Let fortune go to hell for it.-not I'.
I speak too long; but 'tis to peize the time; To eke it, and to draw it out in length, To stay you from election.
Bass. Let me chuse;
For as I am, I live upon the rack.
Por. Upon the rack, Bassanio? then confess What treason there is mingled with your love. Bass. None, but that ugly treason of mistrust, Which makes me fear the enjoying of my love: There may as well be amity and lite
'Tween snow and fire, as treason and my love. Por. Ay, but I fear, you speak upon the rack, Where men enforced do speak any thing.
Bass. Promise me life and I'll confess the truth. Por. Well then, confess and live. Bass. Confess, and love,
Had been the very sum of my confession: O happy torment, when my torturer Doth teach me answers for deliverance!
But let me to my fortune and the caskets.
Por. Away then: I am lock'd in one of them; you do love me, you will find me out.—
Nerissa, and the rest, stand all aloof.—
Bass.-Somaythe outward shows be least them- The world is still deceiv'd with ornament. [selves; In law what plea so tainted and corrupt, But, being season'd with a gracious voice, 5 Obscures the show of evil? In religion, What damned error, but some sober brow Will bless it, and approve it with a text, Hiding the grossness with fair ornament? There is no vice so simple, but assumes 10Some mark of virtue on its outward parts. How many cowards, whose hearts are all as false As stairs of sand, wear yet upon their chins The beards of Hercules, and frowning Mars; Who, inward search'd, have livers white as milk? 15 And these assume but valour's excrement, To render them redoubted. Look on beauty, And you shall see 'tis purchas'd by the weight; Which therein works a miracle in nature, Making them lightest that wear most of it: 20 So are those crisped snaky golden locks, Which make such wanton gambols with the wind, Upon supposed fairness, often known
To be the dowry of a second bead, The skull that bred them in the sepulchre.
Let musick sound, while he doth make his choice: 25 Thus ornament is but the guiled' shore
To a most dangerous sea; the beauteous scarf Veiling an Indian beauty; in a word,
The seeming truth which cunning times put on To entrap the wisest. Therefore, thou gaudy gold, 30 Hard food for Midas, I will none of thee:
Nor none of thee, thou pale and common drudge Tween man and man: but thou, thou meager lead, Which rather threat nest, than dost promise aught, Thy plainness moves me more than eloquence, 35 And here chuse I; Joy be the consequence!
Then, if he lose, he makes a swan-like end, Fading in musick: that the comparison Maystand more proper, my eye shall be the stream, And wat'ry death-bed for him: He may win: And what is musick then? then musick is Even as the flourish when true subjects bow To a new crowned monarch: such it is, As are those dulcet sounds in break of day, That creep into the dreaming bridegroom's ear, And summon him to marriage. Now he goes, With no less presence', but with much more love, Than young Alcides, when he did redeem The virgin-tribute paid by howling Troy To the sea-monster: I stand for sacrifice, The rest aloof are the Dardanian wives, With bleared visages, come forth to view The issue of the exploit. Go, Hercules! Live thou, I live:-With much much more dismay I view the fight, than thou that mak'st the fray. [Musick within. 45 A Song, whilst Bassanio comments on the caskets to himself.
Tell me where is fancy bred, Or in the heart or in the head? How begot, how nourished? Reply. It is engender'd in the eyes, With gazing fed; and fancy dies In the cradle where it lies: Let us all ring fancy's knell. Pll begin it, Ding, dong, bell. Ding, dong, bell.
Por. How all the other passions fleet to air, As doubtful thoughts, and rash-embrac'd despair, And shudd'ring fear, and green-ey'd jealousy! O love, be moderate, allay thy ecstasy, 40In measure rain thy joy, scant this excess; I feel too much thy blessing, make it less, For fear I surfeit! [Opening the leaden casket.·
Fair Portia's counterfeit? What demy-god Hath come so near creation? Move these eyes? Or whether, riding on the balls of mine, Seem they in motion? Here are sever'd lips, Parted with sugar breath; so sweet a barr Should sunder such sweet friends: Here in her hairs 50 The painter plays the spider; and hath woven A golden mesh to entrap the hearts of men, Faster than gnats in cobwebs: But her eyes,- How could he see to do them? Having made one, Methinks, it should have power to steal both his, 55 And leave itself unfurnish'd: Yet look, how far The substance of my praise doth wrong this shadow
'The author of the REVISAL of Shakspeare's text assigns the following meaning to this difficult passage:-"If the worst I fear should happen, and it should prove in the event, that I, who am jastly yours by the free donation I have made you of myself, should yet not be yours in consequence "of an unlucky choice, let fortune go to hell for robbing you of your just due, not I for violating my oath." To peize comes from peser, Fr, which signifies to retard. Meaning, with no less dignity of mien. i. e. curled. i. e. the treacherous shore. Counterfeit here means a likeness, resemblance.
