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'Julius Cffisar, etc. SECOND EDITION. LONDON : ^ LONGMANS, GEEEN, .fV^STD CO, 1868. T I ' ^ PKEFACE. In the preparation of this edition of the Merchant of Venice the Editor has had no such aid as was sup- plied to him, for the 'Julius Caesar' and 'Henry VIII.,' hy North's ' Plutarch,' and the ' Chronicles ' of Hall and Holinshed. The present play, therefore, as com- pared with the two others, has demanded a greater amount of reflection, — a more careful attention to the significancy of the ' thick coming fancies ' of the poet's iriind. It is hoped, however, that no difficulty in Shakspeare's language is here left without eluci- dation or comment, that many of his expressions, possessing a force or import very liable to be over- looked, have received original illustration, and that his allusions to Scripture, classical antiquity, pe- culiarities of his own age, &c., will be found distinctly indicated and explained. In the Introductory Ee- marks, the supposed sources of the plot are pretty fully exhibited, the general merits of the play dis- cussed, and the characters of Shylock, Antonio, Portia, and Jessica, severally estimated. vi peeface. There is one feature characterising many of tlie notes in the Editor's 'Henry VIII.' and 'Julius Csesar,' and some of those contained in the present publica- tion, the nature of which he finds to be sometimes misunderstood, and now therefore wishes to place in a proper light. While, in every instance in which the text is at all obscure, or likely to be misappre- hended, he has endeavoured either to give the true sense, or to select the most admissible interpretation which -modern criticism may have proposed, he has frequently given interpretations of phraseology that is in itself easily intelligible. In cases of this kind the object has generallj'^ been to suggest some appre- ciation of the philological iw/port of the language, — an import which may not be very obvious, even when the idea meant to be conveyed is in no danger of being mistaken. Occasional examination of the grammatical character of phrases that are idiomatic, elliptical, &c., is useful as a mental discipline, and may very properly be admitted as one mode of illus- tration in endeavouring to adapt such works as those of Shakspeare to the minds of youthful students, and to the use of schools.* And further, it is believed * At the Oxford Middle-Class examination of 1861, in an excel- lent set of Questions on Shakspeare's Julius Cmsar, one was the follo-wiug : — ' Explain the constructions, dt thee down — as lief not he— you ought not walk — what trade art thou'! — if thou path thy native semilance on — who is that knocks ? — i/oa are the first that rears yoiir hand.' Of these constructions every one had heen distinctly explained in PREFACE. Vll that the habit of appreciating language, as to its grammatical construction, will often promote a readier discernment of the significanoy and force of particular passages, than is likely to be exercised by persons unused to such appreciation. It is, there- fore, hoped that those notes which by some may be thought unnecessary, will prove to others suggestive of some useful considerations, and that these editions of Shakspeare's plays will be found to include a very ample amount of useful and interesting illustration for the general reader. Of the Merchant of Venice, a few lines that, on the score of delicacy, would have been objectionable in relation to some purposes of this edition, are omitted. the Editor's notes on Julius Ccesar ; and the same is to be said of the four passages of which an explanation of the meaning was pro- posed in another Question ; while, for the remaining Questions, the Notes, taken along with the Introductory Eemarks, had anticipated very nearly all the details requisite to compose full and appropriate answers. The Notes and Introductory Eemarks on Henry VIII. had a simi- lar relation to the University Paper of 1 860, A3 INTKODUCTOKY KEMARKS SHAKSPEAEE'S MERCHANT OF VENICE. Op the Merchant of Venice two editions in. small quarto were published in 1600 ; but as it is the last play mentioned in the list of Francis Meres,* 1598, its first production was probably not later than 1697. It is composed of two stories, — th at of the for ffflted bond, and that of the three cas kets; and we cannot doubt that to Shakspeare's skill chiefly, if not entirely, is owing the ad- mirable manner in which these stories are interwoven. In a tract, however, by Stephen Gosson, published" in 1579, called ' The School of Abuse,' mention is made of a certain play in the following terms : ' The Jew, shown at the Bull, represent- ing the greediness of Worldly Choosers, and the bloody minds of Usurers : ' this seems to contain reference both to the lottery * In a collection of similitudes under the' title of * Palladis Tamia : Wit's Trea- sury,' p. 282. — We have tiiere the two following similitudes : — ' As the soul of Euphorbus was thought to live in Pythagoras, so the sweet witty soul of Ovid lives in mellifluous and honey-tongued Shakspeare; witness his Venus and Adonis^ his Lucrece, his sugared sonnets among his private friends. ' As Plautus and Seneca are accounted the best for Comedy and Tragedy among the Latins, so Shakespeare among the English is the most excellent in both kinds for the stage : for Comedy, witness his Gentlemen of Verona, his Errors, his Love labor's Lost, his Love labour's wonne, his Midsummers night dream, and hia Mer- chant of Venice : for Tragedy, his Richard the 2, Richard the 3, Senry the 4, King John Titus Andronicus, and his Romeo and Juliet,' X INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. of the caskets, and the forfeit of the pound of flesh ; so that Shakspeare possihly borrowed his double plot from a previous play ; but, if he did so, we are sure his genius blended the -two stories with an art far more exquisite than had ever been ex- hibited by any of his dramatic predecessors. The poet may have seen two stories of a somewhat similar nature in some English translation of an old collection of allegorical fables compiled in Latin under the title of ' Gesta Eomanorum ' (Deeds of the Romans), the Romans referred to being the people of western and southern Europe who spoke the various dialects of the Romance language, a kind of bastard Latin, which came into use after the fall of the Roman Empire. Medleys of fictions under the above title appear to have been compiled in various forms, and some of these fictions had become current in England before the close of the thir- teenth century. In one of the chapters of the English ' Gesta ' in a story containing the following particulars : — A. marriage was proposed between the son of a Roman emperor and a princess of Apulia. The young lady was shipwrecked on her voyage, and swallowed by a whale. In this situation, she con- trived with a knife to wound the animal, which then rushed towards the shore, and was there slain by a knight, who deli- vered the princess, and took her under his protection. On relating her story, she was conveyed to the emperor, who, in order to prove whether she was worthy to receive the hand of his son, placed before her three vessels, of gold, .silver and lead. On the golden vessel, which was filled with dead men's bones, was this inscription. Who chooses me shall find ivhat he deserves ; on the silver one, containing earth, the inscription was, W7io chaoses me shall find what nature covets; the leaden vessel, filled with precious stones, had the inscription 'nHio chooses me shall fiid what God hath placed. The emperor then ordered her to choose one of the vessels, and said that if she made choice of that which should profit herself and others she would obtain his son. The lady chose the lucky vessel, which was that of lead, and she was forthwith man-ied to the youno- prince. But the incidents connected v/ith the bond \vere in all pro- IKTRODUCTOET KEMAKKS. xi bability derived chiefly from a collection of tales, called ' II Pecorone,' by Ser. Giovanni Fiorentino, first published in 1550, though -written nearly two centuries before. In that collection is a story called the ' Adventures of Giannetto/ of which, omitting some licentious parts, we give the following summary : Giannetto, the adopted son of a Venetian mer- chant, Ansaldo, obtains permission to visit Alexandria ; but on his voyage enters the port of Belmont, where there dwells a young lady of great wealth and beauty, whom he becomes eagerly desirous to marry. Eeturning to Venice, he solicits Ansaldo for a supply of money to enable him to prosecute his love-suit ; and Ansaldo, to accommodate him, borrows of a Jew 10,000 ducats, the condition of the loan being, that if Ansaldo ' shall fail to repay the amount within a certain time, he shall forfeit a pound of his flesh, to be cut off by the creditor. Giannetto obtains the lady in marriage, but forgetful of the pecuniary engagement, prolongs his stay at Belmont till the day fixed for repayment has gone by. He then suddenly recollects the obligation, and returning in haste to Venice, finds the Jew resolved on the exaction of the penalty, and not to be turned aside from his purpose even by the offer of ten times the amount of the loan. Giannetto's bride, hearing of the merchant's perilous position, disguises herself in the dress of a doctor of law, repairs to Venice, and finds means of being introduced as a judge in the court where the case of Ansaldo and the Jew is to be tried ; for i^ Italy, in those days, very nice or difficult points of law were determined, not by the ordinary judges, but by doctors of law called from Padua, Bologna, and other towns famous for their legal colleges. The disguised lady, unrecognised by her husband, is informed of the merits of the case ; ,and having read the bond, desires the Jew to take the pound of flesh, but neither more nor less than the just weight, and at the same time to beware of shedding the merchant's blood, as the bond made no mention of blood. -An executioner is then sent for to be in readiness to behead the Jew, in the event of any blood being drawn with the forfeit. The Jew being thus confounded, says he will accept the offer of 100,000 ducats in liq^uidation of the claim ; but as he had dis- xii INXEODirCTORT KEMAKKS. tinetly and repeatedly declared lie would hare nothing but the pound of flesh, the judge refuses to allow any repayment of money whatever, and the Jew in a rage tears up the bond and quits the court. Hereupon Griannetto, overjoyed at the happy issue, offers to the judge, in token of his gratitude, a ring which his wife had given him on their marriage-day : and the judge, on returning home and putting off the disguise, rails at her husband in fine terms about his parting with the ring, which she says she is sure he must have given to some woman. In addition to the preceding story, we may refer to the old baUad entitled ' The cruelty of Gemutus, a Jew, who, lending to a merchant a hundred crowns, would have a pound of his flesh, because he could not pay him at the time appointed.' It is difficult, indeed, to decide whether this production, a copy of which will be found in Dr. Percy's ' Eeliques of Ancient English Poetry,' is of earlier or later origin than Shakspeare's Merchant of Venice ; but there are one or two curious points of resemblance between the ballad and the play, as maybe seen in the following extracts : — In Yenice town, not long ago. But we will have a merry jest, A cruel Jew did dwell, For to be talked long : WMoli lived all on nsury. Ton shall make me a bond, quoth he, As Italian writers teU. That shall be large and strong. ^ * * * * * Within that city dwelt that time And this shall be the forfeiture, A merchant of great fame. Of your ovn flesh a pound ; Which, being distressed, in his need If you agree, make you the bond, TTnto G-emutuB came. And here is a hundred crowns. Desiring him to stand his friend. With right good win I the merchant Per twelve month and a day And so the bond was made. To lend to him an hundred crowns. When twelve month and a day drew on And he for it would pay That back it should be paid. Whatsoever he would demand of him, The merchant's ships were all at sea And pledges he should have : And money came not in ;■ Ko (quoth the Jewwith flearing looks), Which way to take, or what to do Sir, ask what you will have ; To think he doth begin. ' Ne penny for the loan of it Some offered for his hundred crowns Eor one year you shall pay ;— Five hundred for to pay ; Ton may -do me as good a turn, And some a thousand, two, or three Before my dying day. Yet still he did denay. ' INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. xiii And, at the last, ten thousand cro-wna Bor if thoti do, like murderer They offered, Mm to save : Thou here shalt hanged be ; Gemutus said, I -mil no gold,— Likewise ot flesh see that thou cut My forfeit I will have. No more than 'longs to thee ; ***** The bloody Jew now ready is. For if thou take either more or less. With whetted blade in hand, To the Talue of a mite. To spoil the blood of uinocent. Thou shalt be hanged presently. By forfeit of his bond. As is both law and right. And, as he was about to strike Gernutus now waxt frantic mad. In him the deadly blow. And wots not what to say ; Stay, quoth the judge, thy cruelty,— Quoth he at last. Ten thousand crowns I charge thee to do so, I wiU that he shall pay ; Sith needs thou wilt thy forfeit have, And so I grant to let him free. Which is of flesh a pound. The judge doth answer make,^ See that thou shed no drop of blood. Ton shall not have a penny given : Nor yet the man confound ; Your forfeiture now take, &o. &o. On the few facts supplied by the legendary sources of the present play, Shakspeare has most skilfully based the develop- ment of those characters in which he has made the chief elements of the dramatic action to manifest themselves. In the kindness with which Antonio consents to 'sign the bond for the accommodation of his friend Bassanio, the poet found a reason for representing the rich merchant as a man of generous disposition, — one who delighted in doing good ; but in the general aversion with which the Jews, throughout the period of their modem history, had been regarded by Christians, there appeared sufScient authority for making Antonio a Jew- hater. In Shakspeare's time, notwithstanding the progress which had been made in tolerant habits of thinking with respect to differences of religions profession, the Jews were greatly detested. Even men of piety, actuated by hereditary prejudice^ seemed to suppose that Scripture, instead of simply predicting the reproach of Israel, made the infliction of that reproach the righteous duty of Christians. "Let us not be surprised, then, to find the good Ajitonio treating Shylock with indignity, however imjust and lamentable we may think Antonio's prejudice to be. But Shakspeare introduces other reasons for the enmity between Shylock and Antonio : the merchant dislikes Shylock not merely because the latter is a Jew, but further, because he is an avaricious usurer, and an oppressive exactor of forfeitures: XIV I^'TRODUCTOEY EEMAKKS. Antonio is disliked by Shy lock, not merely because tlic former is a Christian and an insulting enemy, but further, because he is entirely opposed to the practice of charging interest for the use of money. The poet makes Antonio's generosity partly to exhibit itself in gratuitous advances of money to merchants in distress, enabling them to meet the claims of the Jewish creditor before the term of.payment expires, and thus to avoid the usual penalty of being obliged to pay usuiy upon usury for the creditor's allowance of postponement. Such, then, wei'e the men between whom the loan of the .3000 ducats was negotiated. ' Of a strange nature ' was the forfeit ' nominated in the bond : ' so Shakspeare thought ; but he has ingeniously contrived to render the Jew's proposal and the merchant's consent, respecting the pound of flesh, much less strange and improbable than they are in the original stoi-y, by making Antonio one who disapproved of interest,' so that the Jew may seize on this circumstance as a means of pretending to show kindness in offering a gratuitous loan. Shylock imagines that the ' merry jest,' of specifying a pound of the merchant's flesh as the forfeit, will not be regarded in any other light than as a merfely nominal condition, proposed in a conciliatorv spirit, and humouring the prejudice of one to whose sentinients the practice of borrowing upon interest is repugnant. Thus, th en, we may perceive what sort of character Shakspeare considered it necessary to represent in the merchant. Antonio is a good man, — a man whom we love for his high integritv his disinterested liberality, his devoted friendship ; but his rashness in signing the bond suggested to the dramatist the propriety of characterising him as deficient in worldly prudence and too easy and unwary in his dealings with mankind. It was certainly through simplicity, though not what Shylock calls low simplicity, that Antonio condemned interest ; it was through simplicity that he thought lightly of the condition stipulated * The advocates against interest maintainea that the sin of Sabbath-breakino- was involTed in maMng money bear interest on aU the days of the week and th t it was ipiproper to charge anyinterest at aU, becanse of the natural barrenness f metal. Meres says, ' Usury ana increase by gold and sUver is unlawful becaTiS against nature : nature hath made them sterile and barren ; usurt makes th procreative.' (See, in Lord Bacon's Essays, the one on CTstiri/.) them lOTBODUCTOKY EEJIAliKf. XV in the bond ,• he was imprudent in allowing himself to forget, or in failing to exert himself that he might be prepared for, the day of payment ; he was incautious in venturing the whole of his wealth in argosies upon the ocean. That he was a rich merchant we may suppose to have been probably owing more to patrimonial inheritance than to his own mercantile sagacity and success. That he should be found unable, though a wealthy man, to lend 3000 ducats, was necessary to give occasion for the bond ; and the inability is made to arise out of that incautiousness by which Shakspeare has so consis- tently characterised him. While, therefore, Antonio, though ' even his failings leaned to virtue's side,' appears to have been not intended as an ex- ample of perfect excellence, neither was Shylock designed to represent a character of unmodified vileness. The Jew in The Merchant of Venice is not like Barabas in Marlow's play of 'The Jew of Malta,' — a play which was very popular in Shakspeare's time, because it made the Jew a villain altogether execrable. Charles Lamb says, ' Shylock, in the midst of his savage purpose, is a man. His motives, feelings, resentments, have something human in them. " If you wrong us, shall we not revenge ? " Barabas is a mere monster, brought in with a large painted nose, to please the rabble. He kills in sport — poisons whole nunneries — invents infernal machines. He is just such an exhibition as, a century or two earlier, might have been played before the Londoners, hy tlie Royal command, when a general pillage and massacre of the Hebrews had been pre- viously resolved on in the cabinet.' * Shakspeare, the interpreter of nature and humanity, felt that the prejudices against the Jews were cruelly immoderate. He could not, indeed, represent the Jew of Venice as magnanimous, or in any respect amiable, for this would have been inconsistent with the general character of the Jews, and would have been so opposed to popular preju- dice, that the public representation of the play would not have been tolerated ; but while he had prepared avarice, malignity, and cruelty, aa the colours with which be meant to portray the * Specimens of Dramatic Writers Contemporary vdth Shakspeare. XVI INTEODirCTOET EBSIAEKS. Jew of Venice, he saw that Shylock's moral deformity might he in a great measure justly attributed to the influence of social circumstances, and he felt that the Jew, even in a temper of malignity, might convincingly show to Christians that their persecuting spirit impressed on his tribe the character which the Jews bore in society. Shylock, accordingly, is a man whose iatellectual power is not to be despised, a man who can deeply feel, and powerfully expostulate against, the indignity to which he is subjected. He cannot be allowed any Christian advocate among the dramatis persona, but he himself can forcibly de- monstrate that it is far more reasonable in him to act according to what was 'said by them of old time ' — 'an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,' than it is for Christians to boast of the excellence of that gospel charity which their conduct habitually violates. And herein was the dramatist a faithful and a skilful monitor to professing Christians. Had the Jew been enabled to resent in proper time, and with proper impunity, any wrongs that might be inflicted upon him, his resentment would have had vent, and might have left his heart capable of charity ; but he had to endure, without retaliation, injury and insult time after time, until his heart became hardened as a stone, that would whet keenly the knife of vengeance, should legal justice ever give him an opportunity of obtaining redress. Such an opportunity he craftily sought by means of the ' merry bond.' His hope was that the penalty of failure might be incurred, and then he knew the Duke must grant him justice ; for it was the policy of the Venetian government to protect the rights of those wealthy Jews who, by loans of capital, encouraged enterprising merchants to trade with or to reside in Venice./ The passion for revenge, indeed, has to struggle with the loVe of money in the heart of Shylock| and while the proposal for the loan of the 3000 ducats is under consideration, he gives ample evidence of being habitually cautious and avaricious in pecuniary dealings; but at the same time we can discern that he is inwardly estimating the expediency of sacrificing even ' a good round sum ' for the gratification of his 'lodged hate,' and for the removal of a great obstacle in the way of his worldlv prosperity; and eventually, in the judgment-hall, we behold INTEODirCTOET EEMAEKS. Xvii the spirit of revenge so ferociously predominant, that he will not remit the penalty for six times the amount of the loan. In the issue of the trial the Jew's malicious purpose is utterly frustrated, and his wickedness deservedly punished ; but Shakspeare has generously mitigated, in very great measure, the severity of this retrihution, by the forfeiture which the Jew had incurred being converted to the benefit of his child. The dramatist, too, as if judging that the claim of redress, for the indignities which Shylock had formerly suffered from Antonio, should not be utterly disowned, makes reparation by marrying Jessica to a Venetian gentleman, thus introducing her.into the society of the most distinguished families of Venice. It is true this has to be brought about through opposition to her father's wishes ; but still it is to the Jew's own flesh and blood that favour is shown. We feel that the gloomy solitude of the harsh Jew's dwelling ought not to imprison the intelligent girl, who though ' daughter to his blood ' is not ' daughter to his manners,' who is naturally disposed to be cheerful, whose mind is formed for society and her heart for happiness. We wonder not that when her affections are interested and drawn out by the loving attentions of her Christian suitor, the poetical Lorenzo, she should elope with him from Jewish degradation and thraldom. She is certainly not to be commended for can-ying off a great part of the money and jewels which Shylock had entrusted to her care ; though, perhaps, she may be supposed as having attempted to vindicate herself by the consideration that he had acquired much of his wealth by extortionate exactions from Christians, or as having thought it no heinous sin to supply herself at once with some portion Of the dowry she- might anticipate, or with an amount of means which would have been gradually expended for her support had she continued to live under her father's roof. Her conduct in this matter may require to be regarded as a politic sacrifice to the prejudices of those Christians into whose society she was about to be trans- ferred : it certainly was a means of securing for her, as a heroine in the acted drama of Shakspeare's time, an exemption from the antipathy vyith which the public regarded the Jewish character. XVUL IKTKOBUCIORT EEMAKKS. With regard to Portia, the chief heroiue of the play, we should ohaerve that Shakepeare, in designing that she should act the part of an assessor to the Duke in the trial scene, imposed on himself the necessity of distinguishing her by a considerable amount of intelligence, sagacity, and self-reliance. She is an inte llectual cha racter, at one time sparkling with vivacity of wit, at another glowing with serenity of wisdom ; while aTTher sentiments are more or less influenced and adorned hy a poetical imagination. She has the dignity of one who has been acc ustome d to move amidgt the grandeur, and to ruJe the household, of a magnifieenr'maiisioii7""but she has affections that long to bestow her hand on some worthy lord, for whom she may feel it her happiness to live and to entertain loving respect. The idea that she is bound to take whatever hiuiband I the fortune of the caskets may allot to her, does not, indeed, for a time appear much to discourage her natural cheerfulness : she seems to find satisfaction in dutifully honouring her father's 1 will, and intrusting to the vyise and good disposal of Providence. IFor Nerissa's assertion, about holy men at their death having a^ood inspirations, is probably designed merely to let us know now Portia's heart was already influenced by reliance on the prophetic sagacity with which dying persons were supposed to be gifted. But when she is asked whether she remembers the Venetian who had visited Belmont in company of the Irlarquis of Montferrat,*she at once enables Nerissa to 'level ' truly at her affection. And when this Venetian comes to I ' hold a rival place ' with the other suitors, the struggle which / is then excited in her bosom, between the spirit of filial dutv I and the desire of imrestricted choice, is most naturally and I forcibly exhibited. There is, indeed, a methodical style in I the expression even of her most impassioned thoughts, which has induced some critics to impute to her a degree of affecta- tion unusual in Shakspeare's delineations of female character • but we believe that the dramatist has herein observed a most * Moirferrato was an Italian territory north of Genoa, and east of Piedmont now part of Sardinia. Its most famonsmarquis, well known to Venice wasBoni- face, who became general of the land forceSj when the French planned a Fourth Crusade in concert with the Venetians. IMEODUCXORY EEMAEKSi. MX judicious consistencj', and that the language in which Portia describes her emotions is not the less indicative of genuine feeling for containing some reflex of that peculiar aptitude of mind which she displays in the trial scene. There she is methodical amidst all her excitement of anxiety for the honour of her hushand. She has been furnished by her legal friend Bellario with advice, which assures her of saving the life of Antonio ; but she would rather owe Antonio's preservation to a just and liberal discharge of her husband's debt, than to a triumph by which the Jew will be deprived of every ducat ; and though the appeals by which she endeavours to make the i Jew relent are characterised by an observance of formal argu- 1 ment, we should remember that she is all the while actuated i by intense solicitude in the utterance of these appeals. The main subject of this dramatic composition necessarily excites a considerable degree of melancholy interest; but Shakspeare has skilfully lightened it in various ways. He has combined playfulness with dignity in Portia's temper, and has in several instances exhibited her in the full exercise of humorous ingenuity ; as in her dialogues with Nerissa about the merits of the various suitors, and the intention to disguise herself in male attire ; and also in her conversation with Bas- sanio, when the excitement of the trial is over, and the success of her serious scheme for the deliverance of Antonio has dis-' posed her mind to seek the relief of devising a pleasant strata- gem against her husband, and to enjoy the farce with which she enlivens the isonclusion of the drama, in taking the ' van- tage to exclaim on him.' Gratiano, too, in his buoyancy and hrusquerie, presents a relieving contrast beside the thoughtful sadness of Antonio, and amid the stern procedure of the trial. And Launcelot Gobbo, the clown of the piece, with his quaint drolleries, his puns, his absurd inversions and perversions of language, gives the mind expedient relaxation from the severer thought required for an intelligent appreciation of the graver portions of the play. We may further observe that in the rich profusion of ex- quisite poetical beauties with which Shakspeare has adorned this production of his wondrons mind, we have one of the many XX INTKODUCTOET EEMABKS. reasons by whicli we may account for tiie great popularity wHcli it has acquired, botli as a -stage-piece and as a subject of perusal. Scarcely anything of Venetian history is necessary to be known for the proper understanding of this play.