reason: but if fhe be less than an honeft woman, fhe is indeed more than I took her for.

Lor. How every fool can play upon the word! I think, the best grace of wit will fhortly turn into filence, and difcourfe grow commendable in none but parrots. Go in, firrah, bid them prepare for dinner.

Laun. That is done, Sir; they have all ftomachs. Lor. Good lord, what a wit-fnapper are you! then bid them prepare dinner.

Laun. That is done too, Sir; only cover is the word.

Lor. Will you cover then, Sir?

Laun. Not fo, Sir, neither; I know my duty. Lor. Yet more quarrelling with occafion! wilt thou fhew the whole wealth of thy wit in an inftant? I pray thee, understand a plain man in his plain meaning: go to thy fellows, bid them cover the table, ferve in the meat, and we will come in to dinner.

Laun. For the table, Sir, it fhall be ferv'd in; for the meat, Sir, it fhall be covered; for your coming in to dinner, Sir, why, let it be as humours and conceits fhall govern. [Exit Laun. Lor. O dear difcretion, how his words are fuited! The fool hath planted in his memory An army of good words; and I do know A many fools that ftand in better place, Garnish'd like him, that for a trick fie word Defie the matter: how far'ft thou, Jeffica? And now, good fweet, fay thy opinion, How doft thou like the lord Bafanio's wife?

Jef. Paft all expreffing: it is very meet,
The lord Bafanio live an upright life.
For, having fuch a Bleffing in his lady,
He finds the joys of heaven here on earth :
And if on earth he do not merit it,

In reafon he should never come to heav'n.

Why, if two Gods fhould play fome heav'nly match,
And on the wager lay two earthly women,
And Portia one, there must be fomething else
Pawn'd with the other; for the poor rude world

Hath

Hath not her fellow.

Lor. Even fuch a husband

Haft thou of me, as the is for a wife.
Jef. Nay, but ask my opinion too of that.
Lor. I will anon: first, let us go to dinner.
Jef. Nay, let me praise you, while I have a fto-
mach.

Lor. No, pray thee, let it ferve for table-talk; Then, howfoe'er thou speak'ft, 'mong other things, I fhall digeft it.

Jef. Well, I'll fet

forth.

[Exeunt.

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ACTIV.

SCENE, the Senate-boufe in VENICE.

Enter the Duke, the Senators; Anthonio, Baffanio, and Gratiano, at the Bar.

DUKE.

HAT, is Anthonio here?:

Ant. Ready, fo please your Grace. Duke. I'm forry for thee; thou art come to answer

WH

A ftony adversary, an inhuman wretch
Uncapable of pity, void and empty
From any dram of mercy.

Ant. I have heard,

Your Grace hath ta'en great pains to qualifie
His rig'rous courfe; but fince he stands obdurate,
And that no lawful means can carry me
Out of his envy's reach, I do oppose
My patience to his fury; and am arm'd

Té

To fuffer, with a quietness of spirit,
The very tyranny and rage of his.

Duke. Go one, and call the Jew into the Court.
Sal. He's ready at the door: he comes, my lord.
Enter Shylock.

Duke. Make room, and let him ftand before our face, Shylock, the world thinks, and I think so too, That thou but lead'ft this fashion of thy malice To the last hour of act; and then 'tis thought, Thou'lt fhew thy mercy and remorfe more strange, Than is thy ftrange apparent cruelty. And, where thou now exact'ft the penalty, Which is a pound of this poor merchant's flesh, Thou wilt not only lofe the forfeiture, But, touch'd with human gentleness and love, Forgive a moiety of the principal; Glancing an eye of pity on his loffes, That have of late fo hudled on his back, Enough to prefs a royal merchant down; And pluck commiferation of his state From braffy bosoms, and rough hearts of flint ; From ftubborn Turks and Tartars, never train'd To offices of tender courtefie.

We all expect a gentle anfwer, Jew.

