I have no mind of feafting forth to night:

But I will go.-Go

you before me, firrah;

Say, I will come.

Laun. I will go before, fir.—

Mistress, look out at window, for all this;

There will come a Christian by,

Will be worth a Jewefs' eye.

[Exit Laun.
Sby. What fays that fool of Hagar's offspring, ha?
Jef. His words were, Farewel, miftrefs; nothing else.
Sby. The patch is kind enough; but a huge feeder,
Snail-flow in profit, and he fleeps by day

More than the wild cat; drones hive not with me:
Therefore I part with him: and part with him
To one that I would have him help to waste
His borrow'd purse.-Well, Jeffica, go in;
Perhaps, I will return immediately;

Do, as I bid you,

Shut the doors after you: Faft bind, fast find;

A proverb never stale in thrifty mind.

[Exit.

Jef. Farewel; and if my fortune be not croft,

I have a father, you a daughter, loft.

[Exit.

VI.

SCENE

The Street.

Enter Gratiano, and Solanio, in masquerade.

Gra. This is the pent-house, under which Lorenzo

Defir'd us to make stand.

Sol. His hour is past.

Gra. And it is marvel he out-dwells his hour,

For lovers ever run before the clock.

Sol. O, ten times fafter

7 patch]-varlet. VOL. II.

Venus' pigeons fly

z Venus' pigeons]-love's votaries.

I

Το

To feal love's bonds new made, than they are wont,
To keep obliged faith unforfeited!

Gra. That ever holds: Who riseth from a feast,
With that keen appetite that he fits down?
Where is the horse, that doth untread again.

His tedious measures with the unbated fire

That he did pace them firft? all things that are,
Are with more spirit chased than enjoy'd.
How like a younker, or a prodigal,

a

The skarfed bark puts from her native bay,
Hugg'd and embraced by the ftrumpet wind!
How like a prodigal doth fhe return;
With over-weather'd ribs, and ragged fails,
Lean, rent, and beggar'd by the ftrumpet wind!

Enter Lorenzo.

Sol. Here comes Lorenzo ;-more of this hereafter. Lor. Sweet friends, your patience for my long abode; Not I, but my affairs, have made you wait: When you fhall please to play the thieves for wives, I'll watch as long for you you then.-Approach; Here dwells my father Jew:--Ho! who's within?

Jeffica above in boy's cloaths.

Jef. Who are you? tell me, for more certainty, Albeit I'll fwear that I do know your tongue.

Lor. Lorenzo, and thy love.

Jef. Lorenzo, certain; and my love, indeed; For who love I fo much? and now who knows,

But you, Lorenzo, whether I am yours ?

Lor. Heaven, and thy thoughts, are witness that thou art. Jef. Here, catch this cafket; it is worth the pains.

* skarfed bark]—in gallant or full trim, in all her bravery. over-weather'd ribs,]-damaged fides-over-wither'd.

I am glad 'tis night, you do not look on me,
For I am much asham'd of my exchange :
But love is blind, and lovers cannot fee
The pretty follies that themselves commit;
For if they could, Cupid himself would blush
To fee me thus transformed to a boy.

Lor. Defcend, for you must be my torch-bearer.
Jef. What, must I hold a candle to my shames?
They in themselves, good footh, are too too light.
Why, 'tis an office of discovery, love;
And I fhould be obfcur'd,

Lor. So are you, sweet,

Even in the lovely garnish of a boy.

But come at once:

For the clofe night doth play the run-away,

And we are ftaid for at Baffanio's feaft.

Jef. I will make faft the doors, and gild myself With fome more ducats, and be with you ftraight. [Exit, from above. Gra. Now, by my hood, a Gentile, and no Jew.

d

Lor. Befhrew me, but I love her heartily:

For fhe is wife if I can judge of her;
And fair fhe is, if that mine eyes be true;
And true fhe is, as fhe hath prov'd herself;
And therefore, like herself, wife, fair, and true,
Shall the be placed in my conftant foul.

Enter Feffica, below.

What, art thou come?-On, gentlemen, away; Our mafquing mates by this time for us stay.

[Exit, with Jeffica &c.

Gentile,]-(a pun)-heathen, and well born-gentle.

Enter Anthonio.

Anth. Who's there?

Gra. Signior Anthonio?

Anth, Fie, fie, Gratiano! where are all the rest ? 'Tis nine o'clock; our friends all stay for you :No mafque to-night; the wind is come about, Baffanio presently will go aboard :

I have fent twenty out to seek for you.

Gra. I am glad on't; I defire no more delight, Than to be under fail, and gone to-night.

[Exeunt.

Enter Portia, with the Prince of Morocco, and both their trains.

Por. Go, draw afide the curtains, and discover The feveral cafkets to this noble prince :

Now make your choice.

с

Mor. The first, of gold, who this inscription bears ;— Who chufeth me, shall gain what many men defire. The second, filver, which this promise carries ;Who chufeth me, fhall get as much as be deferves. This third, dull lead, with warning all as f blunt ;Who chujeth me, must give and hazard all be bath.How fhall I know if I do chufe the right?

Por. The one of them contains my picture, prince; If you chufe that, then I am yours withal.

Mor. Some god direct my judgment! Let me fee,

I will furvey the infcriptions back again:

who and which were us'd indifcriminately in our author's time. blunt ;]-coarse.

What

What fays this leaden casket?

Who chufeth me, must give and hazard all he bath.
Muft give-For what? for lead? hazard for lead?
This cafket threatens Men, that hazard all,
Do it in hope of fair advantages:

A golden mind stoops not to fhows of drofs;
I'll then nor give, nor hazard, ought for lead.
What fays the filver, with her virgin hue?
Who chufeth me, fhall get as much as he deferves.
As much as he deferves ?-Pause there, Morocco,
And weigh thy value with an even hand:
If thou be'ft rated by thy estimation,
Thou dost deserve enough; and yet enough
May not extend fo far as to the lady;
And yet to be afeard of my deserving,
Were but a weak difabling of myself.

As much as I deserve!-Why, that's the lady :
I do in birth deferve her, and in fortunes,
In graces, and in qualities of breeding;
But, more than thefe, in love I do deserve.
What if I ftray'd no farther, but chofe here?—
Let's fee once more this faying grav'd in gold.
Who chufeth me, fhall gain what many men defire.
Why, that's the lady; all the world defires her:
From the four corners of the earth they come,
To kifs this fhrine, this mortal breathing faint.
The Hyrcanian deferts, and the vasty wilds
Of wide Arabia, are as thorough-fares now,
For princes to come view fair Portia :
The watry kingdom, whofe ambitious head
Spits in the face of heaven, is no bar
To stop the foreign spirits; but they come,
As o'er a brook, to fee fair Portia.

& shows of drofs ;]-what hath the resemblance of.