* The poet could not assign the romantic incidents of the fable to any particular period in the history of the republic. He has, indeed, invested his characters with the manners of the six- teenth century ; Antonio's ' argosy bound to the Indies,' and the reign of ' Sultan Solyman,' belong also to that century ; but the main action of the play must be supposed to belong to some indefinitely earlier period. The dramas of Shakspeare are not to be explained or criticised by such chronological references. His anachronisms, and his frequent practice of transferring English habits to foreigners, are well known, and are freely permitted to a dramatist whose chief object was 'to hold the mirror up to nature,' and who has given us delineations of human character so diversified, so truthful, so instructively and universally interesting. The Merchant of Venice belongs to that division of Shak- speare's plays which has been called his Comedies. 'The players,' says Johnson, in his Preface to ' Shakspeare,' ' who in their edition divided our author's works into comedies, his- tories, and tragedies, seem not to have distinguished the three kinds by any very exact or definite ideas. An action which ended happily to the principal persons, however serious or dis- tressful through its intermediate incidents, in their opinion constituted a comedy.' Shaw, in his ' Outlines of English Literature,' says ' Comedy is essentially the expression not of life but of society. It does not deal with the passions, but with the affectations and follies of our nature : it belongs, therefore to a highly civilised and artifidal state of existence. Many of Shaispeare's most humorous creations are comic in the highest * The reader yrho -wishes to learn something o£ the origin and ooastitntion of the Venetian republic, and of the topography of the city of Tenice, may consult the Venice, Pait, tmd Present, of the fieligious Tract Society's Monthly Series ■ the Family Library Sketches from Venetian History, and Bohn's edition of Gib- bon, vol. iv. p. 28. INTEODtrCTOEY EEMAEKS. XXI degree, but they are not in any sense comedies. They are something infinitely more elevated, more profound, more far- reaching ; but they are not comedies. Exquisitely humorous as they are, the humour is not in them the primary element, the unmixed subject-matter of these inimitable delineations ; it is imited with tenderness, romantic passion, exhaustless poetic fancy; and therefore we call them Plays. Indeed, it may almost be maintained that humour is not the true element of comedy at all — that is, of comedy properly so named. Wit is the essence, the life-blood of comedy, and wit is as different from humour as from tragic passion.' THE MERCHMT OF VENICE. in PEESONS EEPEESENTBD. {Appears) Duke op Yekice Act IT. bc. 1. Prinob oe Areagos, suitor to Portia Act II. so. 9. Prince oe Morocco, suitor to Portia Act II. so. 1 ; sc. v. Aktosio, the Merchant of Venice . Act I. so. 1 ; so. 3. Act 11. so. 6. Act til. BO. 3. Act rv. so. 1. Act V. BO. 1. BASSABIO./Waid to Antonio . . .Act I. so. 1 ; so. 3. Act n. so. 2. Act ni. so. 2. Act IT. BO. 1. Act T. sc. 1. SoLANio, friend to Antonio and , ^ ,„ Bassanio Aotl. sc. 1. Act II. so. 4 ; so. 8. Act in. BO. 1 ; BO. 2. Act IT. sc. 1. Salariko, friend to Antonio and , Bassanio Act I. so. 1. Act II. so. 4 ; bo. G ; so. 8. Act III. sc. 1 ; so. 3. Act IT. sc. 1. Gratiako, friend to Antonio and Bassanio Act I. so. 1. Act II. sc. 2 ; so. 4 ; sc. 6. Act III. so. 2. Act IT. sc. 1 ; so. 2. Act T. so. 1. Lorenzo, tn ?otfe 2«V7t Jessica . ,ActI. sc. 1. Act II. so. 4 ; sc. 6. Act III. so. 2 ; BO. 4 ; BO. 5. Act T. so. 1. Shtlock, a Jew Act I. bc. 3. Act II. sc. 5. Act in. sc. 1 ; so. 3. Act IT. sc. 1. Tubal, a Jew, friend to Shylook . Act HI. sc. 1. Laukcelot Qobbo, a clown, ser- vant to Shylock Act II. sc. 2 ; sc. 3 ; sc. 4 ; sc. 5. Act III. sc. 5. Act T. sc. 1. Old GoBso, father ftrfi^mcelot . . Act II. so. 2. Leonardo, servant to Bassanio . . Act II. so. 2. Balthazar, servant to Portia . . Act III. bc. 4, Stephano, servant to Portia . . . Act T. so. 1. PORTLA, a rich heiress Act I. so. 2. Act II. bc. 1 ; sc. 7 ; sc. 9. Act III. sc. 2 ; so. 4. Act IT. sc. 1 ; sc. 2. Act T. sc. 1. Nerissa, waiting-maid to Portia . Act I. so. 2. Act II, sc. ] ; sc. 7 ; sc. 9. Act II. BC. 2 ; EC 4. Act IT. ec. 1 ; BC. 2. Act T. so. 1. ilESSiCA, daughter to Shylock . . Act 11. sc. 3 ; sc. 6 ; ec. 6. Act III. sc 2 ; sc. 4 : so. 5. Act T. sc. 1. Magnificoes of Venice, Officers of the Court of Justice, Gaoler, Servants, and other Attendants, SCENE— PAKTLT AT TeKICE, AST) tAETLY AT BELMOKT, THE SEAT OP FOBTLA, ON IBE CONTINBNT. THE MERCHANT OF YENICE. ACT I. SCENE I.— Venice. A Street. Enter Antonio, Salarino, and Solanio.^ Ant. In sooth **, I know not wliy I am so sad ; It wearies me^ ; you say it wearies you ; But how I caught it, found it, or came by it,* ' Salarino and Solanio] In the original copies there is much con- fusion in the orthography of the names of these persons, and uncer- tainty in the assignment of their speeches. ^ In sooth] In truth. The Anglo-Saxon soth meant truth or tme ; hence, forsooth, for certain, indeed ; hence, also, soothsayer, one who professes power to reveal hidden truth. ' It wearies me] I feel weary or dejected ; an impersonal verb, as in the expression it repents me. The pronoun it has here no reference to anything definite ; Antonio is unable to account for his sadness ; but in the expression it wearies you, the verb is not impersonal, as the word it now denotes Antonio's sadness as a cause of weariness to his friends. — You say my melancholy makes you sad : you know, therefore, the cause of sadness in your case ; but how I caught it, &c., I have yet to learn. — The third and fourth lines of this speech consist of noun clauses objective to learn. * Came by it} Came in its way, met with it, came to have it. See note 6, p. 17. b2 4 THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT I. What stuff 't is made of, whereof ' it is born, I am to learn ; And such a want-wit ^ sadness makes of me, That I have much ado to know myself.^ Salar. Your mind is tossing on the ocean ; ■• There, where yoiir argosies^ with portly saU, — Like signiors and rich burghers of the flood,* Or, as it were, the pageants of the sea,^ — ■ Do overpeer the petty traffickers,' That curt'sy to them, do them reverence. As they fly ^ by them with their woven wings. Solan. Believe me, sir, had I such venture forth,'" The better part of my affections would '' ' Whereof'\ A relative adverb, like the preceding why and how. ' A want-wU] A witless being. " To Jcmow myself] In order to maintain my individual conscious- ness. — This infinitive is adverbial to the phrase have much ado. * Ocean] Here used as a trisyllable. See note 3, p. 71. = Argosies] Large ships for merchandise or for war ; probably so called from the Argo, a famous vessel, in which Jason sailed to Col- chis for the recovery of the golden fleece. &e note 3, p. 16. The preposition phrase with portly sail is adjective to argosies. ° Signiors] Great lords and wealthy commercial freemen of the sea.^ — Another reading is ' on the flood.' ' Pageants] Deities of the sea : an allusion to the custom, at some grand processions, of representing gods and goddesses in triumphal cars. ' Overpeer] Look with lofty dignity over the heads, as it were, of the petty traders. — In the word traffickers, the retention of the letter k (not now in the word traffic'), is because of c before e having commonly the sound of s, as in officers. ' As they fly] As these petty traflSckers fly. '" Had 1 such venture forth] Had I such costly merchandise risked abroad on the ocean. — The adverb forth modifies had. " The better fart] The chief part of my affections would be abroad along with the objects of my hope. SCENE I. THE MEECHANT OF VENICE. Be with my hopes abroad. I should be still Plucking the grass, to know where sits the wind ; ' Peering in maps, for ports, and piers, and roads ; ^ And every object that might make me fear Mirfortune to my ventures, out of doubt ^ Would make me sad. Solar. My wind cooling my broth, Would blow me to an ague,^ when I thought ^ What harm a wind too great might do at sea. 1 should not see the sandy hour-glass run. But I should think of shallows and of flats ; ^ And see my wealthy Andrew docked in sand,^ Vailing her high-top lower than her ribs,^ ' Still plucking the gTass\ Ever plucking the light blades of grass, and holding them up, to know where the wind sits when it is as yet scarcely felt. — The word stUl has frequently in Shakspeare the sense of always. ^ Peering in maps] Prying into charts, to ascertain where there are ports, and harbourage, and roadsteads. ■* Out of doubt] Undoubtedly would be to me a cause of sadness. Solanio uses the expressions ' believe me, sir,' and ' out of doubt,' to intimate that he considers it perfectly natural that Antonio should feel the anxiety which is now imputed to him. ' Would blow me to an ague] In blowing my broth to cool it, I should be chilled into an ague. * When I thought] The form of the past indicative used in a po- tential sense ; a frequent usage. I * Of shallows and of flats] The sand of the hour-glass would sug- gest shoals and sand-banks. ' My wealthy Andrew] My richly-freighted ship. — A large ship is here supposed to be called by the name of the famous G-enoese naval commander, Andrea Doria. — Docked means lying as in a dock, stuck on a sand-bank, run aground. ,* Vailing her high-top] Vailing, from the French avaler, means letting down, lowering ; the vessel being laid on its side, with the highest top of its masts lower than the other side. fi THE MERCHANT OF TENICE. To kiss her burial.' Should I go to church, And see the holy edifice of stone, And not bethink me straight of dangerous rocks,^ Which, touching but my gentle vessel's side, Would scatter all her spices on the stream,^ Enrobe the roaring waters with my silks, — And, in a word ^, but even now worth this, And now worth nothing ? Shall I have th& thought '' To think on this ; and diajl I lack the thought That such a thing bechanced, would make me sad ? But tell not me ^ : I know Antonio Is sad Jo think upon ^ his merchandise. Ant. Believe me, no : I thank my fortune for it,^ ' To hiss her btinal] To kiss the ground where the ship is, as it were, interred. — The analogous phrase ' to lick the dust,' means ' to fall dead in hattle.' ' Dangerous rochs'] This notion, perhaps, has reference to the church being founded on a rock of security ; otherwise, the associa- tion seems a very distant one, between ' the holy edifice of stone ' and the ' dangerous rocks ' of the ocean. ^ The stream} The flowing tide. Milton, P. L. i. 202, speaks of ' the ocean stream.' ■" And in a word} And, in short, the idea that but this moment the vessel was worth so much, and in the same moment is worth nothing. See note 10, p. 90. — The noun nothingis an objective too/ understood, worth meaning worthy. ' Shall I have the thought'] Shall I have the thought which ima- gines this possibility, and not have the thought which anticipates how sad such a thing, falling to my lot, would make me ? " Tell not me] I have no need to be informed of the cause of Antonio's sadness. ' To think upon] Through thinking upon. » / than/c my fortune for it] Antonio had been incautious in risking all his merchandise at one time, though not all in one vessel, nor all to one port ; he therefore thanks his fortune rather than his prudence. We think the dramatist means to convey to us the im- SCENE I. THE MERCHANT OF TENICE. 1 My ventures axe not in one bottom trusted, Nor to one place ; nor is my whole estate Upon the fortune of this present year : ' Therefore my merchandise makes me not sad. Solar. Why, then you are in love. Ant. Fie, fie ! Solar. Not in love neither ? Then let's say, you are sad Because you are not merry ; and 't were as easy ^ For you to laugh, and leap, and say you are meriy Because you are not sad. Now, by two-headed Janus,^ Nature hath framed strange fellows in her time : Some that will evermore peep through their eyes,'' And laugh, like parrots, at a bagpiper ; ^ pression that Antonio's sadness was really on acconntof all his fortunes being at sea, and that the merchant's refusal to own this cause merely signifies that, when he argues the matter with himself, he can see so little reason to fear any serious failure among so many argosies, all having different destinations, that he cannot believe his sadness to arise from such apprehension. The dramatic plot is fore- shadowed by liis presentiment of 'some ill a brewing.' ' Upon the fortmieli Dependent on the success. ' And 't were as easy\ Then, surely, it would be as easy for you to laugh and leap, and account for it in the same way, by saying, &c. To laugh, an infinitive used as a noun, in apposition to it, the nomi- native to were. . ^ Janus'\ The Koman divinity called Janus was the god of the year, and was represented with two heads or faces looking opposite ways. The poet alludes to those antique bifrontine images, in which a grave or austere countenance was associated with a humorous one, as Pan's with that of Bacchus, or Saturn's with that of Apollo. The exclamation ' by two-headed Janus ' is in keeping with the descrip- tion that follows. * Peep through their eyes\ Have their eyes half shut with laughter. ° lAke parrots'] Laugh at the sound of the bagpipe, with as little sense or reason as parrots. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT 1. And other of such vinegar aspect,' That they'll not show their teeth in way of smile, Though Nestor swear the jest be laughable.* Enter Bassanio, Lorenzo, and Gratiano. Solan. Here comes Bassanio, your most noble kinsman, Gratiano, and Lorenzo : Fare you well ; We leave you now with better company. Salar. I would have staid till I had made you merry, If worthier friends had not prevented me.* Ant. Tour worth is very dear in my regard.* I take it,' your own business calls on you, And you embrace the occasion to depart.^ Salar. Good morrow, my good lords. Bass. Good signiors both, when shall we laugh ? say, when ? You grow exceeding strange ^ : — Must it be so ? ' Other of such vinegar aspect] "We now use others as the plural of the pronoun other. A vinegar aspect is a sour look, an expression of face like that caused by the taste of vinegar. ' Nestor} Tliough even the grave Nestor himself should declare the jest to be truly laughable. — Nestor, one of the Grecian heroes in Homer's Iliad, and in Shakspeare's Troilus and Cressida, was King of Pylos (now Navarino), and was remarkable for his great age, wisdom, and gravity. ^ Worthier friends'] Bassanio and the .' others who are now en- tering. * Your worth] You are very worthy friends in my estimation. Your is emphatic. " 1 take it] I take the case to be ; I apprehend, or suppose. " To depart] In order to get away : an adverbial infinitive. ' You grow esecceding strange] You become great strangers to us ; we see very little of you. Exceeding, an adjective, . is here used for in an exceeding degree, and thus becomes adverbial: the SCENE I. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. 9 Salar. "We'll make our leisures to attend on yours.' [^Exeunt Salakino and Solanio. Lor. My lord Bassanio, since yoti have found Antonio, We two will leave you ; but at dinner-time ^ I pray you have in mind where we must meet. Bass. I will not fail j'ou. Gra. You look not well, signior Antonio ; You have too much respect upon the world : ' They lose it that do buy it with much care.'' Believe me, you are marvellously changed. Ant. I hold the world but as the world ^, Gratiano ; A stage, where every man must play a part. And mine a sad one.^ Gra. "Let me play the Fool : ^ With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come ; ' And let my liver rather heat with wine, use of au adjective for an adverb may always be accounted for in tliis way. — Must it be so? does not refer to the strangeness, but to the going away. — Are you obliged to go ? ' W^ll make'] We will make our leisure, or opportunity, for talking with Antonio give way to yours ; we will wait till you have done with him. '' At dinner-time'] Adverbial to /ia«c. ' Bespect upon the world] Kegard for, concern about, worldly things. * They lose if] They who sacrifice their peace of mind to obtain worldly possessions lose the enjoyment which they thus pay for. ' I hold the world] I look upon, or regard, the world in no other than its proper light. ° Mine a sad one] Where mine is a sad one. ' Let me flay the Fool] Let the part assigned to me on the stage of the world be that of the Fool. — The Fool was always one of the dramatis persona in the old farces ; hence our common phrase ' to play the fool.' ' With mirth and laughter] Let mirth and laughter form the wrinkles for old age to impress on my visage. b3 10 THE MERCHANT OF VENTCI'. ACT I. Than my heart cool with mortifying groans. "Why should a man whose blood is warm within Sit like his grandsire cut in alabaster ? ' Sleep when he wakes ? and creep into the jaundice ^ By being peevish? I tell thee what, Antonio, — I love thee ^, and it is my love that speaks, — ■ There are a sort of men ■*, whose visages Do cream and mantle like a standing pond,^ And do a wilful stillness entertain,^ ' Like Ms grandsire] The word U/ce is either an adjective com- plement to sit, describing man, and having to understood after it, or else it is equivalent to an adverbial conjunction, as an abbreviation for in like manner as : the former of these grammatical interpreta- tions makes the noun grandsire an objective; the latter makes it nominative. ' Creep into the jaundice'] There is here a reference to one of the most remarkable instances of the mind's influence in the produc- tion of bodily disease. Peevishness is included among those men- tal emotions which, in Dr. Copeland's Dictionary of Medicine, are stated to be ' the most common exciting causes of jaundice.' Compare Troilus and Cressida, Act i., beginning of Sc. 3. — ^What Gratiano says of the effect of despondency on the temperature of the heart, and of wine on that of the liver, has also a reference to medical science. — See Dr. Bucknill's Medical Knowledge of Shak- speare, p. 92. ' 1 love thee] This line is parenthetic, the speaker designing to preclvide offence being taken at what he is about to say. ' A sort of men]- This expression collectively forms a plural nominative to the verb are, and is not so inaccurate, in grammar, as the common expression, these sort of things ; it may be observed that the properly eorre'eted form of this latter expression is not that sort of things, hut things of that sort. See note 3, p. 23. ° Cream and ■mantle] Put on a gloomy and rigid aspect. — To cream is to throw up a scum to the surface ; to mantle is to put on an exterior covering. In King Lear, iii. 4, Edgar speaks of 'the green mantle of the standing pool.' ' Entertain] Assume designedly a demure appearance. SCENE I, THE MEECHANT OF VENICE. U With piirpose to be dressed in an opinion ' Of wisdom, gravity, profound conceit ; As who should say, I am sir Oracle,^ And when I ope my lips let no dog hark ! ^ O, my Antonio, I do know of these,^ That therefore only are reputed wise ® For saying nothing ; who, I am very sure, If they should speak, would almost damn those ears ^ Which, hearing them, would call their brothers fools. I'll tell thee more of this another time : But fish not with this melancholy bait. For this fool gudgeon '', this opinion. Come, good Lorenzo : — Fare ye well, a while ; ' With purpose] That they may be invested -with the credit of possessing ■wisdom, gravity, and profound judgment. ' As who should 601/"] As persons -who should say : implying as much as to say, I am the chief authority in matters of opinion. Portia uses the same phmse in the next scene, ' He doth nothing but frown, as who should say,' &c. ^ Let no dog barjc\ Let rudeness and ignorance be silent ; let no one rudely and ignorantly oppose or disturb me. * Know of ihesel Know some of these ; or, of these I do know some that, &e. * Therefore only] Only on this account, that they say nothing. Anijlative clause introduced by therefore is now required to succeed the expression of reason ; we find in Scripture several instances of the contrary arrangement, as in Isa. v. 13, ' Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge; ' see also John viii. 47. " Almost damn those ears] Would provoke those who hear them to say to their brother. Thou fool, and thus almost occasion the per- dition threatened in Scripture ; see Matt. v. 22. ' Fool ffttdgeon] The gudgeon is a fish very easily caught, and not worth taking. — Do not by such melancholy looks seem as if you were" trying to gain this useless reputation which even fools can gain. See note 3, p. 69. 12 THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT I. I'll end my exhortation after dinner. Lor. Well, we will leave you tlien till dinner-time : 1 must be one of these same dumb wise men, For Gratiano never lets me speak. Gra. Well, keep me company but two years more, Thou shalt not know the sound of thine own tongue. Ant. Farewell : I'll grow a talker ' for this gear.^ Gra. Thanks, i' faith ; for silence is only commendable In a neat's tongue dried, and a maid not vendible.^ \_Exeunt Geatiano and Lorenzo. Ant. Is that anything now ? ^ Bass. Gratiano speaks an infinite deal of nothing, more than any man in all Venice : His reasons are as two grains® of wheat hid in two bushels of chaff; you shall seek all day ere you find them ; and when you have them they are not worth the search. Ant. Well ; tell me now, what lady is the same ^ To whom you swore a secret pilgrimage, ' A talker] AppositJTe complement to the intransitive verb grow. ^ For this gear"] On account of this state of things : that I may he ai-med against you. — The word gear is from the Anglo-Saxon gearwian to prepare, and has here the now obsolete meaning of business or a state of things, which it has again in Act ii. Sc. 1 ' If fortune be a woman, she is a good wench for this gear : ' also in Troilus and Cressida, i. 1, 'Will this gear ne'er be mended; ' and in 2 Heniy VI., iii. 1, ' I will remedy this gear ere long.' ' Not vendible] That has not much chance of getting a husband ; for silence, being so rare amongst females, may in her ease be a dis- tinction sufficient to malce her attractive. * Is that ant/thing now?] Now, is there any wit in that? ' His reasons are as two grains] The reasons implied in his re- marks ; the amount of reason contained in what he says. Tho reading in some of the old copies is ' are two grains.' « The same] That or ii!.— The idea of sweai-ing a pilgrimage to the lady is suggested by the practice of vowing pilgrimages to the shrine of ' Our Lady ' the Virgin Mary. SCENE I. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. 13 That you to-day promised to tell me of? ' Bass. 'Tis not unknown to you, Antonio, How much I have disabled mine estate,'^ By something showing a more swelling port Than my faint means would grant continuance ; Nor do I now make moan ^ to be abridged From such a noble rate ; but my chief care ■* Is, to come fairly off from the great debts Wherein my time, soraefhing too prodigal. Hath left me gaged. To you, Antonio, I owe the most in money and in love ; And from your love I have a warranty ^ To unburthen all my plots and purposes. How to get clear of all the debts I owe. Ant. I pray you, good Bassanio, let me know it ; ' That you to-day\ That you promised to tell me of to-day. The relative that, when governed by a preposition, always precedes the preposition, with two or more words intervening. The adverb to-day modifies tell, and properly should have ended the sentence. Compare Julius Caesar, iii. 1, ' He wished to-day our enterprise might thrive,' where the adverb modifies thrive. ' Disabled mine estate"] Impaired my fortune by showing in some measure a more pompous state, making a somewhat grander appear- ance, than that to which my weak resources would allow continuance. Sornething, for in something, is an adverb modifying showing, and occurs again adverbially in the eighth line of this speech. The preposition by governs the gerundial participle showing. ^ Make moanj Repine on account of being reduced from so gi-and a style. — To be abridged is an adverbial infinitive. ■■ My chief care is] My chief trouble, or anxiety, is to get mj'self honourably discharged from the heavy debts, in which my course of life, which has been somewhat too extravagant, has left me liable, responsible. * Warranty] Such encouragement as warrants me to unload my mind, by bringing out and laying before you all my plans and in- tentions regarding the manner in which I seek, &c. 14 THE MEKCHANT OF VENICE. ACT 1. And, if it stand, as you yourself still do,' Within the eye of honour, be assured, My purse, my person^, my extremest means. Lie all unlocked to your occasigag.^ Bass. In my school-days, when I had lost one shaft, I shot h^ fellow ■* of the self-sa me flight The self-same way ^, with more advised watch,^ To find the other forth ; and by adventuring both I oft found both : I urge this childhood proof,^ Because what follows is pure innocence.* I owe you much ; and, like a wilful youth,^ That which I owe is lost ; but if you please To shoot another arrow that self way •" ' If it standi^ If it stand approved in honom-'s estimatioD, as you yourself ever do. See note 1, p. 5. ' My person] My personal credit or security. Perhaps there is here an allusion on the part of the dramatist to the peculiar nature of ' the bond.' ' XInlocJsedl Placed at your disposal, freely accessible to you, to serve your occasions. See note 3, p._ 71. ' Hisfellovi] Its fellow : hh being anciently a neuter as well as a masculine possessive. Of the self-same flight is of the very same power of flight. * Way] Direction : objective to in understood. ° With Tiwre advised watch] With more heedful observation of the spot -where it alighted, that it might thus bring forth to view the other shaft. — The expression to find forth occurs also in the Comedy of Errors, i. 2, where one drop of water is spoken of as going to seek another drop in the ocean, and ' falling there to find his fellow forth. We now say to flnd out. ' Childhood proof ] Experiment of my childhood. — The expedient of shooting a second arrow to find the first had been often referred to by writers preceding Shakspeare. ' What follows] Subjective noun clause to is. — AVhat I am about to propose is in a spirit of childlike or guileless simplicity. ' Like a wilful youth] An elliptical expression for ' like what will happen with a wilful youth.' " That self way] That very way; in that very direction in which. SCENE I. