passages mean, childish, and vulgar : and some which ought not to have been exhibited, as we are told they were, to a maiden queen. But there are scattered through the whole many sparks of genius; por is there any play that has more evident marks of the hand of Shakspeare.

JOHNSON.

MERCHANT OF VENICE.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

Duke of Venice.

Prince of Morocco, 1 suitors to Portia.

Prince of Arragon, S
Antonio, the merchant of Venice.
Bassanio, his friend.
Salanio,
Salarino, friends to Antonio and Bassanio.
Gratiano, )
Lorenzo, in love with Jessica.
Shylock, a Jew.
Tubal, a Jew, his friend.
Launcelot Gobbo, a clown, seroant to Shylock.
Old Gobbo, father to Launcelot.
Salerio, a messenger from Venicc.
Leonardo, seroant to Bassanio.
Balthazar, ?

servants to Portia.
Stephano, s
Portia, a rich heiress.
Nerissa, her waiting maid.
Jessica, daughter to Shylock.
Magnificoes of Venice, officers of the court of Jus.

tice, jailer, servants, and other attendants.

Scene, partly at Venice, and partly at Belmont,

MERCHANT OF VENICE.

ACT I.

SCENE I. Venice. A street.

Enter Antonio, Salarino, and Salanio.

Antonio.
IN sooth, I know not why I am so sad;
It wearies me; you say, it wearies you;
But how I caught it, found it, or came by it,
What stuff 'tis made of, whereof it is born,
I am to learn;
And such a want-wit sadness makes of me,
That I have much ado to know myself.

Salar. Your mind is tossing on the ocean;
There, where your argosies* with portly sail,
Like signiors and rich burghers of the flood,
Or, as it were the pageants of the sea,
Do overpeer the petty traffickers,
That curt'sy to them, do them reverence,
As they fly by them with their woven wings.

Salan. Believe me, sir, had I such venture forth, The better part of my affections would

* Ships of large burthen.