Thou mak'ft thy knife keen; for no metal can,
No, not the hangman's ax, bear half the keennefs
Of thy fharp envy. Can no prayers pierce thee?
Shy. No, none that thou haft wit enough to maké.
Gra. O be thou damn'd, inexorable dog,
And for thy life let juftice be accus'd!
Thou almoft mak'ft me waver in my faith,
To hold opinion with Pythagoras,

That fouls of animals infufe themselves
Into the trunks of men. Thy currifh fpirit
Govern'd a wolf, who, hang'd for human flaughter,
Ev'n from the gallows did his fell foul fleet,
And, whil'ft thou lay'ft in thy unhallow'd dam,
Infus'd itself in thee; for thy defires

Are wolfish, bloody, ftarv'd, and ravenous.

Shy. "Till thou canft rail the feal from off my bond, Thou but offend'ft thy lungs to speak fo loud. Repair thy wit, good youth, or it will fall To curelefs ruin, I ftand here for law. (27)

but this was our author's antithefis; as it is fo ufual with him to play on words in this manner: and that from the mouth of his moft ferious characters. So in Remes and Juliet ;

You have dancing fhoes,

With nimble foales; I have a joul of lead,

That takes me to the ground; I cannot move,

And again, immediately after.

I am too fore enpierced with his shaft,

To fare with his light feathers.

So in King Jcbn:

O, lawful let it be,

That I have room with Rome to curfe awhile!

And, in Julius Cæfar;

Now is it Reme, indeed; and room enough,
When there is in it but one only man.

But this fort of jingle is too perpetual with our author to need
farther inftances.

any

(27) To careless ruin.] This, I am fure, is a fignal inftance of Mr. Pope's carelessnefs, for both the old 4to's i ave it curelefs. The players in their edition, for fome particular whim, chang'd the word to endless; which Mr. Rowe has copied, becaufe, I prefume, he had never feen the old Quarto's. Our author has ufed this epithet, curelefs, again in his prem, call'd, Tarquin and Lucrece. St. 111.

O, hateful, vapoious and foggy night!
Since thou art guilty of my cureless crime.

Duke.

Duke. This letter from Bellario doth commend and learned Doctor to our Court.

A young Where is he?

Ner. He attendeth here hard by

To know your anfwer, whether you'll admit him.
Duke. With all my heart. Some three or four of you
Go, give him courteous conduct to this place:
Mean time, the Court shall hear Bellario's letter.

Y

OUR Grace fall understand, that, at the receipt of your letter, I am very fick: but at the inftant that your meffenger came, in loving vifitation was with me a young Doctor of Rome, his name is Balthazar: I acquainted bins with the caufe in controverfy between the Jew and Anthonio the merchant. We turn'd o'er many books together: be is furnished with my opinion, which, bettered with his own learning, (the greatness whereof I cannot enough commend,) comes with him at my importunity, to fill up your Grace's request in my ftead. I beseech you, let his lack of years be no impediment to let him lack a reverend eftimation: For I never knew fo young a body with so old a head. I leave him to your gracious acceptance, whofe trial fhall better publifh his commendation.

Enter Portia, dress'd like a Doctor of Laws.

Duke. You hear the learn'd Bellario, what he writes, And here, I take it, is the Doctor come :

Give me your hand. Came you from old Bellario?
Por. I did, my lord.

Duke. You're welcome: take your place.

Are you acquainted with the difference,

That holds this prefent question in the Court?
Por. I am informed throughly of the cafe.

Which is the merchant here? and which the Jew?
Duke. Anthonio and old Shylock, both stand forth.
Por. Is your name Shylock?

Shy. Shylock is my name.

you

Por. Of a ftrange nature is the fuit
Yet in fuch rule, that the Venetian law
Cannot impugn you, as you do proceed.
You ftand within his danger, do you not?

G 4

follow;

[To Anth.

Ant.

Ant. Ay, fo he fays.

Por. Do you confefs the bond?

Ant. I do.

Por. Then must the Jew be merciful.

Shy. On what compulsion must I? tell me that.
Por. The quality of mercy is not ftrain'd;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heav'n
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blefs'd;
It blefleth him that gives, and him that takes.
'Tis mightiest in the mightieft; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his Crown:
The fcepter fhews the force of temporal pow'r,
The attribute to awe and majefty,

Wherein doth fit the dread and fear of Kings;
But mercy is above this fcepter'd fway,
It is enthroned in the hearts of Kings;
It is an attribute to God himself;

And earthly power doth then fhew likeft God's,
When mercy feafons juftice. Therefore, Jew,
Tho' juftice be thy plea, confider this,
That in the courfe of juftice none of us
Should fee falvation. We do pray for mercy;
And that fame pray'r doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much
To mitigate the juftice of thy plea;

Which, if thou follow, this ftrict Court of Venice
Muft needs give fentence 'gainst the merchant there.
Shy. My deeds upon my head! I crave the law,
The penalty and forfeit of my bond.

