The rate of ufance 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 facred nation; and he rails,
Ev'n there where merchants most do congregate,
On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift,
Which he calls intereft. Curfed by my tribe,
If I forgive him!

Baff. Shylock, do you hear?

Shy. I am debating of my present store,
And by the near guefs of my memory,
I cannot inftantly raise up the grofs

Of full three thousand ducats: what of that?
Tuball, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe,
Will furnish me; but foft, how many months
Do you defire? Reft you fair, good Signior;

[To Anth. Your worship was the last man in our mouths.

Anth. Shylock, although I neither lend nor borrow By taking, nor by giving of excess,

Yet, to fupply the ripe wants of my friend,

I'll break a cuítom.

How much you would?

Is he yet poffeft,

Shy. Ay, ay, three thousand ducats.
Anth. And for three months.

Shy. I had forgot, three months, you told me fo; Well then, your bond; and let me fee,

hear you,

Methought, you faid, you neither lend nor borrow
Upon advantage.

"Anth. I do never use it.

but

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

(As his wife mother wrought in his behalf)

The third poffeffor; ay, he was the third.

Anth. And what of him? did he take interest ? Shy. No, not take int'reft; not, as you would fay, Directly, int'reft; mark, what Jacob did. When Laban and himself were compromis'd,

That all the yeanlings, which were streak'd and pied,

Should

Should fall as Jacob's hire; the ewes, being rank,
In th' end of autumn turned to the rams;
And when the work of generation was
Between these woolly breeders in the act,
The skilful fhepherd peel'd me certain wands
And, in the doing of the deed of kind,
He stuck them up before the fulfome ewes ;
Who, then conceiving, did in yeaning time
Fall party-colour'd lambs, and thofe were Jacob's.
This was a way to thrive, and he was bleft;
And thrift is bleffing, if men fteal it not.

Anth. This was a venture, Sir, that Jacob ferv'd for; A thing, not in his pow'r to bring to pass,

But fway'd, and fashion'd, by the hand of heav'n.
Was this inferted to make int'reft good?

Or is your gold, and filver, ewes and rams?
Shy. I cannot tell; I make it breed as fast
But note me, Signior.

Anth. Mark you this, Baffanio?

The devil can cite fcripture for his purpose.
An evil foul, producing holy witness,
Is like a villain with a fmiling cheek;
A goodly apple rotten at the heart.
O, what a goodly outfide falfhood hath!

;

Shy. Three thousand ducats! 'tis a good round fam. Three months from twelve, then let me fee the rate. Anth. Well, Shylock, fhall we be beholden to you? Shy. Signior Anthonio, many a time and oft In the Ryalto you have rated me, About my monies and my ufances. Still have I born it with a patient shrug; (For fufferance is the badge of all our tribe.) You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog, And fpit upon my Jewish gaberdine ; And all for use of that, which is my own. Well then, it now appears, you need my help : Go to then; you come to me, and you fay, Shylock, we would have monies; you fay fo; You, that did void your rheume upon my beard, And foot me, as you fpurn a ftranger cur

E 3

Over

Over

your threshold: mony is your fait; What should I fay to you? fhould I not fay, Hath a dog mony? is it poffible,

A cur can lend three thousand ducats? or
Shall I bend low, and in a bondman's key,
With bated breath, and whifp'ring humblenefs,
Say this, fair Sir, you fpit on me last Wednesday,
You fpurn'd me fuch a day; another time
You call'd me dog; and for thefe curtefies
I'll lend you thus much monies ?

Anth. I am as like to call thee fo again,
To fpit on thee again, to fpurn thee too.
If thou wilt lend this mony, lend it not
As to thy friend, (for when did friendship take
A breed of barren metal of his friend?) (4)
But lend it rather to thine enemy;

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

Shy. Why, how you ftorm?

I would be friends with you, and have your love;
Forget the fhames that you have ftain'd me with;
Supply your present wants, and take no doit

Of ufance for my monies, and you'll not hear mê:
This is kind I offer.

Anth. This were kindness.

Shy. This kindness will I fhow;
Go with me to a Notary, feal me there
Your fingle bond; and in a merry sport,
If you repay me not on fuch a day,
In fuch a place, fuch fum, or fums, as are
Exprefs'd in the condition, let the forfeit

(4) A breed of barren Metal Meaning, Mony at Ufury, Mony that breeds more, as Mr. Pope explains it. Gonfonant to this Phrafe, the Latines explain'd Intereft thus; Fœnus, fætum accepti: and the Greeks call'd it rónos: both which Expreffions take in our Poet's Idea of a Breed. As for the Contradiction betwixt Breed and barren, it is a poetical Beauty in which Claudian, among the Claffics, particularly abounds,

Be

Be nominated for an equal pound

Of

your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken

In what part of your body it fhall please me.

Anth. Content, in faith; I'll feal to fuch a bond,
And fay, there is much kindness in the Jew.
Baff You fhall not feal to such a bond for me,
I'll rather dwell in my neceffity.

Anth. 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 dealings teach them to fufpect
The thoughts of others! pray you, tell me this,
If he fhould 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 fo estimable or profitable,

As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. I fay,
To buy his favour, I extend this friendship;
If he will take it, fo; if not, adieu;

And for my love, I pray you, wrong me not.
Anth. Yes, Shylock, I will feal unto this bond.
Shy. Then meet me forthwith at the Notary's.
Give him direction for this merry bond,
And I will go and purfe the ducats ftrait;
See to my house, left in the fearful guard
Of an unthrifty knave, and presently
I will be with you.

Anth. Hie thee, gentle Jew.

[Exit.

This Hebrew will turn chriftian; he grows kind.
Baff. I like not fair terms, and a villain's mind.
Anth. Come on, in this there can be no difmay;
My fhips come home a month before the day. [Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE,

BELMONT.

Enter Morochius, a Tawny-Moor, all in white; and three or four Followers accordingly; with Portia, Neriffa, and her train. Flourish Cornets.

M

MOROCHIUS.

ISLIKE me not for my complexion,
The fhadow'd livery of the burnish'd fun,
To whom I am a neighbour, and near bred.
Bring me the faireft creature northward born,
Where Phabus' fire scarce thaws the ificles,
And let us make incifion for your love,
To prove whofe blood is reddeft, his or mine.
I tell thee, lady, this afpect of mine

Hath fear'd the valiant; by my love, I fwear,
The best regarded virgins of our clime

Have lov'd it too: I would not change this hue,
Except to steal your thoughts, my gentle Queen.
Por. In terms of choice I am not folely led
By nice direction of a maiden's eyes:
Befides, the lottery of my deftiny
Bars me the right of voluntary chufing.
But if my father had not fcanted me,
And hedg'd me by his wit to yield my self
His wife, who wins me by that means I told you ;
Your felf, renowned Prince, then stood as fair,
As any comer I have look'd on yet,

For my affection.

Mor. Ev'n for that I thank you;
Therefore, I pray you, lead me to the caskets
To try my fortune. By this fcimitar,
That flew the Sophy and a Perfian Prince,
That won three fields of Sultan Solyman,

I would