In underprizing it, so far this shadow [scroll, Doth limp behind the substance.-Here's the The continent and summary of my fortune. You that chuse not by the view, Chance as fair, and chuse as true! Since this fortune fulls to you, Be content, and seek no new. If you be well pleas'd with this, And hold your fortune for your bliss, Turn you where your lady is, And claim her with a loving kiss. A gentle scroll!-Fair lady, by your leave; [Kissing her.
I come by note, to give, and to receive. Like one of two contending in a prize, That thinks he hath done well in people's eyes, Hearing applause, and universal shout, Giddy in spirit, still gazing, in a doubt Whether those peals of praise be his or no; So, thrice fair lady, stand I, even so; As doubtful whether what I see be true, Until confirm'd, sign'd, ratify'd by you.
Por. You see me, lord Bassanio, where I stand, Such as I am though, for myself alone, I would not be ambitious in my wish, To wish myself much better; yet, for you, I would be trebled twenty times myself; A thousand times more fair, ten thousand times More rich; that to stand high in your account, I might in virtues, beauties, livings, friends, Exceed account: but the full sum of me Is sum of something; which, to term in gross, Is an unlesson'd girl, unschool'd, unpractis'd: Happy in this, she is not yet so old But she may learn; and happier than this, She is not bred so dull but she can learn; Happiest of all, is, that her gentle spirit Commits itself to yours to be directed, As from her lord, her governor, her king. Myself, and what is mine, to you, and yours Is now converted: but now I was the lord Of this fair mansion, master of my servants, Queen o'er myself; and even now, but now, This house, these servants, and this same myself, Are yours, my lord; I give them with this ring; Which when you part from, lose, or give away, Let it presage the ruin of your love, And be my vantage to exclaim on you. Bass. Madam, you have bereft me of all words, Only my blood speaks to you in my veins: And there is such confusion in my powers, As, after some oration fairly spoke By a beloved prince, there doth appear Among the buzzing pleased multitude; Where every something, being blent' together, Turns to a wild of nothing, save of joy, Exprest, and not exprest: But when this ring Parts from this finger, then parts life from hence; O, then be bold to say, Bassanio's dead.
Ner. My lord and lady, it is now our time, That have stood by, and seen our wishes prosper, To cry, good joy; Good joy, my lord and lady! 1 That is, blended.
Gra. My lord Bassanio, and my gentle lady, I wish you all the joy that you can wish; For, I am sure, you can wish none from me: And, when your honours mean to solemnize 5 The bargain of your faith, I do beseech you, Even at that time I may be marry'd too.
Bass. Withall my heart, so thou canst get a wife. Gra.I thank your lordship; you have got me one. My eyes, my lord, can look as swift as yours: You saw the mistress, I beheld the maid; You lov'd, I lov'd; for intermission2 No more pertains to me, my lord, than you. Your fortune stood upon the casket there; And so did mine too, as the matter falls: 15 For wooing here, until I sweat again; And swearing, till my very roof was dry With oaths of love; at last,-if promise last,- I got a promise of this fair one here, To have her love, provided that your fortune 20 Atchiev'd her mistress.
Por. Is this true, Nerissa?
Ner. Madam, it is, so you stand pleas'd withBass. And do you, Gratiano, mean good faith? Gra. Yes, 'faith, my lord. [marriage. Bass. Our feast shall be much honour'd in your Gra. We'll play with them, the first boy for a thousand ducats.
Ner. What, and stake down?
Gra. No; we shall ne'er win at that sport, and 30 stake down..
But who comes here? Lorenzo, and his infidel? What, and my old Venetian friend, Salerio?
Enter Lorenzo, Jessica, and Salerio. Bass. Lorenzo, and Salerio, welcome hither; 35 If that the youth of my new interest here Have power to bid you welcome:-By your leave, [ bid iny very friends, and countrymen, Sweet Portia, welcome.
Por. So do I, my lord;
40 They are entirely welcome.
Lor. I thank your honour :-For my part, my My purpose was not to have seen you here; But meeting with Salerio by the way, He did intreat me, past all saying nay,
45 To come with him along,
Sale. I did, my lord,
And I have reason for it. Signior Anthonio Commends him to you. [Gives Bassanio a letter. Bass. Ere I ope his letter,
50I pray you tell me how my good friend doth. Sale. Not sick, my lord, unless it be in mind! Nor well, unless in mind: his letter there Will shew you his estate.
