Which casket 'twas I chofe; next, if I fail
Of the right casket, never in my life

To woo a maid in way of marriage; laftly

If I do fail in fortune of

Immediately to leave

you

my choice,
and be gone.

POR. To these injunctions every one doth fwear, That comes to hazard for my worthless self.

Το

AR. And fo have I addrefs'd me: Fortune now

my heart's hope!-Gold, filver, and base lead. Who choofeth me, muft give and hazard all be bath: You fhall look fairer, ere I give, or hazard. What fays the golden cheft? ha! let me fee:Who chooseth me, shall gain what many men desire. What many men defire.-That many may be meant By the fool multitude, that choose by show,

Not learning more than the fond doth teach;

eye

Which pries not to the interior, but, like the martlet,
Builds in the weather on the outward wall,
Even in the force and road of casualty.
I will not choose what many men defire,
Because I will not jump with common fpirits,
And rank me with the barbarous multitudes.
Why, then to thee, thou filver treasure-house;
Tell me once more what title thou doft bear:
Who chooseth me, shall get as much as he deserves;
And well faid too; For who fhall go about
To cozen fortune, and be honourable
Without the stamp of merit! Let none prefume
To wear an undeferved dignity.

O, that estates, degrees, and offices,

Were not deriv'd corruptly? and that clear honour Were purchas'd by the merit of the wearer!

How

many then should cover, that ftand bare?

How many be commanded; that command?

How much low peafantry would then be glean'd

From the true feed of honour? and how much honour
Pick'd from the chaff and ruin of the times,

To be new varnish'd? Well, but to my choice:
Who choofeth me, fhall get as much as he deferves:
I will affume defert ;-Give me a key for this,
And instantly unlock my fortunes here.

POR. Too long a pause for that which you find there. 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 defervings?
Who choofeth me, fhall have as much as he deferves.
Did I deferve no more than a fool's head?

Is that my prize? are my deserts no better?

POR. To offend, and judge, are distinct offices, And of oppofed natures,

AR. What is here?

The fire feven times tried this;

Seven times tried that judgement is,

That did never choose amifs:

Some there be, that fhadows kifs;
Such have but a shadow's blifs :
There be fools alive, I wis,
Silver'd o'er; and fo was this.
Take what wife you will to bed,
I will ever be your bead:
So begone, fir, you are fped.
Still more fool I fhall 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 wroth. [Exeunt ARR. and train. POR. Thus hath the candle fing'd the moth. O thefe deliberate fools! when they do choose, They have the wisdom by their wit to lose. NER. The ancient faying is no heresy ;— Hanging and wiving goes by destiny. POR. Come, draw the curtain, Nerissa. Enter a SERVANT.

SERV. Where is my lady?

POR. Here; what would my lord?
SERV. Madam, there is alighted at your gate
A young Venetian, one that comes before
To fignify the approaching of his lord:
From whom he bringeth fenfible regreets;
To wit, befides commends, and courteous breath,
Gifts of rich value; yet I have not feen
So likely an embaflador of love :

A day in April never came fo fweet,
To show how coftly fummer was at hand,
As this fore-fpurrer comes before his lord.
POR. No more I pray thee; I am half afeard,
Thou wilt fay anon, he is fome kin to thee,
Thou spend'st fuch high-day wit in praising him.-
Come, come, Neriffa ; for I long to fee

Quick Cupid's poft, that comes fo mannerly.
NER. Bassanio, lord love, if thy will it be!

ACT III.

SCENE I. Venice. A Street.

Enter SALAN 10 and SALARINO.

SALAN, Now, what news on the Rialto?

[Exeunt.

SALAR. Why, yet it lives there uncheck'd, that Antonio hath a ship of rich lading wreck'd on the narrow feas; the Goodwins, I think they call the place; a very dangerous flat, and fatal, where the carcafes of many a tall ship lie buried, as they fay, if my goffip report be an honeft woman of her word.

SALAN. I would fhe were as lying a goffip in that, as ever knapp'd ginger, or made her neighbours believe the 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 Antonio, the honest Antonio,———O that I had a title good enough to keep his name company!_

SALAR. Come, the full ftop.

SALAN. Ha,-what fay'st thou? Why the end is, he hath loft a ship.

SALAR. I would it might prove the end of his loffes! SALAN. Let me fay amen betimes, left the devil crofs. my prayer; for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew.—

Enter SHYLOCK.

How now, Shylock? what news among the merchants? SHY. You knew, none fo well, none fo well as you, my daughter's flight.

of

SALAR. That's certain; I, for my part, knew the tailor that made the wings fhe flew withal.

SALAN. 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's damn'd for it.

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

SALAN. Out upon it, old carrion! rebels it at these

years?

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

SALAR. 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 rhenish:-But tell us, do you hear, whether Antonio have had any lofs at sea or no?

SHY. There I have another bad match: a bankrupt, a prodigal, who dare scarce show his head on the Rialto; -a beggar, that used to come so smug upon the mart;— let him look to his bond: he was wont to call me ufurer; let him look to his bond: he was wont to lend money for a Chriftian courtesy ;-let him look to his bond.

SALAR. Why, I am fure, if he forfeit, thou wilt not take his flesh; What's that good for?

Sør. To bait fish withal: if it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. He hath difgraced me, and hindered me of half a million; laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, fcorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies; and what's his reafon? I am a Jew: Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimenfions, fenfes, affections, paffions? fed with the fame food, hurt with the fame weapons, fubject to the fame difeafes, healed by the fame means, warmed and cooled by the fame winter and fummer, as a Chriftian 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, fhall we not revenge? if we are like you in the reft, we will refemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? revenge: If a Chriftian wrong a Jew, what should his fufferance be by Christian example ? why, revenge. The villany, you teach me, I will exe