Scene I.

ܪ

not.

And so,

MERCHANT OF VENICE.
Gra. In christening thou shalt have two god-SCENE II.—The same. A street. Enter Portia
fathers;

and Nerissa. Had I been judge, thou should'st have had ten

Por. Inquire the Jew's house out, give him this more,

deed, To bring thee to the gallows, not the font.

(Exit Shylock.

And let him sign it; we'll away to-night,
Duke. Şir, I entreat you home with me to dinner. This deed will be well welcome to Lorenzo.

And be a day before our husbands home :
Por. Lhumbly do desire your grace of pardon;
I must away this night toward Padua,

Enter Gratiano.
And it is meet, I presently set forth.
Duke. I am sorry, that your leisure serves you Gra. Fair sir, you are well overtaken :

My lord Bassanio, upon more advice,
Antonio, gratify this gentleman;

Hath sent you here this ring; and doth entreat
For, in my mind, you are much bound to him. Your company at dinner.
[Exeunt Duke, magnificoes, and train. Por.

That cannot be :
Bass. Most worthy gentleman, I and my friend, | This ring I do accept most thankfully,
Have by your wisdom been this day acquitted

pray you, tell him : Furthermore, Of grievous penalties ; in lieu whereof,

I pray you, show my youth old Shylock's house. Three thousand ducats, due unto the Jew,

Gra. That will I do. We freely cope your courteous pains withal.

Ner.

Sir, I would speak with you :-
Ant. And stand indebted, over and above, I'll see if I can get my husband's ring, (To Portia.
In love and service to you evermore.

Which I did make him swear to keep for ever.
Por. He is well paid, that is well satisfied ; Por. Thou may'st, I warrant: We shall bave
And I, delivering you, am satisfied,

old swearing,
And therein do account myself well paid; That they did give the rings away to men;
My mind was never yet more mercenary:

But we'll outface them, and outswear thern too.
I pray you, know me, when we meet again ; Away, make haste; thou know'st where I will tarry.
I wish you well, and so I take my leave.

Ner. Come, good sir, will you show me to this
Bass. Dear sir, of force I must attempt you fur-

house?

(Exeunt.
ther;
Take some remembrance of us, as a tribute,
Not as a fee : grant me two things, I pray you,
Not to deny me, and to pardon me.

ACT V.
Por. You press me far, and therefore I will

SCENE I.-Belmont. Avenue to Portia's house. yield.

Enter Lorenzo and Jessica,
Give me your gloves, I'll wear them for your sake;
And, for your love, I'll take this ring from you :- Lor. The moon shines bright:- In such a night
Do not draw back your hand; I'll take no more ;

as this,
And you in love shall not deny me this.

When the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees,
Bass. This ring, good sir,-alas, it is a trifle; And they did make no noise; in such a night,
I will not shame myself to give you this.

Troilus, methinks, mounted the Trojan walls,
Por. I will have nothing else but only this; And sigh'd his soul toward the Grecian tents,
And now, methinks, I have a mind to it.

Where Cressid lay that nigbt.
Bass. There's more depends on this, than on Jes.

In such a night, the value.

Did Thisbe fearfully o'ertrip the dew;
The dearest ring in Venice will I give you, And saw the lion's shadow ere himself,
And find it out by proclamation;

And ran dismay'd away.
Only for this, I pray you, pardon me.

Lor.

In such a night,
Por. I see, sir, you are liberal in offers : Stood Dido with a willow in her hand
You taught me first to beg; and now, methinks, Upon the wild sea-banks, and wav'd her love
You teach me how a beggar should be answer'd. To come again to Carthage.
Bass. Good sir, this ring was given me by my

Jes.

In such a night,

Medea gather'd the enchanted herbs
And, when she put it on, she made me vow, That did renew old Æson.
That I should neither sell, nor give, nor lose it. Lor.

In such a night,
Por. That 'scuse serves many men to save their Did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew :
gifts.

And with an unthrift love did run from Venice,
An if your wise be not a mad woman,

As far as Belmont.
And know how well I have deserv'd this ring, Jes.

And in such a night,
She would not hold out enemy for ever,

Did young Lorenzo swear he lov'd her well ;
For giving it to me. Well, peace be with you! Stealing her soul with many vows of faith,

[Ereunt Portia and Nerissa. | And ne'er a true one.
Ant. My lord Bassanio, let him have the ring; Lor.

