Go, prefently inquire, and so will I, To have it of my truft, or for my fake, [Exeunt SCENE II. A Room in PORTIA's House at Belmont, Enter PORTIA and NERISSA. Por. By my troth, Neriffa, my little body is aweary of this great world. Ner. You would be, fweet madam, if your miferies were in the fame abundance as your good fortunes are: and yet for aught I fee, they are as fick that furfeit with too much, as they that ftarve with nothing: it is no mean happiness, therefore, to be feated in the mean; fuperfluity comes fooner by white hairs, but competency lives longer. Por. Good fentences, and well pronounc'd. Ner. They would be better, if well follow'd. Por. If to do, were as eafy as to know what were good to do, chapels had been churches, and poor men's cottages, princes' palaces. It is a good divine, that follows his own inftructions: 1 can eafier teach twenty what were good to be aone, than be one of the twenty to follow mine own teaching. The brain may devife laws for the blood, but a hot temper leaps o'er a cold decree; fuch a hare is madnefs the youth, to fkip o'er the methes of good counsel the cripple. But this reafoning is not in fashion to choose me a husband; O me, the word choofe! I may neither choose whom I would, nor refuse whom I dislike; fo is the will of a living daughter curb'd by the will of a dead father:-Is it not hard, Neriffa, that I cannot choose one, nor refuse none? B Ner, Ner. Your father was ever virtuous; and holy men, at their death, have good inspirations; therefore the lottery, that he hath devised in these three chefts of gold, filver, and lead, (whereof who choofes his meaning, choofes you) will no doubt, never be chofen by any rightly, but one, who you fhall rightly love. But what warmth is there in your affection towards any of these princely fuitors that are already come? Por. I pray thee over-name them; and, as thou nam'ft them, I will defcribe them; and, according to my defcription, level at my affection. Ner. First, there is the Neapolitan prince. Por. Ay, that's a colt, indeed, for he does nothing but talk of his horse; and he makes it great appropriation to his own good parts, that he can fhoe him himfelf. I am much afraid my lady his mother play'd false with a smith. Ner. Then, there is the count Palatine. Por. He doth nothing but frown; as who should fay, An if you will not have me, choose: he hears merry tales, and finiles not; I fear, he will prove the weeping philofopher when he grows old, being fo full of unmannerly fadnefs in his youth. I had rather be married to a death's head with a bone in his mouth, than to either of thefe. God defend me from these two! Ner. How fay you by the French lord, Monfieur Le Bon ? Por. God made him, and therefore let him pafs for a man. In truth, I know it is a fin to be a mocker; but, he! why, he hath a horfe better than the Neapolitan's; a better bad habit of frowning than the count Palatine; he is every man in no man man: if a throftle fing, he falls ftrait a capering; he will fence with his own fhadow: If I fhould marry him, I fhould marry twenty husbands: If he would defpife me, I would forgive him; for if he love me to madness, I fhall never requite him. Ner. What say you then to Faulconbridge, the young baron of England? Por. You know, I fay nothing to him; for he understands not me, nor I him: he hath neither Latin, French, nor Italian; and you will come into the court, and fwear, that I have a poor pennyworth in the English. He is a proper man's picture; but, alas! who can converfe with a dumb fhow? How oddly he is suited! I think he bought his doublet in Italy, his round hofe in France, his bonnet in Germany, and his behaviour every where. Ner. What think you of the Scottish lord, his neighbour? Por. That he hath a neighbourly charity in him; for he borrow'd a box of the ear of the Englishman, and swore he would pay him again, when he was able: I think the Frenchman became his furety, and feal'd under for another. Ner. How like you the young German, the duke of Saxony's nephew? Por. Very vilely in the morning, when he is fo ber; and most vilely in the afternoon, when he is drunk when he is beft, he is a little worfe than a man; and when he is worft, he is little better than a beast! and the worst fall that ever fell, I hope, I fhall make shift to go without him, Ner. If he should offer to choose, and choose the right casket, you should refufe to perform your father's will, if you should refuse to accept him. Por. Therefore for fear of the worst, I pray thee, fet a deep glafs of Rhenifh wine on the contrary cafket; for if the devil be within, and that temptation without, I know he will choose it: I will do any thing, Neriffa, ere I will be marry'd to a fpunge. Ner. You need not fear, lady, the having any of these lords; they have acquainted me with their determinations; which is, indeed, to return to their home, and to trouble you with no more fuit; unless you may be won by fome other fort than your father's impofition, depending on the caskets. Por. If I live to be as old as Sibylla, I will die as chafte as Diana, unless I be obtained by the manner of my father's will; I am glad this parcel of wooers are so very reasonable; for there is not one among them but I dote on his very abfence, and I pray God grant them a fair departure. Ner. Do you not remember, lady, in your fa ther's time, a Venetian, a fcholar, and a foldier, that came hither in company of the marquis of Montferrat? Por. Yes, yes, it was Baffanio; as I think, so he was call'd. Ner. True, madam; he, of all the men that ever my foolish eyes look'd upon, was the best deferving a fair lady. Por. I remember him well; and I remember him worthy of thy praife.-How now! what news? Enter a Servant. Ser. The four ftrangers feek for you, madam, to take their leave: and there is a fore-runner come from a fifth, the prince of Morocco; who brings. word, the prince, his master, will be here to-night. Por. Por. If I could bid the fifth welcome with fo good heart as I can bid the other four farewell, I fhould be glad of his approach: if he have the condition of a faint, and the complexion of a devil, I had rather he should fhrive me than wive me. Come, Neriffa. Sirrah, go before.-Whiles we fhut the gate upon one wooer, another knocks at the door. [Exeunt. SCENE III. A Public Place in Venice. Enter BASSANIO and SHYLOCK. Shy. Three thousand ducats,-well. Baff. Ay, fir, for three months. Shy. For three months,-well. Baff. For the which, as I told you, Anthonio fhall be bound. Shy. Anthonio fhall become bound,-well. Baff. May you ftead me Will you pleasure me? Shall I know your anfwer? Shy. Three thousand ducats, for three months, and Anthonio bound. Bal. Your anfwer to that. Shy. Anthonio is a good man. Baff Have you heard any imputation to the contrary ? Shy. Ho, no, no, no, no ;-my meaning in saying he is a good man, is, to have you understand me, that he is fufficient: yet his means are in fuppofition: he hath an argofy bound to Tripolis, another to the Indies; I understand moreover upon the Rialto, he hath a third at Mexico, a fourth for England, and other ventures he hath fquander'd B 3 |