Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

Sal. He came too late, the fhip was under fail;
But there the Duke was giv'n 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 Bafanio in his fhip.
Sola. I never heard a paflion fo confus'd,
So ftrange, outrageous, and fo variable,
As the dog few did utter in the streets;
My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter,
Fled with a christian? O my christian ducats!
Juftice, the law, my ducats, and my daughter!
A fealed bag, two fealed bags of ducats,

Of double ducats, ftoll'n from me by my daughter!
And jewels, two ftones, rich and precious ftones,
Stoll'n by my daughter! juflice! 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 day;
Or he fhall 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.

Sola. You were best to tell Anthonio what you hear, Yet do not fuddenly, for it may grieve him.

Sal. A kinder Gentleman treads not the earth.

I faw Bafanio and Anthonio part.

Bafanio told him, he would make fome speed
Of his return: he answer'd, do not so,
Slubber not bufine fs for my fake, Bafanio.
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 chiefeit thoughts
To courtship, and fuch fair oftents of love,

[ocr errors][merged small]

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 heaviness
With fome delight or other.

Sal. Do we fo.

Ner.

[Exeunt.

SCENE changes to BELMONT.

Ο

Enter Neriffa with a Servant.

Uick, quick, I pray thee, draw the curtain ftrait;
The Prince of Arragon has ta'en his oath,
And comes to his election presently.

Enter Arragón, his train, Portia. Flo. Cornets.
The Caskets are difcover'd.

Por. Behold, there ftand the caskets, noble Prince;
If you chufe that, wherein I am contain'd,
Strait shall 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 t'observe three things;
Firft, never to unfold to any one

Which casket 'twas I chose; 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 fwear,
That comes to hazard for my worthless self.

Ar. And fo have I addreft me; fortune now To my heart's hope! gold, filver, and base lead. Who chufeth me, must give and hazard all he hath. You fhall look fairer, ere I give or hazard. What fays the golden cheft ?_ha, let me fee; VOL. II.

F

Who

4

Who chufeth me, fhall gain what many men defire.
What many men defire-that may be meant
Of the fool-multitude, that chufe by show,
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, fhall get as much as he deferves ;
And well faid too, for who fhall go about
To cozen fortune, and be honourable
Without the ftamp of merit? let none prefume
To wear an undeserved dignity :

O, that eftates, degrees, and offices,

Were not deriv'd corruptly, that clear 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 glean'd
From the true feed of honour? how much honour (8)
Pickt from the chaff and ruin of the times,
To be new varnish'd? well, but to my choice:
Who chufeth me, shall get as much as he deferves:

[blocks in formation]

Picked from the Chaff and Ruin of the Times,

To be new varnish'd.] Mr. Warburton very justly obferved to me upon the Conclusion and Difagreement of the Metaphors here; and is of Opinion, that Skakespeare might have wrote;

To be new vanned..

i. e. winnowed, 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, as he obferves, reftores the Metaphor to its Integrity and our Poct frequently uses the fame Thought. But as Shakespeare is fo loofe and licentious in the blending of different Metaphors, I have not ventured to disturb the Text.

I will affume defert; give me a key for this,
And instantly unlock my fortunes here.

Por. Too long a pause for that which you find there.
[Unlocking the filver cafket.
Ar. What's here! the portrait of a blinking ideot,
Presenting me a schedule? I will read it.
How much unlike art thou to Portia ?

How much unlike my hopes and my defervings?
Who chufeth 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.

[blocks in formation]

So be gone, Sir, you are sped.

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 wisdom 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?

F 2

[Exit.

Por

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 he bringeth fenfible regreets;
To wit, befides commends and courteous breath,
Gifts of rich value; yet, I have not seen
So likely an embassador of love.

A day in April never came so sweet,
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 fpend'ft fuch high-day wit in praising him:
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! (9)

[Exeunt.

ACT III.

SCENE, a Street in VENICE.

Enter Salanio and Solarino.

SOLARIN O.

OW, what news on the Ryalto?

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 carcaffes of

(9) Baffanio, Lord, love, if] Mr. Pope, and all the preceding Editors have followed this Poin ing; as inagining, I fup; ofe, that Bafanio lord- -means, Lord Bafanio; but Lord must be coupled tove as if he had faid, " Imperial Love, if it be thy Will, let "it be Baffanio whom this Meffenger fore-runs."

many

« AnteriorContinua »