And in such a night,
Let his desertings, and my love withal,

Did pretty Jessica, like a little shrew,
Be valued 'gainst your wife's commandment. Slander her love, and he forgave it her.

Bass. Go, Gratiano, run and overtake him, Jes. I would out-night you, did nobody come :
Give him the ring; and bring him, if thou canst, But, hark, I hear the footing of a man.
Coto Antonio's house :-away, make haste.

Enter Stephano.

[Exit Gratiano. Come, you and I will thither presenty;

Lor. Who comes so fast in silence of the night? And in the morning early will we both

Steph. A friend. Fly toward Belmont: Come, Antonio. (Ereunt. Lor. A friend? what friend? your name, I pray (1) Reflection.

Steph. Stephano is my name; and I bring word,

2 C

wife;

you, friend?

My mistress will before the break of day

Enter Portia and Nerissa, at a distance. Be here at Belmont: she doth stray about

Por. That light we see, is burning in my hall. By holy crosses, where she kneels and prays

How far that little candle throws his beams!
For happy wedlock hours.
Lor.
Who comes with her ?

So shines a good deed in a naughty world.

Ner. When the moon shone, we did not see the Steph. None, but a holy hermit, and her maid.

candle. I pray you, is my master yet return'd? Lor. He is not, nor we have not heard from a substitute shines brightly as a king,

Por. So doth the greater glory dim the less : him.-

Until a king be by; and then his state
But go we in, I pray thee, Jessica,
And ceremoniously let us prepare

Empties itself, as doth an inland brook

Into the main of waters. Music ! hark ! Some welcome for the mistress of the house.

Ner. It is your music, madam, of the house. Enter Launcelot.

Por. Nothing is good, I see, without respect ;

Methinks, it sounds much sweeter than by day. Laun. Sola, sola, wo ha, ho, sola, sola!

Ner. Silence bestows that virtue on it, madam. Lor. Who calls? Laun. Sola ! did you see master Lorenzo, and when neither is attended ; and, I think,

Por. The crow doth sing as sweetly as the lark, mistress Lorenzo! sola, sola!

The nightingale, if she should sing by day,
Lor. Leave hollaing, man; here.
Laun. Sola! where? where?

When every goose is cackling, would be thought

No better a musician than the wren.
Lor. Here.
Laun. Tell him, there's a post come from my To their right praise, and true perfection

How many things by season season'd are
master, with his horn full of good news; my master
will be here ere morning:

(Exit.
Peace, boa! the moon sleeps with Endymion,

(Music ceases. Lor. Sweet soul, let's in, and there expect their And would not be awak'd!

That is the voice, coming.

Or I am much deceiv'd, of Portia. And yet no matter ;-Why should we go in?

Por. He knows me, as the blind man knows the My friend Stephano, signify, I pray you,

cuckoo, Within the house, your mistress is at hand;

By the bad voice. And bring your music forth into the air.

Lor. (Exit Stephano.

Dear lady, welcome home.

Por. We have been praying for our husbands' How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!

welfare, Here will we sit, and let the sounds of music Creep in our ears; soft stillness, and the night,

Which speed, we hope, the better for our words. Become the touches of sweet harmony.

Are they return'd ?
Lor.

Madam, they are not yet ;
Sit, Jessica : Look, how the floor of heaven
Is thick inlaid with patines! of bright gold;

But there is come a messenger before,
There's not the smallest orb, which thou behold'st,

To signify their coming.
Por

Go in, Nerissa,
But in his motion like an angel sings,

Give order to my servants, that they take
Still quiring to the young-ey'd cherubins :
Such harmony is in immortal souls ;

No note at all of our being absent hence ;

Nor you, Lorenzo ;-Jessica, nor you. But, whilst this muddy vesture of decay,

(A tucket2 sounds. Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it.-

Lor. Your husband is at hand, I hear his trumpet: Enter musicians.

We are no tell-tales, madam ; fear you not. Come, ho, and wake Diana with a hymn;

Por. This night, methinks, is but the day-light

sick,
With sweetest touches pierce your mistress' ear,
And draw her home with music.

It looks a little paler; 'tis a day,
Jes. I am never merry, when I hear sweet music.|Such as the day is when the sun is hid.

