Critical Remarks on the Othello of Shakespear, continued from page 87.

HITHERTO Iago feems not to have formed any determined plan of action; A bait is laid for him in the fimplicity of Rodorigo, and how to get poffeffion of his treasures seems to be the only object he had at first in view. He informs him, that having received many injuries from the Moor, he has reafon to concur in schemes against him; and, in order to amuse Rodorigo, to bring matters into fome ferment, and at the fame time to have an opportunity of fhewing his zeal to Othello, he advises him, as the most likely means to obtain Desdemona, to inflame her father, by giving him an account of her marriage with the Moor; though Iago himself, it is probable, expected no fuccefs from this device. However, while his orders are executing, he has leisure to confider what he is about; for lago, at his first fetting out, feems to have no intention of dipping fo deep in wickednefs as the dreadful event. Finding no method to gratify Rodorigo, he dexterously makes him a tool for promoting the interefts of his own. The fuit of Rodorigo, and the active hand he had taking in it, had brought him to think of a scheme of which the fame perfons were to be the fubject. To render Caffio odious to Othello by fcandalous afperfions, and by these means to be preferred in his place, are the objects which he now has in view; a purfuit which he did not perhaps think would be attended with fuch a fatal train of confequences, though his fagacious mind difcerns fome thing that strikes him with horror. Hell and night

Must bring this monstrous birth to the world's light.

Shakespear has fhown great judgment in the darknefs which he makes to prevail in the firft counfels of Lago. To the poet himself, all the fucceeding events must have been clear and determined; but to bring

himself again into the fituation of one who fees them in embryo, to draw a mist over that which he had already cleared, muft have required an exertion of genius peculiar to this author alone. In fo lively a man-ner does he make Iago fhew his perplexity about the future management of his conduct, that one is almost tempted to think, that the poet had determined as lit tle himself about fome of the particulars of Iago's destruction. When with much reafoning about their propriety, he is by himself digesting his schemes, he fays,

'Tis here-but yet confused;

Knavery's plain face is never feen till used..

But however much at a lofs he may be about the method of accomplishing his defigns; yet for the prefent he lets flip no opportunity that will promote them. He lays his foundation fure, as knowing what a hazardous ftricture he had to rear upon it; he had already laboured to exhibit himself in the best light to the unfufpicious Moor: and he fucceeded to the height of his wishes; for we find him congratulating himself upon the advantages that will accrue from it.

He holds me well;

The better fhall my purpose work upon him.

Upon the fame principles does he go on working the downfall of Caffio: his blameless and well-established character must be firft tarnifhed; he must be known capable of irregularity before the crime he is accused of obtain full belief; and this more difficult part of his undertaking the indefatigable Iago finds means to accomplish, and with fuch ability as to promote at the fame time the opinion of his own honesty and goodnefs. One would have imagined that he would have remained content with all the lucky events of the tumultuous adventure on the platform, and exult for little; but he wifely determines not to triumph before he has gained a complete victory; his thoughtful and

piercing mind fees another ufe to which the difgrace of Caflio may be applied. Under a cover of zeal to ferve him, he advifest the virtudus man to a scheme that will farther work his ruin; and by hinting to him the great power which Defdemona had over her hufband, he opens a very likely method for regaining his favour through her mediation. The bait is fwallowed, and an appearance of intimacy, most favourable to his defiga, is thereby produced.

