From whom he bringeth fenfible regreets; A day in April never came fo fweet, Por. No more, I pray thee; I am half afraid, Thou'lt fay anon, he is fome kin to thee; Thou spend'ft fuch high-day wit in praising him : Come, come, Neriffa, for I long to fee Quick Cupid's poft, that comes fo mannerly. Ner. Baffanio, lord Love, if thy will it be! (14) [Exeunt. SOLARIN 0. WOW, what news on the Ryalto? N° Sal. Why yet it lives there uncheck'd, that Anthonio hath a fhip of rich lading wreck'd on the narrow feas; the Godwins, I think, they call the place; a very dangerous flat and fatal, where the carcafes of many a tall hip lye bury'd, as they fay, if my goffip Report be an honeft woman of her word. Sola. I would fhe were as lying a goffip in that, as ever knapt ginger; or made her neighbours believe, she wept for the death of a third husband. But it is true, (14) Baffanio Lord, love, if] Mr. Pope, and all the preceding editors have follow'd this pointing; as imagining, I fuppofe, that Baffanio lord---means, Lord Bassanio; but Lord must be coupled to Love: as if fhe had faid, imperial love, if it be thy will, let it be Bassanio whom this meffenger fore-runs. F 3 without without any flips of prolixity, or crofing the plain high-way of talk, that the good Anthonio, the honeft Anthonio O that I had a title good enough to keep his name company. Sal. Come, the full ftop. Sola. Ha, what fay'ft thou? why the end is, he hath loft a fhip. Sal. I would, it might prove the end of his loffes. Sola. Let me fay Amen betimes, left the devil cross thy prayer, (15) for here he comes in the likeness of a few. How now, Shylock, what news among the merchants? Enter Shylock. Shy. You knew (none fo well, none fo well as you) of my daughter's flight. Sal. That's certain; I, for my part, knew the taylor that made the wings the flew withal. Sola. And Shylock, for his own part, knew the bird was fledg'd, and then it is the complection of them all to leave the dam. Shy. She is damn'd for it. Sal. That's certain, if the devil may be her judge. Shy. My own fleth and blood to rebel! Sola. Out upon it, old carrion, rebels it at these years ? Shy. I fay, my daughter is my flesh and blood. Sal. 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 rhenish: but tell us, do you hear, whether Anthonio have had any lofs at fea or no? Shy. There I have another bad match; a bankrupt, a prodigal, who dares fcarce fhew his head on the Ryalto; a beggar, that us'd to come fo fmug upon the mart! let him look to his bond; he was wont to call me ufurer; let him look to his bond; he was wont to lend money for a chriftian courtefy; let him look to his bond. (15) left the devil cross my prayer.] But the prayer was Salanio's. The other only, as clerk, fays Amen to it. We must therefore read Mr. Warburton. thy prayer. Sal. Sal. Why, I am fure, if he forfeit, thou wilt not take his flesh what's that good for? Shy. To bait fish withal. If it will feed nothing elfe, it will feed my revenge; he hath difgrac'd me, and hinder'd me half a million, laught at my loffes, mock'd at my gains, fcorn'd my nation, thwarted my bargains, cool'd my friends, heated mine enemies; and what's his reafon? I am a few. Hath not a Few eyes? hath not a few hands, organs, dimenfions, fenfes, affections, paffions? fed with the fame food, hurt with the fame weapons, fubject to the fame difeafes, heal'd by the fame means, warm'd and cool'd by the fame winter and fummer, as a chriftian is? if you prick us, do we not bleed if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poifon us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? if we are like you in the reft, we will refemble you in that. If a few wrong a chriftian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a chriftian wrong a Jew, what fhould his fufferance be by chriftian example? why, Revenge. The villany, you teach me, I will execute; and it fhall go hard, but I will better the inftruction. Enter a Servant from Anthonio. Ser. Gentlemen, my master Anthonio is at his house, and defires to speak with you both. Sal. We have been up and down to feek him. Enter Tubal. Sola. Here comes another of the tribe; a third cannot be match'd, unless the devil himself turn Jew. [Exeunt Sala. and Solar. 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, coft me two thousand ducats in Frankfort! the curfe 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; O, would fhe were hers'd at my foot, and the ducats in her coffin. No news of them; why fo! and I know not what's spent in the fearch: why, thou lofs upon lofs! the thief gone with fo much, and fo much to find the thief; and no fatisfaction, no revenge, nor no ill luck ftirring, but what lights o' my fhoulders; no fighs but o' my breathing, no tears but o' my fhedding. Tub. Yes, other men have ill luck too; Anthonio, as I heard in Genoa Shy. What, what, what? ill luck, ill luck? Tub. Hath an Argofie caft away, coming from Tripolis. Shy. I thank God, I thank God; is it true? is it true? Tub. I fpoke with fome of the failors that escaped the wreck. Shy. I thank thee, good Tubal; good news, good news; ha, ha, where? in Genoua? Tub. Your daughter spent in Genoua, as I heard, one night, fourscore ducats. Sky. Thou ftick'ft a dagger in me; I fhall never see my gold again; fourfcore ducats at a fitting, fourscore ducats! Tub. There came divers of Anthonio's creditors in my company to Venice, that swear he cannot chuse but break. Shy. I am glad of it, I'll plague him, I'll torture him; I am glad of it. Tub. One of them fhew'd me a ring, that he had of your daughter for a monkey. Shy. Out upon her! thou tortureft me, Tubal; it was my Turquoife, I had it of Leah when I was a batchelor; I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkies. Tub. But Anthonio is certainly undone. fee me Shy. Nay, that's true, that's very true; go an officer, befpeak him a fortnight before. I will have the heart of him, if he forfeit; for were he out of Venice, I can make what merchandize I will: go: go, Tubal, and meet me at our fynagogue; go, good Tubal; at our fynagogue, Tubal. [Exeunt. SCENE SCENE changes to Belmont. Enter Baffanio, Portia, Gratiano, and Attendants. The Cafkets are set out. you Por. • Pray you, tarry, paufe a day or two, But left you should not understand me well, I fpeak too long, but 'tis to piece the time, Baff. Let me chufe: the rack. Por. Upon the rack, Bassanio? then confefs, Por. Ay, but I fear you speak upon the rack; Ba. Promife me life, and I'll confefs the truth. |