How many then should cover, that stand bare
How many be commanded, that command?
How much low peafantry would then be gleaned
From the true feed of honour? how much honour
Pickt from the chaff and ruin of the times,
To be new vanned? well, but to my choice:
Who chufeth me, shall get as much as he deferves:
I will affume defert; give me a key for this,
And inftantly unlock my fortunes here.

Por. Too long a paufe for that which you find there.
[Unlocking the filver casket.
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 chufes me, fhall have as much as he deferves.
Did I deferve no more than a fool's head?
Is that my prize? are my deferts no better?
Por. To offend, and judge, are diftinct offices,
And of oppofed natures.

Ar. What is here?

Pickt from the chaff and ruin of the times,

To be new varnish'd?] This confufion and mixture of the metaphors, makes me think that Shakespear wrote,

To be new vanned,

i. e. winnow'd, purged: from the French word, vanner; which is derived from the Latin Vannus, ventilabrum, the fann ufed for winnowing the chaff from the corn. This alteration reftores the metaphor to its integrity: and our poet frequently ufes the fame thought. So in the 2d part of Henry IV.

We shall be winnow'd with fo rough a wind.
That even our corn fhall feem as light as chaff.

K 4

There

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 be gone, Sir, you are fped.

Ar. 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 wrath.

Por. Thus hath the candle fing'd the moth:
O these deliberate fools! when they do chufe,
They have the wifdom by their wit to lofe.
Ner. The ancient faying is no herefy,
Hanging and wiving goes by deftiny.
Por. Come, draw the curtain, Neriffa.

Enter a Servant.

Serv. Where is my lady?

[Exit.

Por. Here, what would my lord?
Serv. Madam, there is alighted at your gate
A young Venetian, one that comes before
To fignify th' approaching of his lord,
From whom be bringeth fenfible regreets;
To wit, befides commends and courteous breath,
Gifts of rich value; yet, I have not seen
So likely an ambaffador of love.
A day in April never came fo fweet,
To fhow how coftly fummer was at hand,
As this fore-fpurrer comes before his lord.

Por. No more, I pray thee; I am half afraid,
Thou'lt fay anon, he is fome kin to thee;
Thou spend'ft fuch high-day wit in praising him:

Come,

Come, come, Neriffa, for I long to fee
Quick Cupid's poft, that comes fo mannerly.
Ner. Baffanio, lord Love, if thy will it be!)

[Exeunt.

ACT III.

SCENE I.

A Street in VENICE.

Enter Salanio and Solarino.

SOLARIN O.

OW, what news on the Ryalto?

Now,

Sal. Why, yet it lives there uncheckt, that Anthonio hath a fhip of rich lading wreckt on the narrow feas; the Godwins, I think, they call the place; a very dangerous flat and fatal, where the carcafes of many a tall fhip lye bury'd, as they fay, if my goffip Report be an honeft woman of her word.

Sola. I would fhe were as lying a goffip in that, as ever knapt ginger; or made her neighbours believe, fhe wept for the death of a third husband. But it is true, without any flips of prolixity, or croffing the plain high-way of talk, that the good Anthonio, the honeft AnthonioO that I had a title good enough to keep his name company!

Sal. Come, the full ftop.

Sola. Ha, what fay'st thou? why, the end is, he hath loft a ship.

I

Sal. I would it might prove the end of his loffes. Sola. Let me fay Amen betimes, left the devil cross thy prayer, for here he comes in the likeness of a

1 left the devil cross my prayer.] But the We therefore must read thy prayer.

prayer was Salanio's,

Jew

Jew. How now, Shylock, what news among the merchants?

Enter Shylock.

Shy. You knew (none fo well, none fo well as you) of my daughter's flight.

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

Sola. 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 is danınʼd for it.

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

Sola. Out upon it, old carrion, rebels it at these years? Shy. I fay, my daughter is my flesh and blood.

Sal. 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 Anthonio have had any lofs at fea or no?

2

Shy. There I have another bad match; a bankrupt, for a prodigal, who dares fcarce fhew his head on the Ryalto; a beggar, that us'd to come fo finug 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 mony for a chriftian courtefie; let him look to his bond.

2 A bankrupt, a prodigal,] This is fpoke of Antonio. But why a prodigal? his friend Baffanio indeed had been too liberal; and with this name the few honours him when he is going to fup with him.

Pl go in hate to feed upon

The prodigal chriftian

But Antonio was a plain, referved, parfimonious merchant, be affured therefore we fhould read, A bankrupt FOR a prodigal, i. e. he is become bankrupt by fupplying the extravagancies of his friend Bafania.

Sal.

Sal. Why, I am fure, if he forfeit, thou wilt not take his flesh: what's that good for?

Shy. To bait fish withal. If it will feed nothing elfe, it will feed my revenge; he hath difgrac'd me, and hinder'd me of half a million, laught at my loffes, mockt at my gains, fcorn'd my nation, thwarted my bargains, cool'd my friends, heated mine enemies'; and what's his reafon? I am a few. Hath not a Few eyes? hath not a few hands, organs, dimenfions, fenfes, affections, paffions? fed with the fame food, hurt with the fame weapons, fubject to the fame diseases, 3 heal'd by the fame means, warm'd and cool'd 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 poifon 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 few wrong a chriftian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a chriftian wrong a Jew, what fhould his fufferance be by chriftian example? why, Revenge. The Villany, you teach me, I will execute; and it fhall go hard, but I will better the inftruction.

Enter a Servant from Anthonio.

Serv. Gentlemen, my mafter Anthonio is at his house, and defires to speak with you both.

Sal. We have been up and down to feek him.

Enter Tubal.

Sola. Here comes another of the tribe; a third cannot be match'd unless the devil himself turn Jew. [Exeunt Sala. and Solar. Shy. How now, Tubal, what news from Genoua? haft thou found my daughter?

3 heal'd by the fame means,] I fhould believe, that ShakeSpear wrote MEDICINES.

Tub.