The deliberate villain now began to think that he had paved the way fufficiently for communicating the important fecret; but as he had to do with a man whofe "nature's pledge" was not like his, " to fpy into abufe," he ftill acts with extreme caution. Othello had indulged a high notion of the honour of Caffio, and the virtue of Defdemona; and it was not by a fufpicious appearance, or a flight argument, that his opinions were to be changed. Iago was fenfible of all thofe difficulties, and he encounters them with much ability. He affumes the appearance of one whofe mind laboured with the knowledge of fome flagrant impropriety, which he could not contain; and when any circumftance recals the abhorred idea, an involuntary remark efcapes, and immediately he affects to recover himself: he kindles the jealousy of Othello, by tantalizing him with imperfect accounts, and ambiguous arguments; he agitates and diftracts his foul, by confufedly opening one fource of fufpicion, and leaving him in the perplexity of doubt; immediately by difplaying the matter in another point of view, gives him a farther glimmering into the affair; until at lafty frantic with rage and jealoufy, Othello infists upon fatisfactory information; and by thefe means the difcoveries which he makes are made to appear more the effect of neceffity than inclination. oric

Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore. Pen Incomplete knowledge of what' concerns us deeply, befides the tortures of fufpenfe into which it throws

the mind, has a natural effect to make it appear in the most hideous colours, which is poffible to devife.Alarmed with a thousand phantoms, the affrighted imagination is at a loss what to decide or where to reft; racked with many contending arguments, agitated with the anxiety of hope and fear, and impatient to be relieved from this internal war, it flies into whatever asylum it can find; and folicitous about the danger, it generally chooses the worst.

?

Upon the whole, in this intercourfe betwixt Iago and Othello, Shakespear has fhewn the most complete knowledge of the human heart. Here he has put forth all the ftrength of his genius; the faults which he is fo prone to fall into, are entirely out of fight. We find none of his quibbling, his punning, or bombaft; all is ferioufnefs, all is paffion. He brings human nature into the most difficult fituation that can be conceived and with matchlefs fkiff he fupports it. Who can read thofe admirable fcenes without being touched in the most fenfible manner for the high grief of Othello? Plunged into a fea of troubles which he did not deserve, we see him torn afunder in the moft cruel manner? How feeling are his reflections on his own ftate of mind.

Perdition catch my foul
If I do not love thee; and when I love thee not,
Chaos is come again.

I'd rather be a toad,

Farewel the tranquil mind, farewel, content. 7
And afterwards,

Had it pleafed heaven

To try me with affliction; had he rain'd d
All kinds of fores and Thames on my bare head,
Steep'd me in poverty to the very lips,qr
Given to captivity me and my hopes;

I fhould have found in fome place of my foul'
A drop of patience. But, alas! to make nie
A fixed figure for the hand of fcorn,

To point his flow and moving finger at➡ › -
Yet could I bear that too, well, very well.
But there, where I have garner'd up my heart;
Where either I muft live, or bear no life;'
The fountain from the which my current runs,
Or elfe dries up; to be difcarded thence,.

Or keep it as a ciftern for foul toads

To knot and gender in : Turn thy complexion there,
Patience, thou young and rofe-lip'd cherubim ;
Ay, there look grim as hell.

After sustaining a violent conflict betwixt love and revenge, his high fpirit finally refolves into the latter." A gentleman of Aberdeen

On compulfory Lagus respecting Marriage.

J! Wealth and power, wh
what are you worth,

To pleasure if you give not birth?

Совь.

HEAVEN bestowed upon man the finer feelings of the foul, with a view to augment his happiness, and to render his fituation in life the more pleasant: yet, in confequence of thofe erroneous notions which refinements in fociety engender, thefe very feelings are the caufe of the greatest diftreffes to which human nature is fubjected. To fuch a weak and fallible creature as man, the fympathetic endearments arifing from reciprocal affections are neceffary, before his mind can experience the highest degree of gratification of which it is fufceptible. In times of diftrefs, he feeks for fome fympathetic bofom that shall take pleasure in adminiftering the balm of comfort; and when the heart exults with joy, it feels a dreary want until it can find fome one who will participate with him in that peculiar blifs. Every emotion of the heart proves that man was not made to be alone; and that if ever he hopes to attain to happiness, it can never be found in folitude, far lefs in the company of thofe whofe difpofitions, defires, and modes of thinking, are not of a nature congenial to his own.