Enter NERISSA, with a Servant.

Ner. Quick, quick, I pray thee, draw the curtain straight;

The prince of Arragon bath ta'en his oath,
And comes to his election presently.

Flourish of Cornets. Enter the PRINCE OF
ARRAGON, PORTIA, and their Trains.

Por. Behold, there stand the caskets, noble prince:

If you choose that wherein I am contain'd, Straight shall our nuptial rites be solemniz'd; But if you fail, without more speech, my lord, You must be gone from hence immediately.

Ar. I am enjoin'd by oath to observe three First, never to unfold to any one [things: Which casket 'twas I chose; next, if I fail Of the right casket, never in my life To woo a maid in way of marriage; lastly, If I do fail in fortune of you choice, Immediately to leave you and be gone.

Por. To these injunctions every one doth

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 men
desire.
[meant
What many men desire. That many may be
By the fool multitude, that choose by show,
Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach;
Which pries not to the anterior, but, like the
martlet,

Builds in the weather on the outward wall.
Even in the force and road of casuality.
I will not choose what many men desire,
Because I will not jump with common spirits,
And ank me with the barbarous multitudes.
Why, then to thee, thou silver treasure-house;
Tell me once more what title thou dost bear ;
Who chooseth me, shall get as much as he
deserves;

And well said too: For who shall go about
To cozen fortune, and be honourable
Without the stamp of merit! Let none presume
To wear an undeserved dignity.

Oh! that estates, degrees, and offices,

Were not deriv'd corruptly and that clear

honour

+ Prepared.

Agree with.

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 deserv-
ings?

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. What is here ?

The fire seven 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, I wis, •
Silver'd o'er; and so was this.
Take what wife you will to bed,
I will ever be your head:
So begone, Sir, 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'll keep my oath,
Patiently to bear my wroth.

[Exeunt ARRAGON, and Train.
Por. Thus bath 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 SERVANT.

Serv. Where is my lady?

Por. Here; what would my lord?

Serv. Madam, there is alighted at your gate A young Venetian, one that comes before To signify the approaching of his lord: From whom he bringeth sensible regreets; + To wit, besides commends, and courteous breath, Gifts of rich value; Yet I have not seen So likely an embassador of love: A day in April never came so sweet To show how costly summer was at band, As this fore-spurrer comes before his lord.

Por. 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 sce
Quick Cupid's post, that comes so mannerly.
Ner. Bassanio, lord love, if thy will it be !
[Exeunt.

ACT III.

SCENE 1.-Venice.-A Street.

Enter SALANIO and SALARINO. Salan. Now, what news on the Rialto? Salar. Why, yet it lives there uncheck'd, that Antonio hath a ship of rich lading wreck'd on the narrow seas; the Goodwins, I think they call the place; a very dangerous flat, and fatal, where the carcases 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 highway of talk,-that the good Antonio, the honest Antonio, O that I had a title good enough to keep his name company !

Where men enforced do speak any thing.

Bass. Promise me life, and I'll confess the truth.

Por. Well then, confess, and live.
Bass. Confess and love,

Had been the very sum of my confession:
O happy torment, when my torturer
Doth teach me answers for deliverance!
But let me to my fortune and the caskets.
Por. Away then: I am lock'd in one
them;

If you do love me, you will find me out.-
Nerissa, and the rest, stand all aloof.-
Let music sound, while he doth make nis choice;
Then, if he lose, he makes a swanlike end,
Fading in music: that the comparison

May stand more proper, my eye shall be the stream,

And wat'ry death-bed for him: He may win;
And what is music then? then music is
Even as the flourish when true subjects bow
To a new-crowned monarch: such it is,
As are those dulcet sounds in break of day,
That creep into the dreaming bridegroom's ear,
And summon him to marriage. Now he goes,
With no less presence, but with much more
love,

Than young Alcides, when he did redeem
The virgin tribute paid by howling Troy
To the sea-monster; I stand for sacrifice,
The rest aloof are the Dardanian wives,
With bleared visages, come forth to view
The issue of the exploit. Go, Hercules!
Live thou, I live:-With much much more dis-
may

I view the fight, than thou that mak'st the fray.
Music, whilst BASSANIO, comments on the
caskets to himself.
SONG.

