Must yield to such inevitable shame,
As to offend, himself being offended ;
So can I give no reason, nor I will not,
More than a lodg'd hate and a certain loathing
I bear Anthonio, that I follow thus
A losing suit against him. Are you answer'd ?

Ball. This is no answer, thou unfeeling man,
To excuse the current of thy cruelty,
Sby. I am not bound to please thee with my an,

swers.
Bal. Do all men kill the thing they do not love?
Shy. Hates any man the thing he would not kill?
Baf. Every offence is not a hate at first.
Shy. What, would'st thou have a serpent sting theç

twice?
Anth. I pray you, think, you question with the

Jew.
You may as well go stand upon the beach,
And bid the main food 'bace his usual height.
You may as well use question with the wolf,
Why he hath made the ewe bleat for the lamb.
You may as well forbid the mountain pines
To wag their high tops, and to make no noise,
When they are frected with the gufts of heaven.
You may as well do any thing most hard,
As seek to soften that, (than which what's harder?)
His Jewish heart :- Therefore, I do beseech you,
Make no more offers, use no farther means ;
But, with all brief and plain conveniency
Let me have judgment, and the Jew his will.

Bal. For thy three thousand ducats here is fix.

Shy. If every ducat in fix thousand ducats
Were in six parts, and every part a ducat,
I would not draw them, I would have my bond.
Duke. How shalt thou hope for mercy, rend'ring

none?
Shy. What judgment shall I dread, doing no wrong?

You have among you many a purchasid Nave, s
Which, like your asses, and your dogs, and mules,
You use in abject and in Navish parts,
Because you bought them. Shall I say to you,
Let them be free, marry them to your heirs ?
Why sweat they under burdens ? let their beds
Be made as soft as yours, and let their palates
Be season'd with such viands ? you will answer,
The Naves are ours :-So do I answer you.
The pound of flesh, which I demand of him,
Is dearly bought, is mine, and I will have it.
If you deny me, fie upon your law !
There is no force in the decrees of Venice.
I stand for judgment. Answer ; shall I have it ?

Duke. Upon my power I may dismiss this court,
Unless Bellario, a learned doctor,
Whom I have sent for to determine this,
Come here to-day.

Sal. My lord, here stays, without,
A messenger with letters from the doctor,
New come from Padua.

Duke. Bring us the letters; call the messenger.
Bal. Good cheer, Anthonio! What, man? cou-

rage yet!

The Jew shall have my Aesh, blood, bones, and all, Ere thou shalt lose for me one drop of blood.

Antb. I am a tainted weather of the flock,

6

5 Many a purchas'd flave. This argument considered as used to the particular persons, seems conclusive. I see not how Venerjans or Englishmen, while they practise the purchase and sale of flaves, can much enforce or demand the law of doing 10 others as we could that tb y should do to us. JOHNSON.

-Bellario, a learned dolor,

Wbom I bave fent for----] The do&or and the court are here somewhat unkilfully brought together. That the duke would, on such an occasion, confuli a doctor of great reputation, is not unlikely, but how should this be foreknown by Portia ? JOHNSON

Meetest

Meetest for death : the weakest kind of fruit
Drops earliest to the ground, and so let me.
You cannot better be employ'd, Bassanio,
Than to live still, and write mine epitaph.

Enter Nerisa, dress'd like a lawyer's clerk.
Duke. Came you from Padua, from Bellario?
Ner. From both, my lord. Bellario greets your

grace. Bal. Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly? Shy. To cut the forfeiture from that bankrupt

there, Gro. 7 Not on thy soal, but on thy soul, harsh Jew, Thou mak'st thy knife keen : but no metal can, No, not the hangman's ax, bear half the keenness Of thy sharp envy. Can no prayers pierce thee?

Sby. No, none that thou hast wit enough to make.

Gra. O, be thou damn’d, inexorable dog, And for thy life let justice be accus'd! Thou almost mak'st me waver in my faith, To hold opinion with Pythagoras, That souls of animals infuse themselves Into the trunks of men. Thy currish spirit Govern’d a wolf, who, hang’d for human Naughter, Even from the gallows did his fell soul fleet, And, whilst thou lay'st in thy unhallow'd dam, Infus’d itself in thee; for thy desires Are wolfish, bloody, starv'd, and ravenous.

Shy. 'Till thou can'st rail the feal from off my bond, Thou but offend'st thy lungs to speak so loud: Repair thy wit, good youth, or it will fall

? Not on thy foal, but on thy soul, harsh Jew.) This loft jingle Mr. Theobald found again, but knew not what to make of it when he had it, as appears by his paraphrase, Tlo' thou thinket that th.11 art achetting iby knife on the soul of thy fhoe, yet it is upan thy soul, rhy inmortal part. Absurd! the conceit is, that his soul was so hard that it had given an edge to his knife.

WAR EURTON.

Το

2

To cureless ruin.--I stand here for law.

Duke. This letter from Beilario doth commend
А young and learned doctor to our court.
Where is he?

Ner. He attendeth here hard by
To know your answer, whether you'll admit him.
Duke. With all my heart. Some three or four of

you Go give him courteous conduct to this place :Mean time, the court shall hear Bellario's letter. Your Grace fall understand, that, at the receipe

of your letter, I am very fick: but at the instant that your messenger came, in loving visitation was with me a young doctor of Rome, his name is Balthafar: I acquainted him with the cause in controversy between the Jew and Anthonio tbe merchant. We tui n'd o'er many books together : he is furnish'd with my opinion; which, bettered with bis own learning, (the greatness whereof I cannot enough commend,) comes with bim at my importunity, to fill up your Grace's request in my stead. I be seech you, let bis lack of years be no impediment, to let him lack a reverend estimation: for I never knew so young a body with lo old a bead. I leave him to your gracious acceptance, whose trial shall better pub.ijh bis commendation.

Enter Portia, dress'd like a doetor of laws. Duke. You hear the learn'd Bellario what he writes; And here, I take it, is the doctor come. -Give me your hand. Came you from old Bellario?

Por. I did, my lord.

Duke. You are welcome : take your place. Are

you acquainted with the difference, That holds this present question in the court?

Por. I am informed throughly of the cause. Which is the merchant here, and which the Jew ?

Duke. Anthonio and old Shylock, both Itand forth. Por. Is your name Shylock?

Shy. Shylock is my name.

Por. Of a strange nature is the suit you follow; Yet in such rule, that the Venetian law Cannot impugn you, as you do proceed. -You stand within his danger, do you hot?

[To Antb,
Anth. Ay, so he says.
Por. Do you confess the bond?
Anth. I do.
Por. Then must the Jew be merciful.
Sby. On what compulsion must I ? tell me that.

Por. The quality of mercy is not strain'd;
It droppeth, as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice bless'd ;
It blessech him that gives, and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown:
His scepter shews the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth fit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this scepter'd sway,
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings:
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then shew likest God's,
When mercy seafons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Tho' justice be thy plea, consider this,
That in the course of justice none of us
Should see salvation. We do

We do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much
To mitigate the justice of thy plea ;
Which, if thou follow, this strict court of Venice
Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.

Sby. My deeds upon my head! I crave the law, The penalty and forfeit of my bond. Por. Is he not able to discharge the mony?

Ball