Obrázky na stránke
PDF
ePub
[blocks in formation]

Senators of Venice, Officers, Jailer, Servants, and other Attendants.
SCENE, partly at Venice, and partly at Belmont, the Seat of Portia.

Anth.

A C T I.

SCENE I.

A Street in Venice.

Enter Anthonio, Salarino, and Salanio.
N footh, I know not why I am fo fad;

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 fuch a want-wit sadness makes of me,
That I have much ado to know myself.

Sal. Your mind is toffing on the ocean;
There, where your argofies with portly fail,-
Like figniors and rich burghers on the flood,
Or as it were the pageants of the sea,-

Do over-peer the petty traffickers,
That curtly to them, do them reverence,
As they fly by them with their woven wings.
Sala. Believe me, fir, had I such ventures forth,
The better part of my affections would
Be with my hopes abroad. I fhould be still
Plucking the grafs, to know where fits the wind;
Prying in maps, for ports, and piers, and roads ;
And every object that might make me fear
Misfortune to my ventures, out of doubt,
Would make me fad.

Sal. My wind, cooling my broth,
Would blow me to an ague, when I thought
What harm a wind too great might do at fea.
I fhould not fee the fandy hour-glass run,
But I fhould think of shallows, and of flats;
Sand,

Vailing 3 her high top lower than her ribs,
To kifs her burial. Should I go to church,
And fee the holy edifice of stone,

And not bethink me ftraight of dangerous rocks?
Which touching but my gentle veilel's fide,
Would scatter all her fpices on the stream;
Enrobe the roaring waters with my filks;
And, in a word, but even now worth this,
And now worth nothing? Shall I have the thought
To think on this; and fhall I lack the thought,
That such a thing, bechanc'd, would make me fad ?
But, tell not me; I know, Anthoniq
Is fad to think upon his merchandize.

[it,

Anth. Believe me, no: I thank my fortune for My ventures are not in one bottom trusted, Nor to one place; nor is my whole estate Upon the fortune of this prefent year; Therefore my merchandize makes me not fad. Sala. Why then you are in love? Anth. Fie, fie!

Ships, fo named from Ragufa. 2 The name of the ship. 3 To vail, means to put off the hat, to frike fail, to give fign of fubmiffion.

03

Sala

Sala. Not in love neither? Then let's fay, you, That therefore only are reputed wife,

are fad,

Because you are not merry: and 'twere as eafy
For you, to laugh, and leap, and say, you are merry,
Because you are not fad. Now, by two-headed Janus,
Nature hath fram'd strange fellows in her time:
Some that will evermore peep through their eyes,
And laugh, like parrots, at a bag-piper;
And other of fuch vinegar afpect,

That they'll not shew their teeth in way of smile,
Though Neftor fwear the jeft be laughable.

Enter Baffanio, Lorenzo, and Gratiano.
Sal. Here comes Baffanio, your most noble
Gratiano, and Lorenzo: fare you well; [kinfman,
We leave you now with better company.

Sala. I would have ftaid till I had made you merry,|
If worthier friends had not prevented me.

Anth. Your worth is very dear in my regard.
I take it, your own bufincfs calls on you,
And you embrace the occafion to depart.

Sal. Good morrow, my good lords.

Baff. Good figniors both, when shall we laugh?
fay, when?

You grow exceeding ftrange; Muft it be fo?
Sal. We'll make our leifures to attend on yours.
[Exeunt Sal. and Sala.
Lor. My lord Baffanio, fince you have found
Anthonio,

We two will leave you; but at dinner-time,
I pray you, have in mind where we must meet.
Baff. I will not fail you.

Gra. You look not well, fignior Anthonio ;
You have too much respect upon the world:
They lofe it, that do buy it with much care.
Believe me, you are marvellously chang'd.

Anth. I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano;
A ftage, where every man must play a part,
And mine a fad one.