Gra. Nerissa, cheer yon' stranger; bid her wel- 55 Your hand, Salerio; What's the news from Venice? How doth that royal merchant, good Anthonio? I know he will be glad of our success; We are the Jasons, we have won the fleece, [lost! Sale. Would you had won the fleece that he hath Por.There are some shrewd contents in yon same That steals the colour of Bassanio's cheek: [paper, Some dear friend dead; else nothing in the world
Intermission here means pause, delay.
Could turn so much the constitution
Of any constant man. What, worse and worse?- With leave, Bassanio; I am half yourself, And I must freely have the half of any thing That this same paper brings you.
Here are a few of the unpleasant'st words, That ever blotted paper! Gentle lady, When I did first impart my love to you, I freely told you, all the wealth I had Ran in my veins, I was a gentleman; And then I told you true: and yet, dear lady, Rating myself at nothing, you shall see How much I was a braggart: When I told you
With an unquiet soul. You shall have gold To pay the petty debt twenty times over: When it is paid, bring your true friend along: My maid Nerissa, and myself, mean time, Will live as maids and widows. Come, away; For you shall hence upon your wedding-day: Bid your friends welcome, shew a merry cheer; Since you are dear bought, I will love you dear.But let me hear the letter of your friend. |10| Bass. [Reads.] "Sweet Bassanio, my ships have all miscarry'd, my creditors grow cruel, my "estate is very low, my bond to the Jew is forfeit ; and since, in paying it, it is impossible I should live, all debts are cleared between you and me,
My state was nothing, I should then have told you 15 if I might but see you at my death: notwith
That I was worse than nothing; for, indeed, I have engag'd myself to a dear friend, Engag'd my friend to his meer enemy, To feed my means. Here is a letter, lady; The paper as the body of my friend, And every word in it a gaping wound, Issuing life-blood.-But it is true, Salerio ? Have all his ventures fail'd? What, not one hit? From Tripolis, from Mexico, and England, From Lisbon, Barbary, and India ?
And not one vessel 'scape the dreadful touch Of merchant-marring rocks?
standing, use your pleasure: if your love do "not persuade you to come, let not my letter.” Por. O love, dispatch all business, and be gone. Bass. Since I have your good leave to go away, I will make haste: but, 'till I come again, No bed shall e'er be guilty of my stay,
No rest be interposer 'twixt us twain. [Exeunt. SCENE III.
25 Enter Shylock, Sulanio. Anthonio, and the
Shy. Gaoler, look to him ;-Tell not me of
This is the fool that lent out money gratis;— 30 Gaoler, look to him.
Anth. Hear me yet, good Shylock. Shy. I'll have my bond; speak not against my I have sworn an oath, that I will have my bond: Thou call'dst me dog, before thou had'st a cause; 35 But, since I am a dog, beware my fangs: The duke shall grant me justice.-I do wonder, Thou naughty gaoler, that thou art so fond', To come abroad with him at his request. Anth. I pray thee, hear me speak. [speak: Shy. I'll have my bond; I will not hear thee I'll have my bond; and therefore speak no more. I'll not be made a soft and dull-ey'd fool', To shake the head, relent, and sigh, and yield To christian intercessors. Follow not;
Sale. Not one, my lord. Besides, it should appear, that if he had The present money to discharge the Jew, He would not take it: Never did I know A creature, that did bear the shape of man, So keen and greedy to confound a man: He plies the duke at morning, and at night; And doth impeach the freedom of the state, If they deny him justice: twenty merchants, The duke himself, and the magnificoes Of greatest port, have all persuaded with him; But none can drive him from the envious plea Of forfeiture, of justice, and his bond. [swear, 40 Jes. When I was with him, I have heard him To Tubal, and to Chus, his countrymen, That he would rather have Anthonio's flesh,' Than twenty times the value of the sum That he did owe him: and I know, my lord, If law, authority, and power deny not, It will go hard with poor Anthonio.
Por. Is it your dear friend that is thus in trou- Bass. The dearest friend to me, the kindest man, The best condition'd and unweary'd spirit In doing courtesies; and one in whom
The ancient Roman honour more appears, Than any that draws breath in Italy. Por. What sum owes he the Jew? Bass. For me, three thousand ducats. Por. What, no more?
