Dramatis Perfona. DUKE of Venice. a Morochius, & Moorish Prince,} Suiters to Portia. Prince of Arragon, Anthonio, the Merchant of Venice. Baffanio, bis Friend, in love with Portia. Salanio, Solarino, Gratiano, } Friends to Anthonio and Baffanio. Lorenzo, in love with Jeffica. Shylock, a Jew. Tubal, a Jew, bis Friend. Launcelot, a Clown, Servant to the Jew. Gobbo, an old Man, Father to Launcelot. Leonardo, Servant to Baffanio. Balthazar, } Servants to Portia. Stephano, Portia, an Heiress of great Quality and Fortune. Neriffa, Confident to Portia. Jeffica, Daughter to Shylock. Senators of Venice, Officers, Jailer, Servants and other Attendants. SCENE, partly at Venice; and partly at Belmont, the Seat of Portia upon the Continent. THE THE MERCHANT of VENICE. ACT I. SCENE I I A Street in Venice. Enter Anthonio, Solarino, and Salanio. ANTHONIO. N footh, I know not why I am so sad: I am to learn What ftuff 'tis made of, whereof it is born, And fuch a want-wit fadness makes of me, Sal. Your mind is toffing on the ocean; There, where your Argofies with portly Sail, 1 Argofie, a fhip from Arge. Mr. Pope. H Or Or as it were the pageants of the Sea, Sal. My wind, cooling my broth, Would blow me to an ague, when I thought And not bethink me ftrait of dang❜rous rocks? Is fad to think upon his merchandize. Anth. Believe me, no: I thank my fortune for it, My ventures are not in one bottom trusted, Nor to one place; nor is my whole estate Upon the fortune of this prefent year: Therefore, my merchandize makes me not fad. Sola. Why then you are in love. Anth. Anth. Fie, fie! Sola. Not in love neither! then let's fay, you're fad, Because you are not merry; and 'twere as easy For you to laugh and leap, and fay, you're merry, Because you are not fad. Now by two-headed Fanus, "Nature hath fram'd ftrange fellows in her time: "Some that will evermore 3 peep through their eyes, "And laugh, like parrots, at a bag-piper; "And others of fuch vinegar-afpect, "That they'll not fhow their teeth in way of fmile, "Though Neftor fwear, the jeft be laughable." Enter Baffanio, Lorenzo and Gratiano. Sal. Here comes Baffanio, your moft noble kinfman, Gratiano and Lorenzo: fare ye well; We leave ye now with better company. Sola. I would have ftaid 'till I had made you merry, If worthier friends had not prevented me. Anth. Your worth is very dear in my regard: Baff. Good Signiors both, when shall we laugh fay, when? You grow exceeding ftrange; muft it be fo? Sal. We'll make our leifures to attend on yours. Sola. My lord Baffanio, fince you've found Anthonio, We two will leave you; but at dinner-time, 2-Now by two-headed Janus,] Here Shakespear fhews his knowledge in the antique. By two-headed Janus is meant those antique bifrontine heads, which generally reprefent a young and fmiling face, together with an old and wrinkled one, being of Pan and Bacchus; of Saturn and Apollo, &c. These are not uncommon in collections of antiques; and in the books of the antiquaries, as Montfaucon, Spanheim, &c. 3-peep through their eyes,] This gives us a very picturesque image of the countenance in laughing, when the eyes appear half fhut. 4-their teeth in way of fmile,] Becaufe fuch are apt enough to fhew their teeth in anger. H 2 |