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. 15 Whicli you did shoot the first, I do not doubt, As I will watch the aim ', or to find both,^ Or bring your latter hazard back again. And thankfully rest debtor for the first. Ant. You know me well, and herein spend but timo,^ To wind about my love with circumstance ; And, out of doubt, you do me now more wrong In making question of my uttermost,^ Than if you had made waste of all I have. Then do but say to me what I shotdd do. That in your knowledge may by me be done. And I am prest * unto it : therefore speak. Bass. In Belmont is a lady richly left, And she is fair, and fairer than that word ; ^ Of wond'rous virtues. Sometimes ' from her eyes I did receive fair speechless messages : Her name is Portia ; nothing undervalued ' &c. ; that is, if you will repeat your generosity by lending me ii further sum. — The word self is thus used by Shakspeare in several other places. ' As I will watch'] From the precaution I will use in my em- ployment of the money. - Or to finc[\ Or when used for either should be pronounced with greater emphasis than the or following. ^ Herein spend but time] You only waste time by appealing to my affection in such a roundabout way. — Circumstance here means circuitous approach. ■■ Makinff qaestioji] Feeling uncertain even as to whether I will do my uttermost to serve you. ' Fresf] Eeady : from the old French prest, modern pret ; Italian presto. ° Fairer than that word] More fair than the word fair can denote; passing or transcending fair. ' Sometimes] On some former occasions. ' Nothing undervalued] She is in no degree inferior. — Nothing, for in nothing, is adverbial. See note 2, p. 13. 1 6 THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT I. To Cato's daughter, Brutus' Portia.' IVor is the wide world ignorant of her worth ; For the four winds blow in from every coast Eenowned suitors ; and her sunny locks ^ Hang on her temples like a golden fleece,* i Which makes her seat of Belmont Colchos' strand. And many Jasons come in quest of her. O, my Antonio, had I but the means To hold a rival place with one of them,l T have a mind presages me such thrift,^ That I should questionless be fortunate. Ant. Thou know'st that all Taj fortunes are at sea ; Neither have I money, nor commodity '' To raise a present sum : therefore go forth, Try what my credit can in Venice do ; That shall be racked, even to the uttermost,^ ' Brutus' Portici] Portia, daughter of Cato Uticensis, was wife of Marcvis Bnitus, the chief of the conspirators by whom Julius Csesar was slain. ^ Her sunny locks'] The golden-coloured locks are specified here probably in compliment to Queen Elizabeth, whose hair was of a . sandy colour. ' A golden fleea'] An allusion to the ancient fable of the golden fleece of Colchis, or Colchos, a country east of the Euxine Sea. Jason was leader of the Argonautic expedition (so called from the ship Argo), for the recovery of this golden fleece, which was suspended on a tree, and guarded by an ever-watchful dragon. ' Hold a rived place] Had I but the means of presenting myself like one of them, as a rival suitor ; if I could appear in such a style or with such an equipage, as theirs. = Presages me] That augurs for me such a thriving suit ; I have a presentiment of my being such a thriving wooer, that it is question- less I should be the successful candidate. " Gommodity to raise] Convenient means of raising a sufficient amount of ready money. ' That shall he racked] My credit shall be stretched to its utmost limit. — That, a demonstrative pronoun. SCENE II. THE MERCHANT OP VENICE, 17 To furnish thee to Belmont, to fair Portia. Go, presently ' inquire, and so will I, Where money is ; and I no question make, To have it of my trust ', or for my sake. [_Exeiint. SCENE II. — Belmont.* A Boom in Portia's House. Enter Portia and Nerissa. For. By my troth, Nerissa, my little body * is a- weary of this great world. Ner. You would be, sweet madam, if your miseries were in the same abrmdance as your good fortunes are ; And yet, for aught I see, they are as sick that surfeit with too much, as they that starve with nothing : It is no mean happiness, therefore, to be seated in the mean^ ; super- fluity comes sooner by ^ white hairs, but competency lives longer. ' Presentlt/] Immediately ; at once.' ' To have it of my triist~\ That is, on the strength of my credit. • — The infinitive to have is here used for of having. Our poet uses the infinitive form of the verb to express a much greater variety of relations than is admitted in modern usage. ' Bdmonf] Shakspeare found this name in one of the old stories, bat it is hardly to be supposed that he had in his eye some definite spot as the place of Portia's residence. He seems (Act iii. Se. 4) to make it about twenty miles from Venice. As in the legend it is called a seaport, we may imagine it to be on the coast south-west of Venice. * My little body'] The comparison here made by Portia has re- ference to the suitors coming to her from all parts of the world. ° Seated in the mean] Placed in the middle rank of life. — There is here a quibble between the two senses of the word mean ; the First Polio, however, reads sjnall happiness. ° Comes sooner J^] Sooner arrives at, or comes to have ; a con- dition of opulence or superabundance sooner brings on the decline of life. 8ee note 4, p. 3. 18 • THE MERCHANT OP VENICE. ACT I, For. Good sentences S"and well pronounced. Ner. They would be better, if well followed. For. If to do were as easy as to know what were good to do 2, chapels had been* churches, and poor men's cottages princes' palaces. It is a good divine that follows* his own instructions : I can easier ^ teach twenty what were good to be done, than be one of the twenty to follow mine own teaching. The brain may devise laws for the blood « ; but a hot temper leaps o'er ^ a cold decree : such a hare is madness the youth, to skip o'er the meshes of good counsel the cripple. But this reasoning is not in the fashion * to choose me a husband : — O me, the word choose ! I may neither choose whom I would, nor refuse whom I dislike ; so is the will of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father :^Is it not hard, Nerissa, that I cannot choose one, nor refuse none ? Ner. Your father was ever virtuous ; and holy men at their death have good inspirations ; therefore, the lottery that he hath devised innhese three chests, of gold, silver, and lead, (whereof who chooses his meaning s, chooses ' Sentences'] Maxima. — An exclamatory nominative. ' What were good to do] An objective noun clause to know. What, nominative to wire. To do, an adverbial infinitive to good. ' Had been] Should have been. — The indicative form with po- tential signification. ^ ■■ That follows] The antecedent to the relative that is the pro- noun it, which has a kind of demonstrative import. ° Easier] By easier means : an adjective used adverbially. ' For the blood] For the regulation of the temper. ' Leaps o'er] Will not be restrained by. ' Not in the fashion] Not according to the prescribed mode of choosing a husband for me. — The fashion to choose means the fashion that is to choose, the peculiar mode of choosing, viz., the lottery of the caskets. Me governed by for, understood, is emphatic. ° Whereof who chooses his meaning] Whoever makes that dis- SCENE II. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. 19 you,) will, no doubt, never be chosen by any rightly, but one who you shall rightly love.' But what warmth is there in your affection towards any of these princely suitors that are already come ? For. I pray thee, ovemame them ; and as thou namest them I will describe them ; and according to my description level at my affection.^ Ner. First, there is the Neapolitan prince. For. Ay, that's a colt, indeed ^, for he doth nothing but talk of his horse ; and he makes it a great appropriation to his own good parts that he can shoe him himself: I am much afraid my lady his mother played false with a smith. Ner. Then is there the countv Palatine.* For. He doth nothing but frown ; as who should say ', An you will not have me, choose ^ : he hears merry tales, and smiles not : — I fear he will prove the weeping phi- crimination of them which he approved. — Sis meaning, that is, the casket by which he meant you to be won. ' Who you si-all rightly love\ You is the objective to love, the sense being ' one who shall love you with right motives.' '^ Level at my affection] Try to hit, argue, guess at the nature of my affection. ' That is a colt, indeed] A man of coltish mind or fancy. — The Ifeapolitans were eminently skilled in all matters of horsemanship. ■■ The county Palatine] A Polish Palatine, of great opulence, Count Albert Alaski, visited the court of Elizabeth in 1683, and was treated with great distinction : he was a man of gay and prodigal habits ; but the circiimstance of his visit to England may have sug- gested to our poet the introduction of a Count Palatine, though of different disposition, in the list of Portia's suitors. " As who should say] See note 2, p. 11. ° An you will not have me, choose] ■ Make your own choice, choose whom you please. — An is an old English word for if; it is sometimes found followed by i/ redundant {see note 1, p. 126), and is sometimes corrupteji mto and, as in Luke xii. 45. /Jwt ^<"--*- ^'>-< ShylocJc, we wmdd have moneys ; You say so;'' '"^'^' ,f' ' " ' You, that did void your rheum^ upon my beard, / And foot me, as you spurn a stranger cur ^ Over your threshold : moneys is your sjiit. What should I say to you ? Should I not say, Hath a dog money ? is it possible A cur can lend three thousand ducats ? or Shall I bend low, and in a bondman's key. With 'bated breath^, and whispering humbleness, Say this, — Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last ; ' Sufferance] Endurance of persecution is the distingniehing characteristic of all our race. '' Misbeliever'] A misheliever strictly means one who holds a wrong faith ; an unheliever, one who denies the true faith : — Yovl call me miscreant, hlood-thirsty dog, and spit on my Jewish cas- sock. ^ Go to, thin] Go to means come to the point; to may he regarded as an adverb, and should be pronounced emphatically. ' Yov, say so] The pronoun here is strongly emphatic. ' Void your rheum] Discharge your saliva or spittle. ' A stranger cur] Stranger is here a noun in apposition withciir, not a noun used as an adjective. A noun when xised as an adjective is always an abridgment of an adjectival preposition phrase ; as the summer months, that is, the months of summer. See the Editor's Julius Csesar, p. 3, note 3. ' With 'bated bnath] With slow utterance. C3 34 THE MERCHANT OP VENICE. ACT I. You spurned me such a day ; another time You called me dog ' ; and for these courtesies III lend you thus much moneys ?^ Ant. I am as like to call thee so again, To spit on thee again, to spurn thee too. If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not A? to thy friends 3 ; (for when did friendship take A breed for barren metal* of his friend ?) ■ But lend it rather to thine enemy ; Who, if he break 5, thou mayst with better face Exact the penalty. Shy. Why, look you, how you storm ! I would be friends^ with you, and have your love, Forget the shames that you have stained me with. Supply your present wants, and take no doit ' Of usance for my moneys, and you'll not hear me : This is kind I offer. ' You called me dog] The dog washeld in gi-eat contempt among the Jews, not owned and cherished as it is amongst us, but excluded from man's society; Dog is indirect object to the_ verb called, and in apposition to me. ^ Thus much moneys] Thus an adverb to much, which is adjective to amount understood; moneys is objective to of under- stood. " As to thy friends] As an adverb modifying the adverbial pre- position phrase to thy friends. ■■ A breed for barren metal] See note 7, p. 31. The first folio has ' of barren metal.' ° Who, if he break] This construction is ungrammatical in rela- tion to what follows ; we must regard who as a kind of exclamatory ' nominative. If he break means, if he break his day, if -he fail to ful- fil his engagement. " Friends] One of a pair of friends. See the Editor's ' Text-Book of Grammar,' note 2, p. 92. ' Doit] A small Dutch coin, value an eighth of a stiver, or about half a farthing. SCENE III. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. 35 Bass. This were kindness. Shy. This kindness will I show : Go with me to a notary' ; seal me there Your single bond ^ ; and, in a merry sport,^ If you repay me not on such a day, In such a place, such sum, or sums, as are Expressed in the condition, let the forfeit Be nominated for an equal pound'' Of your fair flesh, to be cut oiF and taken la what part^ of yovir body pleaseth me. Ant. Content, in faith ; I'll seal to such a bond. And say there is much kindness in the Jew. Bass. You shall not seal to such a bond for me ; I'll rather dwell in my necessity.^ Ant. Why, fear not, man ; I will not forfeit it ; Within these two months, — that's a month before This bond expires, — I do expect return Of thrice' three times the value of this bond. Shy. O father Abraham, what these Christians are ! ' A notart/] One authorised to draw up and attest contracts, &e. The word there, at the end of the line, repi-esents the preposition phrase to a notary. ^ Your single bonc[\ A single bond is a bond without the con- dition of a pecuniary penalty. ^ In, a merry sport] , So, in the old ballad of ' Gernutus,' the Jew says ' But we will have a merry jest,' &e. Tlie preposition phrase is adverbial to nominated. * An equal pound] Let the forfeit be described as au equivalent pound, &c. ; let a pound of your flesh be stated as the equivalent in way of penalty. ^ In what part] In governs the clause following ; part is nomin;i tive to pleaseth. ° Dwell in my necessity] Continue or abide in my present po- verty. ' Thrice] An advorl) modifying rtroe ; value objecfive to 0/ un- derstood. 38 . THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT 1. Whose own hard dealings teaches them suspect' The thoughts of others ! Pray you, tell me this ; If he should break his day, what should I gain By the exaction of the forfeiture ? A pound of man's flesh taken from a man, Is not so estimable, profitable neither, As flesh of muttons, beefs ^, or goats. I say. To buy his favour I extend this friendship ; If he wiU take it, so ' ; if not, adieu ; And, for my love, I pray you wrong me not.. Ant. Yes, Shylock, I will seal unto this bond. Shy. Then meet me forthwith at the notary's; Give him direction for this merry bond. And I will go and purse the ducats straight ; See to my house, left in the fearful guard* Of an unthrifty knave ^ ; and presently I will be with you. \JExit. Ant. Hie thee'', gentle Jew. This Hebrew will turn Christian ; he grows kind. Bass. I like not fair terms and a villain's mind. Ant. Come on ; in this there can be no dismay. My ships come home a month before the day. \_Exeunt ' Teaches them suspect] More correctly, this would be ' teach them to suspect.' ' Muttons, beefs'] These words here mean sheep and oxen ; from the French mouton, a sheep, and bceuf, an ox. ' So] That is, well and good so let him. * Fearful guard] Much to be feared, untrustworthy care ; an un- usual meaning oi fearful. ' Unthrifty knave] Wasteful, improvident servant. » Hie thee] Hasten. — There is here an instance of thee used for ihou, as in the expressions fare thee well, haste thee. See note 1 p. 49. THE MEBCHANT OP TENICE. 37 ACT II. SCENE I. — Belmont. A Hoom in Portia's House. Flourish of Cornets. Enter the Prince of Morocco, and his Train ; Portia, Nerissa and other of her Attendants. Mar. Mislike me not for my complexion,' The shadowed livery of the burnished sun,^ To whom I am a neighbour, and near bred. Bring me the fairest creature northward born,^ Where Phoebus' fire scarce thaws the icicles,'' And let us make incision for your love,^ ' Complexionl Shakspeare often makes the prommciation of such terminations as -tion, -sion, &e. dissyllabic. See note 4, p. 4. Com- plexion has here what is now its ordinary meaning, viz., the colour of the skin, more particnlarly of the face. An earlier meaning is con- stitution or temperament, as formerly supposed to be a complication or blending of the four elements, which, mixed variously in different persons, were thought to produce the various temperaments or humours called sanguine, phlegmatic, choleric, and melancholy. See note 3, p. 75; see also the Editor's Julius Csesar, p. 136, note 3, or 'Henry the Eighth, p. 11, note (a). ' The shadowed livery] Which is but a shadowy veil forming the distinguishing dress of the children of the sun, himself the brightest object in nature, in nearness to whose presence I dwell and have been reared. ■' The fairest creature'] The man of fairest complexion. - * Where Phabus' fire, ^c.] An adverbial clause to born, explana- tory of the adverb northward. ^ Make incision] Open our veins for the sake of your love. Mon- taigne {Essays, i. 40, Elorio's Translation) says : ' The Turks are wont to wound and scar themselves for their ladies' sakes.' — Ked blood 38 THE MERCHANT OF TENICE. To prove wliose blood is reddest, his, or mine.* I tell thee, lady, this aspect of mine Hath feared ^ the valiant ; by my love, I swear The best-regarded virgins of our clime Have loved it too : I would not change this hue, Except to steal your thoughts^, my gentle queen. For. In terms of choice I am not solely led By nifig direction ^ of a maiden's eyes : Besides, the lottery of my destiny Burs me the right ^ of voluntary choosing: But, if my father had not scanted me,^ And hedged me by his wit to yield myself His wife who wins me by that means I told you, Yourself, renowned prince, then stood as fair ^ As any comer I have looked on yet, For my affection. was a traditionary sign of a courageous temper. Hence, in 2 Henry IV., Act iv. Sc. 3, Falstaff speaks of ' the liver white and pale, which is the badge of pusillanimity and cowardice ; ' and in the present play, iii. 2, Bassanio refers to cowards who ' have livers ■white as milk.' ' His or mine\ These are possessive pronouns in the nominative case ; — to prove his is reddest or mine is. — The use of the superlative reddest, in a comparison of two things, is perfectly good English. See the Editor's ' Text-Book of Grammar,' p. 98, § 5. ^ Feared'\ Made fearful, inspired with fear, intimidated. ' To steal your thoughts'] As a thief disguised. ' By nice direction] By the fastidious estimation. ' Bars me the right] Debars me from the privilege. ° Scanted me] Limited me, and by his restricting judgment boxmd me to consent to be the wife of him who, &c. ' Then stood as fair] In that case would have stood as fair a chance of having my affection as any previous suitor. — Portia dis- liked them all. The word fair is allusive to the Moor's tawny com- plexion. SCENE I. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. 39 Mor. Even' for that I thank you ; Therefore, I pray you, lead me to the caskets. To try my fortune. By this scimitar, That slew the Sophy^, and a Persian prince That won ^ three fields of sultan Solyman, I would out-stare * the sternest eyes that look. Out-brave the heart most daring on the earth. Pluck the young sucking-cubs from the she-bear, Yea, mock the lion when he roars for prey. To win thee, lady : But, alas the while ! ^ If Hercules and Lichas play at dice ^ Which is the better man, the greater throw May turn by fortune from the weaker hand : So is Alcides beaten by his page. /ii^ci*^ ' ' " And so may I, blind fortune leading me,' Miss that which one unworthier may attain, ..L>-- And die with grieving. ' Even] An adverb modiiying the adverbial phi'aseyb?- that. " The Sopht/I This name was a title of the Kings of Persia. ' That won] Slew a Persian prince who had won three battles from the Turkish Sultan Solyman. — The most famoxis Sultan of this name was Solyman the Magnificent, who, however, reigned from 1520 to 1566, a period not early enough for the action of the play. ■■ Out-stare] Another reading is o'er-stare, ^ Alas the while .'] Alas for the present state of things, viz. that occasioned by the casket lottery. Woe the while (Julius Ca2sar, i. 3) is a phrase of similar import. " If Hercules and Lichas] If even the powerful Hercules have to compete with his servant Lichas by playing at dice in order to decide which of the two is the better man, the higher throw may acciden- tally proceed from the inferior hand, and thus is Hercules defeated by his servant. — Lichas was the servant who brought to Hercules the poisoned robe from Dejanira ; his master dashed him to pieces against a rock. ' Blind fortune leading me] A parenthetic adverbial clause of the nominative absolute. 40 THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT ll- For. You must take your chance ; And either not attempt to choose at all, Or swear, before you choose, — if you choose wrong, Never to speak to lady afterward In way of marriage ; therefore be advised.' Mor. Nor will not ^ ; come, bring me unto my chance. For. First, forward to the temple * ; after dinner Your hazard shall be made. Mor. Good fortune then* \_Cornets. To make me blessed, or cursed'st among men. \_Exeunt. SCENE II.— Venice. A. Street. Enter Launcelot GFobbo. ^ Laun. Certainly my conscience will serve me" to run from this Jew, my master : The fiend is at mine elbow, and tempts me, saying to me, — Gohho, Launcelot Gobbo, good Launcelot, or good Gobbo, or good Launcelot Gobbo, use your legs, take the start, run away : — My conscience says, — no; take heed, honest Launcelot'' ; take heed, honest ' Be advised^ Be considerate or cautious. ' Nor will not} Nor will I ever speak to any other in way of marriage. ' Forward to the temple] Repair to the church to take there the requisite preliminary oath. See the terms of the oath, in the Prince of Arragon's first speech, Sc. 9. ' Good fortune then] Fortune, according to her own good plea- sure, being then to make me blest, or else, &c. ' Launcelot Gobbo] He is commonly called ' The Clown,' in the old stage directions. The word ©o5Jo in Italian means hump-backed; but this does not warrant the supposition that Shakspeare meant either Launcelot or old Gobbo to be so deformed. * Wi/l serve me] My conscience as a Christian will justify me in running away from an infidel master. ' Honest Launcelot] The epithet honest iiere implies that con- fCKNE II. THE MEECHANT OF VENICE. 41 Gobho ; or (as aforesaid) honest Launcelot Gohbo ; do not run : scorn running imth thy heels} Well, the most cou- rageous fiend bids me pack. Via ! ^ says the fiend ; away ! says the fiend ; for the heavens ', rouse up a brave mind, says the fiend, and run. Well, my conscience, hanging about the neck of my heart, says very wisely to me, — my honest friend Launcelot, being an honest man's son, or rather an honest woman's son ; — well, my conscience says, Launce- lot, budge not : budge, says the fiend ; budge not, says my conscience. Conscience, say I, you counsel well ; fiend, say I, you counsel well. To be ruled by my conscience, I should stay with the Jew my master, who (God bless the mark ! ^) is a kind of devil ; and to run away from the Jew, I should be ruled by the fiend, who, saving your reverence ^, is the devil himself. Certainly, the Jew is the very devil incarnation; and, in my conscience, my con- science appeals to the principle of honesty against the design of running away. ' Scorn running with thy heels] There is here an intended play on -words, making the preposition phrase seem to modify running ; scorn (with thy heels) running with thy heels. — To scorn with the heels means to indicate scorn by ' lifting up the heel ; ' so in Mucli Ado About Nothing, iii. 4, ' I scorn that with my heels ; ' and in Eomeo and Juliet, iii. 1, Mercutio's saying 'by my heel I care not,' is intended to express great scorn. ' Via] An Italian word, meaning cmiaij! be off! The original quartos have fia. ' For the heavens] For heaven's sake ; a petty oath, ascribed in jesting profanity to the fiend. * Bless the mark] The probable meaning of the expressions ' bless the mark,' ' save the mark,' is ' heaven bless, heaven pre- serve or guard the distinction ; ' the 'noun mark signifying denote- ment or distinction. There is, of course, a profane absurdity intended in invoking heaven's blessing on ' a kind of devil.' 8ee note 1, p. 42. * Saving your reverence] This is a ludicrous form of apology derived from the Latin salvS reverentid. 42 THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT II, science is a kind of hard conscience, to offer to counsel me to stay with the Jew : The fiend gives the more friendly counsel : I will run, fiend ; my heels are at your com- mandment, I will run. Enter Old Gobbo, with a basJcet. Gob. Master young man, you, I pray you ; which is the way to master Jew's ? Zaun. l^Aside.^ Heavens, this is mj true-begotten father ! ^ who being more than sand-blind,^ high-gravel blind, knows me not : I will try conclusions^ with him. Gob. Master young gentleman, I pray you which is the way to master Jew's ? Laun. Turn upon your right hand at the next turning, but, at the next turning of all, on your left ; marry ■*, at the very next turning, tru-n of no hand, but turn down in- directly to the Jew's house. Gob. By God's sonties ^, 't will be a hard way to hit.^ ' True-begotten father] Incongruity of associated meanings Tviil" be found in most of the speeches of Laxmcelot and his father. 2 Sand-blind'] So in I*) etcher's Filgrim, iv. 1, ' Aral twice sand- blind ? ' Sand-blind was a term suggested by stone-blind ; sand being in some degree penetrable by light. Sand-blind eyes were faintly sensible of light, but could not distinguish objects. Launcelot jocularly exaggerates his father's infirmity by calling him high gravel- blind. ' Coyiclusions] Issues of experiment. So in Hamlet, near the end of Act iii., ' And like the famous ape, to try conclusions, in the basket creep.' ' Marry] By Mary : a corrupt form of profane asseveration, " Sonties] This is possibly an awkward imitation of the French word sante, as used in the o&'Cii.sante de Diiw. " A hard way to hit] The infinitive here is governed by the adjective, and is adverbial to it, the sense being ' a way hard to hit,' or ' a way hard for me to hit it ; ' it should be observerl, too, that to hit is strictly transitive, though without an expressed object. BOENE ir. THE MERCHANT OF TENICE. 43 Can you tell me -whether one Launcelot, that dwells with him, dwell with him, or no ? ' Lawn. Talk you of young master Launcelot ? — Mark me now^ — \aside] — now will I raise the waters: — Talk you of young master Launcelot ? Gob. No master, sir, but a poor man's son : his father, though I say it, is an honest exceeding poor man •'', and, God be thanked, well to live.'* Laun. Well, let his father be what a will ^, we talk of young master Launcelot. Gob. Your worship's friend, and Launcelot, sir. Laun. But I pray you ergo, old man, ergo, I beseech you, talk you ^ of yoimg master Launcelot. Goh. Of Launcelot, an 't please your mastership. Laun. Ergo'', master Launcelot. — Talk not of master Launcelot, father ; for the young gentleman (according to fates and destinies, and such odd sayings, the sisters three*, ' Dwell with him or no] See note 1, p. 42. — No an abbreviation for not. ' MarJc me now] This is, as it were, addressed by Launcelot to his own ear. Raising the waters means exciting controversy respect- ing the propriety of the title ' Master Launcelot.' ^ Honest exceeding foor man] For ' exceedingly honest poor man.' ' Well to live] Well as regards living or means of living ; having jneans of decent maintenance. See again note 1, p. 42. ° What a will] We often find a for he in old English dialogue ; it should be pronounced, not as the indefinite article, but with the shortened name sound of the letter. " Talk you] The verb here is imperative : — I pray you, therefore, speak of him as young master Launcelot^ — The ergo refers to old Gobbo having said ' Your worship's friend.' ' Ergo, master Launcelot] The logical term ergo now refers to the father having said ' an it please your mastership.' — Therefore master Launcelot is his proper title. ' The sisters three] The fates of classic fable were three sisters, Clothe, Lachesis, and Atropos. 