SCENE V. The same. Before Shylock's House.

Enter SHYLOCK and LAUNCELOT.

Shy. Well, thou shalt see, thy eyes shall be thy judge,

The difference of old Slock and Bassanio:
What, Jessica!-thou sit not gormandize,
As thou hast done with me;-What, Jessica!-
And sleep and snore, and rend apparel out;—
Why, Jessica, I say!

Laun.

Why, Jessica!

Shy. Who bids thee call? I do not bid thee call. Laun. Your worship was wont to tell me, I could do nothing without bidding.

Enter JESSICA.

Jes. Call you? What is your will?

Shy. I am bid forth to supper, Jessica: There are my keys:-But wherefore should I go? not bid for love; they flatter me:

I am re

But yet I'll go in hate, to feed upon maripo
The prodigal Christian2.-Jessica, my girl,
Look to my house:-I am right loath to go;
There is some ill a brewing towards my rest,
For I did dream of money-bags to-night.

Laun. I beseech you, sir, go; my young master doth expect your reproach.

Shy. So do I his.

Laun. And they have conspired together. I will not say, , you shall see a masque; but if you do, then it was not for nothing that my nose fell a bleeding on Black-Monday last, at six o'clock

1 Invited.

2 Shakspeare meant to heighten the malignity of Shylock's character by thus making him depart from his most settled resolve (that he will neither eat, drink, nor pray with Christians), for the prosecution of his revenge.

3 i. e. Easter-Monday. It was called Black-Monday from the severity of that day, April 4, 1360, which was so extraordinary that of Edward the Third's soldiers, then before Paris, many dled of the cold. Anciently a superstitious belief was annexed to the accident of bleeding at the nose.

i'the morning, falling out that year on Ash Wednesday was four year in the afternoon.

Shy. What! are there masques? Hear you me,

Jessica :

Lock up my doors; and when you hear the drum,
And the vile squeaking of the wry-neck'd fife,
Clamber not you up to the
the casements then,
Nor thrust your head into the public street,
To gaze on Christian fools with varnish'd faces:
But stop my house's ears, I mean my casements;
Let not the sound of shallow foppery enter
My sober house.-By Jacob's staff, I swear,
I have no mind of feasting forth to-night;
But I will go.-Go you before me, sirrah;
Say, I will come.

Laun.
I will go before, sir.-
Mistress, look out at window for all
There will come Christian by,

this;

Will be worth a Jewess' eye. [Exit LAUN. Shy. What says that fool of Hagar's offspring, ha? Jes. His words were, Farewell, mistress; nothing else.

Shy. The patch is kind enough; but a huge feeder. Snail-slow in profit, and he sleeps by day More than the wild cat: drones hive not with me; Therefore I part with him; and part with him To one that I would have him help to waste His borrow'd purse. Well, Jessica, go in; Perhaps, I will return immediately;

Do, as I bid you,

Shut doors after you: Fast bind, fast find;
A proverb never stale in thrifty mind.

[Exit.

Jes. Farewell: and if my fortune be not crost, I have a father, you a daughter, lost.

SCENE VI. The same.

[Exit.

Enter GRATIANO and SALARINO, masqued. .Gra. This is the pent-house, under which Lorenzo Desir'd us to make stand.

4 i. e. fool, or simpleton.

Salar.

His hour is almost past.

Gra. And it is marvel he out-dwells his hour, For lovers ever run before the clock.

Salar. O, ten times faster Venus' pigeons1 fly To seal love's bonds new made, than they are wont, To keep -obliged faith unforfeited!

Gra. That ever holds: Who riseth from a feast,
With that keen appetite that he sits down?
Where is the horse that doth untread again
His tedious measures with the unbated fire
That he did pace them first? All things that are,
Are with more spirit chased than enjoy'd.
How like a younker, or a prodigal,

The scarfed2 bark puts from her native bay,
Hugg'd and embraced by the strumpet wind3!
How like the prodigal doth she return,
With over-weather'd ribs, and ragged sails,
Lean, rent, and beggar'd by the strumpet wind!

