THE JEW'S MALICE. Bass. This is signior Antonio. Shy. [Aside.] How like a fawning publican he looks! I hate him, for he is a Christian: But more, for that, in low simplicity, He lends out money gratis, and brings down I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him Even there where merchants most do congregate, HYPOCRISY. Mark you this, Bassanio, The devil can cite scripture for his purpose. THE JEW'S EXPOSTULATION. Signior Antonio, many a time and oft, * Interest. Hath a dog money? is it possible, A cur can lend three thousand ducats? or Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last; ACT II. GRAVITY ASSUMED. Signior Bassanio, hear me: If I do not put on a sober habit, Talk with respect, and swear but now and then, Like one well studied in a sad ostent* To please his grandam, never trust me more. THE JEW'S COMMANDS TO HIS DAUGHTER. Lock up my doors; and when you hear the drum, And the vile squeaking of the wry-neck'd fife, Clamber not you up to the casements then, Nor thrust your head into the public street, To gaze on Christian fools with varnish'd faces: But stop my house's ears, I mean my casements; Let not the sound of shallow foppery enter My sober house. POSSESSION MORE LANGUID THAN EXPECTATION. O, ten times faster Venus' pigeons fly To seal love's bonds new made, than they are wont, To keep obliged faith unforfeited! Who riseth from a feast, With what keen appetite that he sits down? That he did pace them first? All things that are, The scarfed bark puts from her native bay, From the four corners of the earth they come, THE PARTING OF FRIENDS. I saw Bassanio and Antonio part: And for the Jew's bond, which he hath of me, He wrung Bassanio's hand and so they parted. HONOUR TO BE CONFERRED ON MERIT ONLY. For who shall go about To cozen fortune, and be honourable Decorated with flags. + To slubber is to do a thing carelessly. Shows, tokens. Without the stamp of merit! Let none presume O, that estates, degrees, and offices, Were not deriv'd corruptly! and that clear honour To be new varnish'd? LOVE MESSENGER COMPARED TO AN APRIL DAY. So likely an ambassador of love: A day in April never came so sweet, To show how costly summer was at hand, ACT III. THE JEW'S REVENGE. If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me, and hindered me of half a million; laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies; and what's his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a christian, what is his humility? revenge: if a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? why, revenge. The villany, you teach me, I will execute: and it shall go hard, but I will better the instruction. MUSIC. Let music sound, while he doth make his choice; May stand more proper, my eye shall be the stream, * THE DECEIT OF ORNAMENT OR APPEARANCES. The world is still deceived with ornament; In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt, But, being season'd with a gracioust voice, 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 Some mark of virtue on his 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? 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: So are those crisped‡ snaky golden locks, * Dignity of mein, + Winning favour. + Curled. |