Let's fee once more this faying grav'd in gold."
Who chufeth 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 fhrine, this mortal breathing faint.
Th' Hyrcanian deferts, and the vafty 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 ftop the foreign fpirits; but they come,
As o'er a brook, to fee fair Portia.
One of these three contains her heav'nly picture.
Is't like that lead contains her? 'twere damnation,
To think fo bafe 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 infculpt upon:
But here an angel in a golden bed
Lies all within. Deliver me the key;
Here do I chufe, 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 scrowi ::
I'll read the writing.
All that glifters is not gold,
Often have you heard that told ;
Many a man his life bath fold,
But my outfide to behold.
Gilded wood may worms infeld:
Had you been as wife as bold,
Young in limbs, in judgment old,
Your answer had not been inferol'd,
Fare you well, your fuit is cold.
Alor. Cold, indeed, and labour loft;
Then farewel heat, and welcome froft:
Portia, adieu! I have too griev'd a heart
To take a tedious leave: thus lofers part.
Por. A gentle riddance: draw the curtains; go
Let all of his complexion chufe me fo.
SCENE IX. Changes to Venice..!!
Enter Solarino and Salanio.
Sal. Why, man, I faw Baffanio under fail; With him is Gratiano gone along;
And in their fhip I'm fure Lorenzo is not.
Sola. The villain Jew with outcries rais'd the Duke, Who went with him to fearch Baffanio's fhip.
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 am'rous Jeffica:
Befides, Anthonio certify'd the Duke,
They were not with Baflanio in his ship.
Sola. 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 Christian ducats!
Justice, 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 too, ftones, rich and precious ftones,
Stol'n by my daughter! Justice! find the girl;
She hath the ftones upon her, and the ducats.
Sal. Why, all the boys in Venice follow him, Crying his ftones, his daughter, and his ducats. Sola. Let good Anthonio look he keep his days. Or he fhall pay for this.
Sal. Marry, well remember'd.
I reason'd with a Frenchman yesterday,
Who told me, in the narrow feas that part
The French and Englifh, there mifcarried
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.
Sola. You were beft to tell Anthonio what you
Yet do not fuddenly, for it may grieve him.
Sal. A kinder gentleman treads not the earth.
I faw Baffanio and Anthonio part.
Baffanio told him, he would make fome fpeed
Of his return. He anfwer'd, Do not fo;
Slubber not bufinefs for my fake, Baffanio;
But ftay 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 chiefeft thoughts.
To courtship, and fuch fair oftents 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.
Sola. I think he only loves the world for him.
I pray thee, let us go and find him out,
And quicken his embraced heavinefs
With fome delight or other.
Enter Neriffa with a fervant.
Ner. Quick, quick, I pray thee, draw the curtain The Prince of Arragon has ta'en his oath,
And comes to his election prefently.
Enter Arragon, his train, Portia. Flor. Cornets. The cafkets are difcover'd.
Por. Behold, there ftand the cafkets, Noble Prince :
If you chufe that wherein I am contain'd,
Strait 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 injoin'd by oath t' obferve three things:
First, never to unfold to any one
Which cafket 'twas I chofe; next, if I fail
Of the right cafket, never in my life
To woo a maid in way of marriage;
Laft, if I fail in fortune of my choice,
Immediately to leave you, and be gone.
Por. To thefe injunctions every one doth swear,
That comes to hazard for my worthlefs felf.
Ar. And fo have I addrefs'd me; fortune now
To my heart's hope! gold, filver, and bafe lead.
Who chufeth me, must give and hazard all he bath.
You shall look fairer, ere I give or hazard,
What fays the golden cheft? ha, let me fee;
Who chufeth me, hall gain what many men defire.
What many men defire that may be meant
Of the fool-multitude, that chufe by fhow,
Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach;
Which pry not to th' interior, but, like the martlet,
Builds in the weather on the outward wall,
Ev'n in the force and road of cafualty.
I will not chufe what many men defire,
Because I will not jump with common fpirits,
And rank me with the barb'rous multitudes.
Why, then, to thee, thou filver treasure-house;
Tell me, once more, what title thou doft bear?
Who chufeth me, shall get as much as he deferves;
And well faid too, for who fhall go about
To cozen fortune, and be honourable
Without the flamp of merit? Let none prefume
To wear an undeferved dignity:
O that cftates, degrees, and offices,
Were not deriv'd corruptly, that elear honour
Were purchas'd by the merit of the wearer!
How many then fhould cover, that ftand bare?
How many be commanded, that command?
How much low peafantry would then be gleaned
From the true feed of honour? how much honour
Pick'd 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.
Per. Too long a paufe for that which you find there. [Unlocking the filver cafket. Ar. What's here! the portrait of a blinking idiot, Prefenting 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 distinct offices,
And of oppofed natures.
ir. What is here?
The fire fev'n times tried this
Sev'n times tried that judgment is,
That did never chufe amifs,
Some there be that shadows kifs
Such have but a fhadow's blifs:
There be fools alive, I wis,
Silver'd d'er, and fo was this.
Take what wife you will to bed,
I will ever be your head:
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:
thefe 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 defliny.
Por. Come, draw the curtain, Neriffa.
Enter a Servant.
Serv. Where is my Lady?
Por. Here, what would my Lord?
Ser. Madam, there is alighted at your gate.
A young Venetian, one that comes before
To fignify th' approaching of his Lord,
From whom he bringeth fenfible regreets;
To wit, befides commends and courteous breath,
Gifts of rich value; yet I have not feen
So likely an ambaffador of love.
A day in April never came fo sweet,
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