Gra. Let me play the fool1:

With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come;
And let my liver rather heat with wine,
Than my heart cool with mortifying groans.
Why should a man, whofe blood is warm within,
Sit like his grandfire cut in alabaster?
Sleep when he wakes? and creep into the jaundice
By being peevish? I tell thee what, Anthonio,-
I love thee, and it is my love that speaks ;—
There are a fort of men whofe vifages
Do cream and mantle, like a ftanding pond;
And do a wilful ftillness entertain,
With purpose to be dreft in an opinion
Of wisdom, gravity, profound conceit;
As who should say, "I am Sir Oracle,
"And when I ope my lips, let no dog bark!”
O, my Anthonio, I do know of thefe,

For faying nothing; who, I am very fure, [ears,
If they should fpeak, would almost damn thofe
Which, hearing them, would call their brothers
I'll tell thee more of this another time: [fools2.
But fifh not with this melancholy bait,
For this fool's gudgeon, this opinion.—
Come, good Lorenzo:---Fare ye well, a while;
I'll end my exhortation after dinner 3. [time.

Lor. Well, we will leave you then till dinner-
I must be one of these fame dumb wife men,
For Gratiano never lets me fpeak.

more,

Gra. Well, keep me company but two years [tongue. Thou shalt not know the found of thine own Anth. Fare well; I'll grow a talker for this

[mendable

gear. Gra. Thanks, i'faith; for filence is only comIn a neat's tongue dry'd, and a maid not vendible. [Exeunt Gra. and Lur.

Anth. Is that any thing now?
Baff. Gratiano fpeaks an infinite deal of nothing,
more than any man in all Venice His reafons
are as two grains of wheat hid in two buthels of
chaff; you shall seek all day ere you find them;
and, when you have them, they are not worth
the fearch.

Anth. Well; tell me now, what lady is the fame,
To whom you fwore a fecret pilgrimage,
That you to-day promis'd to tell me of?

Baff. 'Tis not unknown to you, Anthonio,
How much I have difabled mine eftate,
By fomething fhewing a more fwelling port
Than my faint means would grant continuance :
Nor do I now make moan to be abridg'd
| From fuch a noble rate; but my chief care
Is, to come fairly off from the great debts,
Wherein my time, fomething too prodigal,
Hath left me gag'd: To you, Anthonio,
I owe the most, in money, and in love;
And from your love I have a warranty
To unburthen all my plots, and purposes,
How to get clear of all the debts I owe.

Anth. I pray you, good Baffanio, let me know it;
And, if it ftand, as you yourself ftill do,
Within the eye of honour, be affur'd,
My purfe, my perfon, my extremeft means,
Lye all unlock'd to your occafions.

[thaft,

Beff. In my fchool-days, when I had loit one
I thot his fellow of the felf-fame flight
The felf-fame way, with more advised watch,
To find the other forth; and by advent'ring both,
I oft found both: I urge this childhood proof,
Because what follows is pure innocence.
[I owe you much; and, like a wilful youth,

1 This alludes to the common comparison of human life to a ftage-play. So that he defires his may be the fool's or buffoon's part, which was a conftant character in the old farces; from whence came the phrafe, to ploy the fool. 2 Our author's caning is, that fome people are thought wife whilft they keep filence; who, when they open their mouths, are fuch ftupid praters, that the hearers cannot help calling them fools, and fo incur the judgment denounced in the gospel. 3 The humour of this confits in its being an allufion to the practice of the puritan preachers of thofe times; who being generally very long and tedious, were often forced to put off that part of their fermon called the ex4ortation, till after dinner.

That

That which I owe is loft: but if you please
To thoot another arrow that felf way
Which you did fhoot the firft, I do not doubt,
As I will watch the aim, or to find both,
Or bring your latter hazard back again,
And thankfully reft debtor for the first.

[time,

Anth. You know me well; and herein fpend but
To wind about my love with.circumitance;
And, out of doubt, you do me now more wrong,
In making question of my uttermoft,
Than if you had made warte of all I have:
Then do but fay to me what I should do,
That in your knowledge may by me be done,
And am I preft unto it: therefore fpeak.

Baff. In Belmont is a lady richly left,
And the is fair, and, fairer than that word,

blood; but a hot temper leaps o'er a cold decree : fuch a hare is madness the youth, to fkip o'er the meshes of good counfel the cripple. But this reafoning is not in the fashion to chufe me a husband:

O me, the word chufe! I may neither chufe whom I would, nor refuse whom I diflike; fo is the will of a living daughter curb'd by the will of a dead father:-Is it not hard, Neritfa, that I cannot chufe one, nor refufe none?

