Bene. Thou hast frighted the word out of his

Graves, yawn, and yield your dead, right sense, so forcible is thy wit : But, I must

Till death be uttered, tell thee plainly, Claudio undergoes my chal

Hearily, heavily. lenge ; and either I must shortly lear from bim,

Claud. Now, unto thy bones good night! or i will subscribe him a coward. Aud I, pray

Yearly will I do this rite. thee now, tell me, for which of my bad parts

D. Pedro. Good morrow, masters ; put your didst thou first fall in love with me?

torches ont ; Beat, For them all together; which main

The wolves have prey'd ; and look, the gentained so politic a state of evil, that they will

tle day, not admit any good part to intermingle with Before the wheels of Phæbus, round about them. But for which of my good parts did you

Dapples the drowsy east with spots of gray : tirst suffer love for me? Bene. Suffer love ; a good epithet! I do suffer Thanks to you all, and leave us ; fare you well.

Claud. Good inorrow, masters ; each his selove, indeed, for I love thee against my will.

veral way. Beat, In spite of your heart, I think ; alas !

D. Pedro. Come, let us hence, and put or poor heart! If you spite it for my sake, I will

other weeds; spite it for yours ; for I will never love that and then to-Leonato's we will go. which my friend hates,

Claud. And Hymen, now with luckier issne Bene, Thou and I are too wise to woo peace

speeds, ably. Beat. It appears not in this confession : there's Thau this, for whom we render'd up this woe!

(Exeunt. not one wise man among twenty that will praise himself. lived in the time of good neighbours : if a man Enter LEONATO, ANTONIO, BENEDICK, BBA

Bene. An old, an old instance, Beatrice, that SCENE IV.-A Room in LEONATO's House. do not erect in this age his own tomb ere he dies, he shall live no longer in monument, than

TRICE, URSULA, FRIAR, and HERO. the bell rings, and the widow weeps.

Friar. Did I not tell you she was innocent ? Reat. And how long is that, think you !

Leon. So are the prince and Claudio, who Bene. Question ?- Why, a'i hour in clamour.

accus'd her, and a quarter in theum: Therefore it is most Upon the error that you heard debated : expedient for the wise, (if Don Worm his con. But Margaret was in some fault for this ; science, find no impediment to the contrary, Although against hier will, as it appears to be the trumpet of his own virtues, as I am to in the true course of all the question. myself : So mirch for praising myself, (who, ! Ant. Well, I am glad that all things sort so myself will bear witness, is praise-worthy,) and

well. now tell mne, How doth your cousin ?

Bene. And so am I, being else by faith an Beat. Very ill.

forc'd Bene. And how do you ?

To call young Claudio to a reckoning for it. Beat. Very ill too.

Leon. Well, dangbiter, and you gentlewomen Bene. Serve God, love me, and mend : then

all, will I leave you too, for here comes one in Withdraw into a chamber by yourselves ; haste.

And, when I send for you, come hitber mask'd :

The prince and Claudio promis'd by this hour Enter URSULA,

To visit me :-You know your office, brother; Urs. Madam, you must come to your uncle ; You must be father to your brother's daughter, yonder's old coil+ at home : it is proved, iny And give her to young Claudio. lady Hero hath been falsely accused, the prince

[Exeunt Ladies. and Claudio mightily abused ; and Don John is Ant. Which I will do with confirm'd counthe author of all, who is fled and gone : will you

tenance. come presently ?

Bene. Friar, I must entreat your pains, I Beat. Will you go hear this news, signior?

thiuk. Bene. I will live in thy beart, die in tby lap, Friar. To do wbat, signior ? and be buried in thy eyes; and, moreover, I will Bene. To bind me, or undo me, one of go with thee to thy uncle's.

(Ereunt.

them.

Signior Leonato, truth it is, good signior, SCENE III.-The inside of a Church. Your niece regards me with an eye of favour. Enter Don PEDRO, CLAUDIO, and ATTEN

Leon. That eye my daughter lent her ; "Tis

miost true. DANTS, with Music and Tupers.

Bene. And I do with an eye of love requite Claud, Is this the monument of Leonato ?

her. Alten. It is, my lord.

Leon. The sight whereof, I think you had Claud. (Reads from a scroll.] Done to death by slanderous tongues

From Claudio and the priuce ; But wbat's your Was the Hero that here lies :

will t
Death, the guerdon I of her wrongs

Bene. Your answer, Sir, is enigmatical :
Gives her fame which never dies :

But for my will, my will is, your good will
So the life, that died with shame,

May stand with our's, this day to be conjoin'd
Lives in death with glorious fame. In the estate of honourable marriage :-
Hang thou there upon the tomb,

In which, good friar, I shall desire your help. (Afixing it.

