atter must have disturbed in some respect our impression of the calm,
majestic, and somewhat melancholy beauty of Hermione.

DESDEMONA.

The character of Hermione is addressed more to the imagination; that of
Desdemona to the feelings. All that can render sorrow majestic is
gathered round Hermione; all that can render misery heart-breaking is
assembled round Desdemona. The wronged but self-sustained virtue of
Hermione commands our veneration; the injured and defenceless innocence
of Desdemona so wrings the soul, "that all for pity we could die."

Desdemona, as a character, comes nearest to Miranda, both in herself as
a woman, and in the perfect simplicity and unity of the delineation; the
figures are differently draped--the proportions are the same. There is
the same modesty, tenderness, and grace; the same artless devotion in
the affections, the same predisposition to wonder, to pity, to admire;
the same almost ethereal refinement and delicacy; but all is pure poetic
nature within Miranda and around her: Desdemona is more associated with
the palpable realities of every-day existence, and we see the forms and
habits of society tinting her language and deportment; no two beings can
be more alike in character--nor more distinct as individuals.

The love of Desdemona for Othello appears at first such a violation of
all probabilities, that her father at once imputes it to magic, "to
spells and mixtures powerful o'er the blood."

She, in spite of nature,
Of years, of country, credit, every thing,
To fall in love with what she feared to look on!

And the devilish malignity of Iago, whose coarse mind cannot conceive an
affection founded purely in sentiment, derives from her love itself a
strong argument against her.

Ay, there's the point, as to be bold with you,
Not to affect any proposed matches
Of her own clime, complexion, and degree,
Whereto, we see, in all things nature tends,[51] &c.

Notwithstanding this disparity of age, character, country, complexion,
we, who are admitted into the secret, see her love rise naturally and
necessarily out of the leading propensities of her nature.

At the period of the story a spirit of wild adventure had seized all
Europe. The discovery of both Indies was yet recent; over the shores of
the western hemisphere still fable and mystery hung, with all their dim
enchantments, visionary terrors, and golden promises! perilous
expedit