She'd come again, and with a greedy ear
Devour up my discourse : Which 1 observing,
Took once a pliant hour ; and found good means
To draw from her a prayer of earnest heart,
That I would all my pilgrimage dilate,
Whereof by parcels she had something heard,
But not intentively : I did consent ;
And often did beguile her of her tears,
When I did speak of some distressful stroke,
That my youth suffer'd. My story being done,
She gave me for my pains a world of sighs :
She swore, In faith, 'twas strange, 'twas passing strange ;
'Twas pitiful, 'tvas wondrous pitiful :
She wish'd she had not heard it, yet she wish'd
That Heaven had made her such a man : she thank'd me,
And bade me, if I had a friend that loved her,
I should but teach him how to tell my story,
And that would woo her. Upon this hint, I spake ;
She loved me for the dangers I had pass'd ;
And I loved her, that she did pity them.
This only is the witchcraft I have used ;
Here comes the lady, let her witness it."[1]
This tragedy is believed to be the last work of Shakespeare, as Titus Andronicus was the first. In both the love of a fair lady for an ugly negro is treated with predilection. The man matured, returned to the problem which had busied his youth. Has he here found the solution of it? Is this solution as true as it is beautiful? A gloomy grieving seizes me when I give place to
- ↑ Othello, act i. sc. e