Pay him six thousand, and deface the bond: Double six thousand, and then treble that, Before a friend of this description Shall lose a hair thorough Bassanio's fault. First, go with me to chuch, and call me wife; And then away to Venice to your friend; For never shall you lie by Portia's side
45 I'll have no speaking; I will have my bond. [Exit Shylock. Sul. It is the most impenetrable cur, That ever kept with men.
50P'll follow him no more with bootless prayers. He seeks my life; his reason well I know;
I oft deliver'd from his forfeitures
Many that have at times made moan to me, Therefore he hates me.
Sala. I am sure, the duke
Will never grant this forfeiture to hold.
Anth. The duke cannot deny the course of For the commodity that strangers have With us in Venice, if it be deny'd,
60 Will much impeach the justice of the state; Since that the trade and profit of the city Consisteth of all nations. Therefore go: These griefs and losses Irave so 'bated me,
Meaning, melancholy fool.
Enter Portia, Nerissa, Lorenzo, Jessica, and Balthazar.
Lor.Madam, although I speak it in your presence, You have a noble and a true conceit Of god-like amity; which appears most strongly In bearing thus the absence of your lord. But, if you knew to whom you shew this honour, How true a gentleman you send relief, How dear a lover of my lord your husband, I know, you would be prouder of the work, Than customary bounty can enforce you.
Por. I never did repent for doing good, Nor shall not now: for in companions That do converse and waste the time together, Whose souls do bear an equal yoke of love, There must needs be a like proportion Of lineaments, of manners, and of spirit; Which makes me think, that this Anthonio, Being the bosom lover of my lo d, Must needs be like my lord: If it be so, How little is the cost I have bestow'd, In purchasing the semblance of my soul From out the state of hellish cruelty? This comes too near the praising of myself; Therefore, no more of it: hear other things.- Lorenzo, I commit into your hands The husbandry and manage of my house, Until my lord's return: for mine own part, I have toward heaven breath'd a secret vow, To live in prayer and contemplation, Only attended by Nerissa here, Until her husband and my lord's return: There is a monastery two miles off,
And there we will abide. I do desire you,
Not to deny this imposition;
The which my love, and some necessity, Now lays upon you.
Lor. Madam, with all my heart;
I shall obey you in all fair commands. Por. My people do already know my mind, And will acknowledge you and Jessica In place of lord Bassanio and myself.
So save you well, till we shall meet again. [you! Lor. Fair thoughts and happy hours attend on Jes. I wish your lady ship all heart's content. Por. I thank you for your wish, and am well pleas'd To wish it back on you: fare you well, Jessica. [Exeunt Jessica and Lorenzo.
As I have ever found thee honest, true, So let me find thee still: Take this same letter, And use thou all the endeavour of a man,
In speed to Padua; see thou render this Into my cousin's hand, doctor Bellario; And, look, what notes and garments he doth give Bring them, I pray thee, with imagin'd speed, 5 Unto the traject, to the common ferry [words, Which trades to Venice-waste no time in But get thee gone; I shall be there before thee. Balth. Madam, I go with all convenient speed. [Exit.
Por. Come on, Nerissa; I have work in hand, That you yet know not of: we'll see our husbands Before they think of us.
Por. They shall, Nerissa; but in such a habit, 15That they shall think we are accomplished With what we lack. I'll hold thee any wager, When we are both apparell'd like young men, I'll prove the prettier fellow of the two, And wear my dagger with the braver grace; 20 And speak between the change of man and boy, With a reed voice; and turn two mincing steps Into a manly stride; and speak of frays, Like a tine bragging youth; and tell quaint lies, How honourable ladies sought my love, 25 Which I denying, they fell sick and dy'd; I could not do with aff;-then I'll repent, And wish, for all that, that I had not kill'd them: And twenty of these puny lies I'll tell,
Ihat men shall swear I have discontinued school 30 Above a twelvemonth:-I have within my mind A thousand raw tricks of these bragging jacks, Which I will practise.
Ner. Why, shall we turn to men? Por. Fie! what a question's that,
33 If thou wert near a lewd interpreter ?
But come, I'll tell thee all my whole device When I am in my coach, which stays for us At the park gate; and therefore haste away, For we must measure twenty miles to-day." [Ex. SCENE V.
Enter Launcelot and Jessica.
Laun. Yes, truly:-for, look you, the sins of the father are to be laid upon the children; there45 fore, I promise you, I fear you. I was always plain with you, and so now I speak my agitation of the matter: Therefore be of good cheer; for, truly, I think, you are damn'd. There is but one hope in it that can do you any good; and that is 50 but a kind of bastard hope neither.
Jes. And what hope is that, I pray thee?
Laun. Marry, you may partly hope that your father got you not, that you are not the Jew's [daughter.
