itled to the name of rules, the history of their origin
will be their best criterion. You might take the Greek chorus to a place,
but you could not bring a place to them without as palpable an equivoque
as bringing Birnam wood to Macbeth at Dunsinane. It was the same, though
in a less degree, with regard to the unity of time:--the positive fact, not
for a moment removed from the senses, the presence, I mean, of the same
identical chorus, was a continued measure of time;--and although the
imagination may supersede perception, yet it must be granted to be an
imperfection--however easily tolerated--to place the two in broad
contradiction to each other. In truth, it is a mere accident of terms; for
the Trilogy of the Greek theatre was a drama in three acts, and
notwithstanding this, what strange contrivances as to place there are in
the Aristophanic Frogs. Besides, if the law of mere actual perception is
once violated--as it repeatedly is, even in the Greek tragedies--why is it
more difficult to imagine three hours to be three years than to be a whole
day and night?

Act ii. sc. 1.--

Observe in how many ways Othello is made, first, our acquaintance, then
our friend, then the object of our anxiety, before the deeper interest is
to be approached!

_Ib._--

"_Mont._ But, good lieutenant, is your general wived?

_Cas._ Most fortunately: he hath achieved a maid
That paragons description, and wild fame;
One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens,
And, in the essential vesture of creation,
Does tire the ingener."

Here is Cassio's warm-hearted, yet perfectly disengaged, praise of
Desdemona, and sympathy with the "most fortunately" wived Othello;--and yet
Cassio is an enthusiastic admirer, almost a worshipper, of Desdemona. Oh,
that detestable code that excellence cannot be loved in any form that is
female, but it must needs be selfish! Observe Othello's "honest" and
Cassio's "bold" Iago, and Cassio's full guileless-hearted wishes for the
safety and love-raptures of Othello and "the divine Desdemona." And also
note the exquisite circumstance of Cassio's kissing Iago's wife, as if it
ought to be impossible that the dullest auditor should not feel Cassio's
religious love of Desdemona's purity. Iago's answers are the sneers which
a proud bad intellect feels towards women, and expresses to a wife. Surely
it ought to be considered a very exalted compliment to women, that all the
sarcasms on them in Shakespeare are put in the