fee you're mov'd-
I am to pray you; not to firain my speech

To groffer iffues, not to larger reach,

Than to fufpicion.

OтH. I will not.

IAGO. Should you do fo, my Lord,
My fpeech would fall into fuch vile fuccefs,
Which my thoughts aim not at.

My Lord, I fee you're mov'd

OTн. No, not much mov’d-.........

Caffio's my worthy friend.

I do not think but Defdemona's honeft.

IAGO. Long live fhe fo! and long live you to think fo!
ОтH. And yet, how nature's erring from itfelf-

IAGO. Ay, there's the point?-as (to be bold with you)
Not to affect many propofed matches

Of her own clime, complexion, and degree,
Whereto we see in all things nature tends;

Foh! one may fmell, in fuch, a will moft rank,
Foul difproportions, thoughts unnatural.

But, pardon me, I do not in pofition

Distinctly speak of her; though I may fear,
Her will, recoiling to her better judgment,
May fall to match you with her country-forms,
And, haply, fo repent.

Отн. Farewel, farewel;
If more thou doft perceive,
Set on thy wife t' obferve.
IAGO. My Lord, I take

let me know more :
Leave me, lago.
my leave.

Отн. Why did I marry? This honeft creature, doubtlefs,

Sees

Sees, and knows more, much more, than he unfolds.

JAGO. My Lord, I would I might intreat your Honour To scan this thing no further; leave it to time: Altho' 'tis fit that Caffio have his place, For fure, he fills it up with great ability; Yet if you please to hold him off a while, You fhall by that perceive him and his means; Note, if your lady strain his entertainment With any ftrong or vehement opportunity; Much will be feen in that. In the mean time, Let me be thought too bufy in my fears, (As worthy cause I have to fear I am) And hold her free, I do befeech your Отн. Fear not my government. IAGO. I once more take my leave.

Honour.

С НА Р. XXVIII.

SHAKSPEARE.

HAMLET'S SOLILOQUY ON HIS MOTHER's

MARRIAGE.

OH that this too, too folid flesh would melt,

Thaw, and refolve itself into a dew !

Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd

His cannon 'gainst self-slaughter!

How weary, ftale, flat, and unprofitable,

Seem to me all the ufes of this world!

Fie on't! oh fie! 'tis an unweeded garden,

That grows to feed; things rank, and grofs in nature,
Poffefs it merely. That it fhould come to this!
But two months dead! nay, not fo much; not two ;-
So excellent a king, that was, to this,

Hyperion to a fatyr: fo loving to my mother,
That he permitted not the winds of heav'n
Vifit her face too roughly. Heav'n and earth!
Must I remember!-why he would hang on him,
As if increase of appetite had grown

By what it fed on; yet within a month,

Let me not think--Frailty, thy name is Woman!
A little month! or ere those shoes were old,
With which the followed my poor father's body,
Like Niobe, all tears--Why, she, ev'n she—
(O Heav'n! a beast that wants discourse of reason,
Would have mourn'd longer—) married with nine uncle,
My father's brother; but no more like my father,
Than I to Hercules. Within a month!.

Ere yet the falt of moft unrighteous tears
Had left the flufhing in her galled eyes,
She married-Oh, most wicked speed, to post
With fuch dexterity to incestuous sheets !
It is not, norit cannot come to good,.

But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.

CHA P. XXIX.

SHAKSPEARE..

HAMLET

AND

NGELS and ministers of

GHOST.

defend us!

grace

HAMA Be thou a fpirit of health, or goblin damn'd,
a Orgoblin dama

Bring with thee airs from heav'n, or blafts from hell,
Be thy intent wicked or charitable,

Chou com'ft in fuch a questionable shape,.
That I will fpeak to thee. I'll call thee Hamlet,
King, Father, Royal Dane: oh! answer me!

Let

Let me not burst in ignorance; but tell,

Why thy canoniz'd bones, hearfed in earth,
Have burst their cearments? why the fepulchre,
Wherein we saw thee quietly inurn'd,

Hath op'd his ponderous and marble jaws,
To caft thee up again? What may this mean
That thou, dead corfe, again in complete steel,
Revifit'ft thus the glimpses of the moon,
Making night hideous, and us fools of nature
So horribly to shake our difpofition

?

With thoughts beyond the reaches of our fouls?
Say, why is this? wherefore? what should we do ??
GHOST. Mark me.-

HAM. I will.

GHOST. My hour is almost come,

When I to fulphurous and tormenting flames

Muft render up myself..

HAM. Alas, poor ghoft!

GHOST. Pity me not, but lend thy ferious hearing:

To what I shall unfold.

HAм. Speak, I am bound to hear.

GHOST. So art thou to revenge when thou fhalt hear..

HAM. What ?

GHOST. Iam thy father's fpirit;

Doom'd for a certain term. to walk the night,,

And for the day, confin'd to faft in fire :

Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature,

Are burnt and purg'd away. But that I am forbid
To tell the fecrets of my prifon house,

I could a tale unfold, whole lightest word

Would harrow up thy foul, freeze thy young blood,
Make thy two eyes, like ftars, ftart from their spheres,›