1. Tell me, where is fancy + bred,
Or in the heart, or in the head?
How begot, how nourished?
Reply. 2. It is engender'd in the eyes,
With gazing fed, and fancy dies
In the cradle where it lies:

As stairs of sand, wear yet upon their chins The beards of Hercules and frowning Mars,

as

And shudd'ring fear, and green-ey'd jealoucy.
O love, be moderate, allay thy extacy,
In measure rain thy joy, scant this excess;
I feel too much thy blessing, make it less,
For fear I surfeit !

Bass. What find I here?

[Opening the leaden casket. Fair Portia's counterfeit ? What demi-god Hath come so near creation? Move these eyes ? Or, whether, riding on the balls of mine, Seem they in motion? Here are sever'd lips Parted with sugar breath; so sweet a bar Should sunder such sweet friends: Here in her hairs

The painter plays the spider; and hath woven A golden mesh to entrap the hearts of men, Faster than gnats in cobwebs : But her eyes, How could he see to do them? having made one,

Methinks, it should have power to steal both his,

scroll,

The continent and summary of my fortune.
You that choose not by the view,
Chance as fair, and choose as true!
Since this fortune falls to you,
Be content and seek no new.
If you be well pleas'd with this,
And hold your fortune for your bliss,
Turn you where your lady is,
And claim her with a loving kiss.
A gentle scroll;-Fair lady, by your leave;
[Kissing her.

I come by note, to give, and to receive.
Like one of two contending in a prize,
That thinks he hath done well in people's eyes,
Hearing applause, and universal shout,
Giddy in spirit, still gazing, in a doubt
Whether those peals of praise be his or no;

So, thrice fair lady, stand I, even so;

As doubtful whether what I see be true,
Until confirm'd, sign'd, ratified by you.

Por. You see me, lord Bassanio, where I stand,

Such as I am though for myself alone,

I would not be ambitions in my wish,

milk?

I would be trebled twenty times myself;

A thousand times more fair, ten thousand times More rich;

Than only to stand high on your account,

I might in virtues, beauties, livings, friends,
Exceed account: but the full sum of me

Is sum of something; which, to term in grosa,
Is an unlesson'd girl, unschool'd, unpractis'd:
Happy in this, she is not yet so old

But she may learn; and happier than this,
She is not bred so dull but she can learn ;

Happiest of all, is, that her gentle spirit
Commits itself to your's to be directed,
As from her lord, her governor, her king.
Myself, and what is mine, to you, and your's
Is now converted but now I was the lord
Of this fair mansion, master of my servants,
Queen o'er myself; and even now, but now,
This house, these servants, and this same my-
self,

Are your's, my lord; I give them with this ring,

Which, when you part from, lose, or give away,
Let it presage the ruin of your love.
And be my vantage to exclaim on you.
Bass. Madam, you have bereft

words,

ine of all

Parts from this finger, then parts life from hence;

Oh! then be bold to say, Bassanio's dead.

Ner. My lord and lady, it is now our time, That have stood by, and seen our wishes prosper,

To cry, good joy; Good joy, my lord and lady!
Gra. My lord Bassanio, and my gentle lady,
I wish you all the joy that you can wish;
For I am sure, you can wish none from me :
And, when your honours mean to solemnize
The bargain of your faith, I do beseech you,
Even at that time I may be married too.
Bass. With all my heart, so thou canst get a
wife.

Gra. I thank your lordship; you have got me

one.

My eyes, my lord, can look as swift as your's:
You saw the mistress, I beheld the maid;
You lov'd, I lov'd; for intermission +
No more pertains to me, my lord, than you.
Your fortune stood upon the caskets there;
And so did mine too, as the matter fails:
For wooing here, until I sweat again;
And swearing, till my very roof was dry
With oaths of love: at last,-if promise last,-
I got a promise of this fair one here,

To have her love, provided that your fortune
Achiev'd her mistress.

Por. Is this true, Nerissa ?

Ner. Madam, it is, so you stand pleas'd withal.

