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 hears'd at my foot, and the ducats in her coffin! No news of them?-Why so:-and I know not what's spent in the search: why, thou loss upon loss! the thief gone with so much, and so much to find the thief and no satisfaction, 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?

Tub.-Hath an argosy cast away, coming from Tripolis.

Shy. I thank God, I thank God Is it true? is it

true?

Tub. I spoke with some of the sailors, that escaped the wreck.

Shy. I thank thee, good Tubal ;-Good news, good news: ha! ha!-Where, in Genoa ?

Tub. Your daughter spent in Genoa, as I heard, one night, four score ducats.

Shy. Thou stick'st a dagger in me:-I shall never see my gold again: four score ducats at a sitting! four score ducats!

Tub. There came divers of Antonio's creditors in my company to Venice, that swear he cannot chuse 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:

Ε

it was my torquoise; I had it of Leah, when I was a bachelor: I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys.

Tub. 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 merchandize I will: Go, go, Tubal, and meet me at our synagogue; go, good Tubal; at our synagogue, Tubal.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

PORTIA'S House at Belmont.-The Three Caskets of Gold, Silver, and Lead, are set out.

PORTIA, BASSANIO, NERISSA, GRATIANO, SINGERS, MUSICIANS, PAGES, and other ATTENDANTS, discovered.

Bass. I am enjoin'd by oath to observe three things: First, never to unfold to any one,

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 my choice,
Immediately to leave you, and be gone?

Por. To these injunctions every one doth swear, That comes to hazard for my worthless self.

Bass. And so have I address'd me.-Fortune now

Το my heart's hope!

Por. I pray you, tarry; pause a day or two
Before you hazard; for, in chusing wrong,
I lose your company; therefore, forbear a while:

There's something tells me, but it is not love,
I would not lose you; and you know yourself,
Hate counsels not in such a quality.

I could teach you

How to chuse right, but I am then forsworn;
So will I never be: so you may miss me;
But if you do, you'll make me wish a sin,
That I had been forsworn.

I speak too long: but 'tis to pieze the time;
To eke it, and to draw it out in length,
To stay you from election.

Bass. Let me chuse;

For, as I am, I live upon the rack.

Come, let me to my fortune and the caskets.

If

Por. Away, then: I am lock'd in one of them; you do love me, you will find me out.—

Nerissa, and the rest, stand all aloof.—

Let music sound while he doth make his choice;
Then, if he lose, he makes a swan-like end,
Fading in music: that the comparison

May stand more proper, my eye shall be the stream, And wat'ry death-bed for him.

A Song, whilst BASSANIO comments on the Caskets to himself.

Tell me, where is fancy bred,
Or in the heart, or in the head?
How begot, how nourished?

Reply. It is engender'd in the eyes,

All.

With gazing fed; and fancy dies
In the cradle where it lies;
Let us all ring fancy's knell;
I'll begin it,-Ding, dong, bell.
Ding, dong, bell.

Bass. Some god direct my judgment!-Let me

see.

shall gain what

many men desire.

Who chuseth me,
That may be meant
Of the fool multitude, that chuse by show;
The world is still deceiv'd with ornament.
In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt,
But, being season'd with a gracious voice,
Obscures the show of evil? In religion,
What damned error, but some sober brow
Will bless it, and approve it with a text,
Hiding the grossness with fair ornament ?
Thus ornament is but the guiled shore
To a most dang'rous sea; the beauteous scarf
Veiling an Indian beauty.-

Therefore, thou gaudy gold,

Hard food for Midas, I will none of thee.
Who chuseth 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?

O, that estates, degrees, and offices,

Were not deriv'd corruptly! and that clear honour
Were purchas'd by the merit of the wearer!
How many then should cover, that stand bare!
How many be commanded, that command!
And how much honour

Pick'd from the chaff, and ruin of the times,
To be new varnish'd!-Much as he deserves-
I'll not assume desert.-

Who chuseth me, must give and hazard all he hath.
I'll none of thee, thou pale and common drudge
"Tween man and man: but thou, thou meagre lead,
Which rather threat'nest, than dost promise aught,
Thy plainness moves me more than eloquence,
And here chuse I; Joy be the consequence!
Por. How all the other passions fleet to air!
O love, be moderate, allay thy ecstacy;
I feel too much thy blessing; make it less,
For fear I surfeit!

OF