網頁圖片
PDF
ePub 版

water-thieves and land-thieves; I mean, pirates; and then there is the peril of waters, winds and rocks. The man is, notwithstanding, fufficient; three thoufand ducats? I think, I may take his bond.

Baff. Be affur'd, you may.

Shy. I will be affur'd, I may; and that I may be affur'd, I will bethink me; may I fpeak with Anthonio? Baf. If it please you to dine with us.

Shy. Yes, to fmell pork; to eat of the habitation which your prophet the Nazarite conjur'd the devil into? I will buy with you, fell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and fo following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you. What news on the Ryalto? who is he, comes here?

Enter Anthonio.

Baff. This is Signior Anthonio.

Shy. [Afide.] How like a fawning Publican he looks! I hate him, for he is a christian :

But more, for that in low fimplicity

He lends out money gratis, and brings down
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 moft do congregate,
On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift,
Which he calls intereft. Curfed be my tribe,
If I forgive him!

Baff. Shylock, do you hear?

Shy. I am debating of my prefent ftore, And by the near guefs of my memory,

I cannot inftantly raife 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 laft man in our mouths.

Anth. Shylock, although I neither lend nor borrow

By taking, nor by giving of excess,

Yet,

Yet, to fupply the ripe wants of my friend,
I'll break a cuftom.Is he yet poffeft,
How much you would?

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,-but hear you, Methought, you faid, you neither lend nor borrow Upon advantage.

Anth. I do never use it.

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 say,
Directly, int'reft; mark, what Jacob did.

When Laban and himself were compromis'd,
That all the yeanlings, which were ftreak'd and pied,
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 ftuck 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 pafs,

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 faft;
But note me, Signior.

Anth. Mark you this, Baffanio?
The devil can cite fcripture for his purpose.

E 3

An'

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 fum.
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 mifbeliever, cut-throat dog.
And fpit upon my Jewish gaberdine;
And all for ufe 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 rheum upon my beard,
And foot me, as you fpurn a firanger cur
Over your threshold: money is your fuit;
What should I fay to you? fhould I not fay,
Hath a dog money? is it poffible,

A cur can lend three thoufand ducats? or
Shall I bend low, and in a bondman's key,
With bated breath, and whifp'ring humbleness,
Say this, fair Sir, you fpit on me laft 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 money, lend it not
As to thy friend, (for when did friendship take
A breed of barren metal of his friend?) (7)

But

(7) A breed of barren metal] Meaning, money at ufury, money that breeds more, as Mr. Fope explains it. Confonant to this phrafe, the Latins explain ft intereft thus; fanus, fætum accepti: and the Greeks called it Toxos: both which expreffions take in our poet's idea of a breed. See Non. Marcellus in v. fenus, & mutuum; and Gronovius de

Seftertiis.

But lend it rather to thine enemy;

Who, if he break, thou may'it 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 me:
This is kind I offer.

Anth. This were kindness.

Shy. This kindnefs 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
Be nominated for an equal pound

Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken
In what part of your body it shall please me.

Anth. Content, in faith; I'll feal to fuch a bond, And fay, there is much kindness in the Jew.

Ba. You fhall not feal to fuch 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 chriftians are! Whofe own hard dealings teach them to fufpect The thoughts of others! pray you, tell me this, If he should break his day, what fhould I gain By the exaction of the forfeiture?

Seftertiis. As for the contradiction betwixt breed, and barren, it is a poetical beauty in which Claudian, among the Claffics, particularly abounds. Befides, in this epithet, perhaps (as Mr. Warburton ingeniously hinted to me,) our author would thew us the reafon on which the advocates against Ujury went; and which is the only one they ufe: That metal is a barren thing; and cannot, like corn and cattle, multiply itfelf: and therefore is unju, that interest should be taken for it: for the moft fuperftitious in this regard allow the taking intereft for fruits, corn, cattle, &c.

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 houfe, left in the fearful guard
Of an unthrifty knave, and presently
I'll 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 dismay;
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. Flo. Cornets.

M

MOROCHIUS.

Iflike me not for my complection,

The fhadow'd livery of the burnish'd fun,
To whom I am a neighbour, and near bred.
Bring me the fairest creature northward born,
Where Phabus' fire fcarce thaws the ificles,
And let us make incifion for your love,
To prove whose blood is reddeft, his or mine.
I tell thee, lady, this afpect of mine
Hath fear'd the valiant; by my love, I swear,
The best regarded virgins of our clime

[ocr errors]
« 上一頁繼續 »