MERCHANT OF VENICE. } PERSONS REPRESENTED. Misfortune to my ventures, out of doubt, DUIE OF VENICE. Would make me sad. Salar. PRINCE OF MOROCCO, My wind, cooling my broth, suitors to Portia. Would blow me to an ague, when I thought PRINCE OF ARRAGON, Wbat harm a wind too great might do at sea. ANTONIO, the Merchant of Venice. I should not see the sandy hour-glass run, But I should think of shallows and of flats; friends to Antonio and Bassanio. And see my wealthy Andrew dock'd in sand, GRATIANO, Vailing ber high-top lower than her ribs, To kiss her burial. Should I go to church, LORENZO, in love with Jessica. And see the holy edifice of stone, SHYLOCK, a Jew. And not bothink me straight of dangerous rocks? TUBAL, a Jew, his friend. LAUNCELOT GOBBó, a clown, servant to Shylock. Which touching but my gentle vessel's side, Would scatter all her spices on the stream; Old GOBBO, father to Launcelot. Enrobe the roaring waters with my silks ; SALERIO, a messenger from Venice. And, in a word, but even now worth this, LEONARDO, servant to Bassanio. And now worth nothing? Shall I have the thought BALTHAZAR, servants to Portia. } STEPHANO, To think on this; and shall I lack the thought, That such a thing, bechanc'd, would make me sad ? Portia, a rich heiress. But tell not me; I know Antonio NERISSA, her waiting.mard. Is sad to think upon his merchandise. Jessica, daughter to Shylock. Ani. Believe me, do: I thank my fortune for it, Magnificoes of Venice, Officers of the Court of Jus. My ventures are not in one bottom trusted, tice, Gaoler, Servants, and other Attendants. Nor to one place ; nor is my whole estate Upon the fortune of this present year: SCENE, Partly at Venice, and partly at Therefore, my merchandise makes me not sad. Belmont, the seat of Portia, on the Continent. Salan. Why then you are in love. Fy, fy! are sad, Because you are not merry : and 'twere as easy For you, to laugh, and leap, and say, you are merry, ACT I. Because you are not sad. Now, by two-beaded Janus, Nature hath fram'd strange fellows in her time : Enter ANTONIO, SALARINO, and SalanIO. Some that will evermore peep through their eyes, Ant. In sooth, I know not why I am so sad; And laugh, like parrots, at a bag-piper : It wearies me: you say, it wearies you; And other of such vinegar aspéct, But how I caught it, found it, or came by it, That they'll not show their teeth in way of smile, What stuff 'tis made of, whereof it is born, Though Nestor swear the jest be laughable. I am to learn; Enter BASSANIO, LORENZO, and GRATIANO. And such a want-wit sadness makes of me, That I have much ado to know myself. Salan. Here comes Bassanio, your most noble Salar. Your mind is tossing on the ocean; kinsman, There, where your argosies with portly sail, Gratiano, and Lorenzo : Fare you well; Like signiors and rich burgbers of the flood, We leave you now with better company, Or, as it were, the pageants of the sea, Salar. I would have stayed till I had made you Do overpeer the petty traffickers, merry, That curt'sy to them, do them reverence, If worthier friends had not presented me. Salan. Believe me, sir, had I such venture forth, I take it, your own business calls on you, And you embrace the occasion to depart. Salar. Good-morrow, my good lords. Plucking the grass, to know where sits the wind; Bass. Good signiors both, when shall we laugh Peering in maps, for ports, and piors, and roads ; Say, when ? And every object, that might make me fear You grow exceeding strange: Must it be so? SaLar. We'll make our leisures to attend on yours. And from your love I bave a warranty (Exeunt SALARINO aud SALANIO. To unburthen all my plo's, and purposes, Lor. My Lord Bassanio, since you have found | How to get clear of all the debts I owe. Antonio, Ant. I pray you, good Bassanio, let me know it We two will leave you : but, at dinner time, And, if it stand, as you yourself still do, I pray you, have in mind where we must meet. Within the eye of bonour, be assurd, Bass. I will not fail you. My purse, my person, my extremest means, Gra. You look not well, Signior Antonio; Lie all unlock'd to your occasions. You bare too much respect upon the world : Bass. In my school-days, when I bad lost one They lose it, t'at do buy it with much care. shaft, Believe me, you are marvellou-ly chang'd. I shot his fellow of the self-same flight Ant. I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano; The self-same way, with more advised watch, A stage, wbere every man must play a part, To find the other forth ; and by advent'ring both, And mine a sad one. I oft found both: I urge this childhood proof, Gra. Let me play the Fool : Because what follows is pure innocence. With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come ; I owe you much ; and, like a wilful youth, And