One of these three contains her heavenly picture.
Is't like, that lead contains her? 'Twere damnation,
To think fo bafe a thought: it were too grofs
To'rib her cerecloth in the obfcure grave.
Or fhall I think, in filver fhe's immur'd,
Being ten times undervalu'd to try'd gold?
O finful thought! Never fo rich a gem
Was fet in worse than gold. They have in England
A coin, that bears the figure of an angel
Stamped in gold; but that's 'infculp'd upon;
But here an angel in a golden bed
Lyes all within.-Deliver me the key;
Here do I chufe, and thrive I as I may !
Por. There, take it, prince, and if my form lye there, [Unlocking the gold cafket.
Then I am yours.
Mor. O hell! what have we here?
A carrion death, within whofe empty eye
There is a written scroll? I'll read the writing.
All that glifters is not gold;
Often have you heard that told:
Many a man bis life bath fold,
But my outfide to bebold:
Gilded tombs do worms infold.
Had you been as wife as bold,
Young in limbs, in judgment old,
* This anfwer had not been infcrol'd:
Fare you well; your fuit is cold.
Mor. Cold, indeed, and labour loft:
Then, farewel, heat; and, welcome, froft.-
Portia, adieu! I have too griev'd a heart
To take a tedious leave: thus lofers part.
h rib-enclofe, bind in filaments, wrap round. infculp'd upon ;]-engraven on the furface.
Por. A gentle riddance :-Draw the curtains, go:Let all of his complexion chuse me so.
[Exeunt.
Enter Salarino and Solanio.
Sol. Why man, I saw Baffanio under fail; With him is Gratiano gone along;
And in their fhip, I am fure, Lorenzo is not.
Sala. The villain Jew with outcries rais'd the duke; Who went with him to fearch Baffanio's fhip.
Sol. He came too late, the fhip was under fail :
But there the duke was given to understand,
That in a gondola were feen together
Lorenzo and his amorous Jeffica:
Befides, Anthonio certify'd the duke,
They were not with Baffanio in his ship.
Sala. I never heard a paffion fo confus'd,
So ftrange, outrageous, and so variable,
As the dog Jew did utter in the streets:
My daughter!-O my ducats!-O my daughter!
Fled with a Chriftian?—O my Chriftian ducats!-
Juftice! the law! my ducats, and my daughter!-.
A fealed bag, two fealed bags of ducats,
Of double ducats, ftol'n from me by my daughter!
And jewels; two ftones, two rich and precious ftones,
Stol'n by my daughter!-Justice! find the girl!
She bath the stones upon her, and the ducats!
.
Sol. Why, all the boys in Venice follow him, Crying, his ftones, his daughter, and his ducats. Sala. Let good Anthonio look he keep his day, Or he fhall pay for this.
I 4
Sol. Marry, well remember'd:
'I reason'd with a Frenchman yesterday;
Who told me,-in the narrow feas, that part
The French and English, there miscarried
A veffel of our country, richly fraught:
I thought upon Anthonio, when he told me ;
And wifh'd in filence, that it were not his.
Sala. You were beft to tell Anthonio what you hear; Yet do not fuddenly, for it may grieve him.
n
Sol. A kinder gentleman treads not the earth.
I faw Baffanio and Anthonio part:
Baffanio told him, he would make some speed
Of his return; he answer'd,-Do not so,
Slubber not business for my fake, Baffanio,
But ftay the very riping of the time;
And for the Jew's bond, which he hath of me,
Let it not enter in your mind of love:
Be merry; and employ your chiefeft thoughts
To courtship, and fuch fair oftents of love
As fhall conveniently become you there:
And even there, his eye being big with tears,
Turning his face, he put his hand behind him,
And with affection wondrous fenfible
He wrung Baffanio's hand, and fo they parted.
Sala. I think, he only loves the world for him.
I pray thee, let us go, and find him out,
And quicken his embraced heaviness
With fome delight or other.
Sol. Do we fo.
[Exeunt.
1 I reafon'd]-talked with.
Slubber not business]-perform it not either haftily or negligently. very riping of the time ;]-till all is quite mature.
your mind of love:]-your loving mind-your mind, of love-I adjure you by our mutual love.
And quicken his embraced heaviness]-endeavour to amuse the melancholy that clings fo closely to him, which he indulges too far.
SCENE
Belmont.
Enter Neriffa, with a Servant.
Ner. Quick, quick, I pray thee, draw the curtain ftraight;
The prince of Arragon hath ta'en his oath,
And comes to his election prefently.
Enter Arragon, bis train; Portia, with her's. Flourish of
cornets.
Por. Behold, there ftand the caskets, noble prince: chufe that wherein I am contain'd, Straight fhall our nuptial rites be folemniz'd;
you
But if you fail, without more fpeech, my lord,
You must be gone from hence immediately.
Ar. I am enjoin'd by oath to observe three things: First, never to unfold to any one
Which cafket 'twas I chofe; next, if I fail
Of the right cafket, never in my life
To woo a maid in way of marriage; laftly
If I do fail in fortune of my choice,
Immediately to leave you and be gone.
Por. To these injunctions every one doth swear,
That comes to hazard for my worthless felf.
Ar. And fo have PI addrest me: Fortune now To my heart's hope !-Gold, filver, and base lead. Who chufeth me, must give and hazard all be bath: You shall look fairer, ere I give, or hazard.
I addreft me :]-previously qualified myself.
"And fo have I—Addrefs me, fortune, now,
"To my heart's hope."-Affift me in the acquifition of it.
What
What fays the golden cheft? ha! let me see,-
Who chufeth me, shall gain what many men defire.
What many men defire,-That many may be meant
Of the fool multitude, that chuse by show,
Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach;
Which pries not to the interior, but, like the martlet
Builds in the weather on the outward wall,
Even in the force and road of cafualty.
I will not chufe what many men desire,
Because I will not jump with common fpirits,
And rank me with the barbarous multitudes.
Why, then to thee, thou filver treasure-house;
Tell me once more what title thou doft bear :
Who chufeth me, fhall get as much as he deferves;
And well faid too; For who fhall go about
To cozen fortune, and be honourable
Without the ftamp of merit? Let none prefume
To wear an undeferved dignity.
O, that estates, degrees, and offices,
Were not deriv'd corruptly! and that clear honour
Were purchas'd by the merit of the wearer!
How many then should cover, that stand bare?
How many be commanded, that command?
How much low peafantry would then be gleaned
From the true feed of honour? and how much honour
Pick'd from the chaff and ruin of the times,
'To be new varnish'd? Well, but to my choice:
Who chufeth me, fhall get as much as he deferves:
I will affume defert ;-Give me a key for this,
And inftantly unlock my fortunes here.
in the force]-power, reach.
the
• How much low peafantry]-What meanness would be found among great, and greatness with the mean?
To be new varnih'd?-To be restored to its primitive fplendor.
Por.
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