Your hand, Salerio; What's the news from Venice? That steal the colour from Bassanio's cheek: Of any constant 20 man. What, worse and worse?- Bass. you you How much I was a braggart: When I told 20 It should be remembered that stedfast, sad, grave, sober, were ancient synonymes of constant. And not one vessel 'scape the dreadful touch Sale. Not one, my lord. Besides, it should appear, that if he had Jes. When I was with him, I have heard him swear, Por. Is it your dear friend, that is thus in trouble? Bass. The dearest friend to me, the kindest man, The best condition'd and unwearied spirit In doing courtesies; and one in whom The ancient Roman honour more appears, Than any that draws breath in Italy. Por. What sum owes he the Jew? What, no more? Bass. For me, three thousand ducats. Should lose a hair 21 through Bassanio's fault. First, go with me to church, and call me wife: When it is paid, bring your true friend along: Come, away; Bass. [Reads.] Sweet Bassanio, my ships have all miscarried, my creditors grow cruel, my estate is very low, my bond to the Jew is forfeit; and since, in paying it, it is impossible I should live, all debts are cleared between you and I, if I might but see you at my death: notwithstanding, use your pleasure: if your love do not persuade you to come, let not my letter. Por. O love, despatch all business, and be gone. Bass. Since I have your good leave to go away, I will make haste: but, till I come again, No bed shall e'er be guilty of my stay, Nor rest be interposer 'twixt us twain. SCENE III. Venice. A Street. [Exeunt. Enter SHYLOCK, SALANIO, ANTONIO, and Gaoler. Shy. Gaoler, look to him;-Tell not me of mercy:This is the fool that lent out money gratis; Gaoler, look to him. Ant. Hear me yet, good Shylock. Shy. I'll have my bond; speak not against my bond; I have sworn an oath, that I will have 22 i. e. air of countenance, look. my bond: Thou call'dst me dog, before thou hadst a cause: Shy. I'll have my bond; I will not hear thee speak; I'll have no speaking; I will have my bond. [Exit SHYLOCK. Salan. It is the most impenetrable cur, That ever kept with men. Let him alone; Ant. Many that have at times made moan to me; Salan. I am sure, the duke Will never grant this forfeiture to hold. Ant. The duke cannot deny the course of law; For the commodity that strangers have With us in Venice, if it be denied, Will much impeach the justice of the state2; 1 Foolish. 2 As this passage is a little perplexed in its construction, it may not be improper to explain it :—If, says Antonio, the duke stop the course of law, the denial of those rights to strangers, which render their abode at Venice so commodious and agreeable to them, will much impeach the justice of the state, &c. In the Historye of Italye, by W. Thomas, 1567, there is a section On the libertie of straungers at Venice.' That I shall hardly spare a pound of flesh Well, gaoler, on:-Pray God, Bassanio come SCENE IV. [Exeunt. Belmont. A Room in Portia's House. Enter PORTIA, NERISSA, LORENZO, JESSICA, and BALTHAZAR. Lor. Madam, although I speak it in your presence, You have a noble and a true conceit Of god-like amity; which appears most strongly Por. I never did repent for doing good, Of lineaments1, of manners, and of spirit; 1 The word lineaments was used with great laxity by our ancient writers. In Green's Farewell to follow 1617, and in other cotemporary writers, it is used for the human frame in general. 'Nature hath so curiously performed his charge in the lineaments of his body.' Again, in Chapman's version of the fifth Iliad: too the weariness of fight From all his nerves and lineaments.' Several other instances of a similar use of the word by Chapman are adduced by Steevens. VOL. III. H |