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With over weather'd ribs, and ragged sails,

Lean, rent, and beggar'd by the strumpet wind!

Enter Lorenzo masked.

Salar. Here comes Lorenzo ;-more of this hereafter.

Lor. Sweet friends, your patience for my long abode ;9

Not I, but my affairs, have made you wait: When you shall please to play the thieves for wives,

I'll watch as long for you then.-Approach;1 Here dwells my father Jew:-Ho! who's within?

Enter Jessica above, in boy's clothes. Jes. Who are you? tell me, for more certainty,

Albeit I'll swear that I do know your tongue, Lor. Lorenzo, and thy love.

Jes. Lorenzo, certain; and my love, indeed; For whom love I so much; and now who knows, But you, Lorenzo, whether I am yours?

9

Lor.

for my long abode ;] This is a remarkable use of the word abode, by which it is made to signify delay. E.

I'll watch as long for

you then. Approach ;]

Come then approach."

Read with a slight variation from Sir T. Hanmer: I'll watch as long for you.

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RITSON.

Lor. Heaven, and thy thoughts, are witness that thou art. 2

Jes. Here, catch this casket; it is worth the pains,

I am glad 'tis night, you do not look on me,3
For I am much asham'd of my exchange:

But love is blind, and lovers cannot see
The pretty follies that themselves commit;
For if they could, Cupid himself would blush4
To see me thus transformed to a boy.

Lor. Descend, for you must be my torchbearer.

Jes. What, must I hold a candle to my shames?

They in themselves, good sooth, are too too

light.

Why, 'tis an office of discovery, love;

And

2 Heaven, and thy thoughts, are witness, &c.] His meaning is, I think, that, whatever she may choose, in a sportful mood, to insinuate, it is impossible that she, any more than Heaven itself, to which our hearts lie open, can in reality harbour a doubt of the sincerity of his professions. E.

3

-you do not look on me,] I suspect that this should be, "yet do not look on me," the darkness of the night not being sufficient entirely to conceal the transformation of which she is ashamed. E.

4 -Cupid himself would blush, &c.] Cupid is here introduced in his mythological character as distinct from the passion which he is supposed to inspire, yet, that he does not blush, is in a confused manner, considered as the consequence of the blindness of his votaries, rather than of his own.

E.

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And I should be obscur'd.

Lor.

So are you,

Even in the lovely garnish of a boy.5

But come at once;

For the close night doth play the runAnd we are staid for at Bassanio's feast. Jes. I will make fast the doors, an

myself

With some more ducats, and be wit [Exit from

straight.

Gra. Now, by my hood," a Gentile,
Jew.7

5the lovely garnish of a boy.] 1 rendered lovely by the circumstance of her assumed it. E.

6 Now, by my hood,] To understand Gr oath, it should be recollected that he is in a habit, to which it is probable that formerly present, a large cape or hood was affixed. M Gratiano alludes to the practice of friars, w quently swore by this part of their habit. ST -a Gentile, and no Jew.] A jest from the ambiguity of Gentile, which signifie a Heathen, and one well born. JOHNSON. So at the conclusion of the first part of Hie &c. 1605:

7

66

So, good night kind gentles, "For I hope there's never a Jew among yo Again, in Swetnam arraign'd, 1620:

66

Joseph the Jew was a better Gentile far
STE

Dr. Johnson rightly explains this. There is book by one Ellis, entitled, "The Gentile "or, England's brave Gentleman." FARMER.

Lor. Beshrew me but I love her heartily: For she is wise, if I can judge of her; And fair she is, if that mine eyes be true; And true she is, as she hath prov'd herself ; And therefore, like herself, wise, fair, and true,8

Shall she be placed in my constant soul.

Enter Jessica, below.

What, art thou

art thou come ?-On, gentlemen, away;

Our masquing mates by this time for us stay.

[Exit. with Jessica, &c.

Enter Anthonio.

Anth. Who's there?

Gra. Signior Anthonio?

Anth. Fie, fie, Gratiano! where are all the rest?

'Tis nine o'clock; our friends all stay for you :

-:

No mask to-night; the wind is come about, Bassanio presently will go aboard:

I have sent twenty out to seek for

you.

Gra.

8 And therefore, like herself, wise, fair, and true,] 2.c. perhaps, in such a manner, as that the idea which he has conceived of her perfections in his mind, falls nothing short of their real excellence, from whence it follows, as a natural consequence, that she will remain the object of his constant attachment. E. H

VOL. I.

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Gra. I am glad on't; I desire no m

light,

Than to be under sail, and gone to-ni

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Enter Salarino and Salanio. Salar. Why, man, I saw Bassanio und With him is Gratiano gone along ; And in their ship, I am sure, Lorenzo Salan. The villian Jew with outcries the duke;

* SCENE VI. Heretofore Scene 8.-The sation held in this Scene must necessarily, be considered as having passed very soon a departure of Bassanio; probably the next m if, indeed, as Anthonio had declared it was tention to do, he sailed after supper the sam on which he entertained his friends. Two with whom he appears to have lived in such a of intimacy as Salanio and Salarino, inhabita of the same city, could not well be supposed remained long without meeting to discourse friend, and this seems to have been the first their having spoken together upon the subjec departure. It is mentioned besides with the matter that had newly happened, while too t bable shortness of the passage to Belmont, appears to be completed in the next Scene, s be inconsistent with the supposition of a much interval than is here assigned.

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