And we Fairies, that do run

By the triple Hecate's team,
From the presence of the sun,

Following darkness like a dream,
Now are 'frolic; not a mouse
Shall disturb this hallow'd house:
I am sent with broom before,

To sweep the dust behind the door.

To share in the revels, the reconciled Oberon and Titania, with their resplendent trains of Fairies, enter: and Puck-lately the 'wicked sprite, but now the merry Robin Good-fellow-comes, with his happy peroration, to end this "Midsummer Night's Dream."

Puck.

If we shadows have 'offended,

'Think but this, (and all is mended,)
That you have but 'slumbered here,
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a "Dream,"
Gentles, do not reprehend:
If you pardon, we will mend.
And, as I am an honest Puck,
If we have unearnéd luckb

Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,
We will make amends ere long;
Else the Puck a 'liar call:

So, good night unto you all.

Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And 'Robin shall restore amends.

[Exit.

END OF A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM.

Hecate, the goddess of magic and enchantment, is classically known by three names:-Luna, (in heaven ;) Diana, (on earth;) and Hecate, or Proserpine, (in hell.) bundeserved good fortune. in being hissed. d applaud.

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE.

The Comedy of "The Merchant of Venice" was probably written about the year 1597: it was entered at Stationers' Hall, in 1598,* included in Francis Meres' list of Shakespeare's Plays in the same year, (see p. 6,) but not printed till 1600, when its popularity was so great that two editions successively appeared; but there was no later reprint till in the folio of 1623. These two quartos present very slight differences from each other, while the folio contains a few but unimportant variations.

It may be stated, as a strange circumstance, that this most interesting Comedy must have been preceded by an older play now lost, but distinctly mentioned by Stephen Gosson, in his "School of Abuse," published in 1579-more than twenty years before the publication of Shakespeare's play. There is also a marked resemblance to an old ballad (reprinted in Bishop Percy's "Reliques of Ancient English Poetry,") referring to the cruelty of Gernutus, a Jew. The original main story may be farther traced back to a collection of Tales called "Il Pecorone," by Ser Giovanni, published at Milan in 1558.

A story is also told by the biographer of Pope Sixtus the Fifth, in which the pitiless creditor was a Christian, and his victim a Jew; but Shakespeare prefers the story which accorded with popular prejudice and orthodox iniquity. He has incorporated, with the "bond of Shylock, an incident from another tale (found in the "Gesta Romanorum ")—that of Portia and the caskets; and the two stories are so skilfully interwoven that no suspicion of their double origin is suggested.

The following is the first entry in the Register of the Stationers' Company, dated July 22d, 1598, to James Roberts (the printer): "A booke of the Marchaunt of Venyse, otherwise called the Jewe of Venyse. Provyded that yt bee not prynted by the said James Robertes, or anye other whatsoever, without leaue first had from the ryght honourable the Lord Chamberlen."

On October 28th, 1600, another entry is made in favour of Tho. Heyes (the publisher): "A booke called the Book of the Merchaunt of Venyce."

The following are their respective title-pages:

[Roberts' Quarto.] "The excellent History of The Merchant of Venice. With the extreame cruelty of Shylocke the Jew towards the saide Merchant in cutting a pound of his flesh. And the obtaining of Portia by the choyse of the Caskets. Written by W. Shakespeare. Printed by J. Roberts, 1600."

[Heyes' Quarto.] "The most excellent Historie of the Merchant of Venice. With the extreme crueltie of Shylocke the Jewe towards the sayd Merchant, by cutting a iust pound of his flesh. And the obtayning of Portia by the choyse of three chests. As it hath beene diuers times acted by the Lord Chamberlaine his Seruants. Written by William Shakespeare. At London. Printed by I R. Heyes for Thomas Heyes, and are to be sold in Paules Church-yard at the Signe of the Greene Dragon." [1600.] b This was a tract, "Containing a pleasant Invective against Poets, Pipers, Players, Jesters, and such like Caterpillars of the Commonwealth." Gosson thus refers to the lost play :-"The Jew shown at the Bull, representing the greediness of worldly choosers, and the bloody minds of usurers." But as there is no reference to the story of the Bond or to that of the Three Caskets, we must not conclude that Shakespeare was in any way indebted to this lost play.

"The Merchant of Venice" ranks as a "Comedy," although the main incident is tragic enough. The characteristics of Tragedy and Comedy are often as closely intermingled in our author's dramas, as in the real life which they reflect. Thus the Tragedies are often relieved by mirth and humour, side by side with pathos and solemnity; and the Comedies illustrate, in some of their scenes or incidents. the universal truth as expressed by Shelley

"Our sincerest laughter with some pain is fraught."

Scene-Partly in Venice, and partly at Belmont.ƒ

The First Scene is a Street in Venice: it introduces the dramatic personage who gives name to the Play-Antonio the Merchant; a melancholy moralizing man, but of much enterprize and vast speculation. With him are two friends, Salarino and Solanio, who have been endeavouring to rally him out of his unsocial and tristful mood; but he thus excuses himself:

Ant. In sooth, I know not 'why I am so sad.

