I79I> LITERARY INTELLIGENCER. g^ 



of defpifing them. lago, it muft be obferved,' artfully 

 aflumes the charafter rather of ftrong, than of high and 

 refined benevolence. In the fecond fcene of the firft 

 act he fays, 



With the httle godUnefs I have, 

 I did full hard forbear him. 

 A character which he knew would be more eafily fup- 

 ported, which would render him lefs liabJe of being 

 fuppofed acling from pride, and conlequently create no 

 envy ; content for the prefent with the humble appella- 

 tion of homjl creature, he found fuflicicnt amends in 

 the profpect of being recompenled with double interelt 

 in tho accomplifluncnt of his plans. 



In his firit interview with Othello, lago begins his 

 deep fchemes very fuccefsfuliy, by labouring, with bold 

 and mafteriy cunning, to imprefs him with a ftrong 

 fenfe of his fidelity and attachment to his intereft ; he 

 reprefents himfelf as fuftaiiiing a difficult conflict be- 

 tween two of the bcft principles, regard to his mafter, 

 and a fear of feeming to act with a malicious cruelty. 

 He fpeaks like a psrfon fired with anger that he cannot 

 contain ; he dees not give a detail of Brabantio's pro- 

 ceedings like an uncoaccrned fpettator, but in that con- 

 f«fed and interrupted manner worthy of the. trueft paf- 

 fion ; his rcfie£tions, whicii, according to calm reaion, 

 ought to come laft, according to paffion come 4irft. The 

 fcene which occafioned his paffion, is over ; he then re- 

 volves in his thoughts the nature of it ; and, laftiy, the 

 pzrt which he ought to have aclcd, takes pofieiTion of 

 his mind. In this laft fcate he finds himfelf when h? 

 ineets Othello, perplexed in deliberating whether he 

 ought in confcience to do contrived murder. Having 

 dilburdencd himfelf of this, the fubjed opens in his 

 mind ; he goes backward, and defcribes what were his 

 fcnfations, m. a very ftriking manner — 



Nine or ten tirnea- 



I thought to have jerked him under the ribs. 



Vol. r. - I M 



