And here choose I; Joy be the consequence! Bass. What find I here? [Opening the leaden casket. Fair Portia's counterfeit 15? What demi-god Hath come so near creation? More these eyes? Or whether, riding on the balls of mine, Seem they in motion? Here are sever'd lips, Parted with sugar breath; so sweet a bar Should sunder such sweet friends: Here in her hairs The painter plays the spider; and hath woven A golden mesh to entrap the hearts of men, Faster than gnats in cobwebs: But her eyes,How could he see to do them? having made one, Methinks it should have power to steal both his, And leave itself unfurnish'd 16: Yet look, how far The substance of my praise doth wrong this shadow 15 Counterfeit anciently signified a likeness, a resemblance. in The Wit of a Woman, 1634:1 will see if I can agree with this stranger for the drawing of my daughter's counterfeit.' And Hamlet calls the pictures he shows to his mother, The counterfeit presentment of two brothers." 16 i. e. unfurnished with a companion or fellow. In Fletcher's Lover's Progress, Alcidon says to Clarangé, on delivering, Lidian's challenge, which Clarangé accepts: you are a noble gentleman, Will't please you bring a friend; we are two of us, The hint for this passage appears to have been taken from Greene's History of Faire Bellora; afterwards published under the title of A Paire of Turtle Doves: If Apelles had beene tasked to have drawne her counterfeit, her two bright burning lampes would have so dazzled his quick-seeing scnces, that quite dispairing to expresse with his cunning pensill so admirable a worke of nature, he had been inforced to have staid his hand, and left this earthly Venus unfinished." A preceding passage in Bassanio's speech might have been suggested by the same novel: What are our curled and crisped lockes, but snares and nets to catch and entangle the hearts of gazers, &c. In underprizing it, so far this shadow Doth limp behind the substance. Here's the scroll, You that choose not by the view, And claim her with a loving kiss. [Kissing her. Por. You see me, lord Bassanio, where I stand, To wish myself much better; yet, for you, A thousand times more fair, ten thousand times That only to stand high on your account, I might in virtues, beauties, livings, friends, But she may learn; happier than this, 17 The folio reads, "Is sum of nothing, which may probably be the true reading, as it is Portia's intention, in this speech, to undervalue herself. She is not bred so dull but she can learn ; And be my vantage to exclaim on you. Bass. Madam, you have bereft me of all words, Only my blood speaks to you in my veins: And there is such confusion in my powers, As, after some oration fairly spoke By a beloved, prince, there doth appear Among the buzzing pleased multitude: Where every something, being blent together, Turns to a wild of nothing, save of joy, Express'd, and not express'd: But when this ring Parts from this finger, then parts life from hence; O, then be bold to say, Bassanio's dead. Ner. My lord and lady, it is. now our time, That have stood by, and seen our wishes prosper, To cry, good joy; Good joy, my lord, and lady! Gra. My lord Bassanio, and my gentle lady, I wish you all the joy that you can wish; For, I am sure, you can wish none from me 18: And, when your honours mean to solemnize The bargain of your faith, I do beseech you, Even at that time I may be married too. Bass. With all my heart, so thou canst get a wife. Gra. I thank your lordship; you have got me one. My eyes, my lord, can look as swift as yours: You saw the mistress, I beheld the maid; 18 That is, none away from me; none that I shall lose, if you gain it. You lov'd, I lov'd; for intermission 19 . No more pertains to me, my lord, than you. if promise last,— I got a promise of this fair one here, Por. Is this true, Nerissa? Bass. Our feast shall be much honour'd in your marriage. play with them, the first boy for a thousand ducats. Ner. What, and stake down? Gra. No; we shall ne'er win at that sport, and stake down. But who comes here? Lorenzo, and his infidel? What, and my old Venetian friend, Salerio? Enter LORENZO, JESSICA, and SALERIO. Bass. Lorenzo, and Salerio, welcome hither? If that the youth of my new interest here Have power to bid you welcome:-By your leave, I bid my very friends and countrymen, Sweet Portia, welcome. Por. So do I, my lord; They are entirely welcome. Lor. I thank your honour: For my part, my lord, My purpose was not to have seen you here; But meeting with Salerio by the way, He did entreat me, past all saying nay, 19 Pause, delay. Vol. III. Sale. I did, my lord, And I have reason for it. Signior Antonio I pray you, tell me how my good friend doth. Will show you his estate. Gra. Nerissa, cheer yon stranger; bid her wel come. Your hand, Salerio; What's the news from Venice? same paper, That steal the colour from Bassanio's cheek: Of any constant 20 man. What, worse and worse? Bass. How much I was a braggart: When I told you 20 It should be remembered that stedfast, sad, grave, sober were ancient synonymes of constant. |