Of his return; he answer'd •2 Slubber not business for my sake, Bassanio, And for the Jew's bond, which he hath of me, He wrung Bassanio's hand, and so they parted. And quicken his embraced heaviness 4 Salar. Do we do so. [Exeunt. SCENE IX. Belmont. A Room in Portia's House. Enter NERISSA, with a Servant. Ner. Quick, quick, I pray thee draw the curtain straight; The prince of Arragon hath taʼen his oath, And comes to his election presently. 2 Slubber not-] To slubber is to do any thing carelessly, imperfectly. 3 And even there, his eye being big with tears, Turning his face, he put his hand behind him, &c.] So curious an observer of nature was our author, and so minutely had he traced the operation of the passions, that many passages of his works might furnish hints to painters. It is indeed surprizing that they do not study his plays with this view. In the passage before us, we have the outline of a beautiful picture. MALONE. 4 embraced heaviness-] The heaviness which he indulges, and is fond of. Flourish of Cornets. Enter the Prince of Arragon, PORTIA, and their Trains. Por. Behold, there stand the caskets, noble prince: If you choose that wherein I am contain❜d, Straight shall our nuptial rites be solemniz'd; Ar. I am enjoin'd by oath to observe three things: First, never to unfold to any one Which casket 'twas I chose; next, if I fail Of the right casket, never in my life, To woo a maid in way of marriage; lastly, Por. To these injunctions every one doth swear, Ar. And so have I address'd me5: Fortune now To my heart's hope! - Gold, silver, and base lead. Who chooseth me, must give and hazard all he hath: You shall look fairer, ere I give, or hazard. What says the golden chest? ha! let me see : Who chooseth me, shall gain what many men desire. What many men desire. That many may By the fool multitude, that choose by show, be meant Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach; Which pries not to the interior, but, like the martlet, 5 And so have I address'd me: ] To address is to prepare. 6 7 in the force- i. e. the power jump-] i. e. agree with. And well said too; For who shall go about O, that estates, degrees, and offices, Were not deriv'd corruptly! and that clear honour To be new varnish'd? Well, but to my choice: I will assume desert; Give me a key for this, And instantly unlock my fortunes here. Por. Too long a pause for that which you find there. Ar. What's here? the portrait of a blinking idiot, Presenting me a schedule? I will read it. How much unlike art thou to Portia? How much unlike my hopes, and my deservings? Is that my prize? are my deserts no better? Ar. What is here? The fire seven times tried this; 8 How much low peasantry would then be glean'd From the true seed of honour?] The meaning is, How much meanness would be found among the great, and how much greatness among the mean. There be fools alive, I wis," Still more fool I shall appear With one fool's head I came to woo, Por. Thus hath the candle sing'd the moth. A Enter a Servant. Serv. Where is my lady? Por. Here; what would my lord? Serv. Madam, there is alighted at your gate young Venetian, one that comes before To signify the approaching of his lord: From whom he bringeth sensible regreets: 1 To wit, besides commends, and courteous breath, A day in April never came so sweet, Thou wilt say anon, he is some kin to thee, Thou spend'st such high-day wit in praising him.— Quick Cupid's post, that comes so mannerly. [Exeunt. ACT III. SCENE I. Venice.-A Street. Enter SALANIO and SALARINO. Salan. Now, what news on the Rialto? Salar. Why, yet it lives there uncheck'd, that Antonio hath a ship of rich lading wreck'd on the narrow seas; the Goodwins, I think they call the place; a very dangerous flat, and fatal, where the carcases of many a tall ship lie buried, as they say, if my gossip report be an honest woman of her word. Salan. I would she were as lying a gossip in that, as ever knapp'd ginger, or made her neighbours believe she wept for the death of a third husband: But it is true. without any slips of prolixity, or crossing the plain high-way of talk,—that the good Antonio, the honest Antonio, --O that I had a title good enough to keep his name company ! Salar. Come, the full stop. Salan. Ha,-what say'st thou ?-Why the end is, he hath lost a ship. Salar. I would it might prove the end of his losses! Salan. Let me say amen betimes, lest the devil cross my prayer; for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew. Enter SHYLOCK. How now, Shylock? what news among the mer chants? |