Turn thy complexion there!
Patience, thou young and rose-lipp'd cherubim;
Ay, there, look grim as hell]
At such an object do thou, _patience_, thyself _change colour_; at this
do thou, even thou, _rosy cherub_ as thou art, _look grim as hell_. The
old editions and the new have it,
_I here look grim as hell._
_I_ was written for _ay_, and not since corrected.
IV.ii.109 (484,4) The small'st opinion on my great'st abuse] The old
quarto reads [for "least misuse"],
_The small'st opinion on my_ great'st abuse.
Which I think is better.
IV.ii.140 (486,6) Some base notorious knave] For _gross_, not in its
proper meaning for _known_.
IV.ii.144 (486,7) Speak within door] Do not clamour so as to be heard
beyond the house.
IV.ii.146 (486,8) the seamy side without] That is, _inside out_.
IV.iii.27 (490,2) and he, she lov'd, prov'd mad,/And did forsake her] I
believe that _mad_ only signifies _wild, frantick, uncertain_.
IV.iii.31 (490,3) I have much to do,/But to go hang my head] I _have
much_ ado to do any thing _but hang my head_. We might read,
Not _to go hang my head_.
This is perhaps the only insertion made in the latter editions which has
improved the play. The rest seem to have been added for the sake of
amplification, or of ornament. When the imagination had subsided, and
the mind was no longer agitated by the horror of the action, it became
at leisure to look round for specious additians. This addition is
natural. Desdemona can at first hardly forbear to sing the song; she
endeavours to change her train of thoughts, but her imagination at last
prevails, and she sings it.