thee, understand a plain man in his plain meaning: go to thy fellows; bid them cover the table, serve in the meat, and we will come in to dinner.

Laun. For the table, fir, it shall be ferv'd in; for the meat, fir, it fhall be covered; for your coming in to dinner, fir, why, let it be as humours and conceits shall go[Exit Launcelot. Lor. O dear difcretion, how his words are suited!

vern.

The fool hath planted in his memory

An army of good words; And I do know

a

A many fools, that stand in better place,
Garnish'd like him, that for a tricksy word
Defy the matter. How cheer'ft thou, Jeffica?
And now, good fweet, fay thy opinion,
How doft thou like the lord Baffanio's wife?
Jef. Past all expreffing: It is very meet,
The lord Baffanio live an upright life;
For, having fuch a bleffing in his lady,
He finds the joys of heaven here on earth;
And, if on earth he do not mean it, it
Is reafon he should never come to heaven.
Why, if two gods fhould play fome heavenly match,
And on the wager lay two earthly women,
And Portia one, there must be something else
Pawn'd with the other; for the poor rude world
Hath not her fellow.

Lor. Even fuch a husband

Haft thou of me, as fhe is for a wife.

Jef. Nay, but ask my opinion too of that.
Lor. I will anon; firft, let us go to dinner.

z how his words are fuited!]—how well apply'd are they, properly adapted.

a for a tricky word defy the matter.]-for the fake of introducing a witticifm, leave their fubject in the lurch.

b mean it,]-enjoy it with moderation-merit it.

Jef.

Jef. Nay, let me praise you, while I have ftomach.
Lor. No, pray thee, let it ferve for table-talk;
Then, howfoe'er thou speak'ft, 'mong other things.
I fhall digeft it.

Enter the Duke, the Senators; Anthonio, Baffanio, Gratiano, and others.

Duke. What, is Anthonio here?

Anth. Ready, fo please your grace.

Duke. I am forry for thee; thou art come to answer A ftony adversary, an inhuman wretch

Uncapable of pity, void and empty

From any dram of mercy.

Anth. I have heard,

Your grace hath ta'en great pains to qualify

His rigorous course, but since he stands obdurate,
And that no lawful means can carry me

Out of his envy's reach, I do oppose
My patience to his fury; and am arm'd
To fuffer, with a quietnefs of fpirit,
The very tyranny and rage of his.

Duke. Go one and call the Jew into the court.
Sol. He's ready at the door: he comes, my lord.

carry me out of his envy's reach,]-fcreen me from the effects of his malice.

Enter Shylock.

Duke. Make room, and let him stand before our face.Shylock, the world thinks, and I think fo too, That thou but lead'ft this fashion of thy malice To the last hour of act; and then, 'tis thought, Thou'lt fhew thy mercy, and remorfe, more strange Than is thy ftrange apparent cruelty :

с

d

And, where thou now exact'st the penalty,

(Which is a pound of this poor merchant's flesh)
Thou wilt not only 'lofe the forfeiture,

But touch'd with human gentleness and love,
Forgive a moiety of the principal;

Glancing an eye of pity on his loffes,

That have of late fo huddled on his back;
Enough to prefs a royal merchant down,
And pluck commiferation of his state

From braffy bofoms, and rough hearts of flint,
From stubborn Turks, and Tartars, never train'd
To offices of tender courtesy.

We all expect a gentle anfwer, Jew.

h

Shy. I have poffefs'd your grace of what I purpose; And by our holy Sabbath have I fworn,

To have the due and forfeit of my bond:
If you deny it, let the danger light

Upon your charter, and your city's freedom.
You'll ask me, why I rather chuse to have
A weight of carrion flesh, than to receive
Three thousand ducats: I'll not answer that:
But, fay, it is my humour; Is it answer'd?

d apparent]-affumed, feeming.
flofe]-remit.

poffefs'd-informed.

where]-whereas.

8 buddled]-crowded, fall'n fo thick.

i anfwer that :]-formally, and as a legal question.

What

What if my house be troubled with a rat,

And I be pleas'd to give ten thousand ducats

k

To have it ban'd? What are you answer'd yet?
Some men there are, love not a gaping pig;

Some, that are mad, if they behold a cat;
And others, when the bag-pipe fings i' the nofe,
'Cannot contain their urine; For affection,
Master of paffion, fways it to the mood

m

Of what it likes, or loaths: Now, for your
As there is no firm reason to be render'd,
Why he cannot abide a gaping pig;
Why he, a harmless neceffary cat;

Why he, a "woollen bag-pipe: but of force
Muft yield to fuch inevitable shame,
As to offend himself, being offended;

answer:

So can I give no reason, nor I will not,
More than a lodg'd hate, and a certain loathing,
I bear Anthonio, that I follow thus

A lofing fuit against him. Are you answer'd?

Baff. This is no anfwer, thou unfeeling man, To excufe the current of thy cruelty.

Shy. I am not bound to please thee with my anfwers.
Baff. Do all men kill the thing they do not love?
Shy. Hates any man the thing he would not kill?

ban'd?]-poifon'd.

1 Cannot contain their urine for affection-because they are fo violently affected by the found.

For affection, &c.-Sympathy, and antipathy fo govern our fenfations, as to force us to follow their impulse.

Mafters of paffion fway &c.-whatever has the mastery over it makes it like, or loath at pleasure.

Mafterlefs paffion fways us to the mood

Of what it likes, or loaths."-The ruling paffion.

Mafters our paffion.

firm reafon to be render'd,]-fatisfactory account to be given.

woollen bag-pipe ;]-the bag covered with woollen cloth—swollen, · wawling, wooden.

Baff. Every offence is not a hate at first.

Shy. What, would'st thou have a ferpent fting thee twice? Anth. I pray you, think you queftion with the Jew: You may as well go ftand upon the beach,

And bid the main flood bate his ufual height;
You may as well use question with the wolf,
Why he hath made the ewe bleat for the lamb;
You may as well forbid the mountain pines
Το wag their high tops, and to make no noise,
When they are fretted with the gufts of heaven;
You may as well do any thing most hard,
As feek to foften that (than which what's harder?)
His Jewish heart :-Therefore, I do befeech
Make no more offers, use no farther means,
But, with all brief and plain conveniency,
Let me have judgment, and the Jew his will.
Baff. For thy three thousand ducats here is fix.
Shy. If every ducat in fix thousand ducats
Were in fix parts, and every part a ducat,

you,

I would not draw them, I would have my bond.
Duke. How fhalt thou hope for mercy, rend'ring none?
Shy. What judgment shall I dread, doing no wrong?
You have among you many a purchas'd slave,
Which, like your affes, and your dogs, and mules,
You use in abject and in flavish parts,

Because you bought them :-Shall I fay to you,
Let them be free, marry them to your heirs?
Why sweat they under burdens? let their beds
Be made as foft as yours, and let their palates
Be feafon'd with fuch viands? you will answer,
The flaves are ours :-So do I answer you:
The pound of flesh, which I demand of him,