Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

Who chuseth me, shall gain what many men defire.
What many men defire that may be meant
Of the fool-multitude, that chuse by show,
Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach;
Which pry not to th' interior, but like the martlet
Builds in the weather on the outward wall,
Ev'n in the force and road of casualty.
I will not chuse what many men defire,
Because I will not jump with common spirits,
And rank me with the barb'rous multitudes.
Why then to thee, thou filver treasure-house :
Tell me once more, what title thou dost bear.
Who chuseth me, shall get as much as he deserves;
And well faid too, for who shalt go about
To cozen fortune, and be honourable
Without the stamp of merit? let none presume
To wear an undeserved dignity :
O, that estates, degrees, and offices,
Were not deriv'd corruptly, that clear honour
Were purchas'd by the merit of the wearer!
How many then should cover, that stand bare?
How many be commanded, that command?
How much low peafantry would then be gleaned
From the true feed of honour? how much honour (8)
Pickt from the chaff and ruin of the times,
To be new varnish'd? well, but to my choice:
Who chuseth me, shall get as much as he deferves:

(8)

bow much bonour

Pick'd from the Chaff and Ruin of the Times,

To be new varnish'd.] Mr. Warburton very justly observ'd to me upon the Confusion and Disagreement of the Metaphors here; and is of Opinion, that Shakespeare might have wrote;

To be new vanned.

i. e. winnow'd, purged: from the French Word, wanner; which is deriv'd from the Latin, vannus, ventilabrum, the Fan used for winnowing the Chaff from the Corn. This Alteration, as he observes, restores the Metaphor to its Integrity: and our Poet frequently uses the fame Thought. But as Shakespeare is so loose and licentious in the blending of different Metaphors, I have not ventur'd to disturb the Text.

I

I will assume desert; give me a key for this,
And instantly unlock my fortunes here.

Por. Too long a pause for that which you find there. [Unlocking the filver casket.

Ar. What's here! the portrait of a blinking idiot,
Presenting me a schedule ? I will read it.
How much unlike art thou to Portia?

How much unlike my hopes and my deservings?
Who chuses me, shall have as much as he deserves.
Did I deserve no more than a fool's head?
Is that my prize? are my deserts no better?
Por. To offend, and judge, are diftinct offices,

And of oppofed natures.
Ar. What is here?

The fire few'n times tried this;
Sev'n times tried that judgment is,
That did never chuse amiss.
Some there be, that shadows kiss;
Such have but a shadow's bliss :
There be fools alive, I wis,
Silver'd'o'er, and so was this :
Take what wife you will to bed,
I will ever be your head :
So be gone, Sir, you are sped.

Ar. Still more fool I shall appear,
By the time I linger here.
With one fool's head I came to woo,
But I go away with two.
Sweet, adieu! I'll keep my oath,
Patiently to bear my wrath.

Por. Thus hath the candle fing'd the moth:
O these deliberate fools! when they do chuse,
They have the wisdom by their wit to lose.
Ner. The ancient saying is no herefy,
Hanging and wiving goes by destiny.
Por. Come, draw the curtain, Nerissa.

Enter a Servant.

[Exit.

Serv. Where is my lady?

F2

Por.

Por. Here, what would my lord ?

Serv. Madam, there is alighted at your gate
A young Venetian, one that comes before
To fignify th' approaching of his lord,
From whom he bringeth sensible regreets;..
To wit, besides commends and courteous breath,
Gifts of rich value; yet, I have not seen
So likely an ambassador of love.
A day in April never came so sweet,
To show how costly summer was at hand,
As this fore-spurrer comes before his lord.

Por. No more, I pray thee; I am half afraid,

Thou'lt say anon, he is some kin to thee;
Thou spend'st such high-day wit in praising him:
Come, come, Neriffa, for I long to fee

Quick Cupid's post, that comes so mannerly.

}

Ner. Baffanio, lord Love, if thy will it be! (9)

[Exeunt.

[ocr errors][merged small]

SCENE, a Street in VENICE.

Enter Salanio and Solarino.

SOLARINO.

OW, what news on the Ryalto?

N° Sal. Why, yet it lives there uncheckt, that

Anthonio hath a ship of rich lading wreckt on the narrow feas; the Godwins, I think, they call the place; a very dangerous flat and fatal, where the carcases

(9) Bassanio Lord, love, if] Mr. Pope, and all the preceding Editors have follow'd this pointing; as imagining, I suppose, that Baffanio lord means, Lord Baffanio; but Lord must be coupled to Love: as if she had faid, Imperial "Love, if it be thy Will, let it be Baffanio whom this "Messenger foreruns.

"

of

[ocr errors]

of many a tall ship lye bury'd, as they say, if my gofsip Report be an honest woman of her word.

Sola. I would she were as lying a gossip in that, as ever knapt ginger; or made her neighbours believe, she wept for the death of a third husband. But it is true, without any flips of prolixity, or croffing the plain highway of talk, that the good Anthonio, the honest Anthonio O that I had a title good enough to keep his name company!

Sal. Come, the full stop.

Sola. Ha, what say'st thou? why the end is, he hath loft a thip.

Sal. I would it might prove the end of his losses.

Sola. Let me fay Amen betimes, left the devil cross thy prayer, (10) for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew. How now, Shylock, what news among the merchants ?

1

Enter Shylock.

Shy. You knew (none so well, none so well as you) of my daughter's flight.

Sal. That's certain; I, for my part, knew the taylor

that made the wings the flew withal.

4

Sola. And Shylock, for his own part, knew the bird

was fledg'd, and then it is the complexion of them all to leave the dam.

Shy. She is damn'd for it.

Sal. That's certain, if the devil may be her judge.
Shy. My own flesh and blood to rebel!

Sola. Out upon it, old carrion, rebels it at these

years?

Shy. I fay, my daughter is my flesh and blood.

Sal. There is more difference between thy flesh and hers, than between jet and ivory; more between your bloods, than there is between red wine and rhenith:

(10)-left the Devil crofs my Prayer.) But the Prayer was Salanio's. The other only, as Clerk, says Amen to it. We must therefore read thy Prayer.

Mr. Warburton.

but tell us, do you hear, whether Anthonie have had any loss at fea or no?

Shy. There I have another bad match; a bankrupt, a prodigal, who dares scarce shew his head on the Ryalto; a beggar that us'd to come so smug upon the mart! let him look to his bond; he was wont to call me usurer; let him look to his bond; he was wont to lend mony for a christian courtesie; let him look to his bond.

Sal. Why, I am sure, if he forfeit, thou wilt not take his flesh: what's that good for?

[ocr errors]

Shy. To bait fish withal. If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge; he hath disgrac'd me, and hinder'd me of half a million, laught at my losses, mocktat my gains, scorn'd my nation, thwarted my bargains, cool'd my friends, heated mine enemies; and what's his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a fow eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, paffions ? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, heal'd by the same means, warm'd and cool'd by the fame winter and fummer, as a christian is? if you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poifon 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 few wrong a christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a chriftian wrong a Jow, what should his fufferance be by christian example? why, Revenge. The Villany, you teach me, I will execute; and it shall go hard, but I will better the inftruction.

Enter a Servant from Anthonio.

Serv. Gentlemen, my master Anthonio is at his houfe,

and defires to speak with you both.

Sal. We have been up and down to feek him.

Enter Tubal.

Sola. Here comes another of the tribe; a third cannot

be match'd, unless the devil himself turn Jew.

[Exeunt Sala. and Solar.

Shy.

« ПредишнаНапред »