Who chooseth me, shall get as much as he deserves.
This third, dull lead, with warning all as blunt ;—
Who chooseth me, must give and hazard all he hath.
How shall I know if I do choose the right?

Por. The one of them contains my picture, prince;
If you choose that, then I am yours withal.
Mor. Some god direct my judgment! Let me see,

That he did pace them first? All things that are, I will survey the inscriptions back again :

Lorenzo and his amorous Jessica :
Besides, Antonio certify'd the duke,

They were not with Bassanio in his ship.
Salan. I never heard a passion so confus'd,
So strange, outrageous, and so variable,
As the dog Jew did utter in the streets:
My daughter! O my ducats!-0 my daughter!
Fled with a Christian 2-0 my Christian ducats!
Justice! the law! my ducats and my daughter!
As aled bag, two sealed bugs of ducats,

Of double duculs, stoln from me by my daughter!
And jewels; two stones, two rich and precious
stones,

Stol'n by my daughter!- Justice! find the girl!
She hath the stones upon her, and the ducats!
Salar. Why, all the boys in Venice follow him,
Crying, his stones, his daughter, and his ducats.
Salan. Let good Antonio look he keep his day,
Or he shall pay for this.
Salar.

Marry, well remember'd:
I reason'de with a Frenchman yesterday;
Who told me in the narrow seas, that part
The French and English, there miscarried
A vessel of our country, richly fraught;
I thought upon Antonio, when he told me;
And wish'd in silence, that it were not his.

|

By the fool multitude that choose by show,
Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach:
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 casuality.
I will not choose what many men desire,
Because I will not jumpa with common spirits,
And rank me with the barbarous multitudes.
Why, then to thee, thou silver treasure house;
Tell me once more what title thou dost bear:
Who chooseth me, shall get as much as he deserves;
And well said too; For who shall go about
To cozen fortune, and be honorable
Without the stamp of merit? Let none presume
To wear an undeserved dignity.
O, that estates, degrees, and offices,
Were not depriv'd corruptly! and that clear honor
Were purchased by the merit of the wearer!
How many then should cover that stand bare!
How many be commanded that command!
How much low peasantry would then be glean'd
From the true seed of honor! and how much honor,
Pick'd from the chaff and ruin of the times,
To be new varnish'd! Well, but to my choice:
Who chooseth me, shall get as much as he deserves:
I will assume desert;-Give me a key for this,

Salan. You were best to tell Antonio what you And instantly unlock my fortunes here.

hear;

Yet do not suddenly, for it may grieve him.

Salar. A kinder gentleman treads not the earth.

I saw Bassanio and Antonio part;

Bassanio told him, he would make some speed
Of his return; he answer'd - Do not so.
Slubber not business for my sake, Bassanio,
But stay the very riping of the time;

And for the Jew's bond, which he hath of me,
Let it not enter in your mind of love:

Be merry; and employ your chufest thoughts
To courtship and such fair ostents of love
As shall conveniently become you there:
And even there his eye being big with tears,
Turning his face, he put his hand behind him,
And with affection wondrous sensible

He wrung Bassanio's hand, and so they parted.
Satan. I think he only loves the world for him.
I pray thee, let us go, and find him out,
And quicken his embraced heaviness
With some delight or other.

Salar.

Do we so. [Exeunt.

SCENE IX.-Belmont. A room in Portia's House.
Enter NERISSA, with a Servant.

Ner. Quick, quick, I pray thee, draw the curtain

straight;

The prince of Arragon had ta'en his oath.
And comes to his election presently.
Flourish of Cornets. Enter the Prince of Arra-
gon, PoRTIA, and their Trains.

Por. Behold, there stands the caskets, noble
prince.

If you choose that wherein I am contain'd,
Straight shall our nuptial rites be solemniz'd;
But if you fail, without more speech, my lord,
You must be gone from hence immediately.

Ar. I am enjoin'd by oath to observe three things:
First, never to unfold to any one
Which casket twas I chose; next if I fail
Of the right casket, never in my life
To woo a maid in way of marriage; lastly,
If I do fail in fortune of my choice,
Immediately to leave you and be gone.

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

Ar. And so have I address'd me: Fortune now
To my heart's hope!-Gold, silver, and base lead,
Who chooseth me, must give and hazard all he hath:
You shall look fairer, ere I give, or hazard.
What says the golden chest? ha! let me see:-
Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire.
What many men desire-That many may be meant
To slubber is to do a thing carelessly.
The heaviness he is fond of.
1 Prepared.

• Conversed.

Shows, tokens.

11

Por. Too long a pause for that which you find

there.

The fire seven times tried this:
Seven times tried that judgment is,
That did never choose 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 begone, sir, you are sped.
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 wroth.

[Exeunt Arragon, and Train.
Por. Thus hath the candle singed the moth.
O these deliberate fools! when they do choose,
They have their wisdom by their wit to lose.
Ner. The ancient saying 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 signify the 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 embassador 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 afeard
Thou wilt say anon, he is come kin to thee,
Thou spend st such high-day wit in praising him.-
Come, come, Nerissa; for I long to see
Quick Cupid's post that comes so mannerly
Ner. Bassanio, lord love, if thy will it be

[Exeunt.