Shy. I have poffefs'd your Grace of what I purpofe. And by our holy Sabbath have I fworn, To have the due and forfeit of my bond. If you deny it, let the danger light Upon your charter, and your city's freedom. You'll ask me, why I rather chuse to have A weight of carrion flesh, than to receive Three thousand ducats? I'll not anfwer that. But fay, it is my humour, is it anfwer'd? What if my house be troubled with a rat, And I be pleas'd to give ten thousand ducats To have it bane'd? what, are you answer'd yet? Some men there are, love not a gaping pig; Some, that are mad, if they behold a cat; And others, when the bag-pipe fings i' th' nofe,

Cannot

Cannot contain their urine for affection. (24)
Masterless paffion fways it to the mood

Of what it likes, or loaths. Now for your anfwer:
As there is no firm reason to be render'd,
Why he cannot abide a gaping pig;

(24) Cannot contain their Urine for Affection. Mafterlefs paffion fways it to the Mood

Of what it likes, or loaths.] Mafterlefs Paffion was first Mr. Rowe's Reading, (on what Authority, I am at a Lofs to know;) which Mr. Pope has fince copied. And tho' I have not disturb'd the Text, yet, I muft obferve, I don't know what Word there is to which this Relative [it, in the 2d Line] is to be referr'd. The ingenious Dr. Thirlby, therefore, would thus adjust the Paffage.

Cannot contain their Urine; for Affection,
* Mafter of Paffion, fways it &c

Or, Miftrefs.

And then it is govern'd of Paffion: and the 2 old Quarto's and Folio's
read.
Mafters of Paffion, &c.

It may be objected, that Affection and Paffion are Synonomous Terms, and mean the fame Thing. I agree, they do at this time. But I obferve, the Writers of our Author's Age made a fort of Distinction: confidering the One as the Caufe, the Other as the Effect. And then, in this place, Affection will ftand for that Sympathy or Antipathy of Soul, by which we are provok'd to fhew a Liking or Difguft in the Working of our Paffions. B. Jonson, in his Sejanus, feems to apply the Terms thus: He bath ftudied

Affection's Paffions, knows their Springs, their Ends,
Which way, and whither they will work.

So much, in fupport of Dr. Thirlby's Regulation of the Paffage. My
ingenious Friend Mr. Warburton is for pointing, and writing it, as in
the Old Editions: but for giving it a different Turn in the Poet's Drift
and Meaning. I come now to his Reading and Opinion.
Cannot contain their Urine for Affection.

Mafters of Paffion fway it to the Mood
Of what it likes, or loaths.

"Obferve, he is here only speaking of the different Power of Sounds, " and the Influence they have upon the humane Mind: and then con "cludes, the Mafters of Paffion (for fo he finely calls Muficians) fway "the Paffions, or Affections, as they please: Our Poet then having, no "Doubt, in his Mind the great Effects that Timotheus, and other ancient "Musicians, are faid to have wrought by the Power of Mufick. This

puts me in mind of a Paffage of Collier, in his Effay on Mufick; who "fuppofes it poffible by a right_chofen Compofition (not, Concord) of "Sounds to infpire Affright, Terror, Cowardife, and Confternation; "in the fame Manner that, now, Chearfulness, and Courage, is affifted "by contrary Compofitions".

Thus far Mr. Warburton. I fhall fubmit the Paffage, for the prefent, to the Opinion and Determination of the Publick; upon which, I may hereafter venture with more fafety to ascertain it.

Why

Why he, a harmless neceffary cat;
Why he, a woollen bag-pipe; but of force
Muft yield to fuch inevitable fhame,
As to offend, himself being offended;
So can I give no reason, nor I will not,
More than a lodg'd hate and a certain loathing
I bear Anthonio, that I follow thus

A lofing fuit against him. Are you answer'd?
Baff. This is no anfwer, thou unfeeling man,
T' excuse the current of thy cruelty.

Shy. I am not bound to please thee with my anfwer.

Baff. Do all men kill the thing they do not love? Shy. Hates any man the thing he would not kill? Baff. Ev'ry offence is not a hate at first.

Shy. What, would'st thou have a serpent fting thee twice?

Ant. I pray you, think you question with a Jew, You may as well go ftand upon the beach, And bid the main flood bate his usual height. You may as well use question with the wolf, Why he hath made the ewe bleat for the lamb. You may as well forbid the mountain pines To wag their high tops, and to make no noise, When they are fretted with the gufts of heav'n. You may as well do any thing most hard, As feek to foften that, (than which what's harder!) His Jewish heart. Therefore, I do beseech you, Make no more offers, ufe no farther means; But with all brief and plain conveniency Let me have judgment, and the Jew his will. Ba. For thy three thousand ducats here is fix. Shy. If ev'ry ducat in fix thousand ducats Were in fix parts, and ev'ry part a ducat, I would not draw them, I would have my bond. Duke. How fhalt thou hope for mercy, rend'ring none ?

ހ

Shy. What judgment fhall I dread, doing no wrong? You have among you many a purchas'd flave, Which, like your affes, and your dogs, and mules,

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