hath squandered abroad; but ships are but boards, sailors but men : there be land-rats and water-rats, water-thieves and land-thieves; I mean, pirates: and then, there is the peril of waters, winds, and rocks. The man is, notwithstanding, sufficient: three thousand ducats. I think, I may take his bond.

Bass. Be assured you may.

Shy. I will be assured, I may; and, that I may be assured, I will bethink me. May I speak with Antonio?

Bass. If it please you to dine with us.

Shy. Yes, to smell pork; to eat of the habitation which your prophet, the Nazarite, conjured the devil into. I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you. What news on the Rialto? - Who is he comes here?

[Enter Antonio.]

Bass. This is signior Antonio.

Shy. (Aside.) How like a fawning publican he looks!

I hate him for he is a christian;

But more, for that, in low. simplicity,

He lends out money gratis, and brings down

The rate of usance here with us in Venice.

If I can catch him once upon the hip

I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.
He hates our sacred nation: and he rails,
Even there where merchants most do congregate,
On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift,
Which he calls interest. Cursed be my tribe,
If I forgive him!

Bass. Shylock, do you hear?

Shy. I am debating of my present store,

And, by the near guess of my memory,

I cannot instantly raise up the gross

Of full three thousand ducats. What of that?
Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe,

Will furnish me. But soft! how many months

Your worship was the last man in our mouths.

Antonio. Shylock, albeit I neither lend nor borrow,

By taking, nor by giving of excess,

Yet, to supply the ripe wants of my friend,

I'll break a custom.-Is he yet possess❜d,

How much you would?

Shy. Ay, ay, three thousand ducats.

Ant. And for three months.

Shy. I had forgot :-three months; you told me so. Well then your bond; and let me see

But hear you:

Methought, you said, you neither lend nor borrow

Upon advantage.

Ant. I do never use it.

Shy. When Jacob grazed his uncle Laban's sheep, This Jacob from our holy Abraham was

The third possessor; ay, he was the third.

Ant. And what of him? did he take interest?

Shy. No, not take interest; not, as you would say, Directly interest: mark what Jacob did,

When Laban and himself were compromised,

That all the eanlings which were streak'd and pied,
Should fall as Jacob's hire-

The skilful shepherd peel❜d me certain wands,

And in the doing of the deed of kind,

He stuck them up before the fulsome ewes,
Who, then conceiving, did in eaning time
Fall party-color'd lambs, and those were Jacobs.
This was a way to thrive, and he was blest :

And thrift is blessing, if men steal it not.

Ant. This was a venture, sir, that Jacob served for;

A thing not in his power to bring to pass,

But sway'd and fashion'd by the hand of heaven.

Was this inserted to make interest good?

Or is your gold and silver, ewes and rams?

Shy. I cannot tell: I make it breed as fast. But note me, signior.

Ant. Mark you this, Bassanio,

The devil can cite scripture for his purpose.

An evil soul, producing holy witness,

Is like a villain with a smiling cheek,
A goodly apple rotten at the heart.

O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath!

Shy. Three thousand ducats;-'tis a good round sum. Three months from twelve, then let me see the rate. Ant. Well, Shylock, shall we be beholding to you? Shy. Signior Antonio, many a time and oft, In the Rialto, have you rated me

About my moneys, and my usances:

Still have I borne it with a patient shrug; For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe. misbeliever, cut-throat dog,

You call me

And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine,

And all for use of that which is mine own.

Well, then, it now appears, you need my help:
Go to, then; you come to me, and you say,

66

Shylock, we would have moneys : you say so;
You, that did void your rheum upon my beard,
And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur
Over your threshold; moneys is your suit.
What should I say to you? Should I not say,
"Hath a dog money? Is it possible

A cur can lend three thousand ducats?" or
Shall I bend low, and in a bondsman's key,
With 'bated breath, and whispering humbleness,
Say this :-

"Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last;

You spurn'd me such a day; another time

You call'd me dog; and for these courtesies,
I'll lend you thus much moneys ?"

Ant. I am as like to call thee so again,

To spit on thee again, to spurn thee too.

If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not
As to thy friends ;

But lend it rather to thine enemy;

Who if he break, thou may'st with better face,
Exact the penalty.

Shy. Why, look you, how you storm!

I would be friends with you, and have your love,
Forget the shames that you have stain'd me with,
Supply your present wants, and take no doit,
Of usance for my moneys,

And you'll not hear me. This is kind I offer.
Ant. This were kindness.

Shy. This kindness will I show.

Go with me to a notary, seal me there
Your single bond; and, in a merry sport,
If you repay me not on such a day,
In such a place, such sum or sums as are
Express'd in the condition, let the forfeit
Be nominated for an equal pound
Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken
In what part of your body pleaseth me.

Ant. Content, in faith; I'll seal to such a bond,
And say there is much kindness in the Jew.

Bass. You shall not seal to such a bond for me.

I'll rather dwell in my necessity.

Ant. Why, fear not, man; I will not forfeit it: Within these two months, that's a month before This bond expires, I do expect return

Of thrice three times the value of this bond.

Shy. O, father Abraham! what these christians are, Whose own hard dealing teaches them suspect

The thoughts of others! — Pray you, tell me this;

If he should break his day, what should I gain

By the exaction of the forfeiture?

A pound of man's flesh, taken from a man,

Is not so estimable, profitable neither,
As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. I say,
To buy his favor I extend this friendship:
If he will take it, so; if not, adieu;

And, for my love, I pray you, wrong me not.

Ant. Yes, Shylock, I will seal unto this bond.
Shy. Then meet me forthwith at the notary's,
Give him direction for this merry bond,
And I will go and purse the ducats straight;
See to my house, left in the fearful guard
Of an unthrifty knave, and presently
I will be with you.

Ant. Hie thee, gentle Jew.

The Hebrew will turn Christian: he grows kind.
Bass. I like not fair terms, and a villain's mind.
Ant. Come on: in this there can be no dismay,
My ships come home a month before the day.

SHAKSPERE.

MACBETH, DOCTOR, AND ATTENDANTS.

Macbeth. Bring me no more reports; let them fly all;
Till Birnam wood remove to Dunsinane,

I cannot taint with fear. What's the boy Malcolm !
Was he not born of woman? The spirits that know
All mortal consequences, have pronounced me thus :-
"Fear not, Macbeth; no man that's born of woman,
Shall e'er have power upon thee." Then fly, false thanes,
And mingle with the English epicures :

The mind I sway by, and the heart I bear,

Shall never sag with doubt, nor shake with fear.

[Enter a Servant.]

Where got'st thou that goose look?

Servant. There is ten thousand