(Music. Enter Bassanio, Antonio, Gratiano, and their folLor. The reason is, your spirits are attentive :

lowers. For do but note a wild and wanton herd,

Bass. We should hold day with the Antipodes, Or race of youthful and unhandled colts,

If you would walk in absence of the sun. Fetching mad bounds, bellowing, and neighing loud,

Por. Let me give light, but let me not be light; Which is the hot condition of their blood;

For a light wife doth make a heavy busband,

And never be Bassanio so for me; If they but hear perchance a trumpet sound,

But God sort all! You are welcome home, my lord. Or any air of music touch their ears,

Bass. I thank you, madam: give welcome to my You shall perceive them make a mutual stand,

friend, Their savage eyes turn'd to a modest gaze, By the sweet power of music: Therefore, the poet || To whom I am so infinitely bound.

This is the man, this is Antonio, Did feign that Orpheus drew trees, stones, and

Por. You should in all sense be much bound to floods;

him, Since nought so stockish, hard, and full of rage,

For, as I hear, he was much bound for you. But music for the time doth change his nature :

Ant. No more than I am well acquitted of. The man that hath no music in himself, Nor is not mov'd with concord of sweet sounds,

Por. Sir, you are very welcome to our house : In fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils ;

It must appear in other ways than words, The motions of his spirit are dull as night,

Therefore, 1 scant this breathing courtesy:

(Gratiano and Nerissa seem to talk apart. And his affections dark as Erebus :

Gra. By yonder moon, I swear, you do me Let no such man be trusted.—Mark the music.

wrong; (1) A small flat dish, used in the administration

(2) A flourish on a trumpet. of the Eucharist.

(3) Verbal, complimentary forma.

In faith, I gave it to the judge's clerk :

Which did refuse three thousand ducats of me, Would be were gelt that had it, for my part, And begg'd the ring ; the which I did deny him, Since you do take it, love, so much at heart. And sutier'd him to go displeas'd away :

Por. A quarrel, ho, already? what's the matter? | Even he that had held up the very life Gra. About a hoop of gold, a paltry ring of iny dear friend. What should I say, sweet lady? That she did give me ; whose posy was

I was enforc'd to send it after him ; For all the world, like cutler's poetry

I was beset with shame and courtesy ;
Upon a knife, Love me, and leave me not. My honour would not let ingratitude

Ner. What talk you of the posy, or the value ? || So much besmear it: Pardon me, good lady ;
You swore to me, when I did give it you, For, by these blessed candles of the night,
That you would wear it till your hour of death; Had you been there, I think, you would have begg'd
And that it should lie with you in your grave : The ring of me to give the worthy doctor.
Though not for me, yet for your vehement oaths, Por. Let not that doctor e'er come near my
You should have been respective,' and have kept it.

house : Gave it a judge's clerk !--but well I know, Since he hath got the jewel that I lov’d, The clerk will ne'er wear hair on his face, that and that which you did swear to keep for me, had it.

I will become as liberal as you :
Gra. He will, an if he live to be a man. I'll not deny him any thing I have,
Ner. Ay, if a woman live to be a man. No, not my body, nor my husband's bed :
Gra. Now, by this hand, I gave it to a youth - Know him I shall

, I am well sure of it: A kind of boy ; a little scrubbed boy,

Lie not a night from home ; watch me like Argus: No higher than thyself, the judge's clerk; If you do not, if I be left alone, A prating boy, that begg'd it as a fee ;

Now, by mine honour, which is yet my own, I could not for my heart deny it him.

I'll have that doctor for iny bedfellow. Por. You were to blame, I must be plain with you, Ner. And I his clerk; therefore be well advis'd, To part so slightly with your wife's first gift; How

you do leave me to mine own protection. A thing stuck on with oaths upon your finger, Gra. Well, do you so: let not me take him then; And riveted so with faith unto your flesh. For, if I do, I'll mar the young clerk's pen. I gave my love a ring, and made him swear Ant. I am the unhappy subject of these quarrels. Never to part with it; and here he stands ;

Por. Sir, grieve not you ; You are welcome I dare be sworn for him, he would not leave it,

notwithstanding Nor pluck it from his finger, for the wealth Bass. Portia, forgive me this enforced wrong; That the world masters. Now, in faith, Gratiano, And, in the hearing of these many friends, You give your wife too unkind a cause of grief; I swear to thee, even by thine own fair eyes, An 'twere to me, I should be mad at it.

Wherein I see myself,Bass. Why, I were best to cut my left hand off, Por.

