THE story is taken from Cynthio's Novels. POPE. I have not hitherto met with any translation of this novel (the seventh in the third decad) of so early a date as the age of Shakspeare; but undoubtedly many of those little pamphlets have perished between his time and ours. It is highly probable that our author met with the name of Othello in some tale that has escaped our researches; as I likewise find it in Reynolds's God's Revenge against Adultery, standing in one of his Arguments as follows: "She marries Othello, an old German soldier." This History (the eighth) is professed to be an Italian one. Here also occurs the name of lago. It is likewise found, as Dr. Farmer observes, in "The History of the famous Euordanus Prince of Denmark, with the strange Adventures of Iago Prince of Saxonie; bl. 1. 4to. London, 1605." It may indeed be urged that these names were adopted from the tragedy before us: but I trust that every reader who is conversant with the peculiar style and method in which the work of honest John Reynolds is composed, will acquit him of the slightest familiarity with the scenes of Shakspeare. This play was first entered at Stationers' Hall, Oct. 6, 1621, by Thomas Walkely. STEEVENS. I have seen a French translation of Cynthio, by Gabriel Chappuys, Par. 1584. This is not a faithful one; and I suspect, through this medium the work came into English. FARmer. This tragedy I have ascribed to the year 1604. See An Attempt to Ascertain the Order of Shakspeare's Plays, vol. ii. MALONE. The time of this play may be ascertained from the following circumstances: Selymus the Second formed his design against Cyprus in 1569, and took it in 1571. This was the only attempt the Turks ever made upon that island after it came into the hands of the Venetians, (which was in the year 1473,) wherefore the time must fall in with some part of that interval. We learn from the play that there was a junction of the Turkish fleet at Rhodes, in order for the invasion of Cyprus, that it first came sailing towards Cyprus, then went to Rhodes, there met another squadron, and then resumed its way to Cyprus. These are real historical facts which happened when Mustapha, Selymus's general, attacked Cyprus in May, 1570, which therefore is the true period of this performance, See Knolles's History of the Turks, p. 838, 846, 867. REED. The first edition of this play, of which we have any certain knowledge, appeared as late as 1622, printed by N. O. for Thomas Walkly. The most material variations of this copy from the first folio I have pointed out at the bottom of the text, where they have not already been mentioned in the notes. The minute verbal differences which are to be found in it, are so numerous, that to have specified them would only have fatigued the reader. It has been supposed that there was another and an earlier edition in the possession of Mr. Pope, but Mr. Malone has assigned the following reasons, in his copy of quarto 1622, for questioning its existence. "In Pope's List he gives the title of this play (of which he had only one copy) exactly as it stands here, except that he has given no date; from which it has been supposed that there is another edition published by Thomas Walkly, without a date, and not long after Shakspeare's death. Perhaps the date was cut off from his copy. In seventy years no undated copy of this play has been discovered, which makes me doubt whether it ever existed. The quarto copies which had belonged to Pope, afterwards fell into the hands of Warburton, who put them into Mallet's sale in 1766; but I know not to whom they were sold. they could be recovered, this point might be ascertained. That Pope's copy had no date, appears from his inferring from Walkly's preface, that the play was published soon after Shakspeare's death which he need not have done, if his copy had had the date; but I have no doubt it was wanting merely by being cut off, which frequently happens in old plays." Walkly's preface is as follows: "The Stationer to the Reader. : If "To set forth a booke without an Epistle, were like to the old English Proverbe, ‘A blew coat without a badge;' and the author being dead, I thought good to take that piece of worke upon me : To commend it, I will not; for that which is good, I hope every man will commend, without intreaty: and I am the bolder, because the author's name is sufficient to vent his worke. Thus leaving every one to the liberty of judgment, I have ventured to print this play, and leave it to the generall censure. Yours, THOMAS WALKLY." BOSWELL. Duke of Venice. BRABANTIO, a Senator. Two other Senators. GRATIANO, Brother to Brabantio. LODOVICO, Kinsman to Brabantio. OTHELLO, the Moor: CASSIO, his Lieutenant; IAGO, his Ancient. RODERIGO, a Venetian Gentleman. MONTANO, Othello's Predecessor in the Government of Cyprus 1. Clown, Servant to Othello. Herald. DESDEMONA, Daughter to Brabantio, and Wife to Othello. EMILIA, Wife to Iago. BIANCA, a Courtezan, Mistress to Cassio.. Officers, Gentlemen, Messengers, Musicians, Sailors, Attendants, &c. SCENE, for the first Act, in Venice; during the rest of the Play, at a Sea-Port in Cyprus. Though the rank which Montano held in Cyprus cannot be exactly ascertained, yet from many circumstances, we are sure he had not the powers with which Othello was subsequently invested. Perhaps we do not receive any one of the Personæ Dramatis to Shakspeare's plays, as it was originally drawn up by himself. These appendages are wanting to all the quartos, and are very rarely given in the folio. At the end of this play, however, the following enumeration of persons occurs: 66 The names of the actors.-Othello, the Moore.-Brabantio, Father to Desdemona.-Cassio, an Honourable Lieutenant.-Iago, a Villaine.-Rodorigo, a gull'd Gentleman.-Duke of Venice.Senators.-Montano, Governor of Cyprus.-Gentlemen of Cyprus. -Lodovico, and Gratiano, two noble Venetians.-Saylors.Clowne.-Desdemona, Wife to Othello.-Emilia, Wife to Iago. -Bianca, a Curtezan." STEEVENS. OTHELLO, THE MOOR OF VENICE. ACT I. SCENE I. Venice. A Street. Enter RODERIGO and IAGO. ROD. Tush, never tell me 2, I take it much un kindly, That thou, Iago,-who hast had my purse, 3 As if the strings were thine,—should'st know of this. LAGO. Despise me, if I do not. Three great ones of the city, In personal suit to make me his lieutenant, 2 Tush, never tell me,] Thus the quarto 1622. The folio omits the interjection-Tush. STEEVENS. 3 'SBLOOD, but you will not, &c.] Thus the quarto: the folio suppresses this oath. STEEVENS. OFT capp'd to him ;] Thus the quarto, The folio reads,— Off-capp'd to him. STEEVENS. In support of the folio, Antony and Cleopatra may be quoted: "I have ever held my cap off to thy fortunes." This reading I once thought to be the true one. But a more intimate knowledge of the quarto copies has convinced me that they ought not without very strong reason to be departed from. MALONE. |