Por. Is he not able to discharge the money ?
Baff. Yes, here I tender it for him in the Court,
Yea, twice the fum; if that will not fuffice,

I will be bound to pay it ten times o'er,

On forfeit of my hands, my head, my heart.
If this will not fuffice, it must appear

That malice bears down truth. And I befeech you, (28)

But

(28) That malice bears down truth.] I propos'd, in my SHAKESPEARE reftor'd, to read ruth here; i e. Compaffion, mercy. upon more mature advice, I believe, the text needs no alteration, Truth may mean here, reafon; the reasonable offers of accommodation, which we have made.

Wreft

Wreft once the law to your authority.
To do a great right, do a little wrong;
And curb this cruel devil of his will.

Por. It must not be, there is no pow'r in Venice
Can alter a decree established.

"Twill be recorded for a precedent;

And many an error, by the fame example,
Will rush into the ftate. It cannot be.

Shy. A Daniel come to judgment! yea, a Daniel, O wife young judge, how do I honour thee! Por. I pray you, let me look upon the bond. Shy. Here 'tis, most rev'rend Doctor, here it is. Por. Shylock, there's thrice thy money offer'd thee. Shy. An oath, an oath,-I have an oath in heav'n. Shall I lay perjury upon my foul?

No, not for Venice.

Por. Why, this bond is forfeit;

And lawfully by this the Jew may claim
A pound of flesh, to be by him cut off
Nearest the merchant's heart. Be merciful,
Take thrice thy money, bid me tear the bond.
Shy. When it is paid according to the tenour.
It doth appear, you are a worthy judge;
You know the law: your expofition

Hath been moft found. I charge you by the law,
Whereof you are a well-deferving pillar,
Proceed to judgment. By my foul I fwear,
There is no power in the tongue of man
To alter me. I ftay here on my bond.
Ant. Moft heartily I do befeech the Court
To give the judgment.

Por. Why, then thus it is :

You must prepare your bofom for his knife.

Shy. O noble judge! O excellent young man!
Por. For the intent and purpose of the law
Hath full relation to the penalty,

Which here appeareth due upon the bond.
Shy. 'Tis very true. O wife and upright judge,
How much more elder art thou than thy locks!
Por. Therefore lay bare your bofɔm.

G S

Shy.

Shy. Ay, his breast;

So fays the bond, doth it not, noble judge?
Nearest his heart, those are his very words.

Por. It is fo. Are there fcales, to weigh the flesh?
Shy. I have them ready.

Por. Have by fome furgeon, Shylock, on your charge, To ftop his wounds, left he fhould bleed to death. Shy. Is it fo nominated in the bond?

Por. It is not fo exprefs'd; but what of that?
Twere good, you do fo much for charity.
Shy. I cannot find it; 'tis not in the bond.
Por. Come, merchant, have you any thing to say?
Ant. But little: I am arm'd, and well prepar'd.
Give me your hand, Bassanio, fare you well!
Grieve not, that I am fall'n to this for
you:
For herein fortune fhews herfelf more kind,
Than is her cuftom. It is ftill her ufe,
To let the wretched man out-live his wealth,
To view with hollow eye, and wrinkled brow,
An age of
poverty: From which ling'ring penance
Of fuch a mifery doth fhe cut me off.

Commend me to your honourable wife ;
Tell her the process of Anthonio's end;
Say, how I lov'd you; speak me fair in death:
And when the tale is told, bid her be judge,
Whether Bassanio had not once a love.
Repent not you, that you fhall lofe your friend;
And he repents not, that he pays your debt;
For if the few do cut but deep enough,

I'll pay

it instantly with all my heart.

Baff Anthonio, I am married to a wife,
Which is as dear to me as life itself;
But life itself, my wife, and all the world,
Are, not with me esteem'd above thy life.
I would lofe all; ay, facrifice them all
Here to this devil, to deliver you.

Por. Your wife would give you little thanks for that, If the were by to hear you make the offer.

Gra. I have a wife, whom, I proteft, I love;

I would, the were in heaven, so she could

4

Intreat