is a fore decayer of your whorefon dead body. Here's a fcull now has lain in the earth three and twenty years. Ham. Who's was it? Clown. A whorefon mad fellow's it was. Whofe do you think it was? Ham. Nay, I know not. Clown. A peftilence on him for a mad rogue! he pour'd a flaggon of Rhenish on my head once. This fame fcull, Sir, was Yorick's fcull, the king's jefter. . Ham. This ? Clown. E'en that. Ham. Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio; a fellow of infinite jeft; of most excellent fancy: he hath borne me on his back a thousand times: and now how abhorred in my imagination it is! My gorge rifes at it. Here hung thofe lips, that I have kifs'd I know not how oft. Where be your gibes now, your gambols, your fongs, your flashes of merriment, that were wont to fet the table on a roar? Not one now to mock your own grinning! Quite chap fallen! Now get you to my lady's chamber, and tell her, let her paint an inch thick, to this favour she must come: make her laugh at that.-Pr'ythee, Horatio, tell me one thing. Hor. What's that, my Lord? Ham. Deft thou think Alexander look'd o' this fashion i' the earth? Ham. To what base uses we may return, Horatio! Why may not imagination trace the noble duft of Alexander, till he find it ftopping a bung-hole? Hor. 'Twere to confider too curiously, to confider fo. Ham. No, 'faith, not a jot: but to follow him thither . with modesty enough, and likelihood to lead it; as thus: Alexander died, Alexander was buried, Alexander returneth to duft; the duft is earth; of earth we make loam; and why of that loam, whereto he was converted, might they not ftop a beer-barrel ! Imperial Cafar, dead and turn'd to clay, Might ftop a hole to keep the wind away. Oh, that that earth, which kept the world in awe, No. XXXV. No. XXXV.-O T HELLO. ACT I. SCENE III. Council Chamber. Duke, Enter Brabantio, Othello, Caffio, Iago, Roderigo, V and Officers. DUKE. ALIANT Othello, we muft ftraight employ you Against the general enemy Ottoman. I did not fee you; welcome, gentle fignior: [To Brabantio, We lack'd your counfel, and your help, to-night. Bra. So did I yours. Good your Grace, pardon me : Neither my place nor aught I heard of bufinefs, Hath rais'd me from my bed: nor doth the general care Take hold on me; for my particular grief Is of fo flood-g -gate and o'erbearing nature, That it ingluts and fwallows other forrows, And yet is still itself. Duke. Why, what's the matter? Bra. My daughter! oh, my daughter! To me; She is abus'd, ftol'n from me, and corrupted Being not deficient, blind, nor lame of sense, Duke. Whoe'er he be that in this foul proceeding Bra. Humbly I thank your Grace, Here is the man, this Moor, whom now, it seems, Hath hither brought. All. We're very forry for't. Duke. What in your own part can you fay to this? Bra. Bra. Nothing, but this is fo. Oth. Moft potent, grave, and reverend figniors, In fpeaking for myself. Yet, by your gracious patience, Of my whole courfe of love; what drugs, what charms, For fuch proceeding I am charg'd withal, Bra. A maiden, never bold; Of spirit fo ftill and quiet, that her motion Why this fhould be. I therefore vouch again, Duke. To vouch this is no proof, Without more certain and more overt teft, Did you by indirect and forced courfes Or came it by requeft, and fuch fair queftion Oth. I beseech you, Send for the lady to the Sagittary, And let her fpeak of me before her father; The truft, the office, I do hold of you, Not only take away, but let your sentence Even fall upon my life. Duke. Fetch Defdemona hither. Oth. Ancient, conduct them; you best know the place. ^ [Exeunt two or threes [Exit Lago. And till the come, as truly as to heaven I do confefs the vices of my blood, Duke. Say it, Othello. Oth. Her father lov'd me, oft invited me I ran it through, e'en from my boyish days, Of hair-breadth 'fcapes in th' imminent deadly breach; And fold to flavery; of my redemption thence, And portance in my travel's hiftory: Wherein of antres vaft, and deferts idle, I Rough quarries, rocks, and hills, whofe heads touch heaven, Do grow Would Defdemona ferioufly incline; C All these to hear But ftill the houfe-affairs would draw her thence, R Took Took once a pliant hour, and found good means She wore, In faith, 'twas ftrange, 'twas paffing frange, 'Twas pitiful, 'twas wondrous pitiful." She wifh'd fhe had not heard it; yet she wifh'd That heaven had made her such a man.-She thank'd me, Enter Desdemona, Iago, and Attendants. Duke. I think this tale would win my daughter too. Good Brabantio, Take up this mangled matter at the best. Men do their broken weapons rather use Bra. I pray you hear her speak; If the confess that he was half the wooer, Light on the man! Come hither, gentle mistress: Def. My noble father, I do perceive here a divided duty. To you I'm bound for life and education; My life and education both do learn me How to refpect you. You're the Lord of duty; I'm hitherto your daughter. But here's my husband; To you, preferring you before her father; Se |