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And I, delivering you, am satisfied,
And therein do account myself well paid;
My mind was never yet more mercenary.
I pray you, know me, when we meet again;
I wish you well, and so I take my leave.

Bass. Dear sir, of force I must attempt
you further:

Take some remembrance of us, as a tribute, Not as a fee: grant me two things, I pray

you,

Not to deny me, and to pardon me.

Por. You press me far, and therefore I will yield.

Give me your gloves, I'll wear them for your

sake;

And, for your love, I take this ring from

you :

Do not draw back your hand; I'll take no

more,

And you in love shall not deny me this. Bass. This ring, good sir,-alas, it is a trifle;

I will not shame myself to give you this. Por. I will have nothing else but only this; And now, methinks, I have a mind to it. Bass.

2 And, for your love, I'll take this ring, &c.] That is, either as a proof and pledge of your love, or, for the sake of that love you bear me, as a token of remembrance, to the end I may be grateful for it.

E.

Bass. There's more depends on this
on the value.3

The dearest ring in Venice will I give
And find it out by proclamation;
Only for this, I pray you, pardon me.
Por. I see, sir, you are liberal in o
You taught me first to beg; and no
thinks,

You teach me how a beggar shou answer'd.

Bass. Good sir, this ring was given my wife;

And, when she put it on, she made me That I should neither sell, nor give, nor

[graphic]

3 There's more depends on this, than on the Such is the reading of the first quarto and both but for this, Theobald and Hanmer have subs "is the value." Probably, none will be at a the meaning of the line, whether we read it way, or in this, though all may be inclined demn the mode of expressing it: Might word on rise out of some defect in the man or rather blot in it, and the proper reading b "There's more depends on this than the value."

The line is clearer this way, and without f the expression. CAPELL.

The meaning of the original words as they in the text above, undoubtedly is -More d

on this than on the price it could be suppo bring, if offered to sale; it is of greater quence than so much money.

E.

Por. That 'scuse serves many men to save their gifts.

An if wife be not a mad woman,

your

And know how well I have deserv'd the ring,
She would not hold out enemy 4 for ever,
For giving it to me. Well, peace be with you!
[Exit with Nerissa.

Anth. My lord Bassanio, let him have the
ring;

Let his deservings, and my love withal,
Be valu'd 'gainst your wife's commandement.
Bass. Go, Gratiano, run and overtake him,
Give him the ring; and bring him, if thou
can'st,

Unto Anthonio's house :-away, make haste.
[Exit Grat.
Come, you and I will thither presently;
And in the morning early will we both
Fly toward Belmont: Come, Anthonio.

the press.

[Exeunt.

-hold out enemy for ever,] An error of -Read "hold out enmity.”

J. M. MASON. I believe the reading in the text is the true one, So, in Much ado about nothing, Act 1, Scene 1: the messenger says to Beatrice- "I will hold friends with you, lady." STEEVENS.

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"Hold out enmity" is the emendatory reading of Theobald, Hanmer, and Johnson. E.

SCENE

[graphic]

The same. A Street before the Cou

Enter Portia and Nerissa.

Por. Enquire the Jew's house out, him this deed,

And let him sign it; we'll away to-night And be a day before our husbands hom This deed will be welcome to Lorenzo. Enter Gratiano.

Gra. Fair sir, you are well overtaken : My lord Bassanio, upon more advice, Hath sent you here this ring; and dot

treat

Your company at dinner.

Por.

That cannot be His ring I do accept most thankfully, And so, I pray you, tell him: Further I pray you, shew my youth old Shy

house.

Gra. That will I do.

*SCENE II.-Time, a few minutes after th clusion of the trial and their departure fro court. E.

I

"You neve

- upon more advice,] i. e. more refl So, in All's well that ends well: "lack advice so much." STEEVENS.

пе

E

Ner. Sir, I would speak with you :---
I'll see if I can get my husband's ring,

[To Portia. Which I did make him swear to keep for ever. Por. Thou may'st, I warrant: We shall - have old swearing,2

That they did give the rings away to men;
But we'll out-face them, and out-swear them

too.

Away, make haste; thou know'st where I will tarry.

Ner. Come, good sir, will you shew`me

to this house?

[Exeunt.

2 We shall have old swearing,] Of this once common augmentative in colloquial language, there are various instances in our author. Thus in the Merry Wives of Windsor: " Here will be an old "abusing of God's patience, and the king's English." Again, in K. Henry IV. p. 2: -here will "be old utis." The same phrase also occurs in Macbeth. STEEVENS.

66

ACT

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