Ner. Your father was ever virtuous; and holy men, at their death, have good inspirations; therefore, the lottery, that he hath devised in thefe three chefts, of gold, filver, and lead, (whereof who chufes his meaning, chufes you) will, no doubt, never be chofen by any rightly, but one who you shall rightly love. But what warmth is there in your affection

Of wondrous virtues: fometimes 2 from her eyes towards any of thefe princely fuitors that are al

I did receive fair 1peechlefs metfages:

Her name is Portia; nothing undervalu'd
To Cato's daughter, Brutus' Portia.

Nor is the wide world ignorant of her worth;
For the four winds blow in from every coaft
Renowned fuitors: and her funny locks
Hang on her temples like a golden fleece;
Which makes her feat of Belmont, Colchos' strand,
And many Jafons come in queft of her.

O my Anthonio, had I but the means

To hold a rival place with one of them,

I have a mind prefages me fuch thrift,

That I fhould queftionlets be fortunate.

ready 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. Firit, there is the Neapolitan prince.

Por. Ay, that's a colt 3, indeed, for he doth nothing but talk of his horfe; and he makes it a 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 County Palatine. Por. He doth nothing but frown; as, who fhould fay, An if you will not have me, chufe: he hears

Anth. Thou know'ft, that all my fortunes are at fea; merry tales, and fmiles not: I fear, he will prove Nor have I money, nor commodity

To raise a prefent fum: therefore go forth,

Try what my credit can in Venice do ;
That fhall be rack'd, even to the uttermoft,
-To furnish thee to Belmont, to fair Portia.
Go, prefently enquire, and fo will 1,
Where money is; and I no question make,
To have it of my truft, or for my fake.

[blocks in formation]

[Excunt.

A Room in Portia's Houfe at Belmont.

Enter Portia and Nerissa.

the weeping philofopher when he grows old, being fo full of unmannerly fadness in his youth. I had rather be married to a death's-head with a bone in his mouth, than to either of these. God defend me from these two!

Ner. How fay you by the French lord, Monsieur 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 horse better than the Neapolitan's; a better bad habit of frowning than the Count Palatine: he is every man in no man: if a throftle fing, he falls ftrait a-capering; he will fence

Por. By my troth, Neriffa, my little body is 2- with his own fhadow: if I fhould marry him, I weary of this great world.

Ner. You would be, sweet 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.

fhould marry twenty hufbands: If he would defpife me, I would forgive him; for if he love me to madnefs, I thall never requite him.

Ner. What fay 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 Por. Good fentences, and well pronounc'd. into the court and fwear, that I have a poor pennyNer. They would be better, if well follow'd. worth in the English. He is a proper man's pic Por. If to do, were as eafy as to know what ture; But, alas! who can converfe with a dumb were good to do, chapels had been churches, and show? How oddly he is fuited! I think, he poor men's cottages, princes' palaces. It is a good bought his doublet in Italy, his round hofe in divine, that follows his own inftructions. I can France, his bonnet in Germany, and his behaviour eafter teach twenty what were good to be done, than be one of the twenty to follow mine own teaching. The brain may devife laws for the

every-where.

Ner. What think you of the Scottish lord, his neighbour?

1 That is, ready to do it. 2 Sometimes here means formerly. 3 i. e. a thoughtless, giddy, gay youngster.

04

Pare

Por. That he hath a neighbourly charity in him ; for he borrow'd a box of the ear of the Englishman, and fwore he would pay him again, when he was able: I think, the Frenchman became his furety, and feal'd under for another.

Shy. For three months,-well.

Baf. For the which, as I told you, Anthonio shall be bound.

Shy. Anthonio fhall become bound,—well.
Baff. May you ftead me? Will you pleasure me?

Ner. How like you the young German, the duke Shall I know your answer? of Saxony's nephew?

Por. Very vilely in the morning, when he is fober; 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 worst, he is little better than a beaft: an the worst fall that ever fell, I hope, I fhall make shift to go without him.

Ner. If he fhould offer to chufe, and chufe the right cafket, you should refuse to perform your father's will, if you should refuse to accept him.

Shy. Three thoufand ducats, for three months, and Anthonio bound.

