Sola. Believe me, Sir, had I fuch venture forth, Sal. My wind, cooling my broth, Would blow me to an ague, when I thought And no bethink me ftraight of dang'rous rocks? Is fad to think upon his merchandize. Anth. Believe me, no: I thank my fortune for it, My ventures are not in one bottom trusted, Nor to one place; nor is my whole eftate Upon the fortune of this prefent year: Therefore, my merchandize makes me not fad. Anth. Fie, fie! Sola. Not in love neither! then let's fay, you're fad, Because you are not merry; and 'twere as eafy For you to laugh and leap, and fay, you're merry, Because you are not fad. Now by two-headed Janus, Nature hath fram'd ftrange fellows in her time: Some that will evermore peep through their eyes, And And laugh, like parrots, at a bag-piper; That they'll not fhow their teeth in way of fmile, Enter Baffanio, Lorenzo and Gratiano. Sal. Here comes Bassanio, your most noble kinfman, Gratiano and Lorenzo: fare ye well; We leave ye now with better company. Sola. I would have ftaid 'till I had made you merry, If worthier friends had not prevented me. Anth. Your worth is very dear in my regard: Baff. Good Signiors both, when fhall we laugh? fay, when? You grow exceeding ftrange; muft it be fo? Sal. We'll make our leifures to attend on yours. Sola. My Lord Baffanio, fince you've found Anthonio, We two will leave you; but at dinner-time, I pray you, have in mind where we must meet. Baff. I will not fail you. [Exeunt Solar, and Sala. Gra. You look not well,. Signior Anthonio; You have too much refpect upon the world: They lofe it, that do buy it with much care. Believe me, you are marvellously chang'd. Anth. I hold the world but as the world, Gratians, A ftage, where every man must play his part, And mine's a fad one. Gra. Let me play the fool ; With mirth and laughter, let old wrinkles come; Sleep when he wakes, and creep into the jaundice Do Do cream and mantle like a standing pond; O my That therefore only are reputed wife, For faying nothing; who, I'm very fure, If they fhould fpeak, would almost damn thofe ears, (1) But fifh not with this melancholy bait, Lor. Well, we will leave you then 'till dinner-time, 1 must be one of thefe fame dumb wife men: For Gratiano never lets me fpeak. Gra. Well, keep me company but two years more, Thou shalt not know the found of thine own tongue. Anth. Farewel; I'll grow a talker for this gear. Gra. Thanks, i'faith; for filence is only commendable In a neat's tongue dry'd, and a maid not vendible. [Exeunt Gra. and Loren. Anth. Is that any thing now? Boff. Gratiano Speaks an infinite deal of nothing, more than any man in all Venice his reafons are as two grains of wheat hid in two bushels of chaff; you fhall (1) would almost damn thofe Ears,] Several old Editions have it, dam, damme, and daunt. Some more correct Copies, damu. The Author's Meaning is this; That fome People are thought wife, whilft they keep Silence; who, when they open their Mouths, are Luch ftupid Praters, that their Hearers cannot help calling them Fools, and fo incur the Judgment denounced in the Gospel. The Allufion is to St. Matthew, Chap. v. ver. 22. And whosoever fall fay to kis Brother, Raca, fhall be in danger of the Council: but whofoever fall fay, thou Fool, fall be in danger of Hell-fire. feek Teek all day ere you find them, and when you have them, they are not worth the fearch. Anth. Well; tell me now, what lady is the fame, Ba 'Tis not unknown to you, Anthonio, Anth. I pray you, good Bassanio, let me know it; Baff. In my fchool-days, when I had loft one fhaft, I fhot his fellow of the felf-fame flight The felf-fame way, with more advised watch, Which you did fhoot the firft, I do not doubt, Or bring your latter hazard back again, Anth. You know me well; and herein spend but time, To wind about my love with circumstance; And, out of doubt, you do me now more wrong, Than Than if you had made wafte of all I have. Her name is Portia, nothing undervalu'd To Cate's daughter, Brutus' Portia : Nor is the wide world ign'rant of her worth; Anth. Thou know'ft, that all my fortunes are at fea, Nor have I money, nor commodity To raise a prefent fum; therefore, go forth; [Exeunt. (2) fometimes from her Eyes] So all the Editions; but it certainly ought to be, fometime, (which differs much more in Signification, than feems at firft View :) i. e. formerly, fome time ago, at a certain time: and it appears by the fubfequent Scene, that Ba fanio was a Belmont with the Marquis de Montferrat, and faw Portia in her Father's life-time. And our Author, in feveral other Places, ufes the Word in fuch Acceptation. SCENE |