But though I am a daughter to his blood, SCENE III.* Venice. A Street. [Exit. Enter Gratiano, Lorenzo, Salarino, Lor. Nay, we will slink away in supper time; Disguise us at my lodging, and return All in an hour. Gra. * SCENE III. In former editions Scene 4.-Time is in the afternoon of the same day. E. may be imputable to the editor of the second folio. he has in this instance at least, discovered some degree of judgment, as well as those who succeeded him. E. Notwithstanding Mr. Malone charges the editor of the second folio so strongly with ignorance, I have no doubt but that did is the true reading, as it is clearly better sense than that which he has adopted. Launcelot does not mean to foretel the fate of Jessica, but judges, from her lovely disposition, that she must have been begotten by a Christian, not by such a brute as Shylock: A Christian might marry her without playing the knave, though he could not beget her. J. M. MASON. 3 -I shall end this strife;] conflict of opposite affections. E. This inward Gra. We have not made good preparation. Salar. We have not spoke us yet of torchbearers. I Salan. 'Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly ordered; And better, in my mind, not undertook. Lor. 'Tis now but four o'clock; we have two hours To furnish us : Enter Launcelot, with a letter. Friend Launcelot, what's the news? Laun. An it shall please you to break up this, it shall seem to signify. Lor. I know the hand: in faith, 'tis a fair hand; And whiter than the paper it writ on, Is the fair hand that writ. Gra. Love-news, in faith. Laun. I -torch-bearers.] A torch-bearer seems to have been a constant attendant on every troop of masks. We have not spoke us yet, &c. i. e. we have not yet bespoke us, &c. Thus the old copies. It may, however, mean, we have not as yet consulted on the subject of torch-bearers. Mr. Pope reads-" spoke as yet." STEEvens. "We have not spoke us of" is strange phraseology to signify-"We have not bespoke," &c.: us is very likely to have been a printer's mistake for as, which has been admitted in the place of it by Sir T. Hanmer, as well as Mr. Pope. E. Laun. By your leave, sir. Lor. Whither goest thou? Laun. Marry, sir, to bid my old master the Jew to sup to-night with my new master the Christian. Lor. Hold here, take this:-tell gentle I will not fail her ;-Speak it privately; go.- night? I am provided of a torch-bearer. Salar. Ay, marry, I'll be gone about it straight. Salan. And so will I. Lor. Meet me, and Gratiano, At Gratiano's lodging some hour hence. [Exeunt Salar. and Salan. Gra. Was not that letter from fair Jessica? Lor. I must needs tell thee all: she hath directed, How I shall take her from her father's house; YOL. I. Ꮐ Unless Unless she do it under this excuse, That she is issue to a faithless Jew. Come, go with me; peruse this, a goest: Fair Jessica shall be my torch-bearer.2 [ 2 It is not rendered very apparent wheth designed that this frolic of a masking party continue no longer than whilst they were abs the company, and that they should return their proper habits, or, whether they were in masquerade, as a matter of surprise to th Bassanio's guests: The circumstance of being expected to accompany them in he must incline us to imagine the latter to ha the case; for, that it was not proposed that and she should separate themselves from the is sufficiently evident from what is said of h "a torch-bearer," and their being to "retur an hour." The manner of their intended was, doubtless, happily calculated to favour th escape, and, possibly, they had this end when the masking scheme was first concerted, that particular be not expressly declared. Gratiano's lodging, the scene of their rend all matters being previously settled, we ma clude they were to proceed to supper with B S SCENE IV.* Before Shylock's House. Enter Shylock, and Launcelot. Shy. Well, thou shalt see, thy eyes shall be the judge, The difference of old Shylock and Bassanio :What, Jessica!-thou shalt not gormandize, As * SCENE IV. In former editions, Scene 5.- Succeeds presently to the time of the former: Shylock, who enters attended by Launcelot, appears just before to have received a summons to Bassanio's entertainment, which seems to have been intended for the purpose of taking leave of his friends before he sets out for Belmont. After the apparent kindness so lately conferred by Shylock upon him and upon Anthonio, it was naturally imagined a proper mark of gratitude and respect to invite him as one of the guests. invitation, indeed, according to the etiquette of modern ceremony, appears to have been sent rather late, to one with whom he lived not in any remarkable degree of familiarity or friendship; Lorenzo, in the preceding Scene, a little while before, had taken notice; The " 'Tis now but four o'clock; we have two hours "To furnish us:" Possibly, this message might have been designed only to remind him of a former engagement, and not to invite him for the first time. E. Well, thou shalt see, &c.] i. e. Thou shalt see the difference, &c. The words-thy eyes shall be the judge, being to be taken parenthetically. E. |