[ 340 ]
cence. Shakſpeare uſes heraldry for junction, or union in general.—Thus, in his Rape of Lucrece, the ſame term is employed to denote that union of colours which conſtitutes a beautiful complexion:
“This heraldry in Lucrece’ face was ſeen,
“Argued by beauty’s red, and virtue’s white.”
This paſſage not affording us any aſſiſtance, we are next to conſider one in The Alchemiſt, by Ben Jonſon, which, if it alluded to an incident in Othello, (as Mr. Steevens ſeems to think it does) would aſcertain this play to have appeared before 1610, in which year The Alchemiſt was firſt acted:
“Lovewit. Didſt thou hear a cry, ſay’ſt thou?
“Neighb. Yes, Sir, like unto a man that had been ſtrangled an hour, and could not ſpeak.”
But I doubt whether Othello was herein Jonſon’s contemplation. Old Ben generally ſpoke out; and if he had intended to ſneer at the manner of Deſdemona’s death, I think, he would have taken care that his meaning ſhould not be miſs’d, and would have written—“like unto a woman,” &c.
This tragedy was not entered on the books of the Stationers’ company, till Oct. 6, 1621, nor printed till the following year; but it was acted at court early in the year 1613[1]. How long before that time it had appeared, I have not been able to aſcertain, either from the play itſelf, or from any contemporary production. I have, however, perſuaded myself that it was one of Shakſpeare’s lateſt performances: a ſuppoſition, to which the acknowledged excellence of the piece gives ſome degree of probability. It is here attributed to the year 1611 becauſe Dr. Warburton’s comment on the paſſage above-cited, may convince others, though, I confeſs it does not ſatisfy me.
Emilia and Lodovico, two of the characters in this play, are likewiſe two of the perſons repreſented in May-day, a comedy by Chapman, firſt printed in 1611.
NOTE.
- ↑ Mſ. Vertue.
Though