It wearies me: You say, it wearies 'you;
But 'how I caught it, found it, or came by it,
I am yet to learn.

Salar. Your mind is tossing on the 'ocean;

There, where 'your argosies" with portly sail,
Do overpeer the 'petty traffickers,

i

As they fly by them with their woven wings. Ant. Believe me, no. I thank my fortune for it; My ventures are not in 'one vessel trusted, Therefore, my 'merchandise makes me not sad.

O. R. Salanio

a or Doge. a city of Italy built on a cluster of islands in the north west fringe of the Adriatic Sea. in the north-west of Africa, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. da province in the north east of Spain. or Salino. f Lady Portia's country-seat near Venice. h large ships for commerce; galleons. i small trading ships. k O. R. bottom.

g inserted word j their sails

Salar. Why, then you are in 'love?

Fie, fie!

Ant.
Salar. Not in love neither? Then let's say you are sad,
Because you are not 'merry; and 't were as easy

For you to laugh, and leap, and say-you are merry,
Because you are not 'sad. Now, by two-headed Janus,*
Nature hath framed strange fellows in her time:
Some, that will evermore 'peep through their eyes,
And laugh, like parrots, at a bag piper;
And other, of such 'vinegar aspéct,

That they'll not show their teeth in way of 'smile,
Though Nestor swear the jest be laughable.

Solan. Here comes Bassanio, your most noble kinsman;
We leave you now with 'better company.

Exeunt Sal. and Sol.

[sal

Lorenzo is a young gen

Lorenzo, Gratiano, and Bassanio enter. tleman very much in love, and therefore not given to much conversation: Gratiano is a great talker, a humourist, and laughing philosopher: Bassanio is a handsome, high-spirited prodigal, who comes to borrow-not for the first time-from his wealthy friend Antonio. Gratiano also takes notice of the gloom of the rich Merchant:

Gra. You look not well, signior Antonio;

You have too much respect upon the 'world:
'They 'lose it, that do buy it with much 'care.
Ant. I hold the world but 'as the world, Gratiano;
A 'stage, where every man must play a part,--
And mine a 'sad one!

Gra.

Let 'me play the Fool:
With mirth and laughter 'let old wrinkles come;
And let my 'liver rather heat with 'wine,
Than my heart cool with mortifying groans.
Why should a man, whose blood is warm within,
Sit, like his grandsire, cut in alabaster?

Sleep when he wakes, and creep into the jaundice
By being peevish? I tell thee what, Antonio,-
There are a sort of men, whose visages
Do cream and mantle like a standing pond;
And do a 'wilful stillness entertain;
With purpose to be dressed in an 'opinion
Of 'wisdom, 'gravity,-profound 'conceit;
As who should say, "I am Sird Oracle!

an ancient King of Italy, deified as the god of the year-with two faces, one looking to the past, the other to the future.

the Homeric heroes, venerable • maintain an obstinate silence.

bany old person like Nestor-one of for age and eloquence.

d O. R. I am sir an Oracle.

a

And, when I ope 'my lips, let no dog bark!"— I'll tell thee 'more of this another time: But fish not with this melancholy bait For this fool-gudgeon, this "opinion."Come, good Lorenzo.-Fare ye well awhile: I'll end my "exhortation " 'after dinner. Ant. Farewell: 'I'll grow a talker for this gear." Gra. Thanks, i' faith; for 'silence is only commendable In a neat's tongue dried, and a maid not vendible.

[Exeunt Gratiano and Lorenzo.

Antonio, not quite understanding Gratiano's flippancy, inquires of Bassanio:

Ant. Is that 'anything now?
Bass. Gratiano speaks an infinite deal of 'nothing, more
than any man in all Venice. His 'reasons are as two
'grains of wheat hid in two 'bushels of 'chaff: you shall
seek all day ere you find them; and when you 'have
them, they are not 'worth the search.

Ant. Well; tell me 'now, what lady is the same
To whom you swore a secret pilgrimage?

Bass. In Belmont is a lady richly left,

And she is fair; and, fairer than that word,
Of wondrous 'virtues. Sometimes from her eyes
I did receive fair speechless messages.
Her name is Portia ; nothing undervalued
To 'Cato's daughter, 'Brutus' Portia ;d

Nor is the wide world ignorant of her worth,
For the four winds blow-in, from every coast,
Renowned suitors. Had I but the 'means
To hold a 'rival place with one of them,
I have a mind presages me such thrift
That I should 'questionless be fortunate.

Ant. Thou know'st that all 'my fortunes are at 'sea;
Nor have I money, nor commodity,

To raise a 'present sum: therefore, go 'forth;
Try what my 'credit can in Venice do,
To furnish thee to Belmont, to fair Portia.
Go 'presently inquire, (and so will I,)
Where money is; and I no question make
To have it of my trust, or for my 'sake.

[Exeunt.

In consequence of this friendly direction, we are now to suppose before us, in the Public Place in Venice,—Bassanio the haughty borrower, and Shylock the cautious lender, of money.

⚫ an easily-caught fresh-water fish, used chiefly for bait. d See Julius Cæsar.

c inserted word.

b wealth (of information).

e success.