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I In the old editions in quarto, for J. Roberts, 1600, and in the old folio, 1623, there is no enumeration of the persons. It was first made by Mr. Rowe. JOHNSON.

2 Salanio.] It is not easy to determine the orthography of this name. In the old editions the owner of it is called,-Salanio, Salino, and Solanio. STEEVENS.

3 Our author, as Dr. Farmer informs me, took the name of his Jew from an old pamphlet entitled, "Caleb Shillocke, his Prophesie, or the Jewes "Prediction." London, printed for T. P. (Thomas Pavyer.) No date. IDEM.

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Salerio,4 a messenger from Venice,
Leonardo, Servant to Bassanio.
Balthazar, Servants to Portia.
Stephano,

}

Portia, a rich heiress.

Nerissa, companion and confidante of Por Jessica, daughter to Shylock.

Magnificoes of Venice, Officers of the Co of Justice, Jailer, Servants, and other tendants upon the Duke, Princes, Por Bassanio, &c.

Scene, partly at Venice, and partly at E mont, the seat of Portia, upon the C tinent.

4 This character I have restored to the Perso Dramatis. The name appears in the first fol the description is taken from the 4to. IDEM.

Shilipps

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A Street in Venice.

Enter Anthonio, Salarino, and Salanio.

Anth. In sooth, I know not why I am so

sad ;1

It

* SCENE I.-The time of this scene appears to be some part of the forenoon; frequent mention is made in it of the period of dinner as being still to come. E.

1 In sooth, I know not why I am so sad; &c.] It is to be supposed that the friends of Anthonio have been just before expostulating with him concerning that melancholy humour, but lately, it is probable, contracted by him, and by which they find themselves deprived of that enjoyment which hitherto they had been accustomed to derive from his society and conversation; in his reply to their remonstrances, he seems desirous to obviate any suspicion that they might be inclined to entertain of his indulging a perverse and sullen spirit of discontent, by a declaration that his present state of mind is no less irksome to himself, than the effects of it prove to his friends: But, setting aside any farther consideration of that question,

VOL. I.

B

It wearies me; you say, it wearies you;
But how I caught it, found it, or came by it,
What stuff 'tis made of, whereof it is born,
I am to learn;

And such a want-wit sadness makes of me,
That I have much ado to know myself.

Salar. Your mind is tossing on the ocean; There, where your argosies 2 with portly sail,— Like

question, he a second time professes a total ignorance of the particular cause of the dejection under which he labours, and adds that his mental powers are so entirely weakened and overthrown by it, that he is no longer able to discover in himself those qualities which had formerly constituted an essential part of his character. E.

The forebodings or presentiments of evil, natural to the human mind, are strongly pointed at here. It were in vain to attempt the investigation of this matter from philosophy, any more than that of prophetic dreams; so that all we have to do, is simply to acquiesce in the fact itself, which repeated experience has sufficiently vouched in too many remarkable instances, to be imputed to common casualty. MRS. GRIFFITH.

2 There, where your argosies, &c.] Argosie, a ship from Argo. POPE.

Whether it be derived from Argo, I am in doubt. It was a name given in our author's time to ships of great burthen, probably galleons, such as the Spaniards now use in their West-India trade. JOHNSON.

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Mr. Pope was mistaken in imagining the word argosie, to signify "a ship from Argo." This last is an inland town of the Morea, and consequently could have no shipping. In the primary significa

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