LOR. Sweet friends, your patience for my long abode; Not I, but my affairs have made you wait; Enter JESSICA above, in boy's clothes. JES. Who are you? Tell me, for more certainty, Albeit I'll swear that I do know your tongue. LOR. Lorenzo, and thy love. JES. Lorenzo, certain; and my love, indeed; For who love I so much? And now who knows, But you, Lorenzo, whether I am yours? LOR. Heaven, and thy thoughts, are witness that thou art. JES. Here, catch this casket; it is worth the pains. I am glad 'tis night, you do not look on me, LOR. Descend, for you must be my torch-bearer. JES. What, must I hold a candle to my shames? They in themselves, good sooth, are too too light. Why, 'tis an office of discovery, love; And I should be obscur❜d. LOR. So are you*, sweet, Even in the lovely garnish of a boy. But come at once; * First folio, you are. 6 I'll watch as long for you then.-Approach ;] Read, with a slight variation from Sir T. Hanmer : "I'll watch as long for you. Come then, approach." RITSON. For the close night doth play the run-away, JES. I will make fast the doors, and gild myself With some more ducats, and be with you straight. [Exit, from above. GRA. Now, by my hood, a Gentile *, and no Jew'. For she is wise, if I can judge of her ; And therefore, like herself, wise, fair, and true, Enter JESSICA, below. What, art thou come?-On, gentlemen, away; Our masquing mates by this time for us stay. [Exit with Jessica and Salarino. Enter ANTONIO. ANT. Who's there? GRA. Signior Antonio? ANT. Fye, fye, Gratiano! where are all the rest? 'Tis nine o'clock; our friends all stay for you:-No masque to-night; the wind is come about, *First folio, and quarto H. gentle. Now, by my нOOD, a GENTILE, and no Jew.] A jest arising from the ambiguity of Gentile, which signifies both a Heather, and one well born. JOHNSON. So, at the conclusion of the first part of Jeronimo, &c. 1605; So, good night kind gentles, 66 "For I hope there's never a Jew among you all." Again, in Swetnam Arraign'd, 1620: "Joseph the Jew was a better Gentile far." STEEVENS. Dr. Johnson rightly explains this. There is an old book by one Ellis, entitled: "The Gentile Sinner, or England's brave Gentleman." FARmer. To understand Gratiano's oath, it should be recollected that he is in a masqued habit, to which it is probable that formerly, as at present, a large cape or hood was affixed. MALone. Gratiano alludes to the practice of friars, who frequently swore by this part of their habit. STEEVENS. Bassanio presently will go aboard; I have sent twenty out to seek for you. GRA. I am glad on't; I desire no more delight, Than to be under sail, and gone to-night. SCENE VII. [Exeunt. Belmont. A Room in PORTIA'S House. Flourish of Cornets. Enter PORTIA, with the Prince of Morocco, and both their Trains. POR. Go, draw aside the curtains, and discover The several caskets to this noble prince : Now make your choice. MOR. The first, of gold, who this inscription bears; Who chooseth me, shall gain what many* men desire. The second, silver, which this promise carries ;— Who chooseth me, shall get as much as he deserves. This third, dull lead, with warning all as blunt ;Who chooseth me, must give and hazard all he hath. How shall I know if I do choose the right? POR. The one of them contains my picture, prince; If you choose that, then I am yours withal. MOR. Some god direct my judgment! Let me see, I will survey the inscriptions back again : What says this leaden casket? Who chooseth me, must give and hazard all he hath. *First folio omits many. 8 - as blunt ;] That is, as gross as the dull metal. JOHNSON. A golden mind stoops not to shows of dross; Who chooseth me, shall get as much as he deserves. As much as I deserve!-Why, that's the lady : One of these three contains her heavenly picture. Is't like, that lead contains her? 'Twere damna tion, To think so base a thought; it were too gross 9 To rib her cerecloth in the obscure grave. 9 TO RIB i. e. inclose, as the ribs inclose the viscera. So, in Cymbeline: ribb'd and paled in "With rocks unscaleable, and roaring waters." STEEVENS. Or shall I think, in silver she's immur'd, Being ten times undervalued to try'd gold'? Was set in worse than gold. They have in England A coin, that bears the figure of an angel * Stamped in gold; but that's insculp'd upon '; Lies all within.-Deliver me the key; Here do I choose, and thrive I as I may ! POR. There, take it, prince, and if my form lie there, Then I am yours. Mor. [He unlocks the golden casket. O hell! what have we here? A carrion death, within whose empty eye All that glisters is not gold, Often have you heard that told: * First folio and quartos, stamp't. UNDERVALUED to try'd gold?] If compared with try'd p. 17: gold, so in 2 "Her name is Portia, nothing undervalued "To Cato's daughter." Boswell. INSCULP'D upon;] To insculp is to engrave. So, in a comedy called A New Wonder, a Woman Never Vex'd, 1632: in golden text 66 "Shall be insculp'd-" STEEVENS. The meaning is, that the figure of the angel is raised or embossed on the coin, not engraved on it. TUTET. 3 Gilded TOMBS do worms infold.] In all the old editions this line is written thus: "Gilded timber do worms infold." From which Mr. Rowe and all the following editors have made: "Gilded wood may worms infold." A line not bad in itself, but not so applicable to the occasion as that which, I believe, Shakspeare wrote: "Gilded tombs do worms infold." |