You from the Polack wars, and you from England, Fall'n on the inventors' heads: all this can I Fort. Let us haste to hear it, And call the nobleft to the audience. For me, with forrow I embrace my fortune; I have fome rights of memory in this kingdom, Hor. Of that I shall have also cause to speak, And from his mouth whofe voice will draw on more: But let this fame be presently perform'd, Even while men's minds are wild; left more mischance, On plots and errors happen. Fort. Let four captains Bear Hamlet, like a foldier, to the stage; For he was likely, had he been put on, To have prov'd most royally: and, for his paffage, The foldier's mufick, and the rites of war, Speak loudly for him. Take up the bodies:-Such a fight as this Becomes the field, but here fhows much amifs. Go, bid the foldiers fhoot. [A dead march. [Exeunt, bearing off the dead bodies; after which, a peal of ordnance is shot off. THE END. OTHELLO, THE MOOR OF VENICE; A TRAGEDY, BY WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE. ACCURATELY PRINTED FROM THE TEXT OF Mr. STEEVENS's LAST EDITION. Drnamented with Plates. London: PUBLISHED BY E. HARDING, NO. 98, PALL-MALL; J. WRIGHT, PICCADILLY; G. SAEL, STRAND; OBSERVATIONS. THE ftory is taken from Cynthio's Novels. POPE. I have not hitherto met with any translation of this novel (the feventh in the third decad) of fo early a date as the age of Shakspeare; but undoubtedly many of thofe little pamphlets have perished between his time and ours. It is highly probable that our author met with the name of Othello in fome tale that has escaped our researches; as I likewise 'find it in God's Revenge against Adultery, standing in one of his Arguments as follows: "She marries Othello, an old German foldier." This History (the eighth) is profeffed to be an Italian Here allo occurs the name of lago. one. It may indeed be urged that these names were adopted from the tragedy before us: but I trust that every reader who is converfant 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 firft entered at Stationers' Hall, Oct. 6, 1621, by Thomas Walkely. STEEVENS. I have feen a French tranflation of Cynthio, by Gabriel Chappuys, Par. 1584. This is not a faithful one; and I fufpect, through this medium the work came into English. FARMER. This tragedy I have afcribed (but on no very fure ground) to the year 1611. MALONE. The time of this play may be afcertained 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 of the Venetians, (which was in the year 1473,) wherefore the time must fall in with fome part of that interval. We learn from the play that there was a junction of the Turkish fleet at Rhodes, in order for the invafion of Cyprus, that it firft came failing towards Cyprus, then went to Rhodes, there met another squadron, and then refumed 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 Hiftory of the Turks, p. 838, 846, 867. REED. PERSONS REPRESENTED. Duke of Venice. BRABANTIO, a Senator. Two other Senators. GRATIANO, brother to Brabantio. LODOVICO, kinfman to Brabantio. OTHELLO, the Moor: CASSIO, his Lieutenant; IAGO, his Ancient. RODERIGO, a Venetian Gentleman. MONTANO, Othello's predeceffor in the government of Cy prus. Clown, fervant to Othello. Herald. DESDEMONA, daughter to Brabantio, and wife to Othello. EMILIA, wife to Iago. BIANCA, a courtezan, mistress to Caffio. Officers, Gentlemen, Messengers, Muficians, Sailors, Attendants, &c. SCENE, for the first A&t, in Venice; during the rest of the play, at a fea-port in Cyprus. |
