By the fool multitude, that choose by show, Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach; I will not choose what many men desire, To cozen Fortune, and be honourable, To wear an undeserved dignity. Let none presume O! that estates, degrees, and offices, Were not deriv'd corruptly! and that clear honour To be new varnish'd! Well, but to my choice: Por. Too long a pause for that which you find there. Ar. What's here? the portrait of a blinking idiot Presenting me a schedule? I will read it. How much unlike art thou to Portia ! How much unlike my hopes, and my deservings! Who chooseth me shall have as much as he deserves. Did I deserve no more than a fool's head? Is that my prize? are my deserts no better Por. To offend, and judge, are distinct offices, And of opposed natures. Ar. Por. What is here? "The fire seven times tried this: Still more fool I shall appear With one fool's head I came to woo; But I go away with two. Sweet, adieu. I'll keep my oath, Patiently to bear my wroth. [Exeunt ARRAGON and Train. Thus hath the candle sing'd the moth. O, these deliberate fools, when they do choose, They have the wisdom by their wit to lose. Ner. The ancient saying is no heresy :— Hanging and wiving goes by destiny. Por. Come, draw the curtain, Nerissa. Enter a Messenger. Mess. Where is my lady? Por. Here; what would my lord? Mess. Madam, there is alighted at your gate A young Venetian, one that comes before To signify th' approaching of his lord, From whom he bringeth sensible re-greets; To wit, (besides commends, and courteous breath,) A day in April never came so sweet, Por. No more, I pray thee: I am half afeard Quick Cupid's post, that comes so mannerly. ACT III. [Exeunt. Now Salar. Why, yet it lives there uncheck'd, that Antonio hath a ship of rich lading wrack'd on the narrow seas; the Goodwins, I think they call the place a very dangerous flat, and fatal, where the carcasses of many a tall ship lie buried, as they say, if my gossip, report, be an honest woman of her word. : Salan. I would she were as lying a gossip in that, as ever knapp'd ginger, or made her neighbours believe she wept for the death of a third husband. But it is true, without any slips of prolixity, or crossing the plain high-way 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. Salan. Ha!-what say'st thou ? is, he hath lost a ship. Why, the end Salar. I would it might prove the end of his losses. Salan. Let me say Amen betimes, lest the Devil cross my prayer; for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew. Enter SHYLOCK. 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. Salan. And Shylock, for his own part, knew the bird was fledg'd; and then, it is the complexion of them all to leave the dam. Shy. She is damn'd for it. Salar. That's certain, if the Devil may be her judge. Shy. My own flesh and blood to rebel! Salan. Out upon it, 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 Rhenish. 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 Rialto; a beggar, that was us'd 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 disgrac'd me, and hinder'd me half a million; laugh'd at my losses, mock'd 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, affections, 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 example? why, revenge. The villainy you teach me, I will execute; and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction. Enter a Servant. Serv. 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. Salan. Here comes another of the tribe: a third cannot be match'd, unless the Devil himself turn Jew. [Exeunt SALANIO, SALARINO, and Servant. |