Basș. You shall not seal to such a bond for me,
I'd rather dwell in my necessity.

Anth. Why, fear not, man; I will not forfeit it;
Within these two months, that's a month before 480
This bond expires, I do expect return
Of thrice three times the value of the bond.
Shy, O father Abraham, what these Christians

are ;
Whose own hard dealing, teaches them suspect
The thoughts of others ! Pray you, tell me this;
If he should break his day, what should I gain
By the exaction of the forfeiture ?
A pound of man's Aesh, taken from a man,
Is not so estimable, profitable neither,
As Alesh of muttons, beefs, or goats.

490
To buy his favour, I extend this friendship:
If he will take it, so; if not, adieu ;
And, for my love, I pray you, wrong me not,

Anth. Yes, Shylock, I will seal unto this bond.

Shy. Then meet me forthwith at the notary's;
Give him direction for this merry bond,
And I will go and purse the ducats straight;
See to iny house, left in the fearful guard
Of an unthrifty knave; and presently
I will be with you.

[Exit. 500
Anth. Hie thee, gentle Jew.-
This Hebrew will turn Christian ;

kind. Bass. I like not fair terms, and a villain's mind. Diij

Anih.

I say,

he grows

1

Anth. Come on ; in this there can be no dis.

may, My ships come home a month before the day,

[ Exeunt.

ACT II. SCENE 1.

Belmont. Enter the Prince of Morocco, and three or four

Followers accordingly; with PORTIA, NERISSA, and her Train. Flourish Cornets,

Morocco,

MISLIKE me not for my complexion,
The shadow'd livery of the burnishid sun,
To whom I am a neighbour, and near bred.
Bring me the fairest creature northward born,
Where Phæbus' fire scarce thaws the isicles,
And let us make incision for your love,
To prove whose blood is reddest, his, or mine.
I tell thee, lady, this aspect of mine
Hath fear'd the valiant; by my love, I swear,
The best regarded virgins of our clime
Have lov'd it too: I would not change this hue,
Except to steal your thoughts, my gentle queen.

Por. In terms of choice I am not solely led
By nice direction of a maiden's

eyes : Besides, the lottery of my destiny Bars me the right of voluntary chusing :

But,

20

But, if

my

father had not scanted me,
And hedg’d me by his will, to yield myself
His wife, who wins me by that means I told you,
Yourself, renowned prince, then stood as fair,
As any comer I have look'd on yet,
For

my affection,
Mor. Even for that I thank you;
Therefore, I pray you, lead me to the caskets,
To try my fortune. By this scimitar,-
That slew the Sophy, and a Persian prince,
That won three fields of Sultan Solyman,-
I would out-stare the sternest eyes that look,
Out-brave the heart most daring on the earth,
Pluck the young sucking cubs from the she bear, 30
Yea, mock the lion when he roars for prey,
To win thee, lady: But, aļas the while !
If Hercules, and Lichas, play at dice
Which is the better man, the greater throw
May turn by fortune from the weaker hand :
So is Alcides beaten by his page;
And so may I, blind fortune leading me,
Miss that which one unworthier may attain,
And die with grieving.
Por. You must take your chance;

40 And either not attempt to chuse at all, Or swear, before you chuse,-if you

chuse wrong, Never to speak to lady afterward In way of marriage; therefore be advis'd. Mor. Nor will not ; come, bring me unto my chance.

Por.

Por. First, forward to the temple ; after dinner
Your hazard shall be made,
Mor, Good fortune then!

Cornets
To make me blest, or cursed'st among men. 49

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

A Street in Venice.

Enter LAUNCELOT GOBBO.

Laun. Certainly, my conscience will serve me to run from this Jew my master : The fiend is at mine elbow; and tempts me, saying to me, Gobbo, Launcelot Gobbo, good Launcelot, or good Gobbo, or good Launcelot Gobbo, use your legs, take the start, run away: My conscience says,-no; take heed, honest Launcelot, take heed, honest Gobbo ; or, as aforesaid, honest Launcelot Gobbo; do not run ; scorn running with thy heels: Well, the most courageous fiend bids me pack ; via! says the fiend; away! says the fiend, for the heavens; rouse up a brave mind, says the fiend, and run. Well, my conscience, hanging about the neck of my heart, says very wisely to me,--my honest friend Launcelot, being an honest man's son,-or rather an honest woman's son ;-for, indeed, my father did something smack, something grow to, he had a kind of taste ;-well, my conscience says ---Launcelot, budge not; budge, says the fiend; budge not, says my conscience: Conscience, say I, you coịnsel well; fiend, say I, you counsel well : to be ruld by my conscience, I should

stay

stay with the Jew my master, who, God bless the mark, is a kind of devil ; and, to run away from the Jew, I should be ruld by the fiend, who, sav. ing your reverence, is the devil himself: Certainly, the Jew is the very devil incarnation; and, in my conscience, my conscience is but a kind of hard conscience, to offer to counsel me to stay with the Jew : The fiend gives the more friendly counsel; I will run,

fiend ; my heels are at your commandment, I will run.

79

Enter old GOBBO, his Father, with a Basket. Gob. Master, young man, you, I pray you, which is the way to master Jew's ?

Laun. [ Aside. ] O heavens, this is my true-begot. ten father! who, being more than sand-blind, high, gravel blind, knows me not :- will try conclusions with him.

Gob. Master young gentleman, I pray you, which is the way to master Jew's ?

Laun. Turn up on your right hand, at the next turning, but, at the next turning of all, on your left; marry, at the very next turning, turn of no hand, but turn down indirectly to the Jew's house. 91

God. By God's sonties, 'twill be a hard way to hit, Can you tell me whether one Launcelot, that dwells with him, dwell with him, or no?

Laun. Talk you of young master Launcelot ? Mark me now, {aside. ] now will I raise the waters :Talk you of young master Launcelot ?

Goo.