I79I* LITERARY INTELLIGENCER. I79 



f.ime high tone of paffion is preferved. Upon the dif- 

 covery of Defdemona's innocence, and the intrigues of 

 lago, all the charaders acl a very conlirtent and natural 

 part. Othello's diftrafiiun is painted in an inimitable 

 manner. Unwilling to btlieve that he had acted upon 

 falfe grounds, and confounded with contrary evidencej 

 he knows not where to betake hinifelf. Altv^r utter- 

 ing a few incoherent fpeeches, which fhew in the ftrong- 

 efl; light a mind rent with grief and remorfe, he gradu- 

 ally recovers himfeii; and refuming, as much as pof- 

 fible, his natural compoiure and firmnefs, he looks 

 around him a little, and deliberately views his wretch- 

 ed iituation ; but finding no peace for him on eaitli, he 

 terminates his exiftence. 



lago aUo ftsnds forth in the group, a juil monument 

 of his own crimes. Seeing the proof too plain againll 

 liim, he can brave it out no longer. He fees no pro- 

 fpecl of efcape from any quarter ; his own arts are now 

 of no avail, and he knows that he deferves no pity ; he 

 gives up all for loft, and refolves upon a Hate of dumb 

 defperation, nicft expreflive of the liorror of his mind. 

 In this ftate, we have the fatisfaclion to fee him drag- 

 ged to delervfd punilhraent. 



It might now be expected that we fliould proceed to 

 the ungrateful taOi of pointing out what a critic would 

 blame in this tragedy. I have already obferved, that 

 it is perhaps the moft fublime and liniflied of Shake- 

 fpear's compofitions ; yet we're I to ])oint out all its re- 

 dundancies, puns, conceits, and other faults, which are 

 commonly taken notice of in this aulhor, I might fill 

 fomc pages : Sucli a detail, hovvcver, would be trivial 

 and impertinent. No perfon who can relilli its beau- 

 ties will be much offended with, any thing of this kind 

 in the courfe of perufing Othello. Its excellencies are. 

 lb bold and fo ftriking as to make the blemiflies almofl: 

 wholly vanifli iu the midft of their fplendor. In a rude 

 age, it is indeed even the mark of a ricli and luxuriant 