44 THE MERCHANT OF TENICE. ACT II. and such branches of learning) is, indeed, deceased ; or, as you would say in plain terms ', gone to heaven. Goh. Marry, God forbid ! the boy was the very staff of my age, my very prop. Laun. Do I look Jike a cudgel, or a hovel-post ^, a staff, or a prop ? — Do you know me, father ? Goh. Alack the day ^, 1 know you not, young gentleman : but, I pray you tell me, is my boy (God rest his soul !) alive or dead ? •• Laun. Do you not know me, father ? Gob. Alack, sir, I am sand-blind, I know you not. Laim. Nay, indeed, if you had your eyes you might fail of the knowing me : it is a wise father that knows his own child. Well, old man, I will tell you news of your son : Give me your blessing : truth will come to light ; murther cannot be hid long ; a man's son may ; but, in the end, truth will out. \_KneeU. Goh. Pray you, sir, stand up ; I am sure you are not Launcelot, my boy. Laun. Pray y6u let's have no more fooling about it, but give me your blessing ; I am Launcelot, your boy that was ^, your son that is, your child that shall be. Goh. I caniiot think you are my son. ' In plain terms] The humoiu- here is, that to speak of one as deceased is to use plainer terra? than to say he is gone to heavtn. The following exclamation ' God forbid ! ' is intended to sound in some degree unsuitably in relation to the words ' gone to heaven.' ^ Hovel-posti A post which supports the roof of a hovel or shed. * Mack the day] Alas for the day when I say it. * Alive or dead] To ask if the boy is alive or dead after saying ' God rest his soul ! ' is another of the incongruities referred to in a previous note. ° Your boy that was] Launcelot here makes a blundering inver- sion ; the proper order being ' your child that was, your boy that is, your son that shall be.' SCENE II. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. 45 Laun. I know not wliat I shall think of that : bnt I am Launcelot, the Jew's man ; and I am sure Margery, your wife, is my mother. Goh. Her name is Margery, indeed : I'll be sworn, if 'thou be Launcelot, thou art mine own flesh and blood. Lord-worshipped might he be ! ' what a beard hast thou got ! thou hast got more hair on thy chin than Dobbin my phill-horse ^ has on his tail. Laun. It should seem then that Dobbin's tail grows backward ^ : I am sure he had more hair of his tail than I have of my face, when I last saw him. Goh. Lord, how art thou changed ! How dost thou and thy master agree ? I have brought him a present. How 'gree you now ? Laun. Well, Well ! but for mine own part, as I have set up my rest * to run away, so I will not rest till I have run some ground.' My master 's a very Jew ! Give him a present ! give him a halter : I am famished in his service ; you may teU every finger ^ I have with my ribs. Father, ,' Lord-worshipped might he be] He might be a lord worshipful. — This refers to the supposed beard, and the arrogated mastership. ^ Phill- horse] This is a corruption of thill-horse, the horse that . goes between the shafts. Launcelot is to be supposed as kneeling to receive the blessing, but with his back towards his father, who mis- takes the long back hair of Launcelot's head for a beard. There is here, no doubt, some reference to Jacob's deception. ^ Grows backward'] Grows contrary to the natural direction. * Set up my rest] To set up one's rest (meaning originally ' to stake one's all at the gaming table ') is to settle or come to a determination ; the phrase is here used ludicrously in relation to running away. In Eomeo and Juliet, iv. 5, the nurse says, ' The county Paris hath set up his rest that you shall rest but little.' ° Bum some ground] This is a poor pun, as if Launcelot had previously spoken of running a way. ' Every finger] An absurd inversion ; Launcelot means ' every rib I have with my fingers.' 46 THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT U. I am glad you are come : give me your present i to one master Bassanio, who, indeed, gives rare new liveries ; if I serve not him, I will run as far as God has any ground.^— rare fortune! here comes the man; — to him 3, father; for I am a Jew if I serve the Jew any longer. Entei- Bassanio, with Leonardo and other Followers. Bass. You may do so :— but let it be" so hasted that supper be ready at the farthest by five of the clock : See these letters delivered ; put the Hveries to making ; and desire Gratiano to come anon to my lodging. ■ \_Exit a Servant. Laun. To him, father. Gob. God bless your worship ! Bass. Gramercy ! * "Wouldst thou aught with me ? Gob. Here's my son, sir, a poor boy, — Laun. Not a poor boy, sir, but the rich Jew's man ; that would, sir, as my father shall specify, — Gob. He hath a great infection ^ sir, as one would say, to serve, — , Laun. Indeed, the short and the long is, I serve the Jew, and have a desire, as my father shall specify, — Gob. His master and he (saving your worship's re- verence) are scarce cater-cousins ^ : — ' Give me your present] The me is expletive; as in the phrases ' seal me there yom' bond,' ' pilled me certain wands,' &c. See note 1, p. 31. " As far as God has any ground] This perhaps refers to the limited amount of walking space in Venice. * To him] That is, speak to him, accost him. " Gramercy] Thanks : from the Prench grand merci. ' Infection] Meaning affection, that is, desire or inclination. « Cater-cousins] Cater is the French quatre, four, cousins in the fourth degree of removal. The meaning is that Launeelot and the Jew are of very different natures. SCENE ir. THE MERCHANT OF TENICE. 47 Zaun. To be brief, the very trutli is, that the Jew having done me wrong, doth cause me, as my father, being I hope an old man, shall irutify ' iinto you, — Goi. I have here a dish of doves, that I would bestow upon your worship ; and my suit is, — Laxm. In very brief, the suit is impertinent ^ to myself, as your worship shall know by this honest old man ; and, though I say it, though old man, yet, poorjnan, vl\j father. Bass. One speak for both : — What would you ? Laun. Serve you, sir. Goh. That is the very defect * of"the matter, sir. Bass. I know thee well, thou hast obtained thy suit : Shylock, thy master, spoke with me this day. And hath preferred thee *, if it be preferment. To leave a rich Jew's service, to become The follower of so poor a gentleman. Laun. The old proverb is very well parted ^ between my master Shylock and you, sir ; you have the grace of God, sir, and he hath enough. Bass. Thou speak'st it well. Go, father, with thy son :^ — Take leave of thy old master, and enquire My lodging out ; — ^give him a livery \_To Ms Followers. More guarded ' than his fellows' : See it done. ' Frutifp] This word is of Launcelot's own coining, and sepms to mean fruitfully expound. ' Impertinent^ Used by Launcelot for pertinent, that is, relative to myself. ' Defect] Gobho means the effect or substance of the matter. * Preferred thee] Eecommended thee. ^ Well parted] May appropriately be divided. — The old pro- verb referred to is ' He that hath the grace of God hath wealth enough.' " With thy son] This is said in consideration of the old man's blindness. ' More guarded] More richly braided or ornamented. The term 43 THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT II, Laun. Father, in : — I cannot get a service, no !^I have ne'er a tongue in my head ! — "Well; [looking on his palm] if any man in Italy have a fairer table ' ; v\rhich doth offer ^ to swear upon a book I shall have good fortune ! Go to, here's a siniple line of life * ! here's a small trifle of wives : Alas, fifteen wives is nothing : eleven widows and nine maids, is a simple coming in * for one man : and then, to scape drowning thrice ; and to be in peril of my life with the edge of a feather bed ^ ; here are simple 'scapes ! Well, if fortune be a woman, she's a good wench for this gear.^ — Father, come. I'll take my leave of the Jew in the twinkling, of an eye. [Uxeunt Laun. and Old Gob. Bass. I pray thee, good Leonardo, think on this : These things being bought, and orderly bestowed, Return in haste, for I do feast to-night My best esteemed acquaintance : hie thee, go. Leon. My best endeavours shalLbe done herein. guarded, as applied to a garment, originally signified bound or pro- tected at the edges, so as to be kept from being frayed or torn. ' A fairer table} In chiromancy, or palmistry, the middle or de- pressed part of the palm of the hand was called the table ; the in- dentation or line passing round the root of the thumb was the line of life; that -wEich begins under the root of the little finger and ex- tends towards the root of the fore finger, was the table line or line of fortune. " Which doth offer} Which table, or hand, as if it were ready to swear upon a book, distinctly and positively affirms that I shall have good fortujie. " A simple line of life} Launcelot uses the word simple in a jest- ing way for complicated. ■• Coming in} Prospect, fortune in store. " Edge} This word is absurdly borrowed by Launcelot from the phrase the edge of the sword. ^ „ ■ A, .^ ' This gear} This state of things, or this store of blessings. See note 2, p. 12. *" SCEN^ ir. IJSE MERCHANT OP VENICE. 49 Enter Gbatiano. Gra. Where's your master? Leon. Yonder, sir, he walks. \_Exit Leon. Gra. Signior Bassanio, — Bass. Gratiano ! Cha. I have a suit to you. Bass. You have obtained it. Gra. You must not deny me : I must go with you to Belmont. Bass. Why, then you must. — But hear thee ^ Gra- tiano ; '}^'ui,.^i-& iii~^ ,-tf->- - Thou art too wild, too rude, and bold of voice ; Parts, that become thee happily enough, And in such eyes as ours ^ appear not faults ; But where they are not known, why, there they show Something too liberal ^ : — ^pray thee, take pain To allay with some cold drops of m^Jflesty ?i ~ cc^ i.^ ri a^-J^^ Thy skipping spirit * ; lest, through thy wild behaviour, I be misconstrued in the place I go to. And lose my hopes. Gra. Signior Bassanio, hear me : If I do not put on a sober habit, ' Hear thee] Thee was often thus used for thou in the older Knglish ; compare ' hie thee,' ' haste thee,' ' fare thee well.' ' As ours] Ours is a possessive pronoun, plural nominative to are, understood. ' Show something too liberal] Appear somewhat too free(or licentious. "\ See note 2, p. 13. * r% skipping spirit] Thy frisking levity of disposition; thy frolicsome humour. So in Hamlet, iii. 4, ' Upon the heat and flame of thy distemper sprinkle cool patience ;' and in Henry VIII. (i. 1.) ' If with the sap of reason you would quench, or hut allay, the fire of passion.' 1> 50 THE MEECHANT OF VENICE. ACT n. Talk with respect, and swear but now and then, Wear prayer-books in my pocket, look demurely ; Nay more, while grace is saying ', hood mine eyes^ Thus with my hat, and sigh, and sslj' Amen ; Use aU the observance of civility, Like one well studied in a sad ostent ' To please his grandam, — never trust me more. Bass. "Well, we shall see your bearing. Gra. Nay, but I bar to-night * ; you shall not gage me By what we do to-night. Bass. No, that wctb pity ; I would entreat you rather to put on Your boldest suit of mirth ^, for we have friends That purpose merriment. But fare you well, I have some business. Gra. And I must to Lorenzo and the rest ; But we wUl visit you at supper-time. [^Exeunt. SCENE Ill.^-Venice. A Boom in Shylock's House. Enter Jessica and Launcelot. Jes. I am sorry thou wUt leave mj father so ; Our house is heU, and thou, a merry devU, Didst rob it of some taste ^ of tediousness. , ' Is saying] An example of the imperfect participle used pas- sively as when we say 'the house is building.' We now more com- monly employ being said, being built. ' Hood mine eyes} An allusion to the manner of covering & hawk's eyes, to make it tame. • Studied in «. sad ostenf] Practised in the art of putting on a serious aspect. • I bar to-night] I except to-night; you are not to make the restriction apply to what we do at the feast to-night, • Suit] Style or fashion. ' Sob it of some taste] Relieve or lighten it of some sense. SCENE IV. THE MEBOHABT OF VENICE. 51 But fare thee well ; there is a ducat for thee. And, Launcelot, soon at supper shalt thou see Lorenzo, who is thy new master's guest : Give him this letter"; do it secretly, And so farewell : I would liot have my father ' -r* ^. ^j . '-'^ See melB„talk with thee. ^ Laun. Adieu! — tears exhibit • my tongue. Most Jseau- tiful pagan, — most sweet Jew ! K a Christian do not play the knave ^ and get thee, I am much deceived : But, adieu ! these foolish drops do somewhat drown my manly spirit : adieu ! [Exit. Jes. Farewell, good Launcelot. Alack, what heinous sin ' is it iu me, To be ashamed to be my father's child ! But though I am a daughter to his blood, I am not to his manners : O Lorenzo, If thou keep promise, I shall end this strife ; * Become a Christian, and thy loving wife. [Exit. SCENE rV.— Venice. A Street. Enter Gkatiano, Loeenzo, Salaeino, and SotANio. Lor. Nay, we will sljnk away in supper-time. Disguise us at my lodging, and return, — AU in an h.oxa. ' Exhibit] This is Lanncelot's ludicrous mistake for inhibit, that is, restrain. ' Do not play the knave] If some Christian do not play a cunning game and get thee for his wife. — In the Hret Polio, the reading is ^id not, which makes get signify beget, /ff. ^. gi-G^i— ' What heinous siri] This may mean ' what a heinous sin ; ' but if the article he not understood, .sJ«;meaDS sinfulness. * This strife] This struggle between duty and inclination. d2 52 THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT n. Gra. We have not made good preparation. Salar. We have not spoke us ' yet of torchbearers. Solan. 'Tia vile, unless it may be quaintly ordered ; ' And better, in my mind, not undertook. Lor. 'Tis now but four o'clock ; we have two hours To furnish us. — Enter Launcelot, with a letter. Friend Launcelot, what's the news 7 Laun. An. it shall please you to break up this, it shall seem to signify. (mA.k Jf iC o^^wv- ^ J^'J^ (■i^ ifij^ Lor. I know the hand : in faith, 'tis a fair hand •,J~lL,it.l, And whiter than the paper it writ on Is the fair hand that writ. Gra. Love-news, in faith. Laun. By your leave, sir.* Lor. Whither goest thou ? Laun. Marry, sir, to bid my old master the Jew to sup to-night with my new master the Christian. Lor. Hold, here take this * : — tell gentle Jessica, I wiU not fail her ; — speak it privately : go. Gentlemen, [Exit Laun. Will you prepare you for this masque to-night ? 1 am proviSed of a torchbearer. Salar. Ay, marry, I'll be gone about it straight. Solan. And so will I. ' Spoke us] Bespoke torch-'bearers for us. — 'A torcli-bearer,' says Steevens, ' seems to have been a constant appendage on every troop of masks.' — Such forms as spoUe, undertook, &c., for spoken, undertaken, &c., are of usual occurrence in Shakspeare. ' Unless it Tnay be qmintly ordered^ Unless we have time to prepare and arrange it nicely, it wiU be a miserable afl^ir, and, In my opinion, had better be let alone. » By yowr learn, sir\ By your leave, sir, may I take my leave. * Take tUs\ An offer of money is here meant. SCENE V. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. 33 Lor. Meet me and Gratiano At Gratiano's lodging some hour hence.' Salar. 'Tis good we do so. \_I!x. Salae. and Solan. Gra. "Was not that letter from fair Jessica ? Lor. I must needs ^ tell thee all : — She hath directed ^ How I shall take her from her father's house ; What gold and jewels she is furnished with ; -/^^^ " What page's suit she hath in readiness. If e'er the Jew ^ her father come to heaven, It win be for his gentle daughter's sake ; And never dUe misfortune cross her foot, _^ Unless she do it under this excuse, — ,<_^cC '1 ' ' That she is issue to a fa,ithless Jew. ^^ — o-****-™^ "^ a,Vn'>^''^X> ^ Come, go with me ; peruse this as thou goest : o^ V^ yj,>^' Fair Jessica shall be my torchbearer. \_Exeunt. 'j-"-*^ SCENE V ^Venice. Before Shylock's House. Enter Shtlock and Launcelot. Shy. Well, thou shalt see, thy eyes shall be thy judge, The difference of old Shylock and Bassanio : What, Jessica ! — thou shalt not gormandize. As thou hast done with me ; — What, Jessica ! — And sleep, and snore,' and rend apparel out ; — Why, Jessica, I say ! ' Some how henee} In about an hour from this time. ' Needs} That is, of needs or necessity : an adverb. ' Directed] Given me to understand. — ^We are here obliged to strain the meaning of the verb, to make it applicable to the third and fourth lines. * ■• If e'er the Jew} The import of the next five lines is, that if the Jew be blessed, it will be for his daughter's goodness ; and if the daughter have an adverse fate, it will be on account of her father being an infidel Jew. 54 THE MERCHANT- OF VENICE. ACT II. Lawn. Why, Jessica ! Shy. Who bids thee call ? I do not bid thee call. Laun. Your worship was wont to tell me I could do nothing without bidding: Enter Jessica. Jes. Call you ? What is your will ? Shy. I am bid forth to supper, Jessica ; There are my keys : — But wherefore, should I go ? I am not bid for love ; they flfl.ttqr nie : ' But yet I '11 go in hate ^, to feed upon The prodigal Christian. — Jessica, my girl, Look to my house : — I am right ^ loth to go ; There is some ill a brewing towards my rest,^ ^"-I'^^^^jT t^'.i*' For I did dream of money-bags to-nigh t. " — - — ' ' *' ^'■'^"^Laun. I beseech you, sir, go ; my young master doth expect your reproach. Shy. So do I hia.5 Laun. And they have conspired together,- — I wiU not say you shall see a masque ; but if you do, then it was not for nothing that my nose fell a bleeding on Black-Monday^ ' Flatter me] Pretend friendship towards me. ' Yet I'll go in hate'] See note 2. p. 27. * Sight] Truly or very : an adverb. * Towards my rest] Against my quiet, or peace of mind. ° His] That is, his reproach ; Shylock having been used to suoh treatment ; Launcelot, of Course, used reproach for approach. " Black- Mondayi^. On .the 14th of April, 1360, being, Easter Monday, Edward III. was encamped with 'his army before Paris ; the day was very stOrmy, intensely cold, and dark with mist; and many of the soldieA- died from the severity of the weaithe*-; hence, it is said, Easter-Monday came to be called Black-Monday, The absurdity contained in this speech of LauUcAlot is, of course, on his own part, intentional nonsense. He is, indeed, throughout, an imi- tator of the character called the fool or jester. SCENE V. THE MEECHANT OP VENICE. 55 last, at six o' clock i' the morning, falling out that year on Ash-Wednesday was four year iti the afternoon. Shi/. What! are there masques ? Hear you me, Jessica : Lock up my doors ; and when you hear the drum. And the vik squealing of the wry-mecked. fife,'i'«. t^ C«^ . Clamber not you up to the. casements then, , Nor thrust your head into the public street, ^ To gaze on Christian fools with vajnished faces : hct^i-'-*^-^^ But stop my house's ears, I mean my casements; i^"—u-. «*''-' Let not the sound of shallow foppery enter Lt^-^i' '~.m'~ My sober house. — By Jacob's staffs I swear, I have no mind of feasting forth ^ to night : But I will go. — Go you before me, sirrah ; Say, I will come. Laun. I will go before, sir. — Mistress, look out at window for all this ; * There will come a Christian by, ^^ Will be worth a Jewess' eye.* le.a'-eS [^Exit Laun. Shy. What says that fooL of Hagar's offspring, ha ? ^ ' The wry-necJced fifej This refers not to the instrument, tut to the player. The fife, being blown not at the end but at the side, makes the player turn his neck awry. — Holinshed ( Chron. III. 805) refers to ' a drum and fife appaielled in white damask and green bonnets.' ' Jacob's staff'\ See G-en. xxxii. 10, and Heb. xi. 21. ° Feasting forth] Fonth often means out in Shalfspeare. * For all this] Notwithstanding all that your father has just said. 5 Worth u Jewess eye] Worthy of a Jewess's regard. — There is, here, however, n, playful allusion to the common saying ' worth a Jew's eye,' which became descriptire of anything very costly, from the circumstance of rich Jews baring been often threatened with mutilation, such as putting out an eye, drawing out of teeth, &c., in order to extort treasure from them. ' Fool of Hagar's offspring] When Mohammed made attempts to win over the numerous Jews resident in Arabia, they refused to own as a prophet one who was descended from Hagar the bondwoman.- — There is, of course, no reference to Arabian descent or Mohammedan 56 THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT II. Jes. His words were, Farewell, mistress ; nothing else.' Shy. The patch ' is kind enough ; but a huge feeder, Snail-sIow in profit^, and he sleeps by day- More than the wild cat : drones hive not with me,'* Therefore I part with him ; and part with him To one that I would have him help to waste * His borrowed purse. — Well, Jessica, go in ; Perhaps, I will return immediately ; Do as I bid you ; shut doors after you : Fast bind, fast find ; ^ — A proverb never stale in thrifty mind. l_Exit. Jes. Farewell ; and if my fortune be not crossed, I have a father, you a daughter lost. [_JE!tit, faith in calling Laimcelot one of Hagar's offspring ; all tliat is meant is, that he is an outcast Gentile and a menial. See Gen. xxi. 10, 'cast out the bondwoman and her son,' &c. ' Nothing else] Jessica here utters a falsehood through timidity as well as cunning. "We find Portia afterwards speaking falsely of her purpose, to Lorenzo, when she is about to set out from Belmont to Venice, Act iii. sc. 4. Such deceptions are to be put down to the account of dramatic expediency. There is less marring of character, when a princess of ancient Britain, the nobly virtuous Imogen, says, ' If I do lie, and do no harm by it, though the gods hear, I hope they'll pardon it.' See Cymbeline, iv. 2. ' Uie patcK\ The fool ; so called in allusion to the parti-coloured dress of fools being composed of patch-work. ' In profii] In working for his master's profit. ' Hive not vnth me] Are not for my hive. ' That I would have] Whom I would have Launcelot to assist in wasting the 30gp ducats. — JTiat, a, relative pronoun objective to help. ' Fast bind, fast find] What is securely bound will be readily found. SCENE VI. THE MERCHANT OF TENICE. S7 SCENE VI. — The same. Enter Geatiano and Salaeino, masqued. Gra. This is the pent-house', under which Lorenzo Desired us to make a stand. Salar. His hour is almost past. Gra. And it is marvel he out-dwells his hour,'' For lovers ever run before the clock. Salar. O, ten times faster Venus' pigeons ^ fly To seal love's bonds new made, than they are wont To keep obliged faith unforfeited ! ■* Gra. That ever holds : who riseth from a feast. With that keen appetite that he sits down ? •' Where is the horse that doth untread again ^ His tedious measures with the unbated fire That he did pace them first ? All things that are, Are with more spirit chased than enjoyed. How like a younker', or a prodigal,' The scarfed ' bark puts from her native bay, ' Pent-houae] A shed against a wall, with a roof of one slope. French, pente, downward slope. ? Out-dwelts] Awaits the completion of. ^ Venus' pigeons] Venus was represented with her son Cupid in a chariot drawn by doves. ' To keep obliged faitK] To maintain undishonoured their bond of faith after it has been contracted. * That he sits down] That he sits down with. — Such elhptical phraseology was in Shakspeare's time allowed to be good colloquial English. See note 2, p. 124. ' Untread again] Tread back again ; retrace his tedious steps with all the spirit that he paced them with the first time. ' A younJcer] A gay young fellow. ' A prodigal See the jarable of the Prodigal Son, Luke xv. 30. ' Which hath devoured thy living with harlots.' ° Scarfed^ Dressed with streamers. •a 3 88 THE MEECHAOT OF VENICE, ACT 11. Hugged and embraced by the strumpet wind ! How like a prodigal doth she return ; With over- weathered' ribs, and ragged sails, Lean, rent, and beggared by the strumpet wind ! Enter Loeenzo. Salar. Here comes Lorenzo ; — more of this hereafter. Lor. Sweet friends, your patience^ for my long abode: Not I, but my aiFairs, have. made you wait. When you shall please to play the thieves for wives, I'll watch as long for you then, — Approach ; Here dwells my father Jew : — Ho ! who's within ? Enter Jessica, above, in hoy's clothes. Jes. Who are you ? Tell me, for more certainty, Albeit I'll swear that I do know your tongue. Lor. Lorenzo, and thy love.^ Jes. Lorenzo, certain ; and my love, indeed ; For who love I ^ so much ? and now who knows But you, Lorenzo, whether I am yours ? ^ Lor. Heaven and thy thoughts are witness that thou art. Jes. Here, catch this' casket ; it is worth the pains. I am glad 'tis night, you do not look on me," For I am much ashamed of my exchange : ' Over-weathered] All weather-beaten. ^ Your patience'] I entreat your patience for my long tarrying. ' Love} Lover. — Jessica in her next speech uses Lorenzo's word to denote him as the object of her love. ' Who love I] Who for whom, and / for me, are common irregu- larities in Shakspeare. ' Tours] Your love ; the object of your love. ° Yuu dQ not look on me] So that you cannot see me well: for I am much ashamed of this exchange of woman's apparel for a page's suit. SOEKE vr. THE MERCHANT OF YENICE. 59 But love is blind, and lovers cannot see The pretty follies that themselves commit ; For if they could, Cupid himself would bluish To see me thus transformed to a boy. Lor. Descend, for you must be my torchbearer. Jes. What, must I hold a candle to my shames ? | They in themselves, good sooth, are too too-light.' Why, 'tis an office of discovery^, love ; And I should be obscured. Lor. So are you, sweet, Even in the lovely garnish of a boy. But come at once ; For the close night doth play the runaway,* And we are staid for at Bassanio's feast. Jes. I will make fast the doors, and gild myself With some more ducats, and be with you straight. {Exit, from above. Or a. Now, by my hood*, a Gentile^ and no Jew. Lor. Beshrew me*, but I love her heartily : For she is wise, if I can judge of her; • Too too-UgM] Too excessively eonspiouous. — Jessica has here a pimning reference to lightness or levity of conduct. The first too is an adverb modifying the adjective too-light ; see the Editor's Hamlet of Shakspeare, p. 18, note 2. ^ An office of disco/oery] The office of a torch-hearer is for showing what is in the way, whereas I ought to be shaded with concealment. ^ The close nighf] The secret stealthy night itself is running away. * By my hood] Gratiano wore a hood for concealment, and swears, as a monk might do, by his hood, that is, by his monastic character. = A gentUe] That is, a maiden of genteel spirit, and no niggard like a Jew. Gentile is the feminine of a French adjective. ° Beshrew me\ Curse me, let be be accursed, if I do not love her. Othello (iii. 3) uses the still stronger language 'Perdition catch my soul, but I do love thee ! ' 60 THE MEECHANT OF TENICE. ACT II, And fair she is, if that > mine eyes be true ; And true she is, as she hath proved herself; And therefore, like herself ^ wise, fair, and true. Shall she he placed in my constant soul. Enter Jessica, helow. What, art thou come ? — On, gentlemen, away ; Our masquing mates by this time for us stay. [Exit, with Jes. and Salae. Enter Antonio, Ant. Who's there ? Gra. Signior Antonio ? Ant. Fie, fie, Gratiano ! where are all the rest ? 