Baff. 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 faying 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, anoPor. Therefore, for fear of the worst, I pray thee, ther to the Indies; I understand moreover upon fet a deep glafs of Rhenith wine on the contrary the Rialto, he hath a third at Mexico, a fourth for cafket; for, if the devil be within, and that tempt- England,--and other ventures he hath, fquander'd ation without, I know he will chufe it. I will abroad: But fhips are but boards, failors but men: do any thing, Nerifla, ere I will be marry'd to a there be land-rats, and water-rats, water-thieves, fpunge. and land-thieves; I mean, pirates; and then, there

Ner. You need not fear, lady, the having any of is the peril of waters, winds, and rocks: The man thefe lords; they have acquainted me with their is, notwithstanding, fufficient :-three thousand dudeterminations: which is, indeed, to return to their cats ;-I think, I may take his bond. home, and to trouble you with no more fuit; unlefs 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 father's time, a Venetian, a scholar, and a foldier, that came hither in company of the marquis of Montferrat ?

Por. Yes, yes, it was Baffanio; as I think, fo he was call'd.

Ner. True, madam; he, of all the men that ever my foolish eyes look'd upon, was the best deserving a fair lady.

Por. I remember him well; and I remember him worthy of thy praife.-How now! what news? Enter a Servant.

I

Baff. Be affur'd, you may.

[affur'd, Shy. I will be affur'd, I may; and, that I may be will bethink me: May I fpeak with Anthonio? Baff. If it please you to dine with us. Shy. Yes, to fmell pork; to eat of the habitation which your prophet the Nazarite conjured the devil into: I will buy with you, fell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and fo following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you. What news on the Rialto ?Who is he comes here?

Enter Anthonio.

Baff. This is fignior Anthonio.

Shy. [Afide.] How like a fawning publican he looks! I hate him for he is a Chriftian: But more, for that, in low fimplicity, He lends out money gratis, and brings down The rate of ufance here with us in Venice. If I can catch him once upon the hip', I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him. He hates our facred nation; and he rails, Ser. The four ftrangers feek for you, madam, to Even there where merchants most do congregate, take their leave: and there is a fore-runner come On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift, from a fifth, the prince of Morocco; who brings Which he calls interest: Curfed be my tribe, word, the prince, his master, will be here to-night. If I forgive him! Por. If I could bid the fifth welcome with fo good heart as I can bid the other four farewell, I Shy. I am debating of my prefent store; fhould be glad of his approach: if he have the And, by the near guefs of my memory, condition of a faint, and the complexion of a devil, I cannot inftantly raife up the grofs

Baff. Shylock, do you hear?

I had rather he should thrive me than wive me. Of full three thousand ducats: What of that? Come, Neriffa. Sirrah, go before. Whiles we Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe, fhut the gate upon one wooer, another knocks at Will furnish me: Btt foft; How many months the door. [Exeunt. Do you defire?-Reft you fair, good fignior;

SCENE III.
A publick Place in Venice.
Enter Baffanin and Skylock.
Shy. Three thousand ducats,well.
Bef. Ay, fir, for three months.

[To Anthonio. Your worship was the laft man in our mouths. Anth. Shylock, albeit I neither lend nor borrow, By taking, nor by giving of excefs,

Yet, to fupply the ripe wants of my

friend,

This is a phrafe taken from the practice of wrestlers.

I'll break a custom :-Is he yet poffefs'd,
How much you would ?

Shy. Ay, ay, three thousand ducats.

Anth. And for three months.

You, that did void your rheum upon my beard,
And foot me, as you fpurn a stranger cur
Over your threshold; monies is your fuit.
What thould I fay to you? Should I not fay,

Shy. I had forgot three months, you told me fo." Hath a dog money? Is it poflible

Well then, your bond; and, let me fee,

hear you;

-But A cur can lend three thousand ducats?" or [row, Shall I bend low, and in a bondman's key,

Methoughts, you faid, you neither lend, nor bor-With 'bated breath, and whispering humbleness, Say this," Fair fir, you fpit on me on Wednesday ❝ juit;

Upon advantage.

Anth. I do never use it.

Sby. When Jacob graz'd his uncle Laban's fheep," You fpurn'd me fuch a day; another time

This Jacob from our holy Abraham was
(As his wife mother wrought in his behalf)
The third poffeffor; ay, he was the third.