Leon. My heart is with your liking.
Praising her when I am dumb.-

Friar. And my help.
Now, music, sound, and sing your solemn Here comes the prince, and Claudio.
bymo,
SONG.

Enter Don PEDRO and CLAUDIO, with
Pardon, goddess of the night,

Attendants.
Those that slew thy virgin knight ;
For the which, with songs of woe,

D. Pedro. Good morrow to this fair assem
Round about her tomb they go.

bly. Midnight, assist our moan

Leon. Good-morrow, prince; good-morrow,

i
Help us to sigh and groan,

Claudio;
Heavily, heavily :

Wo here attend you ; are you yet determin'd

To-day to marry with my broiber's daughter • lo subject to.

Stir.
* Reward, i

Claud, I'll hold my mind, were she an Ethiope.

from me,

Leor. Call her forth, brother, here's the friar Bene. 'Tis no such matter :-Then, you do no ready. (Erit ANTONIO.

love me? D. Pedro. Good morrow, Benedick: Why, Beat, No, truly, but in friendly recompense. what's the matter,

Leon. Come, cousin, I am sure you love the That you have such a February face,

gentleman. so full of frost, of storm and cloudiness?

Claud. And I'll be sworn upon't, that he loves Claud. ! think, he thinks upon the savage For here's a paper, written in his band, [ber ; bull:

A halting sonnet of his own pure brain,
Tush, fear not, man, we'll tip thy horns with Fashion's to Beatrice.
And all Europa shall rejoice at thee : (gold, Hero. And here's another,
As once Europa did at lusty Jove,

Writ in my cousin's hand, stolen from her pocket. When he would play the noble beast in love. Contaiving her affection unto Benedick.

Bene. Bull Jove, Sir, had an amiable low; Bene. A miracle ! bere's our own bands against And some such strange bull leap'd your father's our hearts !--Come, I will have thee ; but by this And got a calf in that same noble feat, [cow, light, I take thee for pity. Much like to you, for you have just his bleat. Beat. I would not deny you ; but, by this good

day, 1 yield upon great persuasion ; and, partly, Re-enter ANTON10, with the Ladies masked. 10 save your life, for I was told you were in a Claud. For this I owe you : here comes other consumption. reckonings.

Bene: Peace, I will stop your mouth.Which is the lady I must seize upon ?

(Kissing her. Ant. This same is she, and I do give you her. D. Pedro. How dost thou, Benedick the marCluud. Why, then she's mine : Sweet, let me

ried man? see your face.

Bene. I'll tell thee what, prince; a college of Leon. No, that you shall not, till you take her wit crackers cannot fout me out of my humour : Before this Friar and swear to marry ber. (band Dost thou think, I care for a satire, or an epi

Claud. Give me your band before this holy gram ? No: if a man will be beaten with brains, I am your busband, if you like of me. (friar; he shall wear nothing bandsome about him : lo Hero. And when I liv'd, I was your other brief, since I do prepose to marry, I will think wife :

(Unmasking. nothing to any purpose that the world can say And when you loved, you were my other husband. against it; and therefore never fout at me for Claud. Another Hero?

what I have said against it ; for man is a giddy Hero. Nothing certainer :

thing, and this is my conclusion.-For thy pari, One Hero died defil'd; but I do live,

Claudio, I did think to bave beaten thee : but in Aud, surely as I live, i am a maid.

that thou art like to be my kinsman, live unD. Pedro. The former Hero! Hero that is bruised, and love my cousin. dead!

Claud. I bad well hoped, thou wouldst bave Leon. She died, my lord, but whiles her slan- denied Beatrice, that I night have cudgelled thee der lived.

out of thy single life, to make thee a double Friar. All this amazement can I qualify; dealer; which out of question, thou wilt be, it When, after that the boly rites are ended, my cousin do not look exceeding narrowly to thee. I'll tell you largely of fair Hero's death :

Bene. Come, come, we are friends ;-let's have Mean time, let wonder seem fainiliar,

a dauce ere we are married, th we may lighten And to the chapel let us presently.

our own hearts, and our wives' heels. Bene. Soft and fair, friar.- Which is Beatrice? Leon. We'll bave dancing afterwards. Beat. I answer to that name ; (Unmasking.) Bene. First, o' my word! therefore, play, What is your will ?

music.Bene. Do not you love me?