'Tis nine o'clock ! our friends all stay for you : No masque to-night ' ; the wind is come about ; Bassanio p resen tly will go aboard : I have sent twefiJy out to seek for you. Gra. I am glad on't * ; I desire no more delight Than to be under sail and gone to-night. \_Exeunt. ' If that} In ttis old form of speech, if had, no doubt, its original meaning of an imperative, that is, ffif or give, grant, suppose that circumstance ; but in grammatical analysis the two words may be taken together as a complex eonjimction. ' Liie herself} In her true likeness, or as she really is. ' No masque to-night} Antonio seeing Gratiano with a mask tells him that there will be no masque to-night, for the wind has come round favourably for Bassanio's departure to Belmont. « On't} A corruption for o/ii;, ^«- i-^^i <=? ^■'^ Vt- ' ^w SCENE VIT. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. 61 SCENE VII. — Belmont. A room in Portia's House. Flourish of Coi-nets. Enter Poetia, with the Prince OF Morocco, and both their Trains. Por. Go, draw aside the curtains, and discover -'^^' The several caskets to this noble prince : — Now make your choice. Mar. The first, of gold, -v^o this inscription bears: y^.^ri, ii Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire. The second, silver, which this promise carries : Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves. This third, dull lead, with warning all as blunt : ' Who chooseth me mjist give and hazard all he hath. How shall 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.* i\^ /"o/Ui^u'f ^2- Mor. Some god direct my judgment ! Let me see. I will survey the inscriptions back again : * What says this leaden casket ? Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath. Must give — For what ? for lead ? hazard for lead ? This casket threatens : Men that hazard all ' All as blunt] Quite as rude or tmgenteel as the lead itself. ' Contains'] Supply which or that as nominative; the one of them which contains, &c. One is objective in apposition to the demonstrative that in the next line. The suppression of a relative pronoun of the nominative case is a frequent usage with Shakspeare, and is still tolerated, though not approved, in poetry. ' Withal] Along with the picture. — Yours is a possessive pro- noun, nominative case. * Back again] In reverse order. 62 THE MEECHANT OF TENICE. ACT II. Do it in hope of fair advantages : A golden mind stoops not to shows of dross ; I'll then nor give, nor hazard, aught for lead. What says th^ .silver, -with her virgin hue ? ^ Who chooseth me sJiall get as inuch as he, deserves. As much as he deserves ?— Pause there, Morocco, And weigh thy value with an even hand : ^ If thou be'st rated by thy estimation,* Thou dost deserve enough ; and yet enough May not extend so far as to the lady : And yet to be afeard of my deserving Were but a weak disabling * of myself. As much as I deserve ! — Why, that's the lady : I do in birth deserve her, and in fortunes, In graces, and in qualities of breeding ; ^ But mSfe than these ^, in love I do deserve. What if I strayed no farther, but chose here ? — • Let's see once more this saying graved in- gold : Who chooseth me shall gain whatmany men desire. Why, that's the lady : all the world desires her : From the four corners of the' earth they come, ' Virgin hue"] There is here an allusion to the silvery moon, the emblem of _ohastity, Luna being often confounded with the virgin goddess Diana. " With an even hand] With a steady hand, 'poising the scales evenly. ' Thj/ estimation'] Thy reputation. ■• Weak disabling] "Weak-minded dispai-Etging of my real noble- ness. = In graces and in qualities] In the manners 'and accomplish- ments that pertain to good breeding. ' Bnt mare than these] But what is more than these, I am de- serving as regards my love for her. SCENE vir. THE MKECHANT OF VENICE. 63 To kiss this skriae ', this mortal breathing saint. The Hyrcanian deserts ^, and the vasty wilds * ■zn:>-»* / ^"' - Of wide Arabia, are as through-fares now,* For princes to come view fair Portia : The watery kingdom, whose ambitious head ^ Spits in the face of heaven, is no bar To stop the foreign spirits ; but they come, As o'er a brook, to see fair Portia. One of these three contains her heavenly picture. Is't like that lead contains her ? ^ 'Twere damnation '' '^ 'A To think so base a thought : it wgre too gross * To rib her cereclothjn the obscure grave. Or shall I think in silver she's immured. Being ten times undervalued to tried gold ! ^ O sinful thought ! Never so rich a gem Was set in worse than gold. They have in England ' To kiss this shrine] As pilgrims to kiss this lady in ■whom so much excellence is enshrined, and who is, as it were, a saint, yet breathing the breath of this mortal life. ' Syrcanian deserts'] Hyrcania was a large tract of country in Asia, south-east of the Caspian Sea. ' Vasty mUds] Vasty, from the Latin vastus, means waste. ' Through-fares] Fare is from the Sa.Ts.on faran, to go. ' Whose ambitious head] Whose towering surge throws up froth and spray. — The poet likens the ocean to a kingdom whose sove- reign is so domineering that he threatens destruction to foreign travellers, and even treats heaven itself with haughty contempt. " That lead contains lier] An allusion to leaden coffins. ' Damnation] The ruin of my hope. " It were too gross] Lead would be too coarse a material even to enclose her cerecloth in the dark grave. ' Ten times undervalued] Silver- being ten times less precious than assayed gold. — This was the proportional value of these metals from the Anglo-Saxon period to the discovery of America : at, present ' it is about fourteen times ; the mint price of silver being 5s. 6d. au ounce, and of gold 77s. 10j(?. 64 THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT II. A coin, that bears the figure of an angel ' Stamped in gold ; but that's injculpedjopon ; But here an angel in a golden bed Lies all within. — Deliver me the key ; Here do I choose, and thrive I as I may ! ^ For. There, take it, prince, and if my fonn lie there, Then I am yours. \_He unlocks the golden casket. Mor. O hell ! what have we here ? A carrion death ^, within whose empty eye There is a written scroll ? I'll read the writing. All that ffUsters is not gold. Often have you heard that told ; Many a man his life hath sold * But my outside to behold : Gilded tomhs ^ do worms infold. Had you been as wise as bold, — Young in limbs ", — in judgment old, ' An angel] The value of the coin called an angel, once cm- rent in England, was ten shillings. The insculping of an angel on this coin is said to have originated in a reference to Pope Gregory's association of Angli and Angeli. • Thrive 7] Though I thrive as I may ; I choose here, and I do so whatever my success may be. • A carrion death] A skull, or a skeleton figure of death. His life hdth soW] This explains the inscription 'Who chooseth me shall get what many men desire.' Many have sacri- ficed all real enjoyment of life by chiefly desiring and striving to obtain gold, from which after all they have derived nothing better tlian the mere sight of it. The prince of Morocco had, as it were, sold his life for the sight of gold, because he was bound ' never to speak to lady afterward in way of marriage.' • Tonibs] The reading of the old copies is tvmher, which, if it be the true one, must have been used in a plural sense. " Young in limbs] Had you been as old in judgment as you are young in limbs that have brought you such a distance. — The con- struction is ' Had you, young in limbs, been old in judgment.' SOENE YIII. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. 65 Your answer had not been inscroUed.' Fare you well ; yov/r suit is cold.'' t^-^ji'it^-' , ' ^ i Cold, indeed ; and labour lost : Then, farewell Heat ; and welcome frost. — Portia, adieu ! I have too grieved a heart To take a tedious leave : thus losers part.* \_Exit. For. A gentle riddance : — ^Draw the curtains, go ; * — Let all of his complexion choose me so. [^Exeunt. SCENE VIII.— Venice. A Street. Enter Salaeino and Solanio. Salar. Why, man, I saw Bassanio under sail ; With him is Gratiano gone along ; And in their ship, I am sure, Lorenzo is not. Solan. The villain Jew with outcries raised the duke ; Who went with him to search Bassanio's ship. Salar. He came too late, the ship was under sail : But there the duke was given to understand,® That in a gondola were seen together Lorenzo and his amorous Jessica ; Besides, Antonio certified the duke. They were not with Bassanio in his ship, ' InseroUed] The answer for you had not teen found written here. ' Is cold] Has missed its aim. ' Part] Take their leave ; depart. * Go] This' is said to the servant:— go, draw the curtains. ' CHven to understand] The infinitive is here used like an objective noun, and is retained as an objective after the pa.ssive participle, as is usual when the verb, in its active voice, has both a direct and an indirect object. Compare Milton, P. L. i. 735, ' Whom the supreme King gave to rule the orders bright. 66 THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT n. Solan. I never heard a passion ' so confused, So strange, outrageotis ^, and so variable, As 5 the dog Jew did titter in the streets : My daughter ! — my ducats. 1—0 my .daughter ! Fled with a Christian ! — my christian ducats ! — " Justice ! the law ! my ducats, and my daughter ! A sealed hag, two sealed hags of ducats., Of double ducats ^, stolen from me hy my daughter 1 And jewels ; two stones, two rich and precious stones. Stolen by my daughter ! — Justice ! find the girl ! She hath the stones upon her, .and. the ducats ! Salar. Why, all the boys in Venice follow him, Crying, — his stones, his daughter; and his ducats. Solan. Let good Antonio look he keep his day, Or he shall pay for this. Salar. Mkrry, well remembered : , "*?**" 3 I reasoned ^ with a Frenchman yesterday. Who told me, — in the narrow seas that part The French and English, there' miiscarried A vessel of our country, richly fraught : I thought upon Antonio when he told me. And wished in silence ^ that it were not his. Solan. You were best ^ to tell Antonio what you hear ; Yet do not suddenly, for it may grieve him. Salar. A kinder gentleman treads not the earth. ' A passion] An agitation of mind. ' Outrageous'] Prom the French outre and agir, corresponding to the Latin ultra, heyond, and agere, to act. ' As] This Tvord is not here used as a, relative pronoun ; the sense being ' as that passipn, was which,' &c. ■■ Double ducats] Coins of twice the valne of a ducat. ' I reasoned] I was discussing some matters. ° In silence] Within my own mind. ' Yojt were best] ' It were best for you. See the Editor's Julius Osesar, p. 96, note 2. SCENE vnr. THE MEHOHA.NT OF VENICE. 67 I saw Bassanio and Antonio part : Bassanio told him, he would make some speed Of his return : he answered — Do not so, Slubber not ^ business for my sajoe, Bassanio, U^ c-c^^^'-i-^-y But stay 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 chiefest thoughts To courtship, and such fair ostents of love- ^ As shall conveniently become you there: i>->^fu^■■*> To my heart's hope ! — Gold, silver, and base lead. Wh) chooseth tm must give and hazard all he hath. You -shall look fairer, ere I give, or hazard. What says the golden chest? ha ! let me see : Who chooseth me shall gain what many m£n desire. What many men desire. — That many may be meant By the fool multitude ^, that choose by show. Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach,* Which pries not to th' interior, biit, like the martlet, ® Builds in the weather * on the outward wall, Even in the force and road of casualty.^ I. will not choose what many men desire. Because I wiU not jump * with common spirits, And rank me with the barbarous multitudes. ' Addressed me] Prepared myself ; disposed of myself. ' Fortune now\ Success now to the hope of my heart ! ' By the fool multitude'] In reference to ; respecting. See note 3, p. 20. — That word many may be meant to refer to the undiaeerning or witless multitude. — Many, a noun, in apposition to the demon- strative that ; fool, an adjective to multitude, the meaning being the multitude composed of fools ; compare fool gudgeon (note 7, p. 11), that is, the gudgeon which is the fool's prize, — which the most un- skilful angler can easily catch. ' Not learning more] Not understanding anything beyond what the too quickly pleased, easily beguiled eye informs them of. ^ Martlet] The martinet, or house-martin, a species of swallow. ° In the weather] In the open air. — The martlet often builds its nest against a perpendicular wall, with generally a north or north- east aspect. ' Emen in the force] In direct exposure to the assaults of acci- dent. ' Jii/mp] Be on a level. — To jump is to agree exactly; sometimes it means to risk or hazard, ji^-n^h , &.« «. t-^tx^-ce^ . %"« ' '- ^^ (3 /-A I- '',}fi_ 70 THE MEKCHANT OF VENICE. ACT n. Why, then to thee ', thon silver' treasure-house ; Tell me once more what title thou dost bear : Who chooseth nie shall get as much as he deserves. And well said too. For who shall go abput^ To cozen fortune, and be honourable "Without the stamp of merit ! Let none presume To wear an undeserved dignityj O, that estates 3, degrees, and offices, Were not derived corruptly ! and that clear honour * Were purchased by the merit of the wearer ! How many then should cover ® that stand bare ! How many be commanded that command ! How much low peasantry would then be gleaned ^ From the true seed of honour ! and how much honour Picked ^ from the chaff and ruin of the times, To be new varnished ! WeU, but to my choice : Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves : I wiU assume desert : — Give me a key for this, And instantly unlock my fortunes here. For. Too long a pause * for that which you find, there. ' To iheel Let me go or come to thee. See note 4, p. 131. ' Go about to cozen} Seek opportunity to cheat ; aim at cheating. Compare John vii. 19, ' Why go ye about to kill me ? ' • Estates} Banks. — Oh how it is to be desired that estates, &c. ■* And that clear honour} And that honour amongst us -were clear, that is, pure or genuine, being purchased, &e. ^ Cover} How many should wear their hats who now stand un- covered before superiors. ' Would be gleaned} Would be found mixed with and would he separated from. ' Ficked} Would be picked out among the neglected and c to be adorned with the outward signs of dignity. ' Too long a pause} Viz. even the instant urdocMng. SCENE IX. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. 71 Ar. What's here ? the portrait of a blinking ^ idiot, Presenting me a schedule ? I will tead it. — How much unlike art thou to Portia ! How much unlike my hopes and my deservings ! Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves. Did I deserve no more than a fool's head ? Is that my prize ? are my deserts no better ? For. To offend, and judge ^, are distinct offices. And of opposed natures. Ar. What is here ? The fire ' sevem times tried this ; * Seven times tried that judgment is That did never choose amiss : Some there be that shadows kiss; Such have but a shadow's bliss ; There be fools alive, Iwis,^ I o'er ; and so was this. " Peeping with twinkling eyes, ' To offend and judge) You must not be both oflfender and judge, thus assuming two distinct and contrary capacities. ' The fi/re'\ Fire is here used as a dissyllable ; so is tried, which howeyer, is monosyllabic in the line following. Shakspeare extends or contracts such words as suits the metre ; and in this way we often find him requiring a dissyllabic pronunciation of the common ter- minations -Hon, -sion, as in the line, ' Lie all unlocked to your occa- sions,' p. 14. * Seven times tried this] Tried this silver seven times. — The Psalmist (xii. 6) speaks of ' pu^e words, as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven timeSi' ' Z wis] This expression, Professor Graik says, 'ought to be ■written 2/wis ovywiss, corresponding as it does' exactly to the modern German gewiss:'-r-'\t is one word, and that an adverb, signifying certainly, probably.' It is commonly regarded as a verb of present tense, signifying / know, or as I deem. ' So was thisi So was this inanimate pictitre of one. 72 THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. act li. Take what wife you will to bed, I will ever be yoii/r head : ' So begone ; you are sped. Still more fool I shall 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'U keep my oath, Patiently to bear my wroth. \JExeunt Aekagon and Train. For. Thus hath the candle singed the moth.^ — O these deliberate fools 1 when they do choose. They have the wisdom ^ by their wit to lose. Ner. The ancient saying is no heresy j ■* — Hanging and wiving goes by destiny. For. Come draw the curtain, Nerissa. Enter a Servant. Se^'v. Where is my lady ! For. Here ; what would my lord 1 ' Serv. Madam, there k alighted at your gate ' / will ever be your head\ I, a fool's head, -will ever be your re- presentative. — There is allusion here to the husband being the head of the wife, and to the prince being now debarred from marrying. 2 Thus hath the candle] Thus hath the dazzling attraction of the silver proved to him as the candle that singes the moth. — ^Portia adds this rhyming line in playful mimicry. ' They have the vrisdom] That is, fortunately for me. ' No heresy] No false proverb. So in Fletcher's Wife for a Month, ii. 1 : ' Marriage and hanging go by destiny.' ' Here ; what would my lord^ Here is your lady, as you call her ; what does my lord want ? — a jesting freedom with the title my lady. So in Henry IV. Act ii. so. 4, the hostess, addressing the Prince of Wales, says ' My lord the prince ; ' upon which he says, ' How now, my lady the hostess ?' SCENE IX. THE MEKOHANT OF VENICE. 73 A young Venetian,' one that comes before To signify the approaching of his lord ; From whom he bringeth sengble regreets ; ^ To wit 3, besides commends and courteous breath*, Gifts of rich value ; yet I have not seen ^ So likely " an ambassador of love : A day in April never came so sweet. To show how costly summer was at hand, As this fore-spurrer ' comes before his lord. For. No more, I pray thee, I am half afeard. Thou wilt say anon he is some kin to thee. Thou spend'st such high-day wit' in praising him. Come, come, Nerissa ; for I long to see Quick Cupid's post that comes so mannerly. Ner. Bassanio, lord Love ^, if thy will it be ! [^Exeunt. ' A young Venetian^ Gratiano. ^ Serisible regreets] Tangible tokens of respect; substantial greetings or salutations. ' 3b vnt] From the Saxon verb, witan, to know. It now means ' that you may know,' or ' to let you know,' or ' namely ; ' corre- sponding to the Latin scilicet, i.e. scire licet, or to videlicet (viz.), i.e. videre licet. ' Commends'] Commendings, or expressions of respect, and courteous words. * Yet I have not] I have not yet, or never yet. " lAlcely] Pleasing, attracting one's liking; so in Julius Caesar, iii. 3, ' Things unlikely charge my fantasy.' ' Fore-spurrer] Precursor, announcing messenger. ' High-day wit] A high-day is a day of special ceremony, a special holiday. See John xix. 31. Hence, in the Merry "Wives, iii. 2, the host says of Fenton, 'he speaks holiday,' that is, 'in holiday terms,' according to Hotspur (1 Henry IV., Act i. Sc. 3). ' Bassanio, lord Love] may it be Bassanio, lord Cupid, if it is agreeable to thy will. 74 THE MEEOHAMT 'Or TENKTE. act TO. ACT III. SCENE I.— Venice. A Street. Enter Sohjuaioand Sai-aeino. Solan, Now, what news on the Eialto ? Salar. Why, yet it lives there unchecked^, that Antonio hath a ship of rich lading wraieked on the narrow seas, — the Goodwins *, I think they call the place : a very danger- rous flat and fata;l, where the carcases of many a tall ship lie buried, as they' say, if my gossip^ report^ be an honest woman of her word. Solan. I would she were as lying a gossip in that, as ever knapped ginger *, or made her neighbours believe she wept ' Yet it lives] ■ The report still prevails there uncontradicted. ^ The &oodvdns] The Goodwin sand lies opposite the coast lof Kent; according to tradition, it was once an island forming the estate of Goodwin, Earl of Kent, and was destroyed by the sea in 1097. The sand was thought to possess a peculiarly 'voracious and ingurgitating property,' so that a ship of the largest size, happening to strike on it, would in a few days be entirely swal- lowed up. ' Gossip] Gossip or gossih, is an Anglo-Sason compound of God and sib, the latter word meaning akin or related-; it originally de- noted a sponsor at baptism, and has come to denote an idle news- teller, probably from the tattling conversation carried oe amodg the gossips at the usual festive "meeting after the Ibaptism of a child. . ;;.■ * Knapped ginger] Broke or crushed pieces. 'of ginger to produce watering of the eyes for a pretence of weeping. — To knap is the pame as to snap. SCENE I. THE MEECHANT OF TENICE. 75 for the death of a Ihircl hiisband : But it is true, — without any slips i of prolixity, or crossing the plain highway of talk, — that the good Antonio, the honest Antonio, — O that I had a title good enough to keep his name company ! — Salar. Come, the full stop. Solan. Ha, — what say'st thou? — Why, the end is, he hath lost a ship. Salar. I would it might prove the end of his losses ! Solan. Let me say Amen betimes, lest the devil cross my prayer ^ ; for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew. Enter Shtlock. How now, Shylock ? what news among the merchants ? Shy. You knew, none so well, none so well as you, of my daughter's flight. Salar, That's certain. I, for my part, knew the tailor that made the wings she flew withal.* '''^' ''-"//» a^u^iTtwi. Solan. And Shylock, for his own part, knew the bird was fledged ; and then it is the complexion of them all to leave the dam.'* Shj. She is damned for it.* ' Slips] Slippings aside ; digressions. ' Cross my prayer] Thwart or obstruct my prayer. ' The tailor'] The parent-bird ; the mother.— Salarino here jests very cruelly. * The complexion] The natural disposition of all birds when fledged. See note 1, p. 37. ' Damned] It may be thought that this punning reference to the word dam is inconsistent with Shylock's present state of mind ; but it was meant to express a wrathful not a jesting humour. See notes 1, p, 113, and 6, p. 119. b2 76 THE MEKCHANT OF VENICE. ACT Ml. Salar. That's certain, if the devil may be her judge. Shy. My own flesh and blood to rebel ! * Solan. Out upon it 2, old carrion ! rebels it at these years ? ' Shy. I say, my daughter is my flesh and blood. Salar. There is more difference between thy flesh and hers, than between jet and ivory ; more between your bloods, than there is between red wine and Ehenish ^ : — But tell us, do you hear whether Antonio have had any loss at sea or no ? Shy. There I have another bad match ^ : a bankrupt, a prodigal, who dare scarce show his head on the Eialto ; a beggar, that was used to come so smug ^ upon the mart. — Let him look to his bond : he was wont to call me usurer ; — let him look to his bond : he was wont to lend money for a Christian courtesy ; — let him look to his bond. Salar. Why, I am sure, if he forfeit, thou wilt not take his flesh ? What's that good for ? Shy. To bait fish withal: if it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me, and hindered me half a miUion^; laughed at my losses, ' To rebel] An infinitive of exclamation. ' Out upon if] Away with your flesh and blood! — Out is here a kind of interjection; the phrase has reference to pronouncing sentence of expulsion upon anything. ' At these years T] At your time of life ? * BhenUh] Ehenish mne is of a very light colou3%, » MatcK] Connecti'^>iS-*- '-'-ri "^^^ tv-^-A. ■ " 80 smug] So sprucely dressed on the Exchange. ' Half a million] From half a million ducats : adverWal to hindered. Half may he considered adjective to a mUlion, as all is in the phrase all the world. SCENE I. TITE MERCHANT OF VENICE. 77 mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies ; — and what's his reason ? I am a Jew : Hath not a Jew eyes ? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions', senses, affec- tions, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is ? If you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die ? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge ? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility?^ revenge: If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance^ be by Christian ex- ample ? why, revenge. The villany ■* you teach me I will execute ; and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.* Enter a Servant. Sei-v. Gentlemen, my master Antonio is at his house, and desires to speak with you both. Salar. "We have been up and down to seek him, ' Dimensions] Qualities of stature, as tallness, stoutness, &c. " His humility] The meekness with which the Christian bears the wrong. ' Sufferance] forbearance. ' The villany] The wickedness, as you call it, but which you nevertheless teach by your example. — Objective to execute. 5 It shall go hard] However hard it may be for me, I will sur- pass you in revenge. See Matt. v. 38—48, ' An eye for an eye,' &c. So in Hamlet (last speech of Act iii.), ' It shaU go hard but I will delve one yard below their mines.' 78 THE MEBCHANT OP VENICE. ACT ui. Enter Tubal. Solan. Here comes another of the tribe ; a third cannot be matched, unless the devil himself turn Jew. \_Exeunt Solanio, Salaeino and Servant. Shy. How now, Tubal, what news from Genoa? hast thou found my daughter? Tub. I often came where I did hear of her, but cannot find her. Shy. Why, there, there, there, there ! a diamond gone, cost me two thousand ducats in Frankfort ! The curse never fell upon our nation till now.' I never felt it till now : — two thousand ducats in that ^ ; and other precious, > precious jewels. — I would my daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear ? would she were hearsed at my foot, and the ducats in her coffin ! No news of them ? — Why, so' : — and I know not how much is spent in the search : Why, thou loss upon loss ^ ! the thief gone with so much, and so much to find the thief; and no satis- faction, no revenge : nor no ill luck stirring but what lights ■ o' my shoulders ; no sighs but o' my breathing ; no tears but o' my shedding. Tub. Yes, other men have ill luck too. Antonio, as I heard in Genoa, — ■ Shy. What, what, what ? ill luck, ill luck ? ' Till now] See note 2, p. 68. — AH the calamity that has yet fallen upon our nation is as nothing compared with this. ' In thaf] In the diamond. ' So] So ends that endeavour. * Loss wpon loss} The meaning here is not one loss after another, but loss arising out of loss ; one loss having heen the means of in- curring the other. SCENE I. TJBCE MERCHANT OF VENICE. 7,9 Tub. — hath, an argosy cast away'j coming from Tripolis. Shy. I thank God, I thauk God:— Ig it true? is it true ? Tub. X spoke with some of the sailors, that escaped t^e ■wrack. , , Shy. I thank thee, good Tubal ; — Good newBj good news : ha ! ha ! — Where ? in Genoa ? Tub. Your daughter spent in Genoa, as I heard, one night ^, fourscore ducats ! Shy. Thou stick'st a dagger in me : — I shall never see my gold again : Fourscore ducats at a sitting ! fourscore ducats ! Tub. There came divers of Antonio's creditors, in my company to Venice, that swear he cannot choose' but break. Shy. I am very glad of it : I'll plague him ; I'll torture him ; I am glad of it. Tub. One of them showed me a ring, that he had of your daughter for a monkey. Shy. Out upon her ; * Thou torturest me. Tubal : it was my turquoise^; I had it of Leah, when. I was a ' Hath an argosy cast away]. It would appear that one, if not more, of Antonio's argosies had really miscarried, and tliat thus there was a partial foundation for the report respecting the loss of all the ships. Towards the conclusion of the play, w.e learn, that three of the argpsies have ' richly come to harbgur suddenly.' 2 One night} Spent in one night. ' Choose'] This is the word usually understood in such ellipses as ' he cannot but break.' Brea^ is an infinitive : he caanot choose to do otherwise than to break. * Out upon her] See note 1, p. 76. ' Turquoise] The French form of the word Turkois, which de- notes a bluish-green gem brought from 'Persia. This, stone was supposed to have the mysterious property of moving spontaneously SCENE II.. — Belmont. 