Mark you but that! And swear, I lost the ring defending it. (Aside. In both my eyes he doubly sees himself:

Gra. My lord Bassanio gave his ring away In each eye one :--swear by your double self, Unto the judge that begg'd it, and, indeed, And there's an oath of credit. Deserv'd it too; and then the boy, his clerk,

Bass.

Nay, but hear me : That took some pains in writing, he begg'd mine : Pardon this fault, and by my soul I swear,

1 And neither man, nor master, would take aught I never more will break an oath with thee. But the two rings.

Ant. I once did lend my body for his wealth ;? Por.

What ring gave you, my lord? | Which, but for him that had your husband's ring, Not that, I hope, which you receiv'd of me.

To Portia. Bass. If I could add a lie unto a fault, Had quite miscarried : I dare be bound again, I would deny it; but you see my finger

My soul upon the forfeit, that your lord Hath not the ring upon it, it is gone.

Will never more break faith advisedly. Por. Even so void is your false heart of truth. Por. Then you shall be his surety: Give him this; By heaven, I will ne'er come in your bed And bid him keep it better than the other. Until I see the ring.

Ant. Here, lord Bassanio; swear to keep this Ner. Nor I in yours,

ring. Till I again see mine.

Bass. By heaven, it is the same I gave the doctor! Bass. Sweet Portia,

Por. I had it of him : pardon me, Bassanio ; If you did know to whom I gave the ring, For by this ring the doctor lay with me. If you did know for whom I gave the ring,

Ner. And pardon me, my gentle Gratiano; And would conceive for what I gave the

ring, For that same scrubbed boy, the doctor's clerk, And how unwillingly I left the ring,

In lieu of this, last night did lie with me. When nought would be accepted but the ring, Gra. Why, this is like the mending of highways You would abate the strength of your displeasure. In summer, where the ways are fair enough:

Por. If you had known the virtue of the ring, What! are we cuckolds, ere we have de serv'd it? Or half ber worthiness that gave

Por. Speak not so grossly.-You are all amaz'd: Or your own honour to contain the ring,

Here is a letter, read it at your leisure ; You would not then have parted with the ring. It comes from Padua, from Bellario : What man is there so much unreasonable, There you shall find, that Portia was the doctor ; If you had pleas'd to have defended it,

Nerissa there, her clerk : Lorenzo here With any terins of zeal, wanted the modesty

Shall witness, I set forth as soon as you, To urge the thing held as a ceremony?

And but even now return'd; I have not yet Nerissa teaches me what to believe;

Enter'd my house. ---Antonio, you are welcome; I'll die for't, but some woman had the ring. And I have better news in store for you,

Bass. No, by mine honour, madam, by my soul, Than you expect : unseal this letter soon ; No woman had it, but a civil doctor,

There you shall find, three of your argosies

Are richly come to harbour suddenly : (1) Regardfal. (2) Advantage. You shall not know by what strange accident

the ring,

MERCHANT OF VENICE.

I chanced on this letter.

And charge us there upon intergatories,
Ant.
I am dumb.

And we will answer all things faithfully. Bass. Were you the doctor, and I knew you Gra. Let it be so: The first intergatory, not?

That my Nerissa shall be sworn on, is, Gra. Were you the clerk, that is to make me Whether till the next night she had rather stay; cuckold?

Or go to bed now, being two hours to day : Ner. Ay; but the clerk that never means to do it, But were the day come, I should wish it dark, Unless he live until he be a man.

That I were couching with the doctor's clerk. Bass. Sweet doctor, you shall be my bedfellow; Well, while I live, I'll fear no other thing When I am absent, then lie with my wife. So sore, as keeping safe Nerissa's ring. Ant. Sweet lady, you have given 'me life, and

[Exeunt. living; For here I read for certain, that my ships Are safely come to road. Por.

How now, Lorenzo ? My clerk hath some good comforts too for you.

Of the Merchant of Venice the style is even and Ner. Ay, and I'lĩ give them him without a of construction. The comic part raises laughter,

easy, with few peculiarities of diction, or anomalies fee. There do I give to you, and Jessica,

and the serious fixes expectation. The probability

of either one or the other story cannot be mainFrom the rich Jew, a special deed of gift, tained. The union of two actions in one event is After his death, of all he dies possess'd of. in this drama eminently happy. Dryden was

Lor. Fair ladies, you drop manna in the way Of starved people.

much pleased with his own address in connecting Por. It is almost morning,

the two plots of his Spanish Friar, which yet,

believe, the critic will find excelled by this play. And yet, I am sure, you are not satisfied Of these events at full: Let us go in;

JOHNSON.

a

an

AS YOU LIKE IT.

