To try my fortune. By this scimitar,
That slew the Sophy, and a Persian prince
That won three fields of sultan Solyman,
I would o'er-stare the sternest eyes that look,
Outbrave the heart most daring on the earth,
Pluck the young sucking cubs from the she-bear,
Yea, mock the lion when he roars for prey,
To win thee, lady: But, alas the while!
If Hercules and Lichas play at dice
Which is the better man, the greater throw
May turn by fortune from the weaker hand :
So is Alcides beaten by his page;

And so may I, blind fortune leading me,
Miss that which one unworthier may attain,
And die with grieving.

Por.

You must take your chance;

And either not attempt to choose at all,

Or swear, before you choose,-if you choose wrong,
Never to speak to lady afterward

In way of marriage; therefore be advis'd.

Mor. Nor will not; come, bring me unto my chance. Por. First, forward to the temple; after dinner

Your hazard shall be made.

Mor.

Good fortune then! [Cornets. To make me bless'd, or cursed'st among men. [Exeunt.

SCENE II.-Venice. A Street.

Enter LAUNCELOT GOBBO.

Laun. Certainly my conscience will serve me to run from this Jew, my master: The fiend is at mine elbow, and tempts me; saying to me,-Gobbo, Launcelot Gobbo, good Launcelot, or good Gobbo, or good Launcelot Gobbo, use your legs, take the start, run away :My conscience says, -no; take heed, honest Launcelot ; take heed, honest Gobbo; or (as aforesaid) honest Launcelot Gobbo; do not run : scorn running with thy

heels: Well, the most courageous fiend bids me pack. Via! says the fiend; away! says the fiend, for the heavens; rouse up a brave mind, says the fiend, and run. Well, my conscience, hanging about the neck of my heart, says very wisely to me,-my honest friend, Launcelot, being an honest man's son, or rather an honest woman's son ;-for, indeed, my father did something smack, something grow to, he had a kind of taste; -well, my conscience says, Launcelot, budge not: budge, says the fiend; budge not, says my conscience : Conscience, say I, you counsel well; fiend, say I, you counsel well to be ruled by my conscience I should stay with the Jew my master, who (God bless the mark!) is a kind of devil; and to run away from the Jew I should be ruled by the fiend, who, saving your reverence, is the devil himself: Certainly, the Jew is the very devil incarnation: and, in my conscience, my conscience is a kind of hard conscience, to offer to counsel me to stay with the Jew: The fiend gives the more friendly counsel: I will run, fiend; my heels are at your commandment, I will run.

:

Enter Old GOBBо, with a basket.

Gob. Master, young man, you, I pray you; which is the way to master Jew's?

Laun. [Aside.] O Heavens, this my true-begotten father! who, being more than sand-blind, high-gravel blind, knows me not: I will try conclusions with him.

a When Pistol says "He hears with ears," Sir Hugh Evans calls the phrase" affectations." Perhaps Launcelot uses " scorn running with thy heels" in the same affected fashion.

For the heavens. This expression is simply, as Gifford states, "a petty oath." It occurs in Ben Jonson and Dekker. Sand-blind having an imperfect sight, as if there was sand in the eye. Gravel-blind, a coinage of Launcelot's, is the exag. geration of sand-blind.

Gob. Master young gentleman, I pray you which is the way to master Jew's?

Laun. Turn upon your right hand at the next turning, but, at the next turning of all, on your left; marry, at the very next turning, turn of no hand, but turn down indirectly to the Jew's house.

Gob. By God's sonties, 't will be a hard way to hit. Can you tell me whether one Launcelot that dwells with him dwell with him, or no?

Laun. Talk you of young master Launcelot?Mark me now— -[aside]-now will I raise the waters: -Talk you of young master Launcelot ?

Gob. No master, sir, but a poor man's son: his father, though I say it, is an honest exceeding poor man, and, God be thanked, well to live.

Laun. Well, let his father be what a will, we talk of young master Launcelot.

Gob. Your worship's friend, and Launcelot.

Laun. But I pray you ergo, old man, ergo, I beseech you, talk you of young master Launcelot.

Gob. Of Launcelot, an 't please your mastership. Laun. Ergo, master Launcelot; talk not of master Launcelot, father; for the young gentleman (according to fates and destinies, and such odd sayings, the sisters three, and such branches of learning) is, indeed, deceased; or, as you would say in plain terms, gone to heaven.

Gob. Marry, God forbid! the boy was the very staff of my age, my very prop.

Laun. Do I look like a cudgel, or a hovel-post, a staff, or a prop?-Do you know me, father?

Gob. Alack the day, I know you not, young gentleman: but, I pray you tell me, is my boy (God rest his soul!) alive or dead?

Laun. Do you not know me, father?

Gob. Alack, sir, I am sand-blind, I know you not. Laun. Nay, indeed, if you had your eyes you might

fail of the knowing me: it is a wise father that knows his own child. Well, old man, I will tell you news of your son Give me your blessing: truth will come to light; murther cannot be hid long; a man's son may; but, in the end, truth will out.

Gob. Pray you, sir, stand up; I am sure you are not Launcelot, my boy.

Laun. Pray you, let's have no more fooling about it, but give me your blessing; I am Launcelot, your boy that was, your son that is, your child that shall be. Gob. I cannot think you are my son.

Laun. I know not what I shall think of that: but I am Launcelot, the Jew's man; and I am sure Margery, your wife, is my mother.

Gob. Her name is Margery, indeed: I'll be sworn, if thou be Launcelot, thou art mine own flesh and blood. Lord worshipped might he be! what a beard hast thou got! thou hast got more hair on thy chin than Dobbin my phill-horsea has on his tail.

Laun. It should seem then that Dobbin's tail grows backward; I am sure he had more hair of his tail than I have of my face, when I last saw him.

Gob. Lord, how art thou changed! How dost thou and thy master agree? I have brought him a present. How 'gree you now?

Laun. Well, well; but for mine own part, as I have set up my rest to run away, so I will not rest till I have run some ground. My master 's a very Jew. Give him a present! give him a halter: I am famish'd in his service; you may tell every finger I have with my ribs. Father, I am glad you are come: give me your present to one master Bassanio, who, indeed, gives rare new liveries; if I serve not him, I will run as far as God has any ground.-O rare fortune! here comes the man ;-to him, father; for I am a Jew if I serve the Jew any longer.

a Phill-horse-the same as thill-horse-the horse in the shafts.

Enter BASSANIO, with LEONARDO, and other Followers.

Bass. You may do so :-but let it be so hasted that supper be ready at the farthest by five of the clock: See these letters delivered; put the liveries to making; and desire Gratiano to come anon to my lodging.

Laun. To him, father.

Gob. God bless your worship!

[Exit a Servant.

Bass. Gramercy! Wouldst thou aught with mc?
Gob. Here's my son, sir, a poor boy,—

Laun. Not a poor boy, sir, but the rich Jew's man ; that would, sir, as my father shall specify,

Gob. He hath a great infection, sir, as one would say, to serve,

Laun. Indeed, the short and the long is, I serve the Jew, and have a desire, as my father shall specify,— Gob. His master and he (saving your worship's reverence) are scarce cater-cousins:

Laun. To be brief, the very truth is, that the Jew having done me wrong, doth cause me, as my father, being I hope an old man, shall frutify unto you,—

Gob. I have here a dish of doves, that I would 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?
Laun. Serve you, sir.

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.

a Impertinent. Launcelot is a blunderer, as well as one who "can play upon a word;" here he means pertinent.