[Exeunt. And in the morning early will we both Fly toward Belmont: Come, Antonio. SCENE II. The same. A street. Enter PORTIA and NERISSA. Por. Inquire the Jew's house out, give him this deed, And let him sign it; we'll away to-night, And be a day before our husbands home: This deed will be well welcome to Lorenzo. Enter GRATIANO. Gra. Fair sir, you are well overtaken : Hath sent you here this ring; and doth entreat Por. That cannot be: This ring I do accept most thankfully, And so, I pray you, tell him: Furthermore, I pray you, show my youth old Shylock's house. Ner. Sir, I would speak with you:— [TO PORTIA. Which I did make him swear to keep for ever. Por. Thou may'st, I warrant; We shall have old swear That they did give the rings away to men; [ing, But we'll outface them, and outswear them too. Away make haste; thou know'st where I will tarry. Ner. Come, good sir, will you show me to this house? [Exeunt. ACT V. SCENE I.-Belmont. Avenue to Portia's House. Enter LORENZO and JESSICA. Lor. The moon shines bright:-In such a night as this, When the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees, f advice,-] i. e. Reflection. And they did make no noise; in such a night, Jes. Lor. In such a night, Stood Dido with a willow in her hand Upon the wild sea-banks, and wav'd her love To come again to Carthage. Jes. Medea gather'd the enchanted herbs That did renew old son. Lor. In such a night, In such a night, Did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew: And with an unthrift love did run from Venice, As far as Belmont. Jes. In such a night, Did young Lorenzo swear he lov'd her well; Lor. And in such a night, Did pretty Jessica, like a little shrew, Slander her love, and he forgave it her. Jes. I would out-night you, did nobody come : But, hark, I hear the footing of a man. Enter STEPHANO. Lor. Who comes so fast in silence of the night? Lor. A friend? what friend? your name I pray you, friend? Steph. Stephano is my name; and I bring word, My mistress will before the break of day Be here at Belmont; she doth stray about I Lor. Who comes with her? Steph. None, but a holy hermit, and her maid. pray you, is my master yet return'd? Lor. He is not, nor we have not heard from him. But go we in, I pray thee, Jessica, And ceremoniously let us prepare Some welcome for the mistress of the house. Enter LAUNCELOT. Laun. Sola, sola, wo ha, ho, sola, sola! Lor. Who calls? Laun. Sola! did you see master Lorenzo, and mistress Lorenzo? sola, sola! Lor. Leave hollaing, man; here. Laun. Sola! where? where? Lor. Here.. Laun. Tell him, there's a post come from my master, with his horn full of good news; my master will be here ere morning. [Exit. Lor. Sweet soul, let's in, and there expect their coming. And yet no matter ;-Why should we go in ? My friend Stephano, signify, I pray you, Within the house, your mistress is at hand: And bring your musick forth into the air. [Exit STEPHANO. How sweet the moon-light sleeps upon this bank! Sit, Jessica: Look, how the floor of heaven There's not the smallest orb, which thou behold'st, But in his motion like an angel sings, Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubins: Such harmony is in immortal souls; But, whilst this muddy vesture of decay Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it.— g with patines of bright gold ;] A patine, from patina, Lat. A patine is the small flat dish or plate used with the chalice, in the administration of the Eucharist. In the time of popery, and probably in the following age, it was commonly made of gold.-MALONE. Enter Musicians. Come, ho, and wake Diana with a hymn;" Jes. I am never merry when I hear sweet musick. Lor. The reason is your spirits are attentive: [Musick. Fetching mad bounds, bellowing, and neighing loud, If they but hear perchance a trumpet sound, You shall perceive them make a mutual stand, By the sweet power of musick: Therefore, the poet Nor is not mov'd with concord of sweet sounds, Let no such man be trusted.-Mark the musick. hwake Diana with a hymn ;] Diana is the moon, who is in the next scene represented as sleeping.-JOHNSON. iThe man that hath no musick in himself, &c.] This sentiment arouses all the indignation of Steevens, and he endeavours to defend those unhappy persons, whom a defect in the organs of sound have subjected to the condemnation of the poet, by several quotations of an opposite tendency from the Letters of Lord Chesterfield. If Mr. Steevens's untuneful friends possess a spark of nobleness, they will rather lie under the malediction of the poet than owe their justification to the advocacy of the peer. This passage of Shakspeare may be contrasted with the following lines from Massinger's Fatal Dowry, Act iv. sc. 2. I never was an enemy to music, Nor yet do I subscribe to the opinion Of those old captains, that thought nothing musical Nor, on the other side, in favour of it, Affirm the world was made by musical discord; Or that the happiness of our life consists In a rich varied note upon the lute: I love it to the worth of it and no further. Enter PORTIA and NERISSA, at a distance. Por. That light we see, is burning in my hall, Ner. When the moon shone, we did not see the candle. Ner. It is your musick, madam, of the house. Lor. That is the voice, Or I am much deceiv'd, of Portia. [Musick ceases. Por. He knows me, as the blind man knows the cuckoo, By the bad voice. Lor. Dear lady, welcome home. Por. We have been praying for our husbands' welfare, Which speed, we hope, the better for our words. Are they return'd? Give order to my servants, that they take No note at all of our being absent hence ;— k without respect;] Not absolutely good, but relatively good as it is modified by circumstances.-JOHNSON. |