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41. Othello, 1611:
Dr. Warburton thinks that there is in this tragedy a ſatirical alluſion to the inſtitution of the order of Baronets, which dignity was created by king James I. in the year 1611:
"The Hearts of old gave hands,
"But our new heraldry is hands, not hearts.”
"Amongſt their other prerogatives of honour," (ſays that commentator) "they [the new-created baronets] had an addition to their paternal arms, of an hand gules in an eſcutcheon argent. And we are not to doubt but that this was the new heraldry alluded to by our author; by which he inſinuates, that ſome then created had hands indeed, but not hearts; that is, money to pay for the creation, but no virtue to purchaſe the honour."
Such is the obſervation of this critick. But by what chymiſtry can the ſenſe which he has affixed to this paſſage, be extracted from it? Or is it probable, that Shakſpeare, who has more than once condeſcended to be the encomiaſt of the unworthy founder of the order of Baronets, who had been perſonally honoured by a letter from his majeſty, and ſubſtantially benefited by the royal licence granted to him and his fellow-comedians, ſhould have been ſo impolitick, as to ſatirize the king, or to depretiate his new-created dignity?
Theſe lines appear to me to afford an obvious meaning, without ſuppoſing them to contain ſuch a multitude of alluſions:
Of old, (ſays Othello) in matrimonial alliances, the heart dictated the union of bands; but our modern junctions are thoſe of bands, not of hearts.
On every marriage the arms of the wife are united to thoſe of the huſband. This circumſtance, I believe, it was, that ſuggeſted heraldry, in this place, to our author. I know not whether a heart was ever uſed as an armorial enſign, nor is it, I conceive, neceſſary to enquire. It was the office of the herald to join, or, to ſpeak technically, to quarter the arms of the new-married pair[1]. Hence, with his uſual li-
NOTE.
- ↑ "I may quarter, coz," ſays Slender in the Merry Wives of Windſor. "You may (replies juſtice Shallow) by marrying.