let my liver rather beat with wine, That wbich I owe is lost: but if you please Than my heart cool with mortifying groans. To shoot another arrow that self way Why should a man, whose blood is warm within, Which you did shoot the first, I do not doubt, Sit like his grandsire cut in alabaster? As I will watch the aim, or to find both, Sleep when he wakes ? and creep into the jaundic Or bring your latter hazard back again, By being peovish ? I tell thee what, Antonio,- And thankfully rest debtor for the first. I love thee, and it is my love that speaks; Ant. You know me well; and heroin spend but There are a sort of men, whose visages time, Do cream and mantle, like a standing pond; To wind about my love with circumstance; And do a wilful stillness entertain, And, out of doubt, you do me now more wrong, With purpose to be dressid in an opinion In making question of my uttermost, Or wisdom, gravity, profound conceit; Than if you had made waste of all I have : As #bo should say, I am Sir Oracle, Then do but say to me what I should do, And, when I ope my lips, let no dog bark ! That in your knowledge may by me be done, O, my Antonio, I do know of these, And I am prest unto it: therefore, speak. That therefore only are reputed wise, Bass. In Belmont is a lady richly left, For saying nothing ; who, I am very sure, And she is fair, and, fairer than that word, If they sbould speak, would a'most damn those of wond'rous virtues; sometimes from her eves ears, I did receive fair speechless messages : Wbich, bez ring them, would call their brothers, Her name is Portia; nothing uudervalued foo.s. To Cato's daughter, Brutus' Portia. J'll tell thee more of this another time : Nor is the wide world ignorant of her worth , But fish not, with this melancholy bait, For the four winds blow in from every coast For this fool's gudgeon, this opinion. Renowned suitors: and her sunny locks Come, good Lorenzo :-Fare ye well, a while; Hang on ber temples like a golden fleece; 1'll end my exhortation after dinner. Which makes her seat of Belmont, Colchos' strand, Lor. Well, we will leare you then till dinner. And many Jasons come in quest of her. time : O my Antonio, had I but the means I have a mind presages me such thrift, sea; Gra. Thanks, l'faith; for silence is only com- Nor have I money, nor commodity mendable To raise a present sum: therefore go forth, In a neat's tongue dried, and a maid not vendible. Try what my credit can in Venice do; [Exeunt GRATIANO and Lorenzo. That sball be rack'd, even to the uttermost, Ant. Is that any thing now? To furnish thee to Belmont, to fair Portia. Bass. Gratiano speaks an infinite deal of nothing, Go, presently inquire, and so wir I, more than any man in all Venice : His reasons are Where money is; and I no question make, as two grains of wheat bid in two bushels of chaff ; To have it of my trust, or for my sake. [Ereuni. you shall serk all day ere you find them, and, when you have them, they are not worth the search. SCENE 11.-Belmont. A Room in Portia's House. Ant. Well; tell me now, what lady is this same Enter PORTIA and NERISSA. Por. By my troth, Nerissa, my little body is a- Ner. You would be, sweet madam, if your mi. By something showing a more swelling port series were in the same abundance as your good than my faint means would grant continuance : fortunes are : And yet, for aught ) see, they are as Nor do I now make moan to be abridg'd síck, that surf-it with too much, as they tbat starve From such a noble rate ; but my chief care with nothing: It is no mean happiness, therefore, Is, to come fairly off from the great debts, to be seated in the mean ; superfluity comes sooner Wherein my time, something 100 prodigal, by white bairs, but competency lives longer. Hath left megaged: To you, Antonio, Por. Good sentences, and well pronounced. Towe ine most, in money, and in love : Ner. They would be better, if well followed. Por. If to do were as easy as to know what were man, and swore be would pay himn again, when he good to do, chapels had been churches, and poor was able : I think, the Freachman became bis mon's cottages, princes' palaces. It is a good di- surety, and sealed under for another. vine that follows bis own instructions : I can easier Ner. How like you the young German, the Duke teach twenty what were good to be done, than be of Saxony's nephew ? one of the twenty to follow mine own teacbirg. Por. Very vilely in the morning, when he is The brain may devise laws for the blood; but a hot sober; and most vilely in the afternoon, when he temper leaps over a cold decree : such a hare is is drunk : when he is best, he is a little worse madness the youth, to skip o'er the meshes of good than a man; and when he is worst, he is little counsel the cripple. But this reasoning