Bass. And do you, Gratiano, mean good faith?

Gra. Yes, 'faith, my lord.

Bass. Our feast shall be much honour'd in your marriage.

Gra. We'll play with them, the first boy for a thousand ducats.

Ner. What, and stake down?

Gra. No; we shall ne'er win at that sport, and stake down.-

But who comes here? Lorenzo, and his infidel? What my old Venetian friend, Salerio ?

Enter LORENZO, JESSICA, and SALERIO. Bass. Lorenzo, and Salerio, welcome hither; If that the youth of my new interest here Have power to bid you welcome :-By your

He did entreat me, past all saying nay,
To come with him along.
Saler. I di, 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, tell me how my good friend doth.
Saler. Not sick, my lord, unless it be in mind;
Nor well, unless in mind: his letter there
Will show you his estate.

Gra. Nerissa, cheer yon' stranger; bid her welcome.

Your hand, Salerio; What's the news fror
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.
Saler. 'Would you had won the fleece that be
hath lost!

Por. There are some shrewd contents in you' same paper,

That steal the colour from Bassanio's cheek:
Some dear friend dead: else nothing in the
Could turn so much the constitution [world
Of any constant man. What, worse and worse?
With leave, Bassanio; I am half yourself,
And I must freely have the half of any thing
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
Ran in my veius, I was a gentleman;
And then I told yon true: and yet, dear lady,
Rating myself at nothing, you shall see
How much I was a braggart; when I told you
My state was nothing, I should then have told

you

That I was worse than nothing; for, indeed,
I have engag'd myself to a dear friend,
Engag'd my friend to his mere enemy,
To feed my means. Here is a letter, lady;
The paper is the body of my friend,
And every word in it a gaping wound,
Issuing life-biood.-But is it true, Salerio?
Have all his ventures fail'd? What, not one hit?
From Tripolis, from Mexico, and England,
From Lisbon, Barbary, and India?
And not one vessel 'scape the dreadful touch
Of merchant-marring rocks ?

Saler. 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 impeach the freedom of the state,
If they deny him justice: twenty merchants,
The duke himself, and the magnificoes*
Of greatest port, have all persuaded with him;
But none can drive him from the envious plea
Of forfeiture, of justice, and his bond.

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, and power deny not,
It will go hard with poor Antonio.

Por. Is it your dear friend, that is thus in

Por. 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 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, mean time, 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 I should live, all debts are cleared between you and I, if I might but see you at my death; notwithstanding, use your pleasure: if your love do not persuade you to come, let not my letter.

Por. O love, despatch all business, and gone.

Bass. Since I have your good leave to

be

go

[Exeunt.

Well, jailer, on :-Pray God, Bassanio come To see me pay his debt, and then I care not! [Excunt.

SCENE IV.-Belmont.-A Room in PORTIA'S House.

Enter PORTIA, NERISSA, LORENZO, JESSICA and BALTHAZAR.

Lor. Madam, although I speak it in your pre-
sence,

You have a noble and a true conceit
Of god-like amity; which appears most strongly
In bearing thus the absence of your lord.
But, if you knew to whom you show this
honour,

How true a gentlemen 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.
Por. 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 bestow'd,
In purchasing the semblance of my soul
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 breath'd 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 off,

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.
Por. My people do already know my mi id,
And will acknowledge you and Jessica
In place of lord Bassanio and myself.
So fare you well, till we shall meet again.
Lor. Fair thoughts, and happy hours attend

To

on you.

Jes. I wish your ladyship all heart's content. Por. I thank you for your wish, and am well pleas'd

wish it back on you: fare you well, Jessica. [Exeunt JESSICA and LORENZO. Now, Balthazar,

As I have ever found thee honest, true,
So let me find thee still: Take this same letter,
And use thou all the endeavour of a man,
In speed to Padua: see thou render this
Into my cousin's haud, doctor Bellario;
And look, what notes and garments he doth
give thee,

Bring them, I pray thee, with imagin'd speed
Unto the tranect, to the common ferry

Which trades to Venice-waste no time in words,

But get thee gone: I shall be there before thee. Balth. Madam, I go with all convenient [Brit.

speed.