Laun. Indeed, the fhort and the long is, I ferve the Jew, and have a defire, as my father hall specifie,Gob. His mafter and he, faving your worship's reverence, are scarce catercoufins.

Laun. To be brief, the very truth is, that the few, having done me wrong, doth caufe me, as my father, being I hope an old man, fhall frutifie unto you,

Gob. I have here a difh of doves, that I would bestow upon your worship; and my fuit is

Laun. In very brief, the fuit is impertinent to myself, as your worship fhall know by this honeft old man; and, though I fay it, though old man, yet poor man my father.

Baff One fpeak for both. What would you?
Laun. Serve you, Sir,

Gob. This is the very defect of the matter, Sir,
Ball. I know thee well. Thou haft obtain'd thy fuit;
Shylock, thy mafter, fpoke with me this day,

And hath preferr'd thee; if it be preferment
To leave a rich Jew's fervice to become
The follower of fo poor a gentleman.

Laun. The old proverh is very well parted between my mafter Shylock and you, Sir; you

God, Sir, and he hath enough.

have the grace of

Baff. Thou fpeak'ft it well. Go, father, with thy fon :

Take leave of thy old mafter, and enquire

My lodging out. Give him a livery, [To his follower's. More guarded than his fellows: fee it done,

Laun. Father, in. I cannot get a fervice, no?--I have ne'er a tongue in my head?(5) Well, [looking on

bis

(5) Well, if any man in Italy have a fairer table, which doth offer to jwear upin a book.] The Pofition of the Words makes the Sentence fomewhat obfcure: Their natural Order should be This. Well, if any Man in Italy, which datb offer to fwear upon a Book, have a fairer Table, I shall have good Luck. And the Humour of the Paliage feems This. Launcelot, a Joker, and defignedly a Blunderer, fays the very Reverse of what he fhould do: which is, That if no Man in Italy, who would offer to take his Oath upon it, bath a fairer Table than He, he shall have good Fortune. The Banter may, partly, be on Chiromancy in general: but it is very much in character for Launcelot, who is a hungry Serving man, to confider his Table

before

fortune

bis palm.] if any man in Italy have a fairer table, which doth offer to fwear upon a book -I fhall have good Go to, here's a fimple line of life. Here's a fmall trifle of wives; alas, fifteen wives is nothing, eleven widows and nine maids is a fimple coming-in for One man. And then to 'fcape drowning thrice, and to be in peril of my life with the edge of a feather-bed. (6) -Here are fimple 'fcapes! Well, if fortune be a woman, The's a good wench for this geer. Father, come; I'll take my leave of the Jew in the twinkling of an eye.

[Exeunt Laun. and Gob.

before his Line of Life, or any other Points of Fortune.

THEOBALD. Fairer table.] The chiromantic term for the lines of the hand. So Ben Johnson in his Mask of Gipfies to the lady Elizabeth Hatton;

Mißress of a fairer table,

Hath not biftory nor fable.

Which doth offer to fwear upon a book, &c.] This nonsense seems to have taken its rife from the accident of a loft line in tranfcribing the play for the prefs; fo that the paffage, for the future, fhould be printed 'hus,- —Well, if any man in Italy have a fairer table, which d:th ****** offer to wear upon a book I shall have good fortune. It is impoffible to find, again, the loft line; but the loft fenfe is ealy enough- -if any man in Italy have a fairer table, which doch [promife good luck, I am miftaken. I durft almoft offer to fwear upon a book, I shall have good fortune. WARBURTON.

Mr. Theobald's note is as obfcure as the paffage. It may be read more than once before the complication of ignorance can be completely disentangled. Table is the palm expanded. What Mr. Theobald conceives it to be cannot easily be difcovered, but he thinks it fomewhat that promises a full belly.

Dr. Warburton underflood the word, but puzzles himself with no great fuccefs in pursuit of the meaning. The whole matter is this: Launcelot congratulates himself upon his dexterity and good fortune, and, in the height of his rapture, infects his hand, and congratu lates himself upon the felicities in his table. The act of expounding his hand puts him in mind of the action in which the palm is fhewa, by raifing it to lay it on the book, in judicial attestations. Well, Tays he, if any men in Italy have a fairer table, that doth offer to fwear upon a book. Here he ftops with an abruptness very com

mon, and proceeds to particulars.

(6) In peril of my life with the edge of a feather-bed.] A cant phrafe to fignify the danger of marrying.- A certain French writer ufes the fame kind of figure, O min Ami, j'aimerais mieux être tombée fur la pointe d'un Oreiller, & m'étre rompu le Cou.