is not in better than a beast : an the worst fall that ever the fashion to choose me a husband :-0 me, the fell, I bope, I shall make shift to go without him. word choose! I may neither choose whom I would, Ner. If he should offer to choose, and choose nor refuse whom I dislike; so is the will of a liv- the right casket, you should refuse to perforın your ing daughter curb'd by the will of a dead father:- father's will, if you should refuse to accept him. Is it not hard, Nerissa, that I cannot choose one, Por. Therefire, for fear of the worst, I pray mor refuse none ? thee, set a deep glass of Rhenish wine on the conNer. Your father was ever virtuous ; and holy trary casket: for, if the devil be within, and that men, at their death, have good inspirations; there. temptation without, I know be will choose it. I fore, the lottery, that he bath devised in these will do anything, Nerissa, ere I will be married to three chests, of gold, silver, and lead, (whereof a spunge. who chooses his meaning, chooses you,) will, no Ner. You need not fear, lady, the having any of doubt, never be chosen by any rightly, but one these lords; they have acquainted me with their who you shall rightly love. But what warmth is determinations : which is, indeed, to return to their there in your affection towards any of these princely home, and to trouble you with no more suit; unsuitors that are already come ? less, you may be won by some other sort than your Por. I pray thee, over-name them; and as thou father's imposition, depending on the caskets. namest them, I will describe them; and according Por. If I live to be as old as Sibylla, I will dia to my description, level at my affection. as chaste as Diana, unless I be obtained by the Ner. First, there is the Neapolitan prince. manner of my father's will: I am glad this parcel Por. Ay, that's a colt, indeed, for he doth no- of wooers are so reasonable ; for there is not one thing but talk of his horse; and he makes it a great among them but I dote on his very absence, and I appropriation to his own good parts, that he can pray God grant them a fair departure. shoe him himself: I am much afraid, my lady his Ner. Do you not remember, lady, in your famother played false with a smith. ther's time, a Venetian, a scholar, and a soldier, Ner. Then, is there the County Palatine. that came hither in company of the Marquis of Por. He doth nothing but frown; as who should Montferrat? say, And if you will not have me, choose : he hears Por. Yes, yes, it was Bassanio; as I think, so merry tales, and smiles not: I fear, he will prove was be called. the weeping pbilosopher when be grows old, being Ner. True, madam ; he, of all the men that erer 80 full of unmaunerly sadness in his youth. I bad my foolish eyes looked upon, was the best deserv. rather be married to a death's-head with a bone in ing a fair lady. his mouth, than to either of these. God defend me Por. I remember him well ; and I remember him from these two! worthy of thy praise.—How now! what news? Ner. How say you by the French lord, Monsieur Le Bon ? Enter a Servant. Por. God made him, and therefore let bim pass Serv. The four strangers seek for you, madam, for a man. In truth, I know it is a sin to be a to take their leave: and there is a forerunner mocker; But, he! why, he hath a borse better come from a fifth, the Prince of Morocco ; who than the Neapolitan's; a better bad babit of frown- brings word, the prince, his master, will be here ing than the Count Palatine : be is every man in to-night. no man: if a throstle sing, he falls straight a ca- Por. If I could bid the fifth welcome with so pering; he will sence with his own shadow : if I good heart as I can bid the other four farewell, I should marry him, I should marry twenty bus. should be glad of his approach : if he have the con. bands: If he would despise me, l' would forgive dition of a saint, and the complexion of a devil, I bim; for if he love me to madness, I shall never had rather he should shrive me than wive me. requite him. Come, Nerissa.—Sirrah, go before.- Whiles we Ner. What say you then to Faulconbridge, the shut the gate upon one wooer, another knocks at young baron of England ? the door. [Exeunt. Por. You know, I say nothing to bim; for be understands not me, nor i him: be hath neitber SCENE III.