bestow upon your worship, and my suit is,— Laun. In very brief, the suit is impertinent to myself, as your worship shall know by this honest old man; and, though I say it, though old man, yet poor man, my father. Bass. One speak for both. What would you? 160 Gob. That is the very defect of the matter, sir. Bass. I know thee well; thou hast obtain'd thy suit: Shylock thy master spoke with me this day, And hath preferr'd thee, if it be preferment To leave a rich Jew's service, to become The follower of so poor a gentleman. Laun. The old proverb is very well parted between my master Shylock and you, sir; you have the grace of God, sir, and he hath enough. 170 Bass. Thou speak'st it well. Go, father, with thy son. Take leave of thy old master and inquire I have ne'er a tongue in my head. Well, if ant." To the same purpose this ingenious writer quotes other passages, as inferring such a knowledge of the country as could hardly have been gained from books. Of course it does not follow but that the Poet may have gained it by conversing with other travelers; and it is well known that Kemp, a fellow-actor, visited Italy.-H. N. H. 169. "The old proverb”; viz. "The grace of God is better than riches."-C. H. H. 178, "Well if any man," etc.; Mr. Tyrwhitt thus explains this passage: "Launcelot, applauding himself for his success with Bassanio, and looking into the palm of his hand, which by fortune any man in Italy have a fairer table which [Exeunt Launcelot and old Gobbo. tellers is called the table, breaks out into the following reflection: 'Well, if any man in Italy have a fairer table! which doth offer to swear upon a book, I shall have good fortune'-that is, a table which doth not only promise but offer to swear upon a book that I shall have good fortune. He omits the conclusion of the sentence." -H. N. H. 181. "Long and deep lines from the Mount of Venus (the ball of the thumb) towards the line of life, signifieth so many wives. These lines visible and deep, so many wives the party shall have" (Saunder's Chiromancie, quoted by Halliwell).-I. G. 186. "with the edge of a feather-bed"; through marrying.-C. H. H. 187. "simple scapes"; Launcelot was an adept in the art of chiromancy, which in his time had its learned professors and practitioners no less than astrology. Relics of this superstition have floated down to our day: well do we remember to have seen people trying to study out their fortune from the palms of their hands. Launcelot Gobbo, however, was more highly favored than they in 1558 was put forth a book by John Indagine, entitled Briefe introductions, both natural, pleasaunte, and also delectable, unto the Art of Chiromancy, or manuel divination, and Physiognomy: with circumstances upon the faces of the Signes. "A simple line of life" written in the palm was cause of exultation to wiser ones than young Gobbo. His huge complacency, as he spells out his fortune, is in laughable keeping with his general skill at finding causes to think well of himself.-H. N. H. Bass. I pray thee, good Leonardo, think on this: These things being bought and orderly bestow'd, Return in haste, for I do feast to-night My best-esteem'd acquaintance: hie thee, go. Leon. My best endeavors shall be done herein. Enter Gratiano. Gra. Where is your master? Gra. You must not deny me: I must go with you to Belmont. 200 Bass. Why, then you must. But hear thee, Gratiano: Thou art too wild, too rude, and bold of voice; And in such eyes as ours appear not faults; Something too liberal. Pray thee, take pain I be misconstrued in the place I go to, Gra. Signior Bassanio, hear me: If I do not put on a sober habit, 210 Talk with respect, and swear but now and then, |