Anth. Shylock, although I neither lend nor borrow By taking, nor by giving of excess, Yet, to fupply the ripe wants of my friend, How much you would? Shy. Ay, ay, three thousand ducats. Shy. I had forgot, three months, you told me fo Well then, your bond; and let me fee,—but hear you, Methought, you said, you neither lend nor borrow Upon advantage. Anth. I do never use it. Shy. When Jacob graz'd his uncle Laban's fheep,This Jacob from our holy Abraham was (As his wife mother wrought in his behalf). The third poffeffor; ay, he was the third. Anth. And what of him? did he take interest? Shy. No, not take int'reft; not, as you would fay, Directly, int'reft; mark, what Jacob did. When Laban and himself were compromis'd, Should fall as Jacob's hire; the ewes, being rank, Anth. This was a venture, Sir, that Jacob serv'd for, A thing, not in his power to bring to pass, But But fway'd, and fashion'd, by the hand of heav'n. Anth. Mark you this, Baffanio? The devil can cite fcripture for his purpose. 5 O, what a goodly outfide's falfhood hath! Shy. Three thousand ducats! 'tis a good round fum. Three months from twelve, then let me fee the rate. Anth. Well, Shylock, fhall we be beholden to you? Shy. Signior Anthonio, many a time and oft In the Ryalto you have rated me, About my monies and my ufances. Still have I born it with a patient shrug; (For fufferance is the badge of all our tribe.) You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog, And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine; And all for use of that, which is my own. Well then, it now appears, you need my help: Go to then; you come to me, and you fay, Shylock, we would have monies; you fay fo; You, that did yoid your rheume upon my beard, And foot me, as you fpurn a stranger cur Over your threshold: mony is your fuit; What should I fay to you? fhould I not fay, Hath a dog mony? is it poffible, A cur can lend three thousand ducats? or 5 0, what a goodly outfide falfhood bath!] But this is not true, that falfhood hath always a goodly outfide. Nor does this take in the force of the fpeaker's fentiment; who would obferve that that falfhood which quotes fcripture for its purpose has a goodly outfide. We should therefore read, O, what a goodly outfide's falfhood hath! i. e. his falfhood, Shylock's Shall Shall I bend low, and in a bondman's key, Anth. I am as like to call thee fo again, Who, if he break, thou may'st with better face Shy. Why, how you ftorm? I would be friends with you, and have your love; Of ufance for my monies, and you'll not hear me: Anth. This were kindness. Shy. This kindness will I fhow; In fuch a place, fuch fum, or fums, as are Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken In what part of your body it fhall please me. Anth. Content, in faith; I'll feal to fuch a bond, 9 A breed of barren metal of his friend?] A breed that is intereft money bred from the principal. By the epithet barren the author would inftruct us in the argument on which the advocates against ufury went, which is this, that money is a barren thing, and cannot like corn and cattle multiply it felf. And to fet off the abfurdity of this kind of ufury, he put breed and barren in oppofition. And And fay, there is much kindness in the Jew. Anth. Why, fear not, man; I will not forfeit it; Within these two months (that's a month before This bond expires) I do expect return Of thrice three times the value of this bond. Shy. O father Abraham, what these chriftians are! A pound of man's flesh, taken from a man, As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. I fay, [Exit. 7-left in the FEARFUL guard, &c.] But furely fearful was the most trufty guard for a houfe keeper in a populous city; where houses are not carried by ftorm like fortreffes. For fear would keep them on their watch, which was all that was neceffary for the owner's fecurity. I fuppofe therefore Shakespear wrote FEARLESS guard. i. e. Careless; and this, indeed, would expofe his houfe to the only danger he had to apprehend in the day-time, which was clandeftine pilfering. This reading is much confirmed by the character he gives this guard, of an unthrifty knave, and by what he fays of him afterwards, that he was, a huge feeder: Snail-flow in profit, but he fleeps by day More than the wild-cat VOL. II. I Anth. Anth. Hie thee, gentle Jew. This Hebrew will turn chriftian; he grows kind. ACT II. SCENE I. BELMONT Enter Morochius, a Tawny-Moor, all in white; and three or four Followers accordingly; with Portia, Neriffa, and her train. Flourish Cornets. MOROCHI US. MISLIKE me not for ISLIKE me not for my complexion, Hath fear'd the valiant; by my love, I swear, "Have lov'd it too: I would not change this hue, As |