III.iii.207 (440,7) And, when she seem'd to shake, and fear your looks,/She lov'd them most] This and the following argument of Iago ought to be deeply impressed on every reader. Deceit and falsehood, whatever conveniencies they may for a time promise or produce, are, in the sum of life, obstacles to happiness. Those, who profit by the cheat, distruat the deceiver, and the act, by which kindness was sought, puts an end to confidence. The same objection may be made with a lower degree of strength against the imprudent generosity of disproportionate marriages. When the first heat of passion is over, it is easily succeeded by suspicion, that the same violence of inclination, which caused one irregularity, may stimulate to another; and those who have shown, that their passions are too powerful for their prudence, will, with very alight appearances againat them, be censured, as not very likely to restrain them by their virtue. (see 1765, VIII, 397, 1) III.iii.210 (440,8) To seel her father's eyes up, close as oak] There is little relation between _eyes_ and _oak_. I would read, _She seel'd her father's eyes up close as_ owl's. _As blind as an owl_, is a proverb. III.iii.222 (441,1) My speech would fall into such vile success] [_Success_, far succession, i.e. conclusion; not prosperous issue. WARB.] I rather think there is a depravation, and would read, _My speech would fall into such vile_ excess. If _success_ be the right word, it seems to mean _consequence_ or _event_, as _successo_ is used in Italian. III.iii.232 (441,2) will most rank] _Will_, is for wilfulness. It is so used by Ascham. A _rank will_, is _self-will_ overgrown and exuberant. III.iii.249 (442,3) You shall by that perceive him, and his means] You shall discover whether he thinks his best _means_, his most powerful _interest_, is by the solicitation of your lady. III.iii.250 (442,4) strain his entertainnent] Press hard his re-admission to his pay and office. _Entertainment_ was the military term for admission of soldiers. III.iii.256 (442,5) Fear not my government] Do not distrust ay ability to contain my passion. III.iii.259 (442,6) knows all qualities, with a learned spirit,/Of human dealings] The construction is, He knows with a learned spirit all qualities of human dealings. III.iii.260 (442,7) If I do prore her haggard] A _haggard_ hark, is a _wild_ hawk, a _hawk unreclaimed_, or _irreclaimable_. III.iii.262 (443,8) I'd whistle her off, and let her down the wind,/ To prey at fortune] The falconers always let fly the hawk against the wind; if she flies with the wind behind her, she seldom returns. If therefore a hawk was for any reason to be dismissed, she was _let down the wind_, and from that time shifted far herself, and _preyed at fortune_. This was told me by the late Mr. Clark. III.iii.276 (443,9) forked plague] In allusion to a _barbed_ or _forked_ arrow, which, once infixed, cannot be extracted.