PERSONS REPRESENTED. Duke, living in exile.

William, a country fellow, in love with Audrey. Frederick, brother to the Duke, and usurper of || A person representing Hymen.

his dominions. Amiens, lords attending upon the Duke in his Rosalind, daughter to the banished Duke. Jaques, 3

banishment. Le Beau, a courtier attending upon Frederick. Celia, daughter to Frederick. Charles, his wrestler.

Phebe, a shepherdess.
Oliver,

Audrey, a country wench.
Jaques, Sons of sir Rowland de Bois.
Orlando,

Lords belonging to the two Dukes; pages, foresters,
Adam,

and other attendants. Dennis,

servants to Oliver. Touchstone, a clown.

The Scene lies, first, near Oliver's house ; after. Sir Oliver Mar-text, a vicar.

wards, partly in the usurper's court, and partCorin, Sylvius, } shepherds. .

ly in the forest of Arden.

ACT I.

Oli. What mar you then, sir?
SCENE I.-An orchard, near Oliver's house. which God made, a poor unworthy brother of

Orl. Marry, sir, I am helping you to mar that
Enter Orlando and Adam.

yours, with idleness.
Orlando.

Oli. Marry, sir, be better employ'd, and be As I remember, Adam, it was upon this fashion

naught a while.

Orl. Shall I keep your hogs, and eat husks with bequeathed me: By will, but a poor thousand | them? What prodigal portion have I spent, that I crowns; and, as thou say'st, charged my brother, should come to such penury? on his blessing, to breed me well: and there be

Oli. Know you where you are, sir ? gins my sadness. My brother Jaques he keeps at Orl. O, sir, very well : here in your

orchard. school, and report speaks goldenly of his profit : Oli. Know you before whom, sir? for my part, he keeps me rustically at home, or, to

Orl. Ay, better than he I am before knows me. speak more properly, stays me here at home un-|| I know you are my eldest brother, and, in the genkept: For call you that keeping for a gentleman | tle condition of blood, you should so know me: of my birth, that differs not from the stalling of an The courtesy of nations allows you my better, in Ox? His horses are bred better; for, besides that that you are the first-born; but the same tradition they are fair with their feeding, they are taught takes not away my blood, were there twenty brotheir manage, and to that end riders dearly hired : || thers betwixt us : 'I have as much of my father in but I, his brother, gain nothing under him but me, as you ; albeit, I confess, your coming before growth; for the which his animals on his dung. me is nearer to his reverence. much bound to him as I. Besides this

Oli. What, boy! nothing that he so plentifully gives me, the some- Orl. Come, come, elder brother, you are too thing that nature gave me, his countenance seems

young

in this. to take from me: he lets me feed with his hinds,

Oli. Wilt thou lay hands on me, villain ?bars me the place of a brother, and, as much as Orl. I am no villain :2 I am the youngest son of in him lies, mines my gentility with my education. | sir Rowland de Bois; he was my father ; and he This is it, Adam, that grieves me; and the spirit is thrice a villain, that says, such a father begot of my father, which I think is within me, begins || villains : Wert thou not my brother, I would not to mutiny against this servitude : I will no longer take this hand from thy throat, till this other had endure it, though yet I know no wise remedy how pulled out thy tongue for saying so; thou hast rail

I to avoid it.

ed on thyself.
Enter Oliver.

Adam. Sweet masters, be patient; for your fa-
Adam. Yonder comes my master, your brother. || ther's remembrance, be at accord.
Orl. Go apart, Adam, and thou shalt hear how

Oli. Let me go, I say.
he will shake me up.

Orl. I will not, till I please : you shall hear me. Oli. Now, sir! what make you here?!

My father charged you in his will to give me good Orl. Nothing : I am not taught to make any thing education : you have trained me like a peasant, ob

scuring and hiding from me all gentleman-like (1) What do you here?

qualities: the spirit of my father grows strong in (2) Villain is used in a double sense ; by Oliver me, and I will no longer endure it: therefore allow for a worthless fellow, and by Orlando for a man me such exercises as may become a gentleman, or of base extraction.

give me the poor allottery my father left me by tes.

hills are