55 Jes. That were a kind of bastard hope, in-. deed; so the sins of my mother shall be visited upon me.
Laun. Truly then I fear you are damn'd both. by father and mother: thus when I shun Scylla, your father, I fall into Charybdis, your mother; well, you are gone both ways,
1 For the sense of the word do in this place, see note 4, p. 77,
Jes. I shall be saved by my husband; he hath made me a Christian.
Laun. Truly, the more to blame he: we were Christians enough before; e'en as many as could well live one by another: This making of Christians will raise the price of hogs; if we grow all to be pork-eaters, we shall not shortly have a rasher on the coals for money.
Jes. I'll tell my husband, Launcelot, what you say; here he comes..
Lor. I shall grow jealous of you shortly, Launcelot, if you thus get my wife into corners.
Jes. Nay, you need not fear us, Lorenzo; Launcelot and I are out: he tells me flatly, there 15 is no mercy for me in heaven, because I am a Jew's daughter; and he says, you are no good member of the commonwealth; for in converting Jews to Christians, you raise the price of pork.
Lor. I shall answer that better to the common-20 wealth, than you can the getting up of the negro's belly: the Moor is with child by you, Launcelot.
Laun. It is much, that the Moor should be more than reason: but if she be less than an honest woman, she is, indeed, more than I took her for.
Lor. How every fool can play upon the word! I think the best grace of wit will shortly turn into silence; and discourse grow commendable in none only but parrots.-Go in, sirrah; bid them prepare for dinner. [machs. 30 Laun. That is done, sir; they have all stoLor. Goodly lord, what a wit-snapper are you! then bid them prepare dinner.
Laun. That is done too, sir; only, cover is the word.
Lor, Will you cover then, sir?
Laun. Not so, sir, neither; I know my duty. Lor. Yet more quarrelling with occasion; wilt
thou shew the whole wealth of thy wit in an instant? I pray thee, understand a plain man in his plain meaning: go to thy fellows; bid them cover the table, serve in the meat, and we will come in to dinner.
Laun. For the table, sir, it shall be serv'd in; for the meat, sir, it shall be covered; for your coming in to dinner, sir, why, let it be as humours and conceit shall govern. [Exit Laun. Lor. O dear discretion, how his words are suit- The fool hath planted in his memory An army of good words: And I do know A many fools, that stand in better place, Garnish'd like him, that for a tricksy word Defy the matter. How cheer'st thou, Jessica? And now, good sweet, say thy opinion, How dost thou like the lord Bassanio's wife? Jes. Past all expressing: it is very meet, The lord Bassanio live an upright life; For, having such a blessing in his lady, He finds the joys of heaven here on earth: And, if on earth he do not mean it, it
Is reason he should never come to heaven. Why,if two gods should play some heavenlymatchi, And on the wager lay two earthly women, And Portia one, there must be something else Pawn'd with the other; for the poor rude world Hath not her fellow.
Lor. Even such a husband Hast thou of me, as she is for a wife.
Jes. Nay, but ask my opinion too of that. Lor. I will anon; first let us go to dinner. Jes. Nay, let me praise you, while I have a stomach.
Lor. No, pray thee, let it serve for table-talk; Then, howsoe'er thou speak'st, 'mong other things I shall digest it.
Jes. Well, I'll set you forth.
SCENE I.
The Senate-house in Venice.
Enter the Duke, the Senators; Anthonio, Bassa
nio, Gratiano, and others.
Duke. WHAT, is Anthonio here? Anth. Ready, so please your grace.
Duke. I am sorry for thee; thou art come to an- A stony adversary, an inhuman wretch Uncapable of pity, void and empty From any dram of mercy.
Your grace hath ta'en great pains to qualify His rigorous course; but since he stands obdurate, And that no lawful means can carry me Out of his envy's reach', I do oppose My patience to his fury; and am arm'd
To suffer, with a quietness of spirit, The very tyranny and rage of his.
Duke. Go one, and call the Jew into the court, Sal. He's ready at the door: he comes, my lord. Enter Shylock.
Duke. Make room, and let him stand before our face.-
Shylock, the world thinks, and I think so too, That thou but lead'st this fashion of thy malice 55 To the last hour of act; and then, 'tis thought, Thou'lt shew thy mercy, and remorse more strange Than is thy strange apparent cruelty: And, where thou now exact'st the penalty, (Which is a pound of this poor merchant's flesh) 60 Thou wilt not only lose the forfeiture, But, touch'd with human gentleness and love, Forgive a moiety of the principal;
Enty in this place means hatred or malice Where for whereas.
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