Enter LORENZO.

Sular. Here comes Lorenzo;-more of this hereafter.

Lor. Sweet friends, your patience for my long abode;

Not I, but my affairs have made you wait;

1 Johnson thought that lovers, who are sometimes called turtles or doves in poetry, were meant by Venus pigeons. The allusion, however, seems to be to the doves by which Venus' chariot is drawn:-Venus drawn by doves is much more prompt to seal new bonds,' &c.

2 Gray evidently caught the imagery of this passage in his Bard, but dropt the allusion to the parable of the prodigal

Fair laughs the morn and soft the zephyr blows,
While, proudly riding o'er the azure realm,

In gallant trim the gilded vessel goes;

Youth on the prow, and Pleasure at the helm;
Regardless of the sweeping whirlwind's sway,

That hush'd in grim repose expects his evening prey," 3 So in Othello:

The bawdy wind, that kisses all it meets."

It has been observed by Mr. Steevens that the bark ought to be of the masculine gender, otherwise the allusion wants somewhat of propriety. This indiscriminate use of the personal for the neuter at least obscures the passage-he adds, 'A ship, however, is commonly spoken of in the feminine gender."

When you shall please to play the thieves for wives,
I'll watch as long for you then.-Approach
Here dwells my father Jew:-Ho! who's within?

Enter JESSICA above, in boy's clothes.

Jes. Who are you? Tell me, for more certainty, Albeit I'll swear that I do know your tongue. Lor. Lorenzo, and thy love.

Jes. Lorenzo, certain; and my love, indeed; For who love I so much? And now who knows, But you, Lorenzo, whether I am yours?

Lor. Heaven, and thy thoughts, are witness that thou art.

Jes. Here, catch this casket; it is worth the pains. I am glad 'tis night, you do not look on me, For I am much asham'd of my exchange; But love is blind, and lovers cannot see The pretty follies that themselves commit; For if they could, Cupid himself would blush To see me thus transformed to a boy.

Lor. Descend, for you must be my torch-bearer. Jes. What, must I hold a candle to my shames? They in themselves, good sooth, are too, too light. Why, 'tis an office of discovery, love;

And I should be obscur'd.

Lor.

So are you, sweet,

Even in the lovely garnish of a boy.

But come at once;

For the close night doth play the run-away,
And we are staid for at Bassanio's feast.

Jes. I will make fast the doors, and gild myself With some more ducats, and be with you straight. [Exit, from above.

Gra. Now, by my hood, a Gentile, and no Jew. Lor. Beshrew me, but I love her heartily: For she is wise, if I can judge of her; And fair she is, if that mine eyes be true;

4 A jest arising from the ambiguity of Gentile, which signifies, both a heathen and one well born.

And true she is, as she hath proved herself; And therefore, like herself, wise, fair, and true, Shall she be placed in my constant soul.

Enter JESSICA, below.

What, art thou come?-On, gentlemen, away; Our masquing mates by this time for us stay. [Exit with JESSICA and SALARINO.

Enter ANTONIO.

Ant. Who's there?

Gra. Signior Antonio?

Ant. Fye, fye, Gratiano! where are all the rest? "Tis nine o'clock; our friends all stay for you: No masque to-night; the wind is come about, Bassanio presently will go aboard:

I have sent twenty out to seek for you.

Gra. I am glad on't; I desire no more delight, Than to be under sail, and gone to-night. [Exeunt.

SCENE VII. Belmont.

A Room in Portia's House.-Flourish of Cornets. Enter PORTIA, with the Prince of Morocco, and both their Trains.

Por. Go, draw aside the curtains, and discover The several caskets to this noble prince :

Now make your choice.

Mor. The first, of gold, who this inscription bears: Who chooseth me, shall gain what many men desire. The second, silver, which this promise carries: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, I will survey the inscriptions back again: