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Mor. The firft of gold, which this infcription bears; Who choofeth me, fhall gain what many men defire. The fecond filver, which this promife carries ;Who choofeth me, ball get as much as he deferves. This third, dull lead, with warning all as blunt ;Who choofeth, me, must give and hazard all he hath.How fhall I know if I do choose the right?

Por. The one of them contains my picture, prince ;, If you choose that, then I am yours withal.

Mor. Some god direct my judgment: Let me fee,, I will furvey the infcriptions back again :

What fays this leaden cafket?

Who choofeth me, must give and hazard all be bath.
Muft give-For what? for lead? hazard for lead?
This casket threatens : Men, that hazard all,
Do it in hope of fair advantages:

A golden mind stoops not to fhews of drofs;
I'll then not give, nor hazard, ought for lead.
What says the filver, with her virgin hue?

Who choofeth me, shall get as much as he deserves. .
As much as he deferves ?-Pause there, Morocco,,
And weigh thy value with an even hand :
If thou be'ft rated by thy eftimation,
Thou doft deferve enough; and yet enough
May not extend fo far as to the lady ; ;
And yet, to be afraid of my deferving,
Were but a weak difabling of myself.

As much as I deferve !-Why, that's the lady ::
I do in birth deferve her, and in fortunes,
In graces, and in qualities of breeding;
But more than thefe, in love I do deferve.
What if I ftray'd no farther, but chofe here?
Let's fee once more this saying grav'd in gold.
Who choofeth me, shall gain what many men defire..
Why, that's the lady; all the world defires her:
From the four corners of the earth they come
To kifs this shrine, this mortal breathing faint.
The Hircanian deserts, and the vasty wilds
Of wide Arabia, are as thorough-fares now,
For princes to come view fair Portia.
The watery kingdom, whofe ambitious head.
Spits in the face of heaven, is no bar
To ftop the foreign fpirits, but they come,,
As o'er a brook, to fee fair Portia.

One of these three contains her heav'nly picture.
Is't like that lead contains her? 'twere damnation
To think fo base a thought: it were too grofs
To rib her fearcloth in the obfcure grave.
Or fhall I think in filver fhe's immur'd,
Being ten times undervalu'd to try'd gold?
O finful thought! Never fo rich a gem
Was fet in worse than gold.

They have in England
A coin, that bears the figure of an angel

Stamped in gold; but that's infculp'd upon :-
But here an angel in a golden bed

Lies all within.-Deliver me the key;

Here do I choose, and thrive I as I may !

Por. There take it, prince, and if my form lie there,

Then I am yours.

[Unlocking the gold casket.

Mor. O hell! what have we here?

A carrion death, within whofe empty eye

There is a written fcrowl! I'll read the writing.

'All that glifters is not gold;
Often have you heard that told:
Many a man his life bath fold,
But my outfide to behold:
Gilded tombs de worms infold.
Had you been as wife as bold,
Young in limbs, in judgment old,
Your answer had not been inferol'd;
Fare you well: your fuit is cold.

Mor. Cold, indeed; and labour loft: Then farewel, heat; and welcome froft.

Portia, adieu! I have too griev❜d a heart

To take a tedious leave. Thus lofers part.

[Exit.

Por. A gentle riddance :-Draw the curtains; go

Let all of his complexion choose me fo.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VIII.

Venice. Enter SOLARINO and SALANIO.

Sal. Why man, I faw Baffanio under fail ;

With him is Gratiano gone along ;

And in their ship, I am fure, Lorenzo is not.

Sola. The villain Jew with outcries rais'd the duke,

Who went with him to fearch Baffanio's fhip.

Sal. He came too late, the ship was under fail ::
But there the duke was given to understand,
That in a gondola were feen together
Lorenzo and his amorous Jeffica:
Befides Anthonio certify'd the duke,
They were not with Baffanio in his fhip.
Sola. I never heard a paffion fo confus'd,
So ftrange, outrageous, and so variable,
As the dog Jew did utter in the streets;.
My daughter!—O my ducats !-O my daughter!
Fled with a Chriftian? O my Chriftian ducats !-
Juftice! the law! my ducats, and my daughter !—
A fealed bag, tavo fealed bags of ducats,

Of double ducats, ftol'n from me by my daughter!
And jewels, two ftones, tavo rich and precious ftones,
Stol'n by my daughter!-Juftice! find the girl!
She bath the ftones upon her, and the ducats!

Sal. Why, all the boys in Venice follow him,,
Crying-his ftones, his daughter, and his ducats.
Sola. Let good Anthonio look he keep his day ;.
Or he fhall pay for this.

Sal. Marry, well remember'd.

I reafon'd with a Frenchman yesterday;
Who told me, in the narrow feas, that part
The French and English, there miscarried
A veffel of our country, richly fraught:
I thought upon Anthonio, when he told me,
And wish'd in filence, that it were not his.

Sola. You were beft to tell Anthonio what you hear ; Yet do not fuddenly, for it may grieve him.

Sal. A kinder gentleman treads not the earth.

I faw Baffanio and Anthonio part.

Baffanio told him, he would make some speed
Of his return : he answer'd, Do not fo.
Slubber not bufinefs for my fake, Bassanio;
But ftay 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 chiefeft thoughts
To courtship, and fuch fair oftents of love
As hall 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 Baffanio's hand, and so they parted.
Sola. I think he only loves the world for him.
I pray thee, let us go and find him out,
And quicken his embraced heaviness
With fome delight or other.

Sal. Do we fo.

1

SCENE IX.

[Exeunt.

Belmont.

Enter NERISSA with a Servant.

Ner. Quick, quick,-I pray thee, draw the curtain ftraight;

The prince of Arragon hath ta'en his oath,
And comes to his election presently.

Enter Arragon, his train; PORTIA, with hers. Flourish of cornets. The cafkets are difcovered.

Por. Behold, there ftand the caskets, noble prince :
If you choose that wherein I am contain❜d,
Straight fhall our nuptial rites be folemniz'd:

But if you fail, without more fpeech, my lord,
You must begone from hence immediately.

Ar. I am enjoin'd by oath to observe three things: First, never to unfold to any one

Which cafket 'twas I chofe; next, if I fail

Of the right cafket, never in my life

To woo a maid in way of marriage; laftly,
If I do fail in fortune of my choice,
Immediately to leave you, and begone.

Por. To these injunctions every one doth fwear,
That comes to hazard for my worthless self.

Ar. And fo have I addreft me. Fortune now To my heart's hope !-Gold, filver, and base lead. Who choofeth me, must give and hazard all he hath : You fhall look fairer, ere I give or hazard. What fays the golden cheft; ha! let me fee