That she is issue to a faithless Jew. Come, go with me; peruse this, as thou goest: [Exeunt. SCENE V. The same. Before SHYLOCK's House. Enter SHYLOCK and LAUNCELOT. Shy. Well, thou shalt see, thy eyes shall be thy judge, The difference of old Shylock and Bassanio :What, Jessica!-thou shalt not gormandize, As thou hast done with me ;-What, Jessica!And sleep and snore, and rend apparel out ;Why, Jessica, I say! Laun. Why, Jessica! Shy. Who bids thee call? I do not bid thee call. Laun. You worship was wont to tell me, I could do nothing without bidding. Enter JESSICA. Jes. Call you? What is your will? Shy. I am bid forth to supper, Jessica ;' Laun. I beseech you, sir, go; my young master doth expect your reproach. Shy. So do I his. Laun. And they have conspired together,—I will not say, you shall see a masque; but if you do, then it was not for nothing that my nose fell a bleeding on BlackMonday last, at six o'clock i' th' morning, falling out [1] That bid was used for invitation, may be seen in St. Luke's Gospel, xiv. 24: "none of those which were bidden shall taste of my supper." HARRIS. [2] Shylock forgets his resolution. In a former scene he declares he will neither eat, drink, nor pray with Christians. Of this circumstance the poet was aware, and meant only to heighten the malignity of the character, by making him depart from his most settled resolve, for the prosecution of his revenge. STEEVENS. [3] "Black-Monday is Easter-Monday, and was so called on this occasion: in the 34th of Edward III. (1360) the 14th of April, and the morrow after Easter-day, King Edward, with his host, lay before the city of Paris; which day was full dark of mist and hail, and so bitter cold, that many men died on their horses' backs with the cold. Wherefore, unto this day, it hath been called the Blacke-Monday." Stowe, p. 264-6. GREY. that year on Ash-Wednesday was four year in the after noon. Shy. What! art there masques? Hear you me, Laun. I will go before, sir. Mistress, look out at window, for all this; Will be worth a Jewess' eye. Jessica; [Exit LAUN. Shy. What says that fool of Hagar's offspring, ha? More than the wild cat; drones hive not with me; Do, as I bid you, Shut doors after you: Fast bind, fast find; A proverb never stale in thrifty mind. [Exit. Jes. Farewell; and if my fortune be not crost, I have a father, you a daughter, lost. [Exit. SCENE VI. The same. Enter GRATIANO and SALARINO, masqued. Gra. This is the pent-house, under which Lorenzo Desir'd us to make stand. Salar. His hour is almost past. Gra. And it is marvel he out-dwells his hour, For lovers ever run before the clock. Salar. O, ten times faster Venus' pigeons fly' [4] Lovers have in poetry been called Turtles or Doves, which in lower language may be pigeons. JOHNSON To seal love's bonds new made, than they are wont, Gra. That ever holds: Who riseth from a feast, The scarfed bark puts from her native bay, Salar. Here comes Lorenzo ;-more of this hereafter Lor. Sweet friends, your patience for my long abode ; Not I, but my affairs, have made you wait; When you shall please to play the thieves for wives, Jes. Who are you? Tell me, for more certainty, Jes. Lorenzo, certain; and my love, indeed; But you, Lorenzo, whether I am yours? Lor. Heaven, and thy thoughts, are witness that thou art. I am glad 'tis night, you do not look on me, To see me thus transformed to a boy. [5] Mr. Gray (dropping the particularity of allusion to the parable of the prodigal) seems to have caught from this passage the imagery of the following. "Fair laughs the morn, and soft the zephyr blows, "While proudly riding o'er the azure realm "In gallant trim the gilded vessel goes; "Youth on the prow, and Pleasure at the helm; "That hush'd in grim repose, expects bis evening-prey." The grim-repose, however, was suggested by Thomson's -deep fermenting tempest brew'd 64 "In the grim evening sky." HENLEY. [6] i. e. the vessel decorated with flags. STEEVENS. Lor. Descend, for you must be my torch-bearer. 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 I should be obscur'd. Lor. So are you, sweet, Even in the lovely garnish of a boy. But come at once; For the close night doth play the run-away, Jes. I will make fast the doors, and gild myself With some more ducats, and be with you straight. [Exit, from above. Gra. Now by my hood, a Gentile, and no Jew." 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, Shall she be placed in my constant soul. Enter JESSICA, below. What, art thou come ?-On, gentlemen, away; Ant. Who's there? [Exit with JEs. and Salar. Enter ANTONIO. Gra. Signior Antonio ? Ant. Fye, fye, Gratiano! where are all the rest? 'Tis nine o'clock; our friends all stay for you :No masque to-night; the wind is come about, Bassanio presently will go aboard : I have sent twenty out to seek for you. Gra. I am glad on't; I desire no more delight, Than to be under sail, and gone to-night. SCENE VII. [Exeunt. Belmont. A Room in PORTIA's House. Flourish of CorEnter PORTIA, with the Prince of Morrocco, and nets. both their Trains. Por. Go, draw aside the curtains, and discover The several caskets to this noble prince [7] A jest arising from the ambiguity of Gentile, which signifies both Heathen, and one well born. JOHNSON. Now make your choice. Mor. The first, of gold, who this inscription bears ;-Who chooseth me, shall gain what many men desire. The second, silver, which this promise carries ;—— Who chooseth me, shall get as much as he deserves. This third, dull lead, with warning all as blunt ;Who chooseth me, must give and hazard all he hath. How shall I know if I do choose the right? If Por. The one of them contains my picture, prince ; you choose that, then I am yours withal. Mor. Some god direct my judgment! Let me see, Who chooseth me, must give and hazard all he hath. A golden mind stoops not to shows of dross; If thou be'st rated by thy estimation, To stop the foreign spirits; but they come, |