ions and distant voyages were every day undertaken from hope of
plunder, or mere love of enterprise; and from these the adventurers
returned with tales of "Antres vast and desarts wild--of cannibals that
did each other eat--of Anthropophagi, and men whose heads did grow
beneath their shoulders." With just such stories did Raleigh and
Clifford, and their followers return from the New World: and thus by
their splendid or fearful exaggerations, which the imperfect knowledge
of those times could not refute, was the passion for the romantic and
marvellous nourished at home, particularly among the women. A cavalier
of those days had no nearer no surer way to his mistress's heart, than
by entertaining her with these wondrous narratives. What was a general
feature of his time, Shakspeare seized and adapted to his purpose with
the most exquisite felicity of effect. Desdemona, leaving her household
cares in haste, to hang breathless on Othello's tales, was doubtless a
picture from the life; and her inexperience and her quick imagination
lend it an added propriety: then her compassionate disposition is
interested by all the disastrous chances, hair-breadth 'scapes, and
moving accidents by flood and field, of which he has to tell; and her
exceeding gentleness and timidity, and her domestic turn of mind, render
her more easily captivated by the military renown, the valor, and lofty
bearing of the noble Moor--

And to his honors and his valiant parts
Does she her soul and fortunes consecrate.

The confession and the excuse for her love is well placed in the mouth
of Desdemona, while the history of the rise of that love, and of his
course of wooing, is, with the most graceful propriety, as far as she is
concerned, spoken by Othello, and in her absence. The last two lines
summing up the whole--

She loved me for the dangers I had passed,
And I loved her that she did pity them--

comprise whole volumes of sentiment and metaphysics.

Desdemona displays at times a transient energy, arising from the power
of affection, but gentleness gives the prevailing tone to the
character--gentleness in its excess--gentleness verging on
passiveness--gentleness, which not only cannot resent,--but cannot
resist.

OTHELLO.

Then of so gentle a condition!

IAGO.

Ay! too gentle.

OTHELLO.

Nay, that's certain

Here the exceeding softness of