No mafque to-night; the wind is come about,
Baffanio presently will go aboard:
I have fent twenty out to feek for
Gra. I am glad on't; I defire no more delight, Than to be under fail and gone to-night, [Exeunt.
Enter PORTIA, with the Prince of Morocco, and both their trains.
Por. Go, draw afide the curtains, and discover The feveral caskets to this noble prince.:Now make your choice.
Mor. The first, of gold, who this infcription bears;Who choofeth me, fhall gain what many men defire. The fecond, filver, which this promife carries ;Who choofeth me, shall get as much as he deserves. This third, dull lead, with warning all as blunt ;Who choofeth me, muft yive and hazard all be bath.How fhall 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 fee,
I will furvey the infcriptions back again :
What fays this leaden casket?
Who choofeth me,must give and hazard all bebath.-
Muft give-for what? for lead? hazard for lead?
This cafket threatens: Men, that hazard all,
Do it in hope of fair advantages:
A golden mind ftoops not to fhews of drofs;
I'll then nor give, nor hazard, ought for lead.
What fays the filver, with her virgin hue?
Who choofeth me, fhall get as much as he deferves.
As much as he deferves?-Paufe there, Morocco,
And weigh thy value with an even hand
If thou be'it rated by thy eftimation,
Thou doft deferve enough; and yet enough
May not extend fo far as to the lady;
And yet to be afear'd of my deferving,
Were but a weak difabling of myself.
As much as I deferve!-Why, that's the lady :
I do in birth deferve her, and in fortunes,
In graces, and in qualities of breeding;
But more than these, in love I do deserve her.
What if I ftray'd no further, but choose here?
Let's fee once more this faying grav'd in gold.
Who choofeth me, fhall gain what many men defire.
Why, that's the lady; all the world defires her :
From the four corners of the earth they come
To kifs this shrine, this mortal breathing faint,
The Hyrcanian deferts, and the vasty wilds
Of wide Arabia, are as thorough-fares now,
For princes to come view fair Portia :
The wat'ry kingdom, whofe ambitious head
Spits in the face of heaven, is no bar
To stop the foreign fpirits; but they come,
As o'er a brook, to fee fair Portia.
One of these three contains her heavenly picture.
Is't like that lead contains her? 'Twere damnation,
To think fo base a thought; it were too grofs
To rib her cerecloth in the obfcure grave.
Or fhall I think; in filver fhe's immur'd,
Being ten times undervalu'd to try'd gold?
O finful thought! Never fo rich a gem
Was fet in worse than gold. They have, in England,
A coin that bears the figure of an angel
Stamped in gold; but that's infculp'd upon;
But here an angel in a golden bed
Lies all within.-Deliver me the key;
Here I do choose, and thrive I as I may !
Por. There, take it, prince; and if my form lie there,
[Unlocking the gold cafket.
Mor. O hell! what have we here!
A carrion death, within whofe empty eye
There is a written fcroll? I'll read the writing:
All that glifters is not gold ;
Often have you heard that told i
Many a man his life bath fold,
But my outfide to behold:
Gilded tombs do worms infold.
Had you been as wife as bold,
Young in limbs in judgment old,
Your anfwer had not been infcroll'd:
Fare you well: your fuit is cold.
Mor. Cold, indeed; and labour loft:
Then farewell heat; and welcome froft.
Portia, adieu! I have too griev'd a heart
To take a tedious leave: thus lofers part. [Exit.
Por. A gentle riddance:-Draw the curtains, go:-
Let all of his complexion choose me fo. [Exeunt.
Enter SALARINO, and SALANIO.
Sal. Why man, I faw Baffanio under fail ; With him is Gratiano gone along; And in their ship, I am fure, Lorenzo is not. Sala. The villain Jew with outcries rais'd the duke; Who went with him to fearch Baffanio's ship. Sal. He came too late, the fhip was under fail : But there the duke was given to understand,
That in a gondola were feen together
Lorenzo and his amorous Jeffica:
Befides, Anthonio certified the duke,
They were not with Baffanio in his ship.
Sala. I never heard a paffion fo confus'd,
So ftrange, outrageous, and fo variable,
As the dog Jew did utter in the streets:
My daughter!-O my ducats!-O my daughter!
Fled with a Chriftian?-O my Chriftian ducats!-
Juftice! the law! my ducats and my daughter!-
A fealed bag, two fealed bags of ducats,
Of double ducats, ftol'n from me by my daughter! And jewels; two ftones, two rich and precious fones, Stol'n by my daughter!-Juftice! find the girl! She bath the ftones upon her, and the ducats!
Sal. Why all the boys in Venice follow him, Crying-his ftones, his daughter, and his ducats. Sala. Let good Anthonio look he keep his day, Or he shall pay for this.
Sal. Marry, well remember'd :
I reafon'd with a Frenchman yesterday;
Who told me,-in the narrow feas, that part
The French and English, there miscarried
A veffel of our country, richly fraught
I thought upon Anthonio, when he told me ;
And wish'd in filence, that it were not his.
Sala. You were beft to tell Anthonio what you
Yet do not fuddenly, for it may grieve him. [hear;
Sal. A kinder gentleman treads not the earth.
I faw Baffanio and Anthonio part:
Baffanio told him he would make some speed
Of his return; he anfwer'd,-
-Do not fo,
Slubber not bufinefs for my fake, Baffanio,
But ftay the very riping of the time;
D 3
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 chiefeft thoughts
To courtship, and fuch fair oflents of love
As fhall 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 wond'rous fenfible,
He wrung Baffanio's hand, and fo they parted.
Sala. 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 fome delight or other.
Enter NERISSA, with a Servant.
Ner. Quick, quick, I pray thee, draw the curtain ftraight;
The prince of Arragon hath ta'en his oath,
And comes to his election presently.
Enter ARRAGON, his train; PORTIA, with hers. Flourish of cornets.
Por. Behold, there ftand the caskets, noble prince: you choose that wherein I am contain'd, Straight fhall our nuptial rites be folemniz'd; But if you fail, without more fpeech, my lord, You must be gone from hence immediately.
Ar. I am enjoin'd by oath to observe three things: Firft, never to unfold to any one
Which cafket 'twas I chofe; next, if I fail
Of the right cafket, never in my life
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