80 THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT m. bachelor : I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys. Tvh. But Antonio is certainly undone. Shy. Nay,' that's true, that's very true : Go, Tubal, fee me an officer, bespeak him a fortnight before ; I will have the heart of him, if he forfeit ; for were he out of Venice, I can make what merchandise I will : Go, Tubal, and meet me at our synagogue, go, good Tubal ; at our synagogue. Tubal. \_Exeu,nt. So -4-*-6-o-*l - 3"//- 0^5'.^t«>i^ i, St.^tj^t.j^ . p%^ t*>i,^'. , £, With oaths of love, at last, — -if promise last, — K/r-'^ I got a promise of this fair one here, ' ' To have her love, provided that ^ your fortune Achieved her mistress.* For. Is this true, Nerissa ? Ner. Madam, it is, so you stand pleased withal.' Bass. And do you, Gratiano, mean good faith ? Grra. Yes, faith *, my lord. ' Wish name from me] Gratiano says this in playful reference to the double meaning of from; yon can wish no joy to be kept from me ; you will not hegrudge my having Nerissa for a wife. ' So] If: — a frequent meaning of so in the old writers. ' Intermission] Delay. ' Sweat again] The word again Msei in this manner, means to opposition, or in tjie endeavour to overcome ; it is still in provincial use for against. ' Provided that] An abridgment for ' it being provided that.' ' Achieved] Should obtain or win for you. ' So you stand pleased withcd] If you have no objection to my saying it. ' Faith] In faith ; sincerely : a play on Bassanio's question. SCENE II. THE MERCHANT OF YENICi:, 93 Bass. Our feast shall be much honoured in your marriage. Gra. But who comes here ? Lorenzo, and his infidel ! What 7 and my old Venetian friend, Solanio ! Enter Lorenzo, Jessica, and Solanio. ', Bass. Lorenzo, and Solanio, welcome hither, — If that the youth of my new interest here ' Have power to bid you welcome: — By your leave, I bid my very friends and countrymen, Sweet Portia, welcome. Por. So do I, my lord ; They are entii-ely welcome. Lor. I thank your honour. — For my part, my lord, My purpose was not to have seen'' you here : Stx- ,A'(-4--f^^ But meeting with Solanio by the way. He did entreat me, past all saying nay,^ To come with him along. Solan, I did, my lord, And I have reason for it. Signior Antonio Commends him to you. \_Gives Bassanio a letter. Bass. Ere I ope his letter, I pray you teU me how my good friend doth. Solan. Not sick, my lord, unless it be in mind ; Nor well, unless in mind : his letter there WiU show you his estate. ^ ' If that the youth'\ If, in my newly acquired position here, I may take the liberty to, &e. See note 1, p. 60. ^ To have seeri] It was not my purpose to visit. — After expres- sions of intention, expectation, and the like, the present infinitive is usually more correct than the perfect; but see the Editor's First Book of Milton, note on I. 40. ' Past] A preposition. — In spite of all refusal. 94 THE MERCHANT OF TENICE. ACT nr. Gra. Nerissa, cheer yon stranger ; bid her welcome. Your hand, Solanio. What 's the news from Venice ? How doth that royal merchant ', good Antonio? I know he will be glad of our success ; We are the Jasons, we have won the fleece.^ Solan. I would you had won the fleece that he hath lost! For. There are some shrewd ^ contents in yon same paper, That steals the colour from Bassanio's cheek ; Some dear friend dead ; else nothing in the world Could turn so much the constitution Of any constant * man. What, worse and worse ? — With leave, Bassanio : I am half youjself, And I must freely have the half of anything That this same paper brings you. Bass. O sweet Portia, Here are a few of the 'Unpleasant' st words That ever blotted paper ! Gentle lady, When I did first impart my love to you, I freely told you, all the wealth I had Ean in my veins,^! was a geatleman ; And then I told you true : and yet; dear lady, Rating myself at nothing, you shall see ,; How much I was, a braggart. ;W.hen I told you My state was nothing, I should then ha.ve told .you That I was Worse than nothing '; for, indeed, ; I have engaged myself to a dear friend; , , i , , ' Royal inerchani] Royal means here pre-eminent among mer- chants. — Sir Thomas Gresham was called ' the royal merchant' on account of his princely wealth and munificence, and partly, perhaps, from the distinction' with which he wa;s treated by Queen Eliza- beth, who frequently' consulted him with reference to commercial matters. • ■'■' ' '' "" ^ Won ihe fieecel See'note'S, p. 16. ' ' ' ' ' '' ' Shrewd] Mischievous, hurtful. • Constant] Sober-minded. %<(af^*'-^A^-f'>U'-^-''^- SCENE II. THE MERCHANT OF TENICE. 95 Engaged my friend to his mere enemy,' 6^o«-- {,''-»:■>. ' '.,■ ■^~ ■ '^) To feed my means. Here is a letter, lady ; The paper as the body ^ of my friend, And every word in it a gaping wound, Issuing life-blood. But is it true, Solanio ? Have aU his ventures failed ? What, not one hit ? ^ From Tripolis, from Mexico, and England, From Lisbon, Barbary, and India,- — And not one vessel 'soape the dreadful touch '' Of merchant-marring rocks ? Solan. Not one, my lord. Besides, it should appear, that if he had The present money to discharge the Jew, He would not take it. Never did I know A creature that did bear the shape of man, So keen and greedy to confound a man : He plies the duke at morning, and at night ; And doth i mpeach the freedom of the state ■' ^ \ ^7 j %. If they deny him justice : twenty merchants. The diike himself, aind the magnrficoes Of greatest port ^, have aU persuaded ^ with him ; But none can drive him from the envious * plea Of forfeiture, of justice, and his bond. ' Mere enemy] The original sense of mere is pure, unmixed, — I have bound over my friend to his very enemy. ^ Thepaper as the hody\ The paper of it being as, &c. ' Hit] Succeeded; literally, hit the mark. * Tottch] Contact, encounter. — To have vessels from Tripolisi &c., and not one to steer clear of those rocks that are so injurious to merchants. ° Irrvj^each the freedom\ Impeach the state of a violation of those laws by which it engages to protect the rights qf strangers. ' Magmfiooes of .greatest 'port] Grrandees of greatest importance. ' FersuadeS] Tried or used persuasion. ' Eiam(ms\ Malicious. 9G THE MEKCHANT OF VENICE- ACT III. Jes. When I was with him, I have heard him swear To Tubal, and to Chus, his countrymen, That he would rather have Antonio's flesh Than twenty times the value of the sum That he did owe him ; and I know, my lord, If law, authority, a-nd power deny not,* It will go hard with poor Antonio. For. Is it your dear friend that is thus in trouble ? Bass. The dearest friend to me, the kindest man. The best conditioned and unwearied ^ spirit In doing courtesies ; and one in whom The ancient Roman honour more ^ appears. Than any that draws breath in lialy. For. What sum owes he the Jew ? Bass. For me ■*, three thousand ducats. For. What, no more ? Pay him six thousand, and deface the bond ; Double six thousand, and then treble that. Before a friend of this description Shall lose a hair ^ through Bassanio's fault. First, go with me to church, and call me wife, And then away to Venice to your friend ; For never shall you lie by Portia's side ' Deny nof] Do not refuse to sanction it, and interfere to for- bid it. ' Unwearied] This word is out of grammatical propriety, but may be allowed to borrow a superlative meaning from the adverb best. " Ancient Soman honoriA"] This is appropriately said with refe- rence to modern Italy. < For me] Bassanio uses this expression to modify the phrase owes he. , ' Before a friend shall lose a hair] Before, a, conjunction. See note 2, p. 80. — The word hair is here used as a dissyllable, denote 3, p. 71 ; also 1 Kings i. .52. SCESE III. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. i,7 With an unquiet soul. You shall have gold To pay the petty debt twenty times over ; ' When it is paid, bring your true friend along : My maid Nerissa and myself, meantime, Will live as maids and widows. Come, away ; For you shall hence upon your wedding-day : Bid your friends welcome, show a merry cheer : ^ Since you are dear bought, I will love you dear. But let me hear the letter of your friend. 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 that I should live, all debts are cleared between you and I*, if I might but see you at my death. Notwith- standing, use your pleasure : if your love do not persuade you to come, let not my letter." For. 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. [Exeunt. SCENE III. —Venice. A Street. Enter Shtlock, Salaeino, 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. ' Over'] Adverb to counted understood. '■' Cheer] Countenance : from the Italian ciera. ^ Forfeit] A perfect participle, iov forfeited. ' You and 1] A common colloquial error, in the use of 7 for me. See line 2, p. 82. 98 THE MEKCHANT OF VENICE. act hi. Ant. Hear me yet, good Shylook. Shy. m have my bond ; speak not against my bond ; I have sworn an oath that I will have my bond : Thou call'dst me dog, before thou hadst a cause ; But, since I am a dog, beware my fangs : The duke shall grant me justice. — I do wonder, Thou naughty gaoler, that thou art so fond * h,-,.. n^-' l-^"'^' To come abroad with him at his request. Ant. I pray thee, hear me speak. Shy. rU have my bond ; I wiU not hear thee speak : I'U have my bond ; and therefore speak no more. I'll not be made a soft and duU-eyed ^ fool, To shake the head, relent, and sigh, and yield To Christian intercessors.^ Follow not ; I'U have no speaking ; I will have my bond. [_Ex. Set. Salar. It is the most impenetrable cur That ever kept * with men. Ant. Let him alone ; I'll foUow him no more with bootless prayers. He seeks my life ; his reason well I know ; I oft delivered from his forfeitures ^ Many that have at times made moan to me ; Therefore he hates me. Salar. I am sure the duke Will never grant this forfeiture to hold.^ Ant. The duke cannot deny the course of law, ' 80 fonS\ So easy-tempered, or soft. ''■ Sidl-eyei] Viz., througli sorrowing pity. , - ° Christian intercessors] That is, the duke, the inerehants, &e. referred to in the preceding scene. ' Kep(\ Dwelt, or associated. ° Forfeitures'] The penalties of exorbitant interest under which he hound those who could not meet his claims, and who solicited fur- ther credit. " To hold] To hold good ; or to he carried out. SCENE IT. THE MERCHANT OP TENICE. 99 For the commodity • that strangers have With us in Venice ; if it be denied, 'T will much impeach ^ the justice of the state, Since that ^ the trade and profit of the city Consisteth of all nations. Therefore, go. These griefs and losses have so 'bated me,^ That I shall hajdly spare a pound of flesh To-morrow to my bloody creditor. Well, gaoler, on.— Pray God, Bassanio come To see me pay his debt, and then I care not ! [_Exeunt. SCENE IV. — Belmont. '''A Room in Portia's House. Enter Portia, Neeissa, Lorenzo, Jessica, and Balthazar. Lor. Madam, although I speak it in your presence. You have a noble and a true conceit Of godlike amity ^ ; which appears most strongly * For the commodity\ On account of the accommodation or con- venience : the arrangement hy iivhich Venice affords to foreigners great pecuniary facilities. ^ 'Twill much impeach'] The old copies have 'Will much im- peach,' which makes it difficult to extract a good sense from the passage. — If the course of law he disallowed or resisted, it will expose the state to the imputation of gross injustice. ' Since that] It was formerly customary to indicate by the word that the substantive character of clauses following the words since, after, for, Sec. ; these words being really prepositions, although now, when they govern clauses, they are usually and conveniently re- garded as conjunctions. Compare what is said in note 2, p. 80, and in note 1, p. 60. ' The trade and profit ' signifies that part of the community which brings trade and profit to the city. * 8o 'bated ms] So reduced, wasted, or emaciated me. * Godlike amity] You regard with a noble and just estimation the godlike spirit of friendship, as is strongly proved by your con- 1 f2 100 THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT Itl. In bearing thus the absence of your lord. But, if you knew to whom you show this honour, How true a gentleman you send relief. How dear a lover of my lord your husband, I know you would be prouder of the work. Than customary bounty can enforce you.' For. I never did repent for doing good ; Nor shall not now : for in companions ^ That do converse and waste ^ the time together, Whose souls do bear an equal yoke ■* of love. There must be needs a like proportion Of lineaments ®, of manners, and of spirit ; Which makes me think that this Antonio, Being the bosom lover of my lord. Must needs be like my lord. If it be so, How little is the cost I have bestowed, In .purchasing the semblance ^ of my soul senting thus to endure Bassanio's absence on account of hie friend Antonio. ' 'Enforce you\ Supply to be, — Can have power to make you. ' For in companions] The word for introduces a reason why Portia says ' nor shall not now,' that is, and much less'sliall I do so on the present occasion. ' Waste] The word here means spend. * An equal yoke] The allusion is to two horses or oxen, of similar appearance, yoked together. ' A like proportion of lineaments] A similarity in those features that form the mind's expression in the face. — With regard to the moral resemblance between friends, Cicero, (De Amicitid,) adopting the definition of Aristotle, calls a true friend ' alter idem,' " second self and says 'Amicum qui intuetur, tauquam exemplar aliquod intuetur sui.' ° Purchasing the semblance] Eedeeming (as it were from pur gatory) the counterpart of him who is my soul, from a state of sub- jection to hellish punishment. — From out is for out from. See note 1, p. 114. SCENE IV. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. 101 From out the state of hellish cruelty ! This comes too near^the praising of myself; Therefore, no more of it : hear other things. Lorenzo, I commit into your hands The husbandry and manage ' of my house. Until my lord's return. For mine own part, I have toward heaven breathed a secret vow, To live in prayer and contemplation. Only attended by Nerissa here, Until her husband and my lord's return ; There is a monastery two miles oflF, And there we will abide. I do desire you Not to deny this imposition ; ^ The which my love, and some necessity. Now lays upon you. Lor. Madam, with all my heart I shall obey you in all fair commands. For. My people do already know my mind, And will acknowledge you and Jessica In place of Lord Bassanio and myself. So fare you well, till we shall nieet-again. Lor. Fair thoughts ^ and happy hours attend on you ! Jes. I wish your ladyship all heart's content. For. I thank you for your wish, and am well pleased To wish it back on you : fare you well, Jessica. \_Exeiint Jes. and Lor. Now Balthazar, As I have ever foimd thee honest, true. So let me find thee still : Take this same letter. And u.se thou all the endeavour of a man ' Husbandry and Tnanage] Stewardship and management. ^ Deny this imposition'] Refuse this burden. See note 3, p. 71. ^ Fair thoughts'] May good or agreeable thoughts. — The verb attend is iised here optatively. 102 THE MEKCHANT OF TENICE. ACT III. In speed to Padua ; see thou render this Into my cousin's hand, doctor BeUario ; ' And look ^, what notes and garments he doth give thee — Bring them, I pray thee, with imagined speed Unto the "tranect 3, to the common ferry Which trades to Venice : — waste no time in words, But get thee gone ; I shaU be there before thee. Balth. Madam, I go with all convenient speed. \_Exit. For. Come on, Nerissa ; I have work in hand. That you yet know not of : we'll see our husbands Before they think of us.* Ner. ShaU they see us ? For. They shall, Nerissa ; but in such a habit. That they shall think we are accomplished With that we lack.^ I '11 hold thee any wager, When we are both accoutred like yoimg men, I'U prove the prettier fellow of the two. And wear my dagger with the braver grace ; .. And speak, between the change of man and boy,^ ' Bdlario] A parentlietic nominative, explaining cousin's. , 'Lpolc] Mark me, or observe, whatever papers, &c. he shall give you, hring them with all imaginable speed. ' Tranecfl Probably a misprint for traject (Fr. trAjet, It. tra- ghetto) ; a place of crossing, a ferry. Coryat, in his ' Crudities ' (1611), p. 168, says, 'there are in Venice thirteen ferries or passages, which they commonly call Traghetti, where passengers may be trans- ported in a gondola to what place of the city they will.' * Of us] Of us seeing them. * What we laclc] Those manly qualities which do not naturally belong to women. * Between, the change'] Between the two different voices of man and boy. — This is a reference to the first physiological change, or cracking of the tone, of the voice: the second, viz. that which occurs in old age, is referred to in As you Like It, ii. 7, where Jaques, in describing the seven stages of life, speaks of the 'big manly voice turning again toward childish treble.' SCENE IV. THE MEBCHANT OF TENICE. 103 With a reed voice ; and turn two mincing steps ^ Into a manly stride ; and speak of frays, Like a fine bragging youtli ; and tell quaint lies,^ How honourable ladies sought my love, Which I denying, they fell sick and died I could not do withal ^ ; then I '11 repent,^ And wish, for all that, that I had not killed them : And twenty of these puny lies I'll tell. That ^ men shall swear I have discontinued school Above a twelvemonth. — I have within my mind A thousand raw ® tricks of these bragging Jacks, • Which I will practise. But come, I'U teU thee all my whole device When I am in my coach '^, which stays for us At the park gate ; and therefore haste away. For we must measure twenty miles to-day. [_Sxeunt. ' Turn two mincing steps] Convert two of the usual short steps of a lady's walk into one manly stride. ^ Quaint lies] Artfully framed lies (respecting) how, &c. ' / could not do withal] That is, they fell sick and died whom I could not agree with. — G-ifford thinks that the expression signifies ' I could not help it;' hut this does not seem consistent with the context. See note 2, p. 125. ■* I'll repent] I will express regret. * That] Shakspeare frequently, as in the present instance, uses that to mean so that. " Baw] Youthful ; savouring of youthful levity. — A Jac^ was a common name for a knave, or pert youth. ' fn, my coach] This is one of Shakspeare's anachronistic liberties, for coaches were but of recent introduction' in the poet's own day. He even makes Ophelia, in Hamlet, call for her coach. 104 THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT iii. SCENE V. — The same. A Garden. Enter Launcelot and Jessica. Laun. Yes, truly ; — for, look you, the sins of tlie father are to be laid upon the children ; therefore, I promise you I fear you.' I was always plain with you, and so now I speak my agitation ^ of the matter : Therefore, be of good cheer ; for, truly, I think, you are damned. There is but one hope in it that can do you any good ; and that is but a kind of bastard hope ' neither. Jes. And what hope is that, I pray thee ? Laun. Marry, you may partly hope that your father got you not, that you are not the Jew's daughter. Jes. That were a kind of bastard hope, indeed ; so the sins of my mother should be visited upon me. Laun. Truly then I fear you are damned both by father and mother : thus when I shun Scylla, your father, I fall into Charybdis '', your mother: well, you are gone both ways. Jes. I shall be saved by my husband ; he hath made me a Christian. Laun. Truly, the more to blame he : we were Christians enough before ; e'en as many as could well live, one by another : This making of Christians will raise the price of hogs ! if we grow all to be pork-eaters we shall not shortly have a rasher on the coals for money. ' I fear you] I fear for you. " Agitatiori] The down's blunder for cogitation. ^ Bastard hope] Spurious, illegitimate hope. ' Charybdis] Scylla was a dangerous rock and -whirlpool on the coast of Italy, opposite to which was the whirlpool Chaiyhdis, near Messina, on the coast of Sicily. The danger of attempting to steer between these gave rise to the proverb which Philip Gualtier, a modern Latin poet, expressed in the words ' Incidit in SeyDam cupiens vitare Charybdim.' THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. 105 Enter Lorenzo. Jes. I'll tell my husband, Launcelot, what you say ; here he comes. Lor. I shall grow jealous of you shortly, Launcelot, if you thus get my wife into corners. Jes. Nay, you need not fear us, Lorenzo. Lauhcelot and I are out : he tells me flatly, there is no mercy for me in heaven, because I am a Jew's daughter : and he says, you are no good member of the commonwealth, for, in converting Jews to Christians, you raise the price of pork. Lor. Go in, sirrah ; bid them prepare for dinner. Laun. That is done, sir ; they have all stomachs.' Lor. Goodly Lord, what a wit-snapper are you ! then bid them prepare dinner. Laun. That is done, too, sir ; only, cover is the word.^ Lor. Will you cover then, sir ? Laun. Not so, sir, neither ; I know my duty."* Ijor. Yet more quarrelling with occasion ! ^ Wilt thou show the whole wealth of thy wit in an instant ! I pray thee, understand a plain man in his plain meaning ; go to thy fellows ; bid them cover the table, serve in the meat, and we will come in to dinner. ' They have all stomachs] They all have appetites, and therefore are prepared for dinner. 2 Cover is the word] Cover is the word that expresses what is wanted. — To cover, or to lay covers on, the table, is, to place knife, fork, and spoon (what the French call convert,) on the table for each of the company. " I know rtvy 'duty] Launcelot here jests with another meaning of to cover, -^iz., to wear one' s hat ; — I know my duty as a servant in the presence of his master. * Quarrelling with occasion] Wresting words from their applica- bility to the occasion, f3 106 THE MERCHANT OP VENICE. ACT HI. Laun. For the tabled sir, it shall be served in; for the meat, sir, it shall be covered ; for your coining in to dinner, sir, why, let it be as humours and conceits shall govern. {Exit Laun. Lor. O dear discretion 2, how his words are suited ! The fool hath planted in his memory An army of good words ^ ; and I do know A many fools *, that stand in better place, Garnished like him, that for a tricksy word Defy the matter. How cheer'st thou, Jessica ? And now, good sweet, say thy opinion ; — How dost thou like the lord Bassanio's wife? Jes. Past all expressing.^ It is very meet The lord Bassanio live an upright life ; For, having such a blessing in his lady. He finds the joys of heaven here on earth ; And if on earth he do not mean it ^, then ' For the table] As regards the table. — The table served in, and tile meat covered, is, of course, Launcelot's absurd transposition. ^ dear discretion'] dear discrimination, how this fellow's words are invested with meanings. ^ Good words] A literal translation of the French bons mots, words adapted for quibbling. — ^An army of good words ready for contradic- tion or opposition. * A many fools] The expression a many is now only provincial, though the corresponding expression a few is national and reputable. English. — A great many fools who occupy a higher position in the world, furnished as he is, vifho on account of a word that gives scope for quibbling, disown, or resist, the intended meaning. ' Past all expressing] Beyond all that language can express. — This is an adverbial phrase modifying like ; past being a preposition governing a participial noun. = He do not mean it] The sense here is considered obscure ; but we apprehend that it is elucidated by regardingmcara it as signifying ' ob- serve the middle course of moderate attachment to earthly objects.' — It is highly requisite that Bassanio live an upright life, for he pos- SCENE V. THE MEKCHANX OP VENICE. 107 In reason he should never come to heaven. Why, if two gods should play some heavenly match, And on the wager lay two earthly women. And Portia one, there must be something else Pawned with the other ; for the poor rude world Hath not her fellow. Lor. Even such a husband Hast thou of me, as she is for a wife. Jes. Nay, but ask my opinion too of that.'* Lor. I will anon ; first, let us go to dinner. Jes. Nay, let me praise you, while I have a stomach.^ Lor. No, pray thee, let it serve for table-^talk ; Then howsoe'er thou speak'st *, 'mong other things I shall digest it. Jes. "Well, I'll set you forth.* \_Exeunt. sesses such a treasure in Portia as makes the world a heavenly- paradise to him, instead of a scene of cares and trials ; andif on earth he do not moderate his pleasures, it is not to be expected that he should hereafter be rewarded with admission into heaven. — There is, perhaps, some reference intended to the parable of Dives and La- zarus, ' Son, remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things ; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.' Luke xvi. 26. — The above interpretation seems to reflect some light on that passage in Othello, i. 1, where lago speaks of Cassio as ' a fellow almost damned in a fair wife.' ' My opinion too of t^at] The word too refers to Lorenzo having just asked Jessica's opinion of ' lord Bassanio's wife.' ' A stomach'] The word is here sportively used in the double sense of appetite, and humour or inclination. ' Howsoe'er thou speaJcesf] Whatever be the manner in which you speak of me, I shall digest it along with the rest of my dinner. — To digest involves the import of receiving and putting up with. * ru set yov, forth] I'll tell you what you are. 108 THE MEECHAHT OF TENICE. ACT IV. ACT IV. SCENE I. — Venice. A Court of Justice. Enter the Duke, the Magnificoes; Antonio, Bassanio, Geatiano, Salaeino, Solanio, and others. Duke. "What, is Antonio here ? Ant. Eeady, so please your grace. Duke. I am sorry for thee : thou art come to answer A stony adversary, an inhuman wretch Uncapable of pity, void and empty From any dram of mercy. Ant. I have heard Your grace hath ta'en great pains to qualify His rigorous course ; but since he stands obdurate, And that no lawful means can carry me Out of his envy's reach, I do oppose ---^ ^ -j My patience to his fury ; and am armed To suffer J \nth a quietness of spirit. The very tyranny and rage of his. Duke. Go one, and call the Jew into the court. Solan. lie 's ready at the door : he comes, my lord. Enter Shylock. Duke. Make room, and let him stand before our face. Shylock, the world thinks, and I think so too, That thou but lead'st this fashion of thy malice ' To the last hour of act ; and then, 't is thought ' ZeacTst this fashwri] Carriest on, or eontinuest this shoi* of a malicious purpose, only till the final hour for execution shall arrive. SCENE I. THE MEECHANT OF VENICE. 109 Thou'lt show thy mercy and remorse i more strange Than is thy strange apparent cruelty : And where thou now exact'st the penalty, (Which is a pound of this poor merchant's flesh,) Thou wilt not only lose ^ the forfeiture, But, touched with human gentleness and love, Forgive a moiety of the principal ; Glancing an eye of pity on his losses. That have of late so huddled on his back, Enough to press a royal merchant ' down, And pluck commiseration ■* of his state From brassy bosoms, and rough hearts of flint. From stubborn Turks and Tartars, never trained To ofiices of tender courtesy. We all expect a gentle answer, Jew. Shy. I have possessed your grace of what I purpose ; And by our holy Sabbath have I sworn, To have the due and forfeit of my bond : If you deny it, let the danger light Upon yoitt charter ^, and your city's freedom. You'll ask me, why I rather choose to have A weight of carrion flesh, than to receive Three thousand ducats : I'll not answer that. But say, it is my humour : Is it answered ? What if my house be troubled with a rat. And I be pleased to give ten thousand ducats To have it baned ? What, are you answered yet ? Some' men there are love not a gaping pig ; ^ ' Remorse] Eelenting; pity. ^ Lose] Dispense with ; let go ; consent to lose. ' A royal merchant] See note 1, p. 94. ' Pluck commiseration] Extort pity for his condition. = Your charter] The charter by which you define and guarantee the rights of strangers. " Love' not] That cannot endure, have a peculiar antipathy to, a roasted pig being brought on the table. 