–Venice. A public Place. Latin, French, nor Italian ; and you will come into the court and swear, that I have a poor penny Enter BASSANIO and SHYLOCK, worth in the English. He is a proper man's pic- Shy. Three thousand ducats, — well. ture; But, alas! who can converse with a dumb Bass. Ay, sir, for three months. show? How oddly he is suited! I think, he Shy. For three months, - well. bought his doublet in Italy, his round bose in Bass. For the wbich, as I told you, Antonio sball France, his bonnet in Germany, and his behaviour be bound, Shy. Antonio shall become bound, -well. Ner. What think you of the Scottish lord, bis Bass. May you stead me? Will you pleasure mo? neighbour ? Shall I know your an-wer? for. That he hath a neighbourly charity in him; Shy. Threo thousiled ducats, for three months for he borrowed a box of the ear of the English and Antonio bound every where. Bass. Your answer to that. Ant. And what of bim? did he take interest! Shy. Antonio is a good man. Shy. No, not take interest; not, as you wcald Bass. Have you heard any imputation to the say, contrary? Directly interest : mark what Jacob did. Shy, Ho, no, no, no, no ;-my meaning, in say: When Laban and himself were compromis’d, ing he is a good man, is to have you understand That all the eanlings which were streak’d, and me, that he is sufficient : yet his means are in pied, supposition : he hath an argosy bound to Tripolis, Should fall, as Jacob's hire ; the ewes, being rank, another to the Indies; I understand moreover upon In the end of autumn turned to the rams : the Rialto, he bath a third at Mexico, a fourth for And when the work of generation was England, and other ventures he bath, squan- Between these woolly breeders in the act, der'd abroad ; But ships are but boards, sailors but The skilful shepherd peeld me certain wands, men: there be land-rats, and water-rats, water- And, in the doing of the deed of kind, thieves, and land-thieves; I mean, pirates ; and He stuck them up before the fulsome ewes; then, there is the peril of waters, winds, and rocks: Wbo, then conceiving, did in eaning time The man is, notwithstanding, sufficient;-three Fall party-colour'd lambs, and those were Jacob's thousand ducats ;— I think, I may take his bond. This was a way to thrive, and he was blest; Bass. Be assured you may. And thrift is blessing, if men steal it not. Shy. I will be assured, I may; and, that I may Ant. This was a venture, sir, that Jacob serv'd be assured, I will bethink me: May I speak with for; Antonio? A thing not in his power to bring to pass, Bass. If it please you to dine with us. But sway'd, and fashion'd, by the hand of Heaveu, Shy. Yes, to smeli pork; to eat of the habitation Was this inserted to make interest good ? which your prophet, the Nazarite, conjured the Or is your gold and silver, ewes and sams? devil into; I will buy with you, sell with you, Shy. I cannot tell; I make it breed as fast : talk with you, walk with you, and so following ; But note me, signior. but I will not eat with you, drink with you, por Ant. Mark you this, Bassano, pray with you. What news on the Rialto ?-Who The devil can cite Scripture for lis purpose. is be comes here? An evil soul, producing holy witness, Is like a villain with a smiling cheek; A goodly apple rotten at the heart; 0, what goodly outside falsehood hath! Shy. [Aside.] How like a fawning publican be Shy. Three thousand ducats,—'tis a good round looks! 1 hate him for he is a Christian : Three months from twelve, then let me see the But more, for that, in low simplicity, rate. He lends out money gratis, and brings down Ant. Well, Shylock, shall we be beholden to you? The rate of usance here with us in Venice. Shy. Signior Antonio, many a time and oft, If I can catch him once upon the hip, In the Rialto you have rated me Still have I borne it with a patient shrug; And all for use of that which is mine own. Shylock, do you hear? Well then, it now appears, you need my help: Shy. I am debating of my present store : Go to ihen; you come to me, and you say, And, by the near guess of my memory, Shylock, we would have monies ; You say so; I cannot instantly raise up the gross You, hat did void your rheum upon my beard, Of full three thousand ducats: What of that? And foot me, as you spurn a stranger cur Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe, Over your threshold; monies is your suit. Will furnish me : But soft; How many months What should I say to you? Should I not say, Do you desire ?- Rest you fair, good signior : Hath a dog money? is it possible, [TO ANTONIO. A cur can lend three thousand ducats ? or Your worship was the last man in our mouths. Shall I bend low, and in a bondman's key, Ant. Shylock, albeit i neither lend nor borrow, With ’bated breath, and whispering humbleness, By taking, nor by giving of excess, Say this, You calld me - dog; and for these courtesies Ay, ay, three thousand ducats. I'll lend you thus much monies. Ant. And for three months. Ant. I am as like to call thee so again, Shy. I had forgot, - three months, you told me so. To spit on thee again, to spurn thee too. Well then, your bond; and, let me see, —But If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not As to thy friends; (for when