Prince, thou art sad; get thee a wife, get thee a Beat. No, no more than reason.

wife : there is no staff more reverend than one Bene. Why, then your uncle, and the prince, tipped with horn.

and Claudio, Have been deceived for they swore you did.

Enter a MESSENGER. Beat. Do not you love me?

Mess. My lord, your brother John is ta'en in Bene. No, no more than reason.

flight, Beat. Why, then my cousin, Margaret, and And brought with armed men back to Messina. Ursula.

Bene. Think not on him till to-morrow, I'll Are much deceiv'd; for they did swear you did. devise thee brave punishments for bim.-Strike Bene. They swore that yon were alınost sick up, pipers.

(Dance. for me.

(Exeunt. Beal. They swore that you were well-nigh dead for me.

Because.

THE - MERCHANT OF VENICE.

LITERARY AND HISTORICAL NOTICE. SHIKSPEARE was supposed to have taken the two plots of this admirable play from an Italian novel, and from

a collection of old stories, printed by Wynkin de Worde, under the title of Gesta Romanorum ; but as a play comprehending the incidents of both had been exhibited long before he commenced writing for the stage, ho probably chose the latter as a model for his own production. It matters not, howover, from what source a dramatic author derives his plot, so that he plan it well, and make good use of it afterward; and Johnson says, that in this play "the union of two actions in one event is eminently happy ;" excelling even Drydeu's skilfal conjunction of the two plots in his Spanish Friar, yet the interest of the action can scarcely be said to continue beyond the disgrace of Shylock, in the fourth act; since expectation is so strougly fixed upon "justice and the bond," that it ceases to exist after they are satisfied. In the defeat of cunuing, and in the triumph of sumanity, the inost powerful feelings of our nature are successively appealed to: thus anticipation is keenly alive, so long as Antonio's fate is dark and undecided. But with the development of that, the charm is at an eud. The power of excitement expires with the object upon which the feelings were centered; and as the lesser passions are susceptible of little delight, when the greater have been subjected to any unusual stimulant, the common-place trifles of the concluding act aru rather endured with patience, thaz received with gratification. The character of Shylock is no less original, than it is finely finished : “the language, allusions, and ideas (says Henly) ere so appropriate to a Jew, that Shylock might be exhibited for an exemplar of that peculiar people';" nor are the other personages unpleasingly drawn or inadequately supported. or detached passages, Portia's description of the qualities and excellence of mercy, may ba selected as one of the noblest attributes with whicb Genius has ever exalted the excellence of any particular virtue.

PRINCE OF MOROCCO; } Suitors to Portia.

}Servants to Portia.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. DUKE GF VENICE.

OLD GOBBO, Father to Launcelot.

SALER10, a Messenger from Venice,
ARRAGON,

LEONARDO, Servant to Bassanio.
ANTONIO, the Merchant of Venice.

BALTHAZAR,
BASSANIO, his Friend.

STEPHANO,
SALANIO,
SALARINO, Friends to Antonio and Bassanio. Portia, a rich Heiress :
GRATIANO,

NERISSA, her waiting-maid.
LORENZO, in love with Jessica.

JESSICA, Daughter to Shylock.
SHYLOCK, a Jew.
TUBAL, a Jeu, his Friend.

Magnificoes of Venice, Officers of the Court of LAUNCELOT GOBBO, a Clown, Servant to Shy. Justice, Jailer, Servants, and other Lock.

Attendants.

SCBNB-partly at Venice, and partly at Belmont, the Seat of Portla, on the Continent.

ACT 1.

SCENE 1.-Venice.-A Street.
Enter ANTONIO, SALARINO, and SALANIO.

Ant. In sooth, I know not why I am so sad ;
It wearies me ; you say, it wearies you ;
But how I cauglit it, found it, or came by it,
Wbat stuff 'tis made of, whereof it is born,
I am to learn ;
And such a want-wit sadness makes of me,
That I have much ado to know myself.

Salar. Your mind is tossing on the ocean :
There, where your argosies with portly sail,

• Ships of large burthen, probabiy galleons.

Like siguiors and rich burghers of the food,
Or, as it were the pageants of the sea,
Do overpeer the petty traffickere,
That curt'sy to them reverence,
As they fly by them with their woven wings.
Salan. Believe me, sir, had I such ventare

forth,
The better part of my affections would
Be with my hopes abroad. I should be still
Plucking the grass, to know wbere sits the

wind;
Peering in maps, for ports, and piers, and roads ;
And every object, that might make me fear
Misfortune to my ventures out of doubt
Would make me saj.
Salar. My wind cooling my broth,