Bass.

This is signior Antonio. [looks!
Shy. [Aside.] How like a fawning publican he
I hate him, for he is a Christian:
But more, for that, in low simplicity,
He lends out money gratis, and brings down
The rate of usance 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 sacred nation ; and he rails,
Even there where merchants most do congregate,
On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift,
Which he calls interest: Cursed be my tribe,
If I forgive him!

THE JEW'S EXPOSTULATION.
Signior Antonio, many a time and oft,
In the Rialto you have rated me
About my monies, and my usances* ;
Still have I borne it with a patient shrug;
For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe :
You call me--misbeliever, cut-throat dog,
And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine,

And all for use of that which is mine own.
Well, then, it now appears, you need my help:
Go to, then; you come to me, and you say,
Shylock, we would have monies : You say so;
You, that did void your rheum upon my beard,
And foot me, as you spurn a stranger cur
Over your threshold ; monies is your suit.
What should I say to you? Should I not say,
Hath a dog money? is it possible,
A cur can lend three thousand ducats? or
Shall I bend low, and in a bondman's key,
With ’bated breath, and whispering humbleness,
Say this,
Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last ;
You spurn'd me such a day; another time
You calld me- -dog; and for these courtesies
I'll lend you thus much monies.

THE WORLD'S TRUE VALUE. I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano ; A stage, where every man must play a part.

ACT II.

GRAVITY ASSUMED.

SIGNIOR Bassanio, hear me: If I do not put on a sober habit, Talk with respect, and swear but now and then, Wear prayer-books in my pocket, look demurely; Nay more, while grace is saying, hood mine eyes Thus with my hat, and sigh, and say, amen; Use all the observance of civility, Like one well studied in a sad ostent* To please his grandam, never trust me more.

THE JEW'S COMMANDS TO HIS DAUGHTER. Lock up my doors; and when you hear the druni, And the vile squeaking of the wry-neck'd fife, Clamber not you up to the casement then, Nor thrust your head into the public street, To gaze on Christian fools with varnish'd faces: But stop my house's ears, I mean my casements; Let not the sound of shallow foppery enter My sober house.

POSSESSION MORE LANGUID THAN EXPECTATION.

0, ten times faster Venus' pigeons fly
To seal love's bonds new made, than they are wont,
To keep obliged faith unforfeited !
Who riseth from a feast,
With that keen appetite that he sits down?
Where is the horse that doth untread again
His tedious measures with the unbated fire
That he did pace them firsti All things that are,
- Are with more spirit chased than enjoy’d.
How like a younker, or a prodigal,
The scarfed * bark puts from her native bay,
Hugg'd and embraced by the strumpet wind !
How like the prodigal doth she return,
With over-weather'd ribs, and ragged sails,
Lean, rent, and beggar'd by the strumpet wind !

PORTIA'S SUITORS.
From the four corners of the earth they comc,
To kiss this shrine, this mortal breathing saint.
The Hyrcanian deserts, and the vasty wilds
Of wide Arabia, are as through-fares now,
For princes to come view fair Portia:
The wat'ry kingdom, whose ambitious head
Spits in the face of heaven, is no bar
To stop the foreign spirits; but they come,
As o'er a brook, to see fair Portia.

* Decorated with flags.

THE PARTING OF FRIENDS.

I saw Bassanio and Antonio part:
Bassanio told him he would make some speed
Of his return; he answer'd-Do not so,
Slubber not* business for my sake, Bassanio,
But stay the very riping of the time;
And for the Jew's bond, which he hath of me,
Let it not enter in your mind of love :
Be merry; and employ your chiefest thoughts
To courtship, and such fair ostentst of love
As shall conveniently become you

there :
And even there, his eye being big with tears,
Turning his face, he put his hand behind him,
And with affection wondrous sensible
He wrung Bassanio's hand, and so they parted.

HONOUR TO BE CONFERRED ON MERIT ONLY.

For who shall go about To cozen fortune, and be honourable Without the stamp of merit! Let none presume To wear an undeserved dignity. 0, that estates, degrees, and offices, Were not deriv'd corruptly! and that clear honour Were purchas'd by the merit of the wearer! How many then should cover, that stand bare ? How many be com mmanded, that command? How much low peasantry would then be glean'd From the true seed of honour? and how much honour Pick'd from the chaff and ruin of the times, To be new varnish'd ?

LOVE MESSENGER COMPARED TO AN APRIL DAY.

I have not seen So likely an ambassador of love: A day in April never came so sweet, To show how costly summer was at hand, As this fore-spurrer comes before his lord. * To slubber is to do a thing carelessly. + Shows, tokens,

ACT III.

THE JEW'S REVENGE. If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me, and hindered me of half a million; laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies; and what's his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? if you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? if we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? revenge: If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? why, revenge. The villany you teach me, I will execute: and it shall go hard, but I will better the instruction.

MUSIC.

Let music sound, while he doth make his choice; Then, if he lose, he makes a swan-like end, Fading in music: that the comparison May stand more proper, my eye

shall be the stream, And watry death-bed for him: He may win; And what is music then! then music is Even as the flourish when true subjects bow To a new-crowned monarch: such it is, As are those dulcet sounds in break of day, That creep into the dreaming bridegroom's ear, And summon him to marriage. Now he goes,

F