1 10 THK MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT IV. Some, that are mad if they behold a cat : ' — Now, for your answer :' — As there is no firm reason to be rendered, "Why he cannot abide a gaping pig ; Why he, a harmless necessary cat ; So can I give no reason, nor I will not. More than a lodged hate, and a certain loathing I bear Antonio, that I follow ' thus A losing suit against him. Are you answered ? Bass. This is no answer, thou unfeeling man, To excuse the current * of thy cruelty. iSAy. I am not bound to please thee with my answer. Bass. Do all men kill the things they do not love ? Shi/. Hates any man ^ the thing he would not kill ? ' Are mad] Are frantic if a cat come near them ; cannot endure the presence of a eat. — Bertram in All's "Well, iv. 3, says, ' I could en,- dure anything before but a cat ; ' and Dr. Bucknill, commenting on this passage, in his 'Medical Knowledge of Shakspeare, p. 104, says, the antipathy to cats ' is one of the most unquestionable and curious of the emotions of repulsion.' On the subject of antipathies, the Sixth Meditation in Dr. Donne's 'Devotions' (3rd edit. 1626) con- tains the following passage: — 'A man that is not afraid of a lion is afraid of a cat ; not afraid of starving, and yet is afraid of some joint of meat at the table, presented to feed him ; not afraid of the sound of drums and trumpets and sTiot, and those which they seek to drown — the last cries of men, and is afraid of some particular harmonious instrument : so much afraid, that with any of these the enemy might drive this man, otherwise valiant enough, out of the field.' So in Montaigne's Essays, i. -25 (Florio's Translation), ' I have seen some to startle at the smell of an apple more than at the shot of a piece ; some to be frightened with a mouse,' &c. ^ Your answerl My answer to you. ' That I follow] So can I give no reason that, or why, I foUow, The noun clause here is governed hjfor, or respecting, understood. ■■ To excuse the current] In defence of the persisting course. ^ Hates any man] Does any man really hate any creature, and yet feel unwilling tHat it should be killed ? — Compare 1 John, iii. 15. SCENE I. THE MEECHANT OF VENICE. Ill Sass. Every offence ' ia not a hate at first. Shi/. What, wouldst thou have a serpent sting thee twice ? Ant. I pray you, think you question ^ with the Jew : You may as well go stand upon the beach, And bid the main flood ^ bate his usual height ; You may as well use question with the wolf, Why he hath made the ewe bleat for the lamb ; You may as well forbid the mountain pines To wag their high tops, and to make * no noise, When they are fretted with the gusts of heaven ; You may as well do anything most hard. As seek to soften that (than which what's harder ?) His Jewish heart. — Therefore, I do beseech you, Make no more offers, tise no further means, But, with all brief and plain conveniency,^ Let me have judgment, and the Jew his will. JBass. For thy three thousand ducats here is six. ' Shy. K every ducat, in six thousand ducats. Were in six parts, and every- part a ducat, I would not draw them, — 1 would have my bond. Duke. How shalt thou hope for mercy, rend'ring none ? ^ Shi/. What judgment shall I dread, doing no wrong ? You have among you many a purchased slave. Which, like your asses, and your dogs, and mules, * You use in abject and in slavish parts,' ' Offence] Taking of offence, or feeling of dislike. - Think you question] Consider that you are expostulating. ' Main flood] Ocean tide. * To make] That they make. * Comxnienoy] Conformity to the necessity of circumstances. " Bendmng none] When thou renderest none to others. — Com- pare James i 13, 'He shall have judgment without mercy,' &o. ' Parts] Duties or employments. 112 THE MBECHANT OF VENICE. ACT IV. Because you bought them : — Shall I say to you, Let them be free, marry them to your heirs ? Why sweat they under btirthens ? let their beds Be made as soft as yours, and lei their palates Be seasoned with such viands ? You will answer, The slaves are ours : — So do I answer you. The pound of flesh, which I demand of him. Is dearly bought ; 't is mine ; and I will have it : If you deny me, fie upon your law ! There is no force in the decrees of Venice. I stand for judgment : answer, shall I have it ? Duke, Upon my power ', I may dismiss this court. Unless BeUario, a learned doctor, "Whom I have sent for to determine this,^ Come here to-day. Solan. My lord, here stays without A messenger with letters from the doctor. New come from Padua. Duke. Bring us the letters. Call the messenger. Bass. Good cheer, Antonio ! What, man ! courage yet ! The Jew shall have my flesh, blood, bones, and all. Ere thou shalt lose for me one drop of blood. Ant. I am a tainted wether ^ of the flock, Meetest for death ; the weakest kind of fruit Drops earliest to the ground, and so let me : You cannot better be employed, Bassanio, Than to live still, and write mine epitaph. ' Upon my power] In virtue of my prerogative. ' Whom I have sent for] It is dramatically aUowable to suppose Portia to have knowu, by .some means or other, that the Duke had been advised to send for her cousin BeUario. ' A tainted wether] Tainted means dishonoured, arraigned, at- tainted, besides its literal meaning, stained ; ' marked to die.' SCENE I. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. 113 Enter Nerissa, dressed lihe a laivyer's clerk. Duke. Came you from Padua, from Bellario ? N'er. From both, my lord : Bellario greets your grace. [^Presents a letter. Bass. Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly ? Shi/. To cut the forfeiture from that bankrupt there. Gra. Not on thy sole, but on thy soul', harsh Jew, Thou mak'st thy knife keen ; but no metal can, No, not the hangman's axe, bear half the keenness Of thy sharp envy. Can no prayers pierce thee ? Shy. No, none that thou hast wit enough to make. Gra. O, be thou damned, inexorable ^ dog ! And for thy life ^ let justice be accused. Thou almost mak'st me waver in my faith, To hold opinion with Pythagoras,^ That souls of animals infuse themselves Into the trunks of men : thy currish spirit Governed* a wolf, who, hanged for human slaughter. Even from the galloWs did his fell soul fleet, And, whilst thou lay'st in thy unhallowed dam,^ Infused itself in thee ; for thy desires ' On thy souL^ From this pun, suggested by Shylock -whetting the knife on the sole of his shoe, it would appear that sde and soul were pronotineed some-what differently in Shakspeare's time. Gra- tiano means that the Jew's heart is hard as a whetstone. '^ Inexorable] The old- copies have inexecrable. ' For thy life] For permitting thee to live. ' Pythagoras] This sage of Samos held the doctrine of the transmigration of souls. , ' Governed] Inhabited and actuated a wolf, who being hanged for having destroyed human life. — Who is a nominative absolute. In Massinger's Parliament of Love, iv. 2, one describes himself as possessed by ' the soul of some fierce tigress, or a wolf's new hanged for human slaughter.' " Thy unhallowed dam] The womb of thy unhallowed mother. 114 THE MERCHANT OP VENICE. ACT IV, Are wolfish, bloody, starved, and ravenous. Shy. Till thou canst rail the seal from off ^ my bond, Thou but ofFend'st thy lungs to speak so loud : Eepair thy wit, good youth ; or it will fall To cureless ruin. — I stand here for law. Dulce. This letter from BeUario doth commend A young and learned doctor to our court : — ■ Where is he ? Ner. He attendeth here hard by, To know your answer, whether you'll admit him. Duke. With all my heart : — some three or four of you Go give him courteous conduct to this place. — Meantime, the court shall hear Bellario's letter. \_Glerh reads. " Your grace shall understand that, at the receipt^ of your letter, I am very sick : but in the instant that your messenger cam£, in loving visitation was with me a young doctor of EoTne ; his name is Baltha- zar.^ I acquainted him with the cause in controversy between the Jew and Antonio the inerchant : we turned o'er many books together : he is furnished with my opinion ; which, bettered with his ' own learning (the greatness whereof I can/not enough commend), comes with him, at my importunity, to fill V(p* your grace's request in my stead. I be- seech you, let his laclc of years be no impediment to let him lach^ a reverend estimation ; for 1 never knew so yowng a body with so old a head. I leave him to your gracious acceptance, whose trial shall better publish his commendation.." Duke. You hear the learned Bellario, what he writes : And here, I take it ^, is the doctor come. — ; ' From off~\ For off from. See note 6, p. 100. ' At the receipf] At the time of my receipt. ^ Balthazar'] The name of the servant sent by Portia to Bellarip._ * To fill up\ To fulfil the purpose of yoiir request, in lieu of my personal appearance. ' lo let him lack] By causing to he withheld from him the regard due to reverend doctors of the law. " / take it] I apprehend. SCENE X. THE MEECHANT OF TBNICE. 115 Enter Poetia, dressed like a Doctor of Laws, Give me your hand. Came you from old Bellario ? For. I did, my lord. DuTce. You are welcome : take your place. Are you acquainted with the difference ' That holds this present question in the court ? For. I am informed thoroughly of the cause. Which is the merchant here, and which the Jew 1 Duke. Antonio and old Shylock, both stand forth. For. Is yom" name Shylock ? Shy. Shylock is my name. For. Of a strange nature is the suit you follow ; Yet in such rule ^, that the Venetian law Cannot impugn you, as you do proceed. — You stand within his danger s, do you not ? [To Ant. Ant. Ay, so he says. For. Do you confess the bond ? Ant. I do. For. Then must the Jew be merciful. Shy. On what compulsion must I ? ^ tell me that. For. The quality of mercy is not strained ; ^ It droppeth, as the gentle rain from heaven, Upon the place beneath ^ : it is twice blessed ; ^ > The diference\ The difference of opinion upon which is held this controversy or debate. 2 In such ride] In such legal order. ' Within his danger} Within his legal power to hurt you ; under a dangerous liability to him. '' ■• Must /] Must is emphatic. " Strained] Called into exercise by compulsion. « The place beneath] This is beautifully expressive of the condi- tion of one who lies at the mercy of another. ' Is twice blessed] Involves a twofold blessing. — Shakspeare often uses the passive participle actively. 116 THE MEECHANT OF VENICE, act iv. It blesseth him that gives ', and him that takes ; 'T is mightiest 2 in the mightiest ; it becomes The throned monarch better than his crown : His sceptre shows ^ the force of temporal power, The attribute * to awe and majesty, Wherein doth sit the dread and fear ^ of kings ; But mercy is above this sceptred sway, It is enthroned in the hearts of kings. It is an attribute to God himself; And earthly power doth then show ^ likest God's, When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew, Though justice be thy plea, consider this — That in the course of justice, none of us Should see salvation : we do pray for mercy ; ' And that same prayer doth teach us all to render The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much. To mitigate the justice of thy plea, — Which if thou follow *, this strict court of Venice Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there. ' Him that gives] ' It is more blessed to give than to receive.' Acts XX. 35. See also Prov. xi. 17. ^ Mightiestl Noblest in those who have most power to hurt or punish. ' Shows] Represents. * The attribute] It being the token of that awe and majesty in which, &e. ' Dread and fear] This, like the phrase ' void and empty ' is an example of a redundancy of speech very common with Shakspeare. ° Show] Look, appear, show itself. — The verb show is often used by the ancient writers in this intransitive way. ' We do 'pray for mere!/] The poet here seems to refer to the words 'forgive us our trespasses as we forgive,' &c. occurring in the Lord's prayer, and therefore, as some think, unsuitably appealed to in remonstrating with a Jew. ' Which if thorn follow] Which justice if thou persist in carrying out. SCENE I. THE MEHCHANT OF VENICE. II7 Shj. My deeds upon my head ! I crave the law, The penalty and forfeit of my bond. For. Is he not able to discharge the money ? Bass. Yes, here I tender it for him * in the court ; Yea, twice the sum : if that will not suffice, I will be bound to pay it ten times o'er,^ On forfeit of my hands, my head, my heart : If this wiU not suffice, it milst appear. That malice bears down truth.^ And I beseech you, "Wrest once * the law to your authority : To do a great right do a little wrong ; And curb this cruel devil of his will. For. It must not be ; there is no power in Venice. Can alter a decree established : 'T will be recorded for a precedent ; And many an error, by the same example, WiU rush into the state : it cannot be. Shy. A Daniel come to judgment ! yea, a Daniel ! O wise young judge, how do I honour thee ! For. I pray you, let me look upon the bond. Shy. Here 't is, most reverend doctor, here it is. For. Shylock, there's thrice thy money offer'd thee. Shy. An oath, an oath, I have an oath in heaven : Shall I lay perjury upon my soul ? No, not for Venice. For. Why, this bond is forfeit ; And lawfully by this the Jew may claim A pound of fledi, to be by him cut off ' For Mm} For Antonio. ' Ten times o'er] See note 1, p. 97. = Truth] Honesty; that is, the honesty which shows such liberal readiness to pay the debt. * Wrest once] Make the law for once give way. 118 THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, ACT IT Nearest the merchant's heart :^Be merciful ; Take thrice thy money ; bid me tear the bond. Shy. When it is paid according to the tenor. It doth appear you are a worthy judge ; You know the law ; your exposition Hath been most sound : I charge you by the law, Whereof you are a well-deserving piUar, Proceed to judgment : by my sDul I swear, There is no power in the tongue of man To alter me ; I stay ' bare on my bond. Ant. Most heartily I do beseecb the court To give the judgment. For. Why, then, thus it is : You must prepare your bosom for his knife. Shy. O noble judge ! O excellent yoilng man ! For. For the intent and purpose '' of the law Hath fuU relation to the penalty, Wbich here appeareth due upon the bond : — Shy. 'T is very true : O wise and upright judge ! How mucb more elder ^ art thou than thy looks ! For. Therefore, lay bare your bosom. Shy. Ay, his breast : So says the bond ; — Doth it not, noble judge 7 — Nearest his heart ; those are the very words. For. It is so. Are there balance * here to weigh the flesh? -: Shy. I have them ready. ' Stay"] Best in fixed determination. '^ The intent and purpose'] The law in its meaning and intention, not merely in the letter of it, thoroughly recognises, &e. » More dder'] Double comparatives and superlatives are not unusual in Shakspeare. ,.-: i ■ * Balance'] Here used as a plural : compare bellows, tongs, spec- SCENE 1. THE MEKCHANT OF VENICE. 119 For. Have by some suxgeon, Shylock, on your charge, ' To stop his wounds, lest he do bleed to death. Shy. Is it so nominated in the bond ? For. It is not so expressed ; but what of that ? ^ 'T were good you do so much for charity. Shy. I cannot find it ; 't is not in the bond. For. Come, merchant, have you anything to say ? Ant. But little ; I am armed, and well prepared — Give me your hand, Bassanio ; fare you well. Grieve not that I am fallen to this for you ; For herein Fortune shows herself more kind Than is her custom : it is still her use, To let the wretched man outlive his wealth, To view with hollow eye, and wrinkled brow, An age of poverty ! from which lingering penance Of such misery does she cut me off. Commend me to your honourable wife : Tell her the process of Antonio's end ; Say, how I loved you ; speak me fair * in death ; And, when the tale is told, bid her be judge Whether Bassanio had not once a love.* Eepent not you ^ that you shall lose your friend, And he repents not that he pays your debt ; For, if the Jew do cut but deep enough, I'll pay it instantly with all my heart. ^ ' On your charge] At your own expense. ' What of that r\ What is the signification or importance of that? » SpeaA me fair] Describe me favourably as regards the spirit in -which I died. — The verb speak in the sense of describe, is of fre- quent occurrence in Shakspeare. ■■ A love] A lover indeed. ' Sepent not you] 'Eepent not you and he repents not,' means ' he does, not repent if you do not repent.' « With all my heart] There is here an instance of punning, even 120 THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT iv, Bass. Antonio, I am married to a wife, Which is as dear to me as life itself; But life itself, my wife, and all the world, Are not with me esteemed above thy life ; I would lose all, ay sacrifice them all Here to this devil, to deliver you.^ For. Your wife would give you little thanks for that. If she were by to hear you make the offer. Gra. I have a wife, whom I protest I love : I would she were in heaven, so she could ^ Entreat some power to change this currish Jew. Ifer. 'T is well you offer it behind her back The wish would make ehe an unquiet house. Shy. These be the Christian husbands : I have a daughter ; Would any of the stock of Barrabas^ Had been her husband rather than a Christian ! \^Aside. We trifle time ; I pray thee pursue sentence. For. A pound of that same merchant's flesh is thine ; The court awards it, and the law doth give it. Shy. Most rightful judge ! For. And you must cut this flesh from off his breast ; The law allows it, and the court awards it. Shy. Most learned judge ! — A sentence ! come, prepare. For. Tarry a little ; — There is something else. — in the expression of pathetic sentiment, for Antonio refers to paying the debt with his heart's hlood. See notes 5, p. 75, and 1, p. 113. ' To this devir\ ' They sacrificed their' sons and their daughters unto devils.' Ps. cvi. 37. 2 So she could} If being there she might as a saint intercede ■with some heavenly power. ' Sarrabas] The usual form of the word is Barabbas : — ' Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.' Luke xxiii. 19. SCENE I. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. 121 This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood ; The words expressly are a pound of flesh ; Take then thy bond, take thou thy pound of liesh ; But, in the cutting it, if thou dost shed One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods Are, by the laws of Venice, confiscate Unto the state of Venice. Gra. O upright judge ! — Mark, Jew ! — O learned judge ! Shy. Is that the law ? For. Thyself shall see the act : ' For, as thou urgest justice, be assured Thou shalt have justice more than thou desirest. Gra. O learned judge ! — Mark, Jew ! — a learned judge ! Shy. I take this offer then, — pay the bond thrice, And let the Christian go. - Bass. Here is the money. For. Soft;— The Jew shall have all justice ; — soft ; — ^no haste ; — He shall have nothing but the penalty. Gra. O Jew ! an upright judge, a learned judge ! For. Therefore, prepare thee to cut off the flesh. Shed thou no blood ; nor cut thou less, nor more, But just 2 a pound of 'flesh : if thou tak'st more, Or less, than a just pound, — ^be it bilt so much As makes it light, or heavy, in the substance ^ •«v'»*^'- , t / Or the division of the twentieth part Of one poor scruple, — nay, if the scale do turn ' The act] The decree or statute. ' Just] The adverb just, that is, exactly, modifies the adjective meaning of the article following. ' In the substance] In the amount of a twentieth, or even the fraction of a twentieth. —The twentieth part of a scruple is a grain. 122 THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT Iv. But in the estimation * of a hair, — Thou diest, and all thy goods are confiscate. Gra. A second Daniel, a Daniel, Jew ! Now, infidel, I have thee on the hip.^ Por. Why doth the Jew pause ? take thy forfeiture. Shy. Give me my principal, and let me go. JBass. I have it ready for thee ; here it is. Por. He hath refused it in the open court; ^ He shall have merely justice, and his bond. Gra. A Daniel, still say I ; a second Daniel ! — I thank thee, Jew, for teaching me that word. Shy. Shall I not have barely my principal ? Por. Thou shalt have nothing but the forfeiture, To be so taken at tky peril, Jew. Shy. Why, then the devil give him good of it ! I'll stay no longer question. Por. Tarry, Jew; The law hath yet another hold on you.^ It is enacted in the laws of Venice, — If it be proved against an alien, That by direct or indirect attempts He seek the life of any citizen. The party 'gainst the which he doth contrive Shall seize one half his goods ; the other half Comes to the privy cofier of the state ; And the offender's life lies in the mercy ' In the estimatioril In the degree corresponding, or amount equi- valent, to the -weight of a hair. 2 On the hi])] See note 1, p. 28. ' The law hath yet another hold] The charge now to be brought against the Jew is probably what Bellario's letter refers to in the words 'he is furnished with my opinion;' the mode in which Shy- lock has been already defeated appears to be the suggestion of Portia's own ingenuity : BeUario stated that his opinion would be ' b^^red with the young doctor's learning,' SCENE I. THE MERCHANT OP VENICE. 123 Of the duke only, 'gainst all other voice.i w"^ P ' ■ " In which predicament, I say, thou stand'st : For it appears by manifest proceeding, That indirectly, and directly too. Thou hast contriyed against the very life Of the defendant ; and thou hast incurred The danger formerly by me rehearsed. Down, therefore, and beg mercy of the duke. Gra. Beg that thou may'st have leave to hang thyself: And yet, thy wealth being forfeit to the state. Thou hast not left the value of a cord ; Therefore, thou must be hanged at the state's charge. Duke. That ^ thou shalt see the difference of our spirit, I pardon thee thy life before thou ask it ! For half ^ thy wealth, it is Antonio's ; The other half comes to the general state. Which humbleness may drive unto a fine.* For. A.J, for the state; not for Antonio.^ Shy. Nay, take my life and all ; pardon not that : Tou take my house, when you do take the prop That doth sustain my house ; you take my life. When you do take the means whereby I live. For. What mercy can you render him, Antonio ? Gra. A halter gratis; nothing else, for God's sake ! Ant. So please my lord the duke, and all the court. To quit the fine ^ for one half of his goods ; ' All other voice] Voice here means judgment. ' That] In order that. " For half] As for half; as regards half. ' Which hwmbleness may drive] Which humble solicitation on thy part may prevail to have commuted for a fine. = Ay, for the state] Yes, the half which goes to the state may be thus commuted, but not that which goes to Antonio. « To quit the fine] To free him from the fine that applies to one half of his goods. 02 124 THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. AC1 l\*. I am content, so he will let me have The other half in use '■, to render it, Upon his death, unto the gentleman That lately stole his daughter ; Two things provided more. — That for this favour, He presently become a Christian ; The other, that he do record a gift. Here in the court, of all he dies possessed,'^ Unto his son Lorenzo and his daughter. Duke. He shall do this ; or else I do recant The pardon that I late pronounced here. For. Art thou contented, Jew ? what dost thou say ? Shy. I am content. For. Clerk, draw a deed of gift. Shy. I pray you give me leave to go from hence : I am not well ; send the deed after me, And I will, sign it. JDuke. Get thee gone, but do it. Gra. In christening, thou shalt have two godfathers ; Had I been judge, thou shouldst have had ten more,^ To bring thee to the gallows, not the font. \_Ex. Shy Duke. Sir, I entreat you with me home to dinner. Po7\ I humbly do desire your grace of pardon. I must away this night towards Padua ; And it is meet I presently set forth. Duke. I am sorry that your leisure serves you not.* ' In use] In trust for Shylock. Use here does not mean interest, which Antonio disapproved. ^ Possessed] Supply of. See note 5, p. 67. ' Ten. more] To make up twelve jurymen. This vein of humom' occurs in Randolph's Muse's Loolcing Glass, iv. 4 : 'I had rather see him remitted to the jail, and have his twelve godfathers, good men and true, condemn him to the gallows.' ' Serves you not] Suits you not ; is not now at your command. 6CENE I. THE MEKCHAST OF VENICE, 125 Antonio, gratify ' this gentleman ; For, in my mind, you are mucli bound to him. Hxeunt Duke, Magnificoes, and Train. Bass. Most worthy gentleman, I and my friend Have by your wisdom been this day acquitted Of grievous penalties ; in lieu whereof. Three thousand ducats, due unto the Jew, We freely cope ^ your courteous pains withal, is --vviJ^.ji, t.>.>c-»u.^Jj-' Ant. And stand indebted over and above," t».,l^»( oia.c....»-., „ In love and service to you evermore. '^'" "*<-**»'»»-^' ■ For. He is well paid that is well satisfied, And I, delivering you, am satisfied. And therein do account myself well paid : My mind was never yet more mercenary.'' I pray you know me, when we meet again, I wish you well, and so I take my leave. Bass. Dear sir, of force ^ I must attempt you further. Take some remembrance of us, as a tribute. Not as a fee : grant me two things, I pray you, Not to deny me, and to pardon me. For. You press me far, and therefore I will yield. Give me your gloves, I'll wear them for your sake ; And, for your love, I'll take this ring from you : — Do not draw back your hand ; I'll take no more ; And you in love shall not deny me this. Bass. This ring, good sir ? — alas, it is a trifle ; I will not shame myself to give you this. ' Gratifyl Requite or recompense. So in Ford's BroTcen Heart, iv. 1, ' I want a fee to gratify thy merit.' * Cope\ Meet in the way of recompense. — Withal, used for with, governs the noun duoats. » Over and above] A common pleonastic expression. See note 7, p. 32. ■• More mercenary] More mercenary than you now iind me to be. 5 Of force] Of necessity ; I cannot help trying you further. 126 TEE MEECHANT OF VENICE. ACT IT, For. I will have nothing else but only this ; And now, methinks, I have a mind to it. Bass. There's more depends on this than on the value. The dearest ring in Venice will I give you, And find it out by proclamation ; Only for this I pray you pardon me. For. I see, sir, you are liberal in offers : You taught me first to beg ; and now, methinks, You teach me how a beggar should be answered. Bass. Good sir, this ring was given me by my wife ; And, when she put it on, she made me vow That I should neither sell, nor give, nor lose' it. For. That excuse serves many men to save their gifts. An if ' your wife be not a mad woman, And know how well I have deserved this ring, She would not hold out enemy for ever. For giving it to me. Well, peace be with you ! [^Exeunt Poe. and Ner. Ant. My lord Bassanio, let him have the ring ; Let his deservings, and my love withal. Be valued 'gainst your wife's command^ment.^ Bass. Go, Gratiano, run and overtake him ; Give him the ring ; and bring him, if thou canst. Unto Antonio's house : — away, make haste. \Exit Gea. Come, you and I will thither presently ; And in the morning early will we both Fly toward Belmont : Come, Antonio. \_Exeu'ni. ^Anif] .4« followedtyj^ redundant. (Ste note 6, p,'I9. ^ Commandemenf] This quadrisyllabic form occurs also in Henry VI. (i. 3), ' From him I have express commandement.' SCENE II. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. 127 SCENE II.— Venice. A Street. Enter Portia and Neeissa. For. Inquire the Jew's house out, give him this deed, And let him sign it. "We'll away to-iiight, And be a day ^ before our husbands home. This deed wiH be well welcome to Lorenzo. Enter Geatiano. Gra. Fair sir, you are well o'erta'en : , -.J. ^'■'-^ My lord Bassanio, upon more advice,^ * i"- '^"^ «v^a>J-'i ■ '^' '^ Hath sent you here this ring ; and doth entreat Your company at dinner. For. That cannot be : His ring I do accept most thankfully. And so, I pray you, teU him : Furthermore, I pray you, show my youth old Shylock's house. Gra. That will I do. IsTer. Sir, I would speak with you : — I'll see if I can get my husband's ring, \_To Poetia. Which I did make him swear to keep for ever. For. Thou may'st, I warrant. We shall have old swearing,' That they did give the rings away to men ; But we'll outface them, and outswear them too. Away, make haste ; thou know'st where I will tarry. Ner. Come, good sir, will you show me to this house ? \_Exmnt. ' A day] For by a day; adverbial to the phrase before our husbands. ^ Jdvioe] Consideration. ' Old swearing'] Swearing in abundance, or in rare style. See Macbeth, ii. 3 :"*•' He should have old turning^^e key.' See also tl K. Henni IV., Act ii. Sc. if Merry Wives, i. i ; Much Ado, v. 2. fSr 128 THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT V. SCENE I. — Belmont. Avenue to Portia's House. Enter Loeenzo and Jessica. Lor. The moon shines bright : — In such a night as this, "When the sweet -wind did gently kiss the trees, And they did make no noise,- — in such a night, Troilus 1, methinks, mounted the Trojan walls. And sighed his soul toward the Grecian tents, Where Cressid lay that night. Jes. In such a night. Did Thisbe fearfully o'ertrip the dew ; And saw the lion's shadow ere himself,^ And ran dismayed away. Lo7: In such a night. Stood Dido 3 with a willow in her hand 1 Troilus] Son of the Trojan king Priam. Shakspeare in the play of Troilus and Cressida, makes Cressida the daughter of the soothsayer Calchas; but her name does not appear in ancient story. Chaucer, in his Troilus and Creseide, describes the prince as looking from the wall of Troy with anxious expectation of Cressida's coming., 2 Ere himself} The story of the Babylonian lovers Pyramus and Thisbe is well known. Ovid tells us that Thisbe saw, by the light of the moon, a Honess afar off, and ran terrified into a caye. An interlude founded on this story occm-s in the Midsummer Kight's Dream. ' Dido] The unhappy queen of Carthage, who, on account of the departure of JEneas, destroyed herself, as related in the 4th book of Virgil's JEneid. — What Shakspeare here says of her is not in ac- cordance with Virgil's narrative. Dido sent messages by her sister, imploring .iEneas to return. SCENE I. THE MEECHAKT OP VENICE. 129 Upon the wild sea-banks, and waft her love To come again to Carthage. J^s. In such a night, Medea • gathered the enchanted herbs That did renew old ^son. Lor. In such a night. Did Jessica steal ^ from the wealthy Jew ; And with an unthrift love did run from Venice, As far as Behnont. Jes. In such a night. Did young Lorenzo swear he loved her well ; Stealing her soul ^ with many vows of faith. And ne'er a true one.* Lor. In such a night, Did pretty Jessica, like a little shrew, Slander her love, and he forgave it her.^ ' Medea\ A renowned enchantress, daughter of .Sletea king of Colchis. She fell in love -with Jason, and having helped him to rescue the golden fleece, fled with him to Greece, where by her magic art she restored jEson, the father of Jason, from the debility of age to youthful vigour. Ovid tells us that she rejuvenated the old man by drawing blood from his veins, and replenishing them with the juice of certain herbs. The old herbalists, as Dr. Bucknill remarks, ' attributed peculiar virtues to plants gathered during particular phases of the moon and hours of the night.' In the Con- fessio Amantis of old Gower, is a beautiful description of Medea going forth at midnight to gather herbs for her incantations. '' Steal] This word, besides meaning ' slip away secretly,' im- plies aUusion to Jessica's having stolen the wealthy Jew's treasure. » Stealing her souV\ A retort on Lorenzo for accusing Jessica of stealing from Shylock. * iVe'er a true one'] Not one honest vow among them.' — The adverb never, meaning in no instance, modifies the understood ex- pression there being. " Forgave it her] That is, to her. The direct object of the verb forgive is never properly the person, but always the thing; and in ' ■ G 3 130 THE MEECHANT OF VENICE. Jes. I would q^t-night you ', did no body come ; But, hark, I hear the footing of a man. "Enter Stephano. Lor. Who comes so fast in silence of the night ? Steph. A friend. Lor. A friend ? what friend ? your name, I pray you, friend ? ^ Steph. Stephano is my name ; and I bring word. My mistress will before the break of day Be here at Belmont ; she doth stray about By holy crosses ^, where she kneels and prays For happy wedlock hours. Lor. Who comes with her ? Steph. Nonfe but a holy hermit and her maid. I pray you, is my master yet returned ? * Lor. He is not, nor we have not * heard from him. — the phrases forgive me, forgive him., &o., the verb is strictly intran- sitive, and means grant forgiveness, the' pronoun being governed by to understood. ■ Out-night you\ The verb here refers to the sportive contention between Lorenzo and Jessica, always introducing the phrase in slick a night. — I would go farther than you, and leave you nothing to add in reply about' the night. 2 Yoitr name, I fray you, friend ?] Stephano is satirically called friend, as Lorenzo was not disposed to welcome the intruder. ' By holy crosses'] Crosses erected at the intersection of roads and at other places, to inspire the traveller with religious thought. At the foot of these crosses pilgriihs used to kneel and pray, ' Is my master yet returned ?] Beturned, the perfect participle of an intransitive verb, 'is here used passively, and this' is a frequent usage with Shakspeare ; but, in strict propriety, none but transitive verbs admit of a passive use of their perfect participles ; the correct phrase is has returned. ° Nor we have not] In our older poets, a negative clause is often SCENE I, THE MERCHANT OP TENICE. 131 But go we in ', I pray thee, Jessica, And ceremonibxisly let us prepare Some welcome for the mistress of tti6 house. Enter Launcelot. Laun. Sola, sola, wo, ha, ho, sola, sola ! ^ Lor. Who calls ? Laun. Sola ! Did you see master Lorenzo, and mistress Lorenzo ? sola ! sola ! Lor. Leave hollaing, man; — here. Laun. Sola ! Where ? where ? Lor. H^re. Laun. Tell him there 's a post ^ come from my master, with his horn full of good news ! my master mil be here ere morning. \_Exit, Lor. Sweet soul, let 's in *, and there expect their coming. And yet no matter ; — ■ Why should we go in ? introduced by the conjunction nor, -with the signification of and in further negaUo'n. ' Go we in'] Simple imperatives of the first and thifd persons are of frequent occurrence in poetry : the accidence of English grammar usually assigns to the simple imperative mood the second person only. In the next line we have let us ^prepare, as the ordinary substitute for prepare we, in which case let is a simple imperative of the second person addressing Jessica, and governing us along with the infinitive prepare. ' Sola.'l Launcelot imitates the post-horn, because he brings news of Bassanio's approach, " There's a post] A courier. — The 'horn full of good news' is an allusion to the cornucopia, or horn of plenty, which by the ancients was represented full of fruits and flowers, as an emblem of fertility. * Let 's in] Let us go in. — The use of an adverb, or preposition phrase, modifying go understood, is very common, as in the expres- sions Away! — You shall hence. — I must to Lorenzo. 132 THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT v. My friend Stephano, signify, I pray you, "Within the house, your mistress is at hand ;■ And bring yoTV music ' forth into the air. [^JExit Steph. How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank ! Here will we sit, and let the soimds of music ■ Creep in our ears ; soft stillness, and the night. Become the touches ^ of sweet harmony. Sit, Jessica. Look how the floor of heaven * Is thick inlaid with patines '' of bright gold, — There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st But in his motion ^ like an angel sings, '•'o-^c Still quiring ^ to the young-eyed cherubims : -^uJ -w. — '^, '''-^ '^-^ — -■^'-1 'c--ui-.^i^^-y f. I.'- />^ //■'•'-- • 3-'V;..,,, ' Mmc\ This word was sometimes used to denote musical in- struments or a band of music; thus in Henry VIII. (iv. 2) Kathaiine says ' Bid the music leave : they are harsh and heavy to me.' See note 7, p. 134. ^ Become the touches] Accord well with the tones. — The word touches refers to tones, as varied by stoppings or touches of the musician's fingers. ' Look how the floor of heaven] The first clause here is merely a preliminary calling of attention to the object about which Lorenzo says ' There's not the smallest orb,' &c. It is equivalent to the question, 'Do you see the immense multitude of stars in the sky?' * Fatines] Patines, or patens, are plates ; from the Tia&a. patina. — The chalice and paten are the cup and plate, commonly of silver, used in the service of the altar. — It may be remarked, that our 'poet's transition from the metaphor of ' a floor inlaid with patines,' to the description of these same ' patines' as 'orbs in motion singing,' seems rather abrupt, unless we understand Lorenzo as if saying Look at the sky, resembling as it does, a floor,' &c. ^ In his motion] While it moves or revglves. ° StUl quiring] Continually sounding an harmonious accompani- ment to the voices of the bright-eyed cherubim. — The poet refers to the ancient doctrine of the music of the spheres, the rapid motion of the planets having been supposed to produce musical sounds in con- .cert, but too loud and constant to be perceptible to mortal sense. Several of our poets have beautiful allusions to this subject: Camp- SCENE I. THE MEKCHANT OF VENICE. 1;J3 Such harmony is in immortal souls ; ' But whilst this muddy vesture of decay Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it. — Enter Musicians. Come, ho, and wake Diana ^ with a hymn ; With sweetest touches pierce youi- mistress' ear, And draw her home with music. Jes. I am never, merry when I hear sweet music. [^3[usic. Lor. The reason is your spirits are attentive : For do but note a wild and wanton herd. Or race of youthful and unhandled ^ colts. Fetching* mad bounds, bellowing, and neighing loud,-' ■•M^.xtJ- Which is" the hot condition of their blood ; — If they but hear perchance a trumpet sound. Or any air of music touch their ears. You shall perceive them make a mutual stand, beU, in the concluding paragraph of his 'Pleasures of Hope,' speaks of the spheres, when first created, as having then ' pealed their first notes to sound the march of time; ' Milton (P. L. v. 177) refers to ' wandering fires that move in mystic dance, not without song.' See Addison's hymn ' The spacious firmament on high,' &e. ' In immortal, souls\ There is in human souls a harmony ana- logous to that ; but while the harmony is shut in by this gross earthly fabric of mortality, wo cannot hear it. A notion was an- ciently entertained that the soul had in it the harmony to which Shakspeare refers. 2 Diana] This goddess was often confounded with Luna, the goddess of the moon. = Unhandledl Kunning wild, not broken or trained. * Fetching] Taking or performing. So in Acts xxviii. 13, 'We fetched a compass,' that is, took a circuitoas course. = Bellowing and neighing] The herd bellowing, and the colts neighing. ' Which is] "Which indicates. 134 THE MEEOHANT OF VENICE. ACT Their savage eyes turned to a modest gaze, By the sweet power of music. Therefore the poet i Did feign that Orpheus ^ drew trees, stones, and floods ; Since nought so stockish, hard, and full of rage. But music for the time doth change his nature. The man that hath no music in himself. Nor is not moved ^ with concord of sweet sounds, Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils ; * The motions of his spirit are dull as night. And his affections dark as Erebus : ^ Let no such man be trusted. — Mark the music. Enter Portia and Neeissa at a distance. For. That light we see is burning in my hall. How far that little candle throws his beams ! So shines a good deed in a naughty world. Her. When the moon shone we did not see the candle. Por. So doth the greater glory dim the less : A substitute ^ shines brightly as a Idng, Until a king be by ; and then his state Empties itself, as doth an inland brook Into the main of waters. Music ! hark ! Ner. It is your music '', madam, of the house. ' The poef] Some one of the ancient poets. ' Orpheus] One of the early poets and musicians of Greece, ■whose song was fabled to have such magic power, i;hat trees, rocks, and rivers seemed to listen ■with responsive movements. ' Nor is not moved} See note 5, p. 130. * Spoils'] Robbery, spoliation. * Erebus] The gloomiest part of the infernal regions. ' A sMhstitute] A -viceroy, or representative of a sovereign. ' Yowr music] Your band of music belonging to the house. See note 1, p. 132. SCENE I. THE MERCHANT OE VENICE. 135 For. Nothing is good, I see, without respect : • Methinks it sounds much sweeter than by day. Ner. Silence best6*s that virtue on it, madam. ^ For. The crow doth sing as sweetly aa the lark, "When neither is attended ^ ; atid, I think. The nightingale, if she should sing by day, When every goose is cackling, would be thought No better a musician than the wren. How many things by season seasoned are '' To their right praise and true perfection ! — Peace, ho ! ' the moon sleeps with Endymion, And would not be awaked^ [Music ceases. Lor. That is the voice, Or I am much deceived, of Portia. For. He knows me, as the blind man knows the cuckoo. By the bad voice.^ ' Without respeef] Of itself; irrespectively of circumstances or associations. ' Silence] The silence of night imparts to the music that pe- culiar sweetness. ' Attended] Accompanied by the other ; when either of them is alone. The effect of the crow's voice may be as enlivening as that of the lark, in the ear of a person roaming amidst the scenes of nature. * Bi/ season seasoned are] By fitness of occasion are adapted or qualified to obtain their just appreciation, and to show their true excellence. ' ' = Peace, ho .'} The old cbpies have ' Peace ! How the moon,' &e. Portia requests that the music be stopped, as the moonlight is now very faint, and the music has ceased_ to be in season. The beautiful and handsome sportsman Endymion spent the day in sleep in a cave of Mount Latmus, in CaSa. He delighted in pursuing by moonlight the chase of the deer through the forest, and was the beloved favourite of the goddess Luna or Diana. ' 3i/ the bad voice] The voice of the cuckoo is monotonous ; but 136 THE MEECHANT OF VENICE. ACT T. Lor. Dear lady, welcome home. For. We have been praying for our husbands' welfare, Which speed ', we hope, the better for our words. Are they returned ? Lor. Madam, they are not yet ; But there is come a messenger before, To signify their coming. Par. Go in, Nerissa ; Give order to my servants, that they take No note at all of our being absent hence ; Nor you^, Lorenzo: — Jessica, nor you. \_A tucket^ sounds. Lor. Your husband is at hand ; I hear his trumpet : We are no tell-tales, madam ; fear you not. Par. This night, methinks, is but the daylight sick : It looks a little paler : 't is a day Such as the day is when the sun is hid. Enter Bassanio, Antonio, Gkatiano, and their Followers. Bass. We should hold day * with the antipodes. If you would walk in absence of the sun. the reason why that animal is said to have a bad voice, is because its note Is significant of the invasion of the nest of another bird, which ignorantly hatches the cuckoo's offspring. See the song ' With daisies pied,' &c., at the end of Love's Labovir' Lost. ' Which speei\ And we hope they prosper all the better through our intercessions. — Portia intends a reference to speedy return. '' Nor you] A colloquial ellipsis for ' nor do you,' that is, and do not you take any notice of it. ' Thicket'] A flourish on a trumpet. — The Italian word toccata, from which ticcket is perhaps derived, means a prelude to a sonata. * Hold day] We should have day along with the antipodes, if you, Portia, should walk abroad when the sun is absent. SCENE J. THE MEKCHA.NT OF TBNICE. 137 For. Let me give light, but let me not be light; ' For a light wife doth make a heavy husband, And never be Bassanio so for me ; But God sort all ! ^ Ycii are ■welcome home, my lord. Bass. I thank you, madam : give welcome to my friend. — TChis is the man, this is Antonio, To whom I am so infinitely bound. For. You should in all sense ** be much bound to him, For, as I hear, he was much bound for you. Ant. No more than I am well acquitted of. For. Sir, you are very welcome to our house : It must appear in other ways than words, Therefore, I scant this breathing courtesy.^ [Gra. and Ner. seem to talk apart. Gra. By yonder moon, I swear, you do me wrong; In faith, I gave it ' to the judge's clerk. For. A quarrel, ho, already ? what's the matter ? Gra. About a hoop of gold, a paltry ring That she did give me ; whose posy ^ was For aU the world '', like cutler's poetry Upon a knife, — Love me and leave me not.^ Ner. What talk you of the posy, or the value ? ' ' Be ligM\ I am willing enough that I should give light, but I ■would not be light myself: — a quibble. 2 Sort all] Dispose all things ■well. ' In all sense] In all reason. * / scant] I cut short this verbal courtesy. ' It] The ring ; I gave it not to a ■woman. ° Posy] A posy, or poesy, is a device or motto on a ring. ' For all the world] Out of all the comparisons that the -world supplies. ^ Leave me not] Leave here means part with. ' What talk you] Why do you talk of the posy or the value of the ring itself? — What adverbially signifies /or what reason. 138 THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT v. You swore to me, when I did give it you, That you would wear it till your hour of death ; And that it should lie with you in your grave : Though not for me, yet for your vehement oaths, You should have been respective i, and have kept it. Gave it a judge's clerk ! — but well I know The clerk will ne'er wear hair on's face that had it. Gra. He will, an if he live ^ to be a man. Ner. A.J, if a Woman live to be a man. Gra. Now, by this hand, I gave it to a youth, — A kind of boy ; a little scrubbed ^ boy, No higher than thyself; the judge's clerk ; A prating boy, that begged it as a fee ; I could not for my heart deny it him. For. You were to blame, I must be plain with you, To part so slightly with your wife's first gift ; A thing stuck on with oaths upon your finger; And so riveted with faith unto your flesh. I gave my love a ring, and made him swear Never to part with it ; and here he stands, — I dare be sworn ^ for him, he would not leave it,^ Nor pluck it from his finger, for the wealth That the world masters. Now, in faith, Gratiano, You give your wife too unkind a cause of grief ; j An 't were to me, I should be mad at it. Bass. Why, I were best ^ to cut my left hand off. * Eespectwe\ Heedfal. '^ An if he live] See note 6, p. 19. ' Scrubbed] Of stunted growth; short, like a scrubbed or worn- out broom. * Sworn] Put on my oath. * Leave if] See note.8, p. 137. ' I were best] A corrupt idiom, originating in theSphrase 'it ■were best for me.' See note 7, p. 66. SCENE I. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. 139 And swear, I lost the ring defending it. lAsi'de. Gra. My lord Bassanio gave his ring away Unto the judge, that begged it, and, indeed, Deserved it too ; and then the boy, his clerk. That took some pains in writing, he begged mine : And neither man, nor master, would take aught But the two rings. ■Por. Wliat ring gave you, my lord ? Not that, I hope, which you received of me. Bass. If I could add a lie unto a fault, I would deny it ; but you see, my finger Hath not the ring upon it ; it is gone. Poi: Even so void ^ is your false heart of truth. By Heaven, I will ne'er come in your bed Until I see the ring. Mer. Nor I in yours, TiU I again see mine. £ass. Sweet Portia, If you did know to whom I gave the ring. If you did know for whom I gave the ring,' And would conceive for what I gave the ring. And how unwillingly I left the ring, When nought would be accepted but the ring. You would abate the strength of your displeasure. For. If you had known the virtue of the ring,^ Or half her worthiness that gave the ring. Or your own honour to contain* the ring. You would not then have parted with the ring. What man is there so much unreasonable. ' Even so void] As your finger is void of the ring, even so, &c. ' The virtue of the ring] The power it has ; the right over me ■which belongs to its possessor. See p. 91, 'This house,' &o. ' To contain] As involved in your retaining. l-iO THE MKECHART OF VENICE. ACT v. If you had pleased to have defended it With any terms of zeal, wanted the modesty ■ To urge the thing held as a ceremony ? Nerissa teaches me what to believQ ; I'll die for 't, but some woman had the ring. Bass. No, by mine honour, madam, by my soul, No woman had it, but a civil doctor,^ Which did refuse three thousand ducats of me. And begged the ring ; the which I did deny him. And suffered him to go displeased away ; Even he ^ that had held up * the very life Of my dear friend. What should I say, sweet lady ? I was enforced to send it after him ; I was beset' with shame and courtesy; My honour wotdd not let ingratitude So much besmear it : Pardon me, good lady ; For, by these blessed candles of the night,^ Had you been there, I think, you would have begged The ring of me to give the worthy doctor. Por. Let not that doctor e'er come near my house : Since he hath got the jewel that I loved. And that which you did swear to keep for me, I will become as liberal as you ; ' Wanted the modesty] That would have been so void of modesty as to urge you to give what you kept as a thing ceremonially sacred. ' A civil doctor'] This is a punning title for a doctor of civil law. ^ Even he} Strict grammar requires him. * Held up] That is, from sinking to destruction. ' Beset] Urged by a sense of shame and by the demands of courtesy. ' Candles of the night] Stars.— There is here an allusion to the blessed or consecrated candles of the altar.— Compare Eomeo's say- ing to Juliet, (iii. 6,) ' Night's candles are burnt out.' SCENE I. THE MERCHANT OP VENICE. 14 [ I'll not deny him anything I have ; Know him I shall, I am well sure of it : Lie not a night from home ; watch me, like Argus ; ' If you do not, if I be left alone, Now, by mine honour, which is yet mine own, I'll have that doctor for my bedfellow. Ne7: And I his clerk ; therefore be well advised,^ How you do leave me to mine own protection. Crra. "Well, do you so^, let not me take him then ; For, if I do, I'U mar the young clerk's pen. Ant. I am the unhappy subject ■* of these quarrels. For. Sir, grieve not you; you are welcome notwith- standing.'^ Bass. Portia, forgive me this enforced wrong ; " And, in the hearing of these many friends, I swear to thee, even by thine own fair eyes. Wherein I see myself, — For. Mark you but that ! In both Tcij eyes he doubly sees himself : In each eye one : — swear by your double self, And there 's an oath of credit.'' Bass. Nay, but hear me ; Pardon this fault, and by raj soul I swear, I never more will break an oath with thee. ' Argus] A personage in classic fable who had a hundred eyes, of which only two were asleep at one time ; Juno set him to watch her priestess lo, of whom Jupiter was enamoured. ' Well admsed] Very heedful or cautious. ^ Do you so] If you do so. * Subject] Foundation, source, or occasion. " Notwithstanding] That circumstance not withstanding. » Enforced wrong] Wrong which I was forced to commit. ' There's an oath] That truly will be an oath worthy of being trusted. 142 THE MEKCFANT OF VENICE. ACT V. Ant. I once did lend my body for Ms wealth ; Which •, but for him that had your husband's ring, [To Portia. Had quite miscarried : I dare be bound again, ^ t My soul upon the forfeit, that your lord WiU never more break faith advisedly. For. Then you .shall be his surety : Give him this ; And bid him keep it better than the other. Ant. Here, lord Bassanio ; swear to keep this ring. Bass. By heaven, it is the same I gave the doctor 1 For. I had it of him : pardon me, Bassanio ; For by this ring^ the doctor lay with me. Ner. And pardon me, my gentle Gratiano ; For that same scrubbed boy, the doctor's clerk, In lieu of this last night did lie with me. Gra. Why, this is like the mending of highways In summer, where the ways are fair enough : What ! are we cuckolds, ere we have deserved it ? ^ For. Speak not so grossly. — You are all amazed : Here is a letter, read it at your leisure ; It comes from Padua, from Bellario : There you shall find, that Portia was the doctor ; Nerissa there, her clerk : -Lorenzo here Shall witness, I set forth as soon as you, And but e'en now returned ; I have not yet Entered my house. — Antonio, you are welcome ; ' Which] Which lending -would have ended in ntter loss. ' I dare be botmd] Yet I have the confidence to heconie bound again, and to hazard even my soul upon the forfeit. ' 5y this ringl \ By the right which this ring gave him. — Nerissa's phrase" "^ in lieu of this' has the same meaning, See note 2, p. 139. ' , * Ere we have deserved if] Before our wives have found any cause for trying to mend their condition. .■CUNE I. THE MERCHANT OP VENICE. US And I have better news in store for you Than you expect : unseal this letter soon ; There you shall find, three of your argosies Are richly come to harbour suddenly : You shall not know by what strange accident I chanced on this letter. Ant. I am dumb.' Bass. "Were you the doctor, and I knew you not ? Gra. Were you the clerk, that is to make me cuckold ? Ner. Ay ; but the clerk that never means to do it, Unless he live until he be a man. Sass. Sweet doctor, you shall be my bedfeUow ; When I am absent then lie with my wife. Ant. Sweet lady, you have given me life, and living ; ^ For here I read for certain, that my ships Are safely come to road. JPor. How now, Lorenzo ? My clerk hath some good comforts too for you. Ner. Ay, and I'U give them him without a fee.^ — There do I give to you and Jessica, From the rich Jew, a special deed of gift. After his death, of all he dies possessed of. Lor. Fair ladies, you drop manna in the way Of starved people. For. It is almost morning. And yet, I am sure, you are not satisfied Of these events at full : ^ Let us go in ; ' / am dumb'] Soil, ■with amazement. ' Idiiing] G-iven me means of living, as well as life. — So in Eomeo and Juliet, iv. 5, 'Life, living, all is death's.' ' Without a fee] Alluding to Grratiano's words, ' A prating boy that begged it as a fee.' * At full] FuUy.— You do not feel thoroughly assured of the reality of all these events. 144 THE MEKCHANT OF VENICE. act # And charge us ' there upon inter'gatories, And we will answer all things faithfully. Gra. Let it be so. — Well, while I live I'll fear no other thing So sore ^, as keeping safe Nerissa's ring. \Exeunt. ' Charge us\ Charge ye us there solemnly, or upon oath, to answer whatever questions ye shall put to us. — The elided form in- ter'gatories was common in Shakspeare's time. See All's Well, iv. 3. ' So sore} So sensitively. — To fear Tceeping the ring safe here means to be actuated by fear in keeping it, lest it be lost. THE END. LOWDON: PBINTED BY BPOTTISWOODE AWD CO., KEW-STREET SQTJABE AND PARLTAMEWT STEEET , -Cornell University Library PR2825.A2H94 1868 Shakspeare's comedy of The merchant of V 3 1924 013 140 995