now :-two thousand ducats in that; and other precious, precious jewels.-I would, my daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear! 'would she were hears'd at my foot, with the ducats in her coffin! No news of them ?-Why, so :-and I know not what's spent in the search: Why, thou loss upon loss! the thief gone with so much, and so much to find the thief; and no satisfaction, no revenge: nor no ill luck stirring, but what lights o' my shoulders; no sighs, but o' my breathing; no tears, but o' my shedding. Tub. Yes, other men have ill luck too; Antonio, as I heard in Genoa, Shy. What, what, what? ill luck, ill luck? Tub. -hath an argosy cast away,coming from Tripolis. Shy. I thank God, I thank God:-Is it true? is it true? Tub. I spoke with some of the sailors that escaped the wreck. Shy. I thank thee, good Tubal ;-Good news, good news ha ha ?-Where? in Genoa ! Tub. Your daughter spent in Genoa, as I heard, one night, fourscore ducats. Shy. Thou stick'st a dagger in me :——— -I shall never see my gold again: Fourscore ducats at a sitting! fourscore ducats! Tub. There came divers of Antonio's creditors in my compamy to Venice, that swear he cannot choose but break. Shy. I am very glad of it: I'll plague him; I'll torture him; I am very glad of it. Tub. One of them showed me a ring, that he had of your daughter for a monkey. Shy. Out upon her! Thou torturest me, Tubal: It was my turquoise; I had it of Leah, when I was a bachelor :4 I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkies. Tub. But Antonio is certainly undone. [4] A turquoise is a precious stone found in the veins of the mountains on the confines of Persia to the east, subject to the Tartars As Shylock had been married long enough to have a daughter grown up, it is plain he did not value this turquoise on account of the money for which he might hope to sell it, but merely in respect of the imaginary virtues formerly ascribed to the stone. It was said of the Turkey-stone, that it faded or brightened in its colour, as the health of the wearer increased or grew less. To this Ben Jonson refers, in his Sejanus: "And true as Turkise in my dear lord's ring, Look well or ill with him." Other superstitious qualities are imputed to it, all of which were either monitory or preservative to the wearer. The same quality was supposed to be resident in coral. STEEVENS. Shy. Nay, that's true, that's very true: Go, Tubal, fee me an officer, bespeak him a fortnight before: I will have the heart of him, if he forfeit; for were he out of Venice, I can make what merchandize I will: Go, go, Tubal, and meet me at our synagogue; go, good Tubal; at our synagogue, Tubal." [Exeunt. Belmont. SCENE II. + A Room in PORTIA's House. Enter BASSANIO, PORTIA, GRATIANO, NERISSA, and Attendants. The caskets are set out. Por. I pray you, tarry ;-pause a day or two, But lest you should not understand me well, I speak too long; but 'tis to peize the time ;6 Bass. Let me choose; For, as I am, I live upon the rack. Por. Upon the rack, Bassanio? then confess [5] The meaning is, "If the worst I fear should happen, and it should prove in the event, that I, who am justly yours by the free donation I have made you of myself, should yet not be yours in consequence of an unlucky choice, let fortune go to hell for robbing you of your just due, not I for violating my oath." HEATH. [6] To peize, is to weigh, or balance; and figuratively, to keep in suspense, to delay. HENLEY. What treason there is mingled with your love. Bass. None, but that ugly treason of mistrust, Which makes me fear the enjoying of my love: There may as well be amity and life "Tween snow and fire, as treason and my love. Bass. Promise me life, and I'll confess the truth: Bass. Confess, and love, Had been the very sum of my confession : Doth teach me answers for deliverance ! But let me to my fortune and the caskets. Por. Away then I am lock'd in one of them; If you do love me, you will find me out. Nerissa, and the rest, stand all aloof. Let music sound, while he doth make his choice; Fading in music: that the comparison May stand more proper, my eye shall be the stream, And wat❜ry death-bed for him: He may win ; And what is music then? then music is Live thou, I live :-With much much more dismay SONG. 1. Tell me, where is fancy bred, Reply. 2. It is engender'd in the eyes, All. With gazing fed; and fancy dies Let us all ring fancy's knell; XBas. So may the outward shows be least themselves; The world is still deceiv'd with ornament. Which make such wanton gambols with the wind, To be the dowry of a second head, The skull that bred them, in the sepulchre. To a most dangerous sea; the beauteous scarf Veiling an Indian beauty; in a word, The seeming truth which cunning times put on [6] He begins abruptly; the first part of the argument had passed in his mind. JOHNSON. [7] i.e. justify it. STEEVENS. [8] i.e. what a little higher is called the beard of Hercules. MALONE. [9] i.e. artificial beauty is purchased so; as, false hair, &c. STEEVENS And here choose I; Joy be the consequence! In measure rain thy joy, scant this excess; Bass. What find I here? [Opening the leaden casket. Fair Portia's counterfeit ?2 What demi-god Hath come so near creation? Move these eyes? Should sunder such sweet friends: Here in her hairs Doth limp behind the substance.-Here is the scroll, You that choose not by the view, And hold your fortune for your bliss, And claim her with a loving kiss. A gentle scroll;-Fair lady, by your leave; [Kissing her. I come by note, to give and to receive. Like one of two contending in a prize, That thinks he hath done well in people's eyes, [1] I once believed Shakspeare wrote-In measure rein thy joy. The words rain and rein were not in these times distinguished by regular orthography. JOHNS.I believe Shakspeare alluded to the well known proverb, It cannot rain, but it pours. STEEVENS. [2] Counterfeit, which is at present used only in a bad sense, anciently signified a likeness, a resemblance, without comprehending any idea of fraud. So Hamlet calls the picture he shows his mother "The counterfeit presentment of two brothers." STEEVENS. |