Anth. And what of him? did he take interest
Sky. No, not take intereft; not, as you would
fay,

Directly intereft: mark what Jacob did.
When Laban and himself were compromis'd,
That all the eanlings, which were streak'd, and
py'd,

Should fall as Jacob's hire, the ewes, being rank,
In the end of autumn turned to the rams:
And when the work of generation was
Between thefe woolly breeders in the act,
The skilful shepherd peel'd me certain wands,
And, in the doing of the deed of kind 2,
He ftuck them up before the fuliome 3 ewes;
Who, then conceiving, did in eaning time
Fall party-colour'd lambs, and those were Jacob's.
This was a way to thrive, and he was bleft;
And thrift is blefling, if men steal it not. [for;
Anth. This was a venture, fir, that Jacob ferv'd
A thing not in his power to bring to pats,
But fway'd, and fashion'd, by the hand of heaven.
Was this inferted to make intereft good?
Or is your gold and filver, ewes and rams?

Shy, I cannot tell; I make it breed as faft:
But note me, fignior,

Anth. Mark you this, Baffanio.
The devil can cite fcripture for his purpose.
An evil foul, producing holy witnefs,
Is like a villain with a fmiling cheek;

rate.

"You call'd me-dog; and for thefe courtefies
"I'll lend you thus much monies."

Anth. I am as like to call thee so again,
To fpit on thee again, to fpurn thee too.
If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not
As to thy friends; (for when did friendship take
A breed of barien metal of his friend :)
But lend it rather to thine enemy;
Who if he break, thou may'it with better face
Exact the penalty.

Shy. Why, look you, how you storm '
I would be friends with you, and have your love,
Forget the fhames that you have ftain'd me with,
Supply your prefent wants, and take no doit
Or ufance for my monies, and you'll not hear me;
This is kind I offer.

Anth. This were kindness.

Shy. This kindnefs will I fhow:
Go with me to a notary, seal me there
Your fingle bond; and, in a merry iport,
If you repay me not on fuch a day,
In fuch a place, fuch fum, or fums, as are
Exprefs'd in the condition, let the forfeit
Be nominated for an equal pound
Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken
In what part of your body pleaseth me.

Anth. Content, in faith; I'll feal to fuch a bond,
And fay, there is much kindness in the Jew.

Bal. You thall not feal to fuch a bond for me,
I'll rather dwell 7 in my neceffity.

Anth. Why, fear not, man; I will not forfeit it:
Within thefe two months, that's a month before
This bond expires, I do expect return
Of thrice three times the value of the bond.

A goodly apple rotten at the heart:
O, what a goodly outfide falfhood hath! [fum.
Sby. Three thousand ducats,-'tis a good round
Three months from twelve, then let me fee the
[you
Anth. Well, Shylock, fhall we be beholden to
Shy. Signior Anthonio, many a time and oft
In the Rialto you have rated me
About my monies, and my ufances 4:
Still have I borne it with a patient shrug;
For fufferance is the badge of all our tribe :
You call me-mifbeliever, cut-throat dog,
And fpit upon my Jewish gaberdine 5,
And all for ufe of that which is mine own.
Well then, it now appears, you need my help:
Go to then you come to me, and you say,
"Shylock, we would have monies;" You fay fo; And I will go and purfe the ducats strait;

Shy. O father Abraham, what these Chriftians are;
Whofe own hard dealings teaches them suspect
The thoughts of others! Pray you, tell me this;
If he thould break his day, what should I gain
By the exaction of the forfeiture ?

A pound of man's flesh, taken from a man,
Is not fo eftimable, profitable neither,
As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. I fay,
To buy his favour, I extend this friendship;
If he will take it, fo; if not, adieu;
And, for my love, I pray you, wrong me not,
Anth. Yes, Shylock, I will feal unto this bond.
Shy. Then meet me forthwith at the notary's;
Give him direction for this merry bond,

1 i. e. lambs juft dropt. 2 i. e. of nature. 3 Meaning, lafcivious, obfcene. 4 Use and ufince were both words formerly employed for ufury. 5 Agaberdine means a coarse frock. That is, intereft money bred from the principal. 7 To dwell, here feems to mean the fame as to continue.

See

« PredošláPokračovať »