Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
An Apology For The Character And Conduct Of Iago.
AN APOLOGY FOR THE CHARACTER AND CONDUCT OF IAGO-
¦ —Perago loca nulHus ante Trita pede . LUCRETIUS . A SI mean nothing ironical in this undertaking , I am aware of iri-~ ^ - curring some suspicion of having tasted ' — - —Of the insane root
That takes the reason prisoner . ' ' It may be urged against me , that the name of fago is almost proverbial for a close dissembling villain ; that Dr . Johnson observes * his character is so conducted , that he is , from the first scene to the last , hated and despised ; ' that 'it is so monstrous and satanical , ' if we are toPredit LordKaims ' as nottobe sufferable in a representation— .
, hot even Shakspeare ' s masterly hand can make the picture agreeable ; ' and that old Rymer ; long before tliem , observed , 'he was too wicked in all conscience ; and had more to answer for than any tragedy or furies could inflict upon him : ' that , in short , he is held by the world in general ; no less than b y Othello , as 'the damneddamned Iagp /
, Permit me , however * first to observe , that I do not absolutely undertake to vindicate him , but to shew that his conduct admits of much , excuse . His character , as 1 apprehend , is greatly misunderstood , and ¦ requires an explanation . * ' An honest man ( says Davy ) is able to
speak for himself , when a knave is not . ' lago is not , indeed , as this acute reasoner affirms of the knavish VISOR , ' my honest friend ;' yet as he stands in a similar predicament of not being ' able to speak for himself , ' and never did any of us the sli ghtest injury , ' I beseech your -worships let him be countenanced ;' Some eminent characters in the dramatic line have published APOLOGIES for their lives . That their modesty induced them to
adopt this title from the primitive fathers , by whom it was frequentl y used , I presume not to say . But it is to be feared ; that in these degenerate days , not one of them has so extensive a circulation as that of Mrs . Bellamy or Colley Gibber . The latter-was often , in former times , lago ' s theatrical representative , and I do not see why the ori * ginal is not as deserving of an apology as the copy ;
Before I enter more particularly into my client ' s defence , t cannot avoid noticing a passage iu Mr . Twining ' s Notes on Aristotle ' s Poetics , in which he compliments Richard III . at lago ' s expenee ; ' Dr . Johnson , ' says he , ' observes , that there is always danger lest wickedness , conjoined with abilities , should steal upon esteem , though it misses of approbation ; but the character of lago is so con-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
An Apology For The Character And Conduct Of Iago.
AN APOLOGY FOR THE CHARACTER AND CONDUCT OF IAGO-
¦ —Perago loca nulHus ante Trita pede . LUCRETIUS . A SI mean nothing ironical in this undertaking , I am aware of iri-~ ^ - curring some suspicion of having tasted ' — - —Of the insane root
That takes the reason prisoner . ' ' It may be urged against me , that the name of fago is almost proverbial for a close dissembling villain ; that Dr . Johnson observes * his character is so conducted , that he is , from the first scene to the last , hated and despised ; ' that 'it is so monstrous and satanical , ' if we are toPredit LordKaims ' as nottobe sufferable in a representation— .
, hot even Shakspeare ' s masterly hand can make the picture agreeable ; ' and that old Rymer ; long before tliem , observed , 'he was too wicked in all conscience ; and had more to answer for than any tragedy or furies could inflict upon him : ' that , in short , he is held by the world in general ; no less than b y Othello , as 'the damneddamned Iagp /
, Permit me , however * first to observe , that I do not absolutely undertake to vindicate him , but to shew that his conduct admits of much , excuse . His character , as 1 apprehend , is greatly misunderstood , and ¦ requires an explanation . * ' An honest man ( says Davy ) is able to
speak for himself , when a knave is not . ' lago is not , indeed , as this acute reasoner affirms of the knavish VISOR , ' my honest friend ;' yet as he stands in a similar predicament of not being ' able to speak for himself , ' and never did any of us the sli ghtest injury , ' I beseech your -worships let him be countenanced ;' Some eminent characters in the dramatic line have published APOLOGIES for their lives . That their modesty induced them to
adopt this title from the primitive fathers , by whom it was frequentl y used , I presume not to say . But it is to be feared ; that in these degenerate days , not one of them has so extensive a circulation as that of Mrs . Bellamy or Colley Gibber . The latter-was often , in former times , lago ' s theatrical representative , and I do not see why the ori * ginal is not as deserving of an apology as the copy ;
Before I enter more particularly into my client ' s defence , t cannot avoid noticing a passage iu Mr . Twining ' s Notes on Aristotle ' s Poetics , in which he compliments Richard III . at lago ' s expenee ; ' Dr . Johnson , ' says he , ' observes , that there is always danger lest wickedness , conjoined with abilities , should steal upon esteem , though it misses of approbation ; but the character of lago is so con-