landers with great emotion, and, summing up his arguments for taking arms, conjured them to assist their Prince, their countryman, in his utmost need. Clanronald and bis friend, though well inclined to the cause, positively refused, and told him that to take up arms without concert or support was to pull down certain ruin on their own heads. Charles persisted, argued, and implored. During this conversation (they were on shipboard) the parties walked backwards and forwards on the deck; a Highlander stood near them, armed at all points, as was then the fashion of his country. He was a younger brother of Kinloch Moidart, and had come off to the ship to enquire for news, not knowing who was aboard. When he gathered from their discourse that the stranger was the Prince of Wales; when he heard his chief and his brother refuse to take arms with their Prince, his colour went and came, his eyes sparkled, he shifted his place, and grasped his sword. Charles observed his demeanour, and turning briskly to him called out, "Will you assist me?" "I will, I will," said Ronald: "though no other man in the Highlands should draw a sword, I am ready to die for you!" Charles, with a profusion of thanks to his champion, said he wished all the Highlanders were like him. Without further deliberation, the two Macdonalds declared that they would also join, and use their utmost endeavours to engage their countrymen to take arms.'-HOME'S Hist. Rebellion, p. 40.”

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE.

[Bassanio, one of the suitors for the hand of Portia, applied to his friend Antonio, a wealthy merchant of Venice, for the loan of three thousand ducats to enable him to prosecute his suit. Antonio was unable to advance the money at the time, his whole capital being locked up in ventures by sea. Application was made to the Jew Shylock, who offered to advance the money on condition that Antonio signed a bond to the effect, that if the money was not repaid on the stipulated day he should forfeit to Shylock a pound of flesh, to be cut from his body nearest the heart. When the day of payment arrived, Antonio was unable to meet the bond.

Our extract, commonly known as the "Trial Scene," contains the solution of the difficulty, and shows how the tables were completely turned on the Jew.]

The DUKE, ANTONIO, BASSANIO, GRATIANO, SOLANIO, SHYLOCK, PORTIA.

Duke. What, is Antonio here?

Ant. Ready, so please your Grace.

Duke. I am sorry for thee; thou art come to answer A stony adversary, an inhuman wretch

Uncapable of pity, void and empty

From dram of mercy.

Ant.

any

I have heard

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 armed
To suffer, with a quietness of spirit,"
The very tyranny and rage of his.

Duke. Go one, and call the Jew into the court.
Solan. 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 To the last hour of act: and then, 'tis thought Thou 'lt show thy mercy and remorse, more strange Than is thy strange apparent cruelty:

We all expect a gentle answer, Jew.

Shy. I have possessed your Grace of what I purpose. And by our holy Sabbath have I sworn, To have the due and forfeit of my bond: If you deny it, let the danger light Upon your charter, and your city's freedom. You'll ask me, why I rather choose to have A weight of carrion flesh, than to receive Three thousand ducats: I'll not answer that,

But, say, it is my humour: Is it answered ?—
What, if my house be troubled with a rat,

And I be pleas'd to give ten thousand ducats
To have it ban'd? What, are you answer'd yet?—
Some men there are love not a gaping pig,
Some, that are mad if they behold a cat;
Now, for your answer.

As there is no firm reason to be render'd,
Why he cannot abide a gaping pig;
Why he, a harmless necessary cat ;
So can I give no reason, nor I will not,
More than a lodged hate, and a certain loathing,
I bear Antonio, that I follow thus

A losing suit against him. Are you

answered? Bass. This is no answer, thou unfeeling man,

To excuse the current of thy cruelty.

Shy. I am not bound to please thee with my answer. Bass. Do all men kill the things they do not love? Shy. Hates any man the thing he would not kill? Buss. Every offence is not a hate at first.

Shy. What, wouldst thou have a serpent sting thee twice?

Ant. I pray you, think you question with the Jew.

You may as well go stand upon the beach,

And bid the main flood bate 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 fretted with the gusts of heaven;
You may as well do anything 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 further means,
But, with all brief and plain conveniency,
Let me have judgment, and the Jew his will.
Bass. For thy three thousand ducats here is six.

Shy. If every ducat in six 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 purchased slave,
Which, like your asses, and your dogs, and mules,
You use in abject and in slavish 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 seasoned with such viands? You will answer,
The slaves are ours!-So do I answer you.
The pound of flesh, which I demand of him,
Is dearly bought; 'tis 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.

Solan.

My lord, here stays without

A messenger with letters from the doctor,
New come from Padua.

Duke. Bring us the letters; call the messenger.
Bass. Good cheer, Antonio! What, man! courage

yet!

The Jew shall have my flesh, blood, bones, and all,
Ere thou shalt lose for me one drop of blood.
Ant. I am a tainted wether of the flock,
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.

Gra.

Can no prayers pierce thee?

Shy. No, none that thou hast wit enough to make.
Gra. O, be thou foiled, inexorable dog!
And for thy life let justice be accused;
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 slaughter,
Even from the gallows did his fell soul fleet,
And, whilst thou lay'st in thy unhallow'd dam,
Infused itself in thee; for thy desires

Are wolfish, bloody, starved, and ravenous.

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

To cureless ruin.-I stand here for law.

Duke. And here, I take it, is the doctor come.— [Enter PORTIA, dressed like a doctor of laws.] Give me your hand: Come you

Por. I do, my lord.
Duke.

from old Bellario?

You are welcome; take your place. Are you acquainted with the difference

That holds this present question in the court?
Por. I am informed thoroughly of the cause.
Which is the merchant here, and which the Jew?
Duke. Antonio and old Shylock, both stand 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 not? Ant. Ay, so he says.

Por.

Ant. I do.

Por.

[To Ant.

Do you confess the bond?

Then must the Jew be merciful.

Shy. On what compulsion must I? tell me that.
Por. The quality of mercy is not strain'd;