WARBURTON.

Baff.

Baff. I pray thee, good Leonardo, think on this.
Thefe things being bought and orderly bestowed,
Return in hafte, for I do feast to night

My beft-esteem'd acquaintance. Hie thee, go.
Leon. My beft endeavours fhall be done herein.

SCENE III.

Enter Gratiano.

Gra. Where is your mafter?

Leon. Yonder, Sir, he walks.

Gra. Signior Baffanio,

[Ex. Leonardo.

Ball. Gratiano

Gra. I have a fuit to you.

Baff. You have obtain❜d it.

Gra. You must not deny me, I muft

Belmont.

Ball. Why, then you must.

But hear thee, Gratiano,

Thou art too wild, too rude, and bold of voice;

Parts, that become thee happily enough,

And in fuch eyes as ours appear not faults;

But where thou art not known, why, there they shew Something too liberal; (7) pray thee, take pain T'allay with fome cold drops of modefty

Thy fkipping fpirit; left, through thy wild behaviour, I be mifconftru'd in the place I go to,

And lofe my hopes.

Gra. Signior Bassanio, hear me.

If I do not put on a fober habit,

Talk with refpect, and fwear but now and then,
Wear prayer-books in my pockets, look demurely;
Nay more, while grace is faying, hood mine eyes
Thus with my hat, and figh, and say; Amen;
Ufe all th' obfervance of civility,

Like one well ftudied in a sad oftent (8)
To please his grandam ; never trust me more.
Ball. Well, we shall see your bearing.

(7) Something too libera!,] Libera! I have already shewn to mean, grofs, coarfe, licentious.

(8)

fad eflent] Grave appearance; fhew of flaid and

ferious behaviour.

Gra.

Gra. Nay, but I bar to night, you shall not gage me

By what we do to-night.

Bal. No, that were pity.

I would entreat you rather to put on

Your boldeft fuit of mirth, for we have friends
That purpofe merriment: but fare

I have fome business.

you well,

Gra. And I must to Lorenzo and the reft: But we will visit you at fupper-time.

SCENE IV.

Changes to Shylock's House.

Enter Jeffica and Launcelot.

[Exeunt.

Jef.'M forry, thou wilt leave my father so;
Our house is hell, and thou, a merry devil,
Didft rob it of fome tafte of tedioufnefs.
But fare thee well, there is a ducat for thee;
And, Launcelot, foon at fupper fhalt thou fee
Lorenzo, who is thy new mafter's gueft;
Give him this letter, do it fecretly,

And fo farewel: I would not have my father
See me talk with thee.

Laun. Adieu!-Tears exhibit my tongue. [afide.] Moft beautiful Pagan,-moft fweet Jew! if a chriftian did not play the knave and get three, I am much deceiv'd. But, adieu! these foolish drops do fomewhat drown my manly fpirit: adieu !

Jef. Farewel, good Launcelot,
Alack, what heinous fin is it in me,
To be atham'd to be my father's child?
But though I am a daughter to his blood,
I am not to his manners. O Lorenzo,
If thou keep promife, I fhall end this ftrife,
Become a christian, and thy loving wife.

[Exit.

LExit.

SCENE

Enter Gratiano, Lorenzo, Solarino, and Salanio.

Lor. guife us at my lodging, and return all in an

AY, we will flink away in fupper-time, dif

hour.

Gra. We have not made good preparation.

Sal. We have not fpoke as yet of torch-bearers. Sola. 'Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly ordered, And better in my mind not undertook.

Lor. 'Tis now but four a clock, we have two hours To furnish us.

Enter Launcelot, with a letter.

Friend Launcelot, what's the news?

Laun. An' it fhall please you to break up this, it shall Leem to fignifie.

Lor. I know the hand; in faith, 'tis a fair hand; And whiter than the paper, it writ on,

Is the fair hand that writ.

Gra. Love-news, in faith.

Laun. By your leave, Sir.

Lor. Whither goeft thou?

Laun. Marry, Sir, to bid my old mafter the

fup to-night with my new mafter the christian.

Jeru to

Lor. Hold, here, take this.Tell gentle Jeffica,

I will not fail her. Speak it privately.

Go.-Gentlemen, will you prepare for this mafque to night?

I am provided of a torch-bearer.

[Exit Laun.

Sal. Ay marry, I'll be gone about it ftrait."
Sola. And fo will I.

Lor. Meet me, and Gratian?,

At Gratiano's lodging fome hour hence.
Sal. 'Tis good we do fo.

Gra. Was not that letter from fair Jeffica?

1

[Exit. Lor.