Salutations.

Enter SALANIO and SALARINO

Salan. Now, what news on the Rialto; Salar. Why, yet it lives there uncheck'd, that Antonio hath a ship of rich lading wreck'd on the narrow seas; the Goodwins, I think they call the place; a very dangerous flat, and fatal, where the carcases of many a tall ship lie buried, as they say, if my gossipreport be an honest woman of her word. Salan. I would she were as lying a gossip in that as ever knapp'd ginger, or made her neighbors believe she wept for the death of a third husband: But it is true, without any slips of prolixity, or crossing the plain high-way of talk,-that the good Antonio, the honest Antonio, O that I had a title good enough to keep his name company!— Sular. Come, the full stop.

Salan. Ha,-what say st thou?-Why the end is, he hath lost a ship.

Salar. I would it might prove the end of his losses!

Salan. Let me say amen betimes, lest the devil cross my prayer; for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew.

Enter TUBAL.

Salan. Here comes another of the tribe; a third cannot be matched, unless the devil himself turn Jew. [Exeunt SALAN., SALAR., and Servant. Shy. How now, Tubal, what news from Genoa? hast thou found my daughter!

Tub. I often come where I did hear of her, but cannot find her.

Shy. Why there, there, there, there! a diamond gone, cost me two thousand ducats in Frankfort! The curse never fell upon our nation till now; I never felt it till now:-two thousand ducats in that; and other precious, precious jewels.-I would, my daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear! 'would she were hears'd at my foot, and the ducats in her coffin! No news of them?-Why, so:- and I know not what's spent in the search: Why, thou loss upon loss? the thief gone with so much, and so much to find the thief; and no satisfaction, no revenge: nor no ill luck stirring, but what lights o' my shoulders; no sighs, but o' my breathing; no tears, but o' my shedding.

Tub. Yes, other men have ill luck too; Antonio, as I heard in Genoa,

Shy. What, what, what? ill luck, ill luck?
Tub. hath an argosy cast away, coming from
Tripolis.

Shy. I thank God, I thank God:- Is it true? is it true?

Tub. I spoke with some of the sailors that escaped the wreck.

Shy. I thank thee, good Tubal;- Good news, good news: ha! ha! Where? in Genoa? Tub. Your daughter spent in Genoa, as I heard, one night, fourscore ducats.

I shall

Shy. Thou stick'st a dagger in me: never see my gold again: Fourscore ducats at a

Salar. That's certain, if the devil may be her sitting! fourscore ducats. judge.

Shy. My own flesh and blood to rebel!

Salan. Out upon it, old carrion! rebels it at these years?

Tub. There came divers of Antonio's creditors in my company to Venice, that swear he cannot choose but break.

Shu, I am very glad of it: I'll plague him; I'll torture him; I am glad of it.

Tub. One of them showed me a ring, that he had of your daughter for a monkey.

Shy. Out upon her! Thou torturest me, Tubal: it was my torquoise; I had it of Leah, when I was a bachelor: I would not have given it for a wilder

Shy. I say, my daughter is my flesh and blood. Sular. 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 loss at sea or no? Shy. There I have another bad match: a bank-ness of monkeys. rupt, 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 usurer;-let him look to his bond: he was wont to lend money for a Christian courtesy; -let him look to his bond.

Salar. Why, I am sure, if he forfeit, thou wilt not take his flesh; What's that good for? Shy. To bait fish withal: if it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me, and hindered me of half a million; laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies; and what's his reason? I am a Jew: Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian 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, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? revenge; If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufference be by Christian example? why, revenge. The villany you teach me, I will execute; and it shall go hard, but I will better the instruction.

Enter a Servant.

Serv. Gentlemen, my master Antonio is at his house, and desires to speak with you both. Salar. We have been up and down to seek him.

Tub. But Antonio is certainly undone.

Shy. Nay that's true, that's very true: Go,
Tubal, fee me an officer, bespeak him a fortnight
before: I will have the heart of him, if he forfeit;
for were he out of Venice, I can make what mer-
chandize I will; Go, go, Tubal, and meet me at
our synagogue; go, good Tubal; at our syna-
gogue, Tubal.
[Exeunt.
SCENE II.- Belmont.

A Room in Portia's
House.
Enter BASSANIO, PORTIA, GRATIANO, NERISSA
and Attendants. The caskets are set out.
Por. I pray you, tarry; pause a day or two,
Before you hazard; for in choosing wrong,
I lose your company; therefore, forbear a while:
There's something tells me, (but it is not love,)
I would not lose you; and you know yourself,
Hate counsels not in such a quality:
But lest you should not understand me well,
(And yet a maiden hath no tongue but thought,)
I would detain you here some month or two,
Before you venture for me. I could teach you
How to choose right, but then I am forsworn;
So will I never be: So may you miss me;
But if you do, you'll make me wish a sin
That I had been forsworn. Beshrew your eyes,
They have o'er-look'd me, and divided me;
One half of me is yours; the other half yours,-
Mine own, I would say: but if mine, then yours,
And so all yours: O! these naughty times
Put bars between the owners and their rights;
And so, though yours, not yours.-Prove it so,
A precious stone.