Por. How all the other paffions fleet to air, For fear I furfeit. [Opening the leaden casket. Baff. What find I here? Fair Portia's counterfeit? what Demy-god Hath come so near creation? move these eyes? Or whether, riding on the balls of mine, Seem they in motion? here are fever'd lips Parted with fugar breath; fo fweet a bar Should funder fuch fweet friends: here in her hairs The painter plays the fpider, and hath woven A golden mesh t' intrap the hearts of men, Fafter than gnats in cobwebs: but her eyes, How could he fee to do them? having made one, Methinks, it fhould have pow'r to steal both his, And leave it felf unfinish'd: yet how far The fubftance of my praise doth wrong this fhadow In underprizing it; fo far this fhadow Doth limp behind the fubftance. Here's the fcrowl, You that chufe not by the view, And bold your fortune for your blifs,., And claim her with a loving kiss. A gentle scrowl; fair lady, by your leave; [Kiffing her. I come by note to give, and to receive. Like one of two contending in a prize, That thinks he hath done well in people's eyes; So So (thrice-fair lady) ftand I, even fo, Por. You see me, lord Bassanio, where I ftand, A thousand times more fair; ten thousand times Is fum of fomething, which, to term in grofs, But the may learn; more happy then in this, And be my vantage to exclaim on you. Baff. Madam, you have bereft me of all words, Ner. Ner. My lord and lady, it is now our time, Gra. My lord Baffanio, and my gentle lady, Baff. With all my heart, fo thou canst get a wife. Gra. I thank your lordship, you have got me one. My eyes, my lord, can look as swift as yours; You faw the mistress, I beheld the maid; You lov'd; I lov'd: for intermiffion (18) No more pertains to me, my lord, than you. Your fortune ftood upon the casket there; And fo did mine too, as the matter falls: For wooing here until I sweat again, And.fwearing, till my very roof was dry With oaths of love; at laft, if promife laft, got a promise of this fair one here, I (18) You lov'd; I lov'd for Intermiffion.] Thus this Paffage has been nonfenfically poined thro' all the Editions. If loving for Intermiffion can be expounded into any Senfe, I confeis, I as yet am ignorant, and fhall be glad to be inftructed in it. But till then I muft beg Leave to think, the Sentence ought to be thus regulated; You lov'd, I lov d: For Intermiffion No more pertains to me, my Lord, than You. i. e. ftanding idle; a Paufe, or Difcontinuance of Action. And fuch is the Signification of Intermiffio and Intermiffus amongst the Latines. Neque alia ulla fuit caufa intermiffionis Epiftolarum, nifi quod ubi effes planè nefciebam: fays Cicero to Trebatius." Nor was there any other "Reafon for my difcontinuing to write, but that I was abfolutely ignorant where you were". And fo Pliny, of the Nightingale: Lufciniis diebus ac noctibus quindecim garrulus fine intermiffu Cantus. "Nightingales hold their Song for fifteen days and nights together, without In"termiffion". Our Author ufes this Word again in his Lear: 66 Deliver'd Letters fpight of Intermission, Which prefently they read. i. e. in fpight of any Paufe, or Delay. Sometimes, without Intermiffion, is, without Ceflation: as in the Greek, ådrankiπ]ws, áñávsws. So in As you like it; And I did laugh, fans Intermiffion, An hour by his Dial. VOL. II. E To To have her love, provided that your fortune Por. Is this true, Neriffa? Ner. Madam, it is, fo you ftand pleas'd withal. Baff. Our feaft fhall be much honour'd in your marriage. Gra. We'll play with them, the firft boy for a thou fand ducats. Ner. What, and ftake down? Gra. No, we shall ne'er win at that fport, and stake down. What, and But who comes here? Lorenzo and his infidel? Baff. Lorenzo and Salanio, welcome hither; (Sweet Portia) welcome. Por. So do I, my lord; they are intirely welcome. Lor. I thank your honour; for my part, my lord, My purpose was not to have feen you here; But meeting with Salanio by the way, He did intreat me, past all saying nay, Sal. I did, my lord, And I have reafon for't; Signior Anthonio Commends him to you. Baff. Ere I ope his letter, [Gives Baffanio a Letter, I pray you, tell me how my good friend doth. Will fhew you his estate. [Baffanio opens the letter. Gra. Neriffa, cheer yond ftranger: Bid her welcome. (19) Your (19) Neriffa, cheer yond Stranger.] The Poet has fhewn a fingular Art here, in his Conduct with Relation to Jelica. As the Audience were already Your hand, Salanio; what's the news from Venice? How doth that royal merchant good Anthonio? . I know, he will be glad of our fuccefs: We are the Jafons, we have won the fleece. Sal. Would, you had won the fleece, that he hath loft! Por. There are fome fhrewd contents in yond fame paper, That fteal the colour from Baffanio's cheek: Some dear friend dead; elfe nothing in the world Of any conftant man. What, worfe and worse! Here are a few of the unpleasant'ft words, already appriz'd of her Story, the opening it here to Portia would have been a fuperfluous Repetition. Nor could it be done properly, while a Letter of fuch Hafte and Confequence was to be deliver d: and on which the main Action of the Play depended. Jeffica is therefore, artfully, complimented in dumb Shew; and no Speech made to her, because the Scene is drawn out to a great Length by more important Business. |