Des. Well praised! How if she be black and witty?[5412]
Iago. If she be black, and thereto have a wit,[5410]
She'll find a white that shall her blackness fit.[5410][5413]
Des. Worse and worse.
Emil. How if fair and foolish?[5414] 135
Iago. She never yet was foolish that was fair;[5410][5415]
For even her folly help'd her to an heir.[5410][5415][5416]
Des. These are old fond paradoxes to make fools laugh[5417][5418]
i' the alehouse. What miserable praise hast thou for her[5417]
that's foul and foolish?[5414][5417] 140
Iago. There's none so foul, and foolish thereunto,[5410]
But does foul pranks which fair and wise ones do.[5410][5419]
Des. O heavy ignorance! thou praisest the worst best.[5420]
But what praise couldst thou bestow on a deserving woman
indeed, one that in the authority of her merit did justly[5421][5422] 145
put on the vouch of very malice itself?[5421][5423]
Iago. She that was ever fair and never proud,[5410]
Had tongue at will and yet was never loud,[5410]
Never lack'd gold and yet went never gay,[5410]
Fled from her wish and yet said 'Now I may;'[5410] 150
She that, being anger'd, her revenge being nigh,[5410][5424]
Bade her wrong stay and her displeasure fly;[5410]
She that in wisdom never was so frail[5410]
To change the cod's head for the salmon's tail;[5410]
She that could think and ne'er disclose her mind,[5410][5425] 155
See suitors following and not look behind;[5410][5426]
She was a wight, if ever such wight were,—[5410][5427][5428]
Des. To do what?[5428]