Sal. He came too late, the ship was under fail ; Of double ducats, toll'n from me by my daughter! Sal. Why, all the boys in Venice follow him, Sal. Marry, well remember'd. I reafon'd with a Frenchman yesterday, Sola. You were beft to tell Anthonio what you hear, Yet do not fuddenly, for it may grieve him. Sal. A kinder Gentleman treads not the earth. I faw Baffanio and Anthonio part. Baffanio told him, he would make some speed As As shall conveniently become you there. He wrung Bassanio's hand, and fo they parted. Sal. Do we fo. SCENE changes to Belmont. Enter Neriffa with a Servant. [Exeunt. Ner. QUICK, quick, I pray thee, draw the curtain ftrait; The Prince of Arragon has ta'en his oath, If Enter Arragon, his train, Portia. Flour. Cornets. Por. Behold, there ftand the caskets, noble Prince; Strait shall our nuptial rites be folemniz'd : But if you fail, without more speech, my lord, Ar. I am enjoin'd by oath t' observe three things; First, never to unfold to any one Which casket 'twas I chofe; next, if I fail Immediately to leave you and be gone. Por. To these injunctions every one doth fwear, Ar. And fo have I addreft me; fortune now F Who Who chufeth me, fhall gain what many men defire. that may be meant Of the fool-multitude, that chufe by show, Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach; O, that estates, degrees, and offices, Were not deriv'd corruptly, that clear honour How much low peafantry would then be gleaned To be new varnish'd? well, but to my choice: (8) bow much bonour Pick'd from the Chaff and Ruin of the Times, To be new varnish'd.] Mr. Warburton very juftly obferv'd to me upon the Confufion and Difagreement of the Metapbors here; and is of Opinion, that Shakespeare might have wrote; To be new vanned. i. e. winnow'd, purged: from the French Word, vanner ; which is deriv'd from the Latin, wannus, ventilabrum, the Fan ufed for winnowing the Chaff from the Corn. This Alteration, as he observes, restores the Metaphor to its Integrity: and our Poet frequently uses the fame Thought. But as Shakespeare is fo loofe and licentious in the blending of different Metaphors, I have not ventur'd to disturb the Text. I I will affume defert; give me a key for this, Por. Too long a pause for that which you find there. [Unlocking the filver casket. Ar. What's here! the portrait of a blinking idiot, Prefenting me a schedule? I will read it. How much unlike art thou to Portia ? How much unlike my hopes and my defervings? Who chufes me, shall have as much as he deferves. Did I deferve no more than a fool's head? Is that my prize? are my deferts no better? Por. To offend, and judge, are distinct offices, And of opposed natures. Ar. What is here? The fire feu'n times tried this; Sev'n times tried that judgment is, Some there be, that shadows kifs; Ar. Still more fool I fhall appear, With one fool's head I came to woo, But I go away with two. Sweet, adieu! I'll keep my oath, Por. Thus hath the candle fing'd the moth: Enter a Servant. Serv. Where is my lady? [Exit. F 2 Por. Por. Here, what would lord? my Serv. Madam, there is alighted at your gate Α young From whom he bringeth fenfible regreets; A day in April never came fo fweet, Por No more, I pray thee; I am half afraid, Ner. Baffanio, lord Love, if thy will it be! (9) [Exeunt. SCENE, a Street in VENICE. Enter Salanio and Solarino. SOLARIN O. OW, what news on the Ryalto? NOW Sal. Why, yet it lives there uncheckt, that Anthonio hath a fhip of rich lading wreckt on the narrow feas; the Godwins, I think, they call the place; a very dangerous flat and fatal, where the carcafes (9) Raffanio Lord, love, if] Mr. Pope, and all the preceding Editors have follow'd this pointing; as imagining, I fupmeans, Lord Baffanio; but pofe, that Bafanio lord Lord must be coupled to Love: as if the had faid, " Imperial "Love, if it be thy Will, let it be Bafanio whom this "Messenger foreruns. of |