Is sad 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 present year :
Therefore, my merchandize makes me not sad.

Sola. Why then you are in love?
Anth. Fie, fie!

[sad,
Sola. Not in love neither! Then let's say you're
Because you are not merry : and 'twere as easy
For you to laugh and leap, and say, you're merry,
Because you are not sad. Now, by two-headed Janus,
Nature hath fram'd strange fellows in her time: -
Some that will evermore peep through their eyes,
And laugh, like parrots, at a bag piper ;
And others of such vinegar-aspect,
That they'll not shew their teeth in way of smile,
Though Nestor swear the jest be laughable,

Enter BASSANIO, LORENZO, and GRATIANO..

Sal. Here comes Bassanio (your most noble Gratiano) and Lorenzo. Fare ye well; [kinsman, We leave you now with better company. Sola. I would have staid till I had made you

merry. (5)

(5) Made you merry. It ought properly to have been remarked in a much earlier note, (although it can hardly

If worthier friends had not prevented me.

Anth. Your worth is very dear in my regard :
I take it your own business calls on you,
And you embrace th' occasion to depart.

Sal. Good-morrow, my good lords.
Bass. Goodsigniors both, when shall we laugh? (6)

Say, when ?
You grow exceeding strange. Must it be so ?

Sal. We'll make our leisures to attend on yours.
Sola, My lord Bassanio, since you've found

Anthonio,
We two will leave you ; but at dinner-time,
I pray you have in mind where we must meet.

have escaped the reader's observation) that the terms merry, mirth, laugh, smile, and the like, wherever they are used, have regard to the partial or total lights of the moon, as differing from her shadows: the expression is perfectly analogous to the one in common use, when we say a fire smiles.

(6) Bassanio, who seems to have his name from the bason mentioned in note 5, has the same prototype as Fortinbras, in Hamlet, drawn in fig. 52:, that identity is proved by the expressions frequently used hereafter, yonder he walks, and the like, his leg and foot being stretched out as in the attitude of walking: a recollection of explanations in former notes will suggest the meanings of the hour-glass, the bag-piper, and other expressions used in reference to Bassanio.

Buss. I will not fail you.

[Exeunt Solar. and Sala. Gra. You look not well, signior Anthonio, (7) You have too much respect upon the world ; They lose it, that do buy it with much care, Believe me, you are marvellously chang’d.

Anth. I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano, A stage, where every man must play his part, And mine's a sad one.

Gra. Let me play the fool.With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come; And let my liver rather heat with wine, Than my heart cool with mortifying groans. Why should a man, whose blood is warm within, Sit like his grandsire cut in alabaster ? Sleep when he wakes, and creep into the jaundice By being peevish! I tell thee what, Anthonio, (I love thee, and it is my love that speaks) There are a sort of men whose visages Do cream and mantle, like a standing pond, And do a wilful stillness entertain, With purpose to be drest in an opinion, Of wisdom, gravity, profound conceit ;

(7) Gratiano, a name derived from his face and body in the moon being marked with streaks of shining light, is the same as Talgol in Hudibras, or Laertes in Hamlet, drawn in figures 17 and 57.

As who should say, I am Sir Oracle (8)
And when I ope my lips, let no dog bark!
O my Anthonio, I do know of those,
That therefore only are reputed wise,
For saying nothing.
I'll tell thee more of this another time;
But fish not with this melancholy bait,
For this fool's gudgeon, this opinion.
Come good Lorenzo ; fare ye well, a-while,
I'll end my exhortation, after dinner. [time. (9).

Lor. Well, we will leave you then 'till dinnerI must be one of these same dumb wise men ; For Gratiano never lets me speak.

Gra. Well, keep me company buttwo years more. Thou shalt not know the sound of thine own tongue.

Anth. Farewel; l'll grow a talker for this gear. Gra. Thanks, i' faith ; for silence is only com

mendable, In a neat's tongue dry’d, and a maid not vendible.

[Exeunt Gra. and Loren.

(8) Sir Oracle alludes to the likeness of an horacle, oracle, or hour-glass, so often before noticed; and the line next following, to the well-known occurrence of dogs' barking at the moon.

(9) Lorenzo is the same as Othello, pointed out in fig. 98. His name is derived perhaps from the resemblance 10 a laurel-wreath, in light, round his dark shadowed face.

Anth. Is that any thing, now?

Bass. Gratiano speaks an infinite deal of nothing, more than any man in all Venice. His reasons are as two grains of wheat, hid in two bushels of chaff; you shall seek, all day, ere you find them, and when you have them, they are not worth the search. , Anth. Well, tell me now, what lady is the same,

To whom you swore a secret pilgrimage,
That you to-day promis'd to tell me of ?

Bass. 'Tis not unknown to you, Anthonio,
How much I have disabled mine estate,
By shewing something a more swelling port,
Than my faint means would grant continuance,
Nor do I now make moan to be abridg’d
From such a noble rate ; but my chief care
Is to come fairly off from the great debts,
Wherein my time, something too prodigal,
Hath left me gaged. To you, Anthonio,
I owe the most, in money and in love;
And from your love I have a warranty,
T'unburden all my plots and purposes,
How to get clear of all the debts I owe.

Anth. I pray you, good Bassanio, let me know it; And if it stand, as you yourself still do, Within the eye of honour, be assur’d, My purse, my person, my extremest means, Lie all unlock'd to your occasions.