did friendship take But lend it rather to thine enemy; Who, if he break, thou may'st with better face Shy. Why, look you, how you storm (As his wise mother wrought in his behalf,) I would be friends with you, and have your love, The third possessor; ay he was the third. Forget the shames that you have stain'd me with, Supply your present wants and take no doit Besides, the lottery of my destiny But, if my father had not scanted me, And hedg'd me by his wit, to yield myself Shy. This kindness will I show :- His wife, wbo wins me by that means I told you, Go with me to a notary, seal me there Yourself, renowned prince, then stood as fair, Your single bond ; and, in a merry sport, As any comer I have look'd on yet, If you repay me not on such a day, For my affection. lo such a place, such sum, or sums, as are Mor. Even for that I thank you; Express'd in the condition, let the forfeit Therefore, I pray you, lead me to the caskets, Be nominated for an equal pound To try my fortune. By this scimitar,of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken That slew the Sophy, and the Persian prince, In what part of your body pleaseth me. That won three fields of Sultan Solyman,Ant. Content, in faith; i'll seal to such a bond, I would out-stare the sternest eyes that look, And say, there is much kindness in the Jew. Out-brave the heart most daring on the earth, Bass. You shall not seal to such a bond for me, Pluck the young sucking cubs from the she-bear, I'll rather dwell in my necessity. Yea, mock the lion when he roars for prey, Which is the bet'er man, the greater throw And so may I, blind fortune leading me, Por. You must take your chance ; By the exaction of the forfeiture ? and either not attempt to choose at all, A pound of man's flesh, taken from a man, Or swear, before you choose,--if you choose wrong, Is not so estimable, profitable neither, Never to speak to lady afterward Mor. Nor will not; come, bring me unto my If he will take it, £0; if not, adieu ; cbance. And, for my love, I pray you, wrong me.not. Por. First, forward to be temple; after dinner Ant. Yes, Shylock, I will seal unto this bood. Your bazard shall be mado. Shy. Then meet me forthwith at the notary's; Mor. Good fortune then! (Cornets. Give him direction for this merry bond, To make bless'd, or cursed'st among men. And I will go and purse the ducals straight; [Exeunt. See to my house, left in the fearful guard Of an unthrifty knave; and presently SCENE II.–Venice. A Street. I will be with you. (Exit. Enter LAUNCELOT GOBBO. Laun. Certainly my conscience will serve me to Ant. Come on; in this there can be no dismay, run from this Jew, my master : The fiend is at mine elbow; and tempts me, saying to me, Gobbo, My ships come home a month before the day. (Eseunt. 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 Gobbo; or as aforesaid, honest Launcelot Gobbo ; do not run, scorn running with thy heels : Well, the most couraACT II. geous fiend bids me pack; via! says the find; away! says the fieod, for the heavens; rouse up a SCENE 1.-Belmont. A Room in Portia's House. conscience, hanging about the neck of niy heart, brave mind, says the fiend, and run. Flourish of Cornets. Enter the Prince of Morocco, says very wisely to me,-my honest friend, Launce and his Train; Portia, Nerissa, and other of lot, being an honest man's son, or rather an hones her Attendants. woman's son ;-for, indeed, my father did some. thing smack, something grow to, he had a kind of Mor. Mislike me not for my complexion, taste :-well, my conscience says, Launcelot, budge The shadow'd livery of the burnish d sun, not ; budge, says the fiend ; budge not, says my conTo whom I am a neiglibour, and near bred. science : Conscience, say I, you counsel well; Bring me the fairest creature northward born, fiend, say 1, you counsel well : to be ruled by my Where Phæbus' fire scarce thaws the icicles, conscience, I should stay with the Jew my master, And let us make incision for your love, who, (God bless the mark!) is a kind of devil: To prove whose blood is reddest, his, or mine. and, to run away from the Jew, I should be ruled I tell thee, lady, this aspéct of mine by the tiend, who, saving your reverence, is the Hath fear'd the valiant; by my love, I swear, devil himself: Certainly, the Jew is the very devil The best-regarded virgins of our clime incarnation : and, iu my conscience, my conscience Have lov'd it too : I would not change this bue, is but a kind of hard conscience, to offer to counsel Except to steal your thoughts, my gentle queen. me to stay with the Jew : The fiend gives the moro Por. In terms of choice I am not solely led friendly counsel : I will run, fiend; my heels are Ky nice direction of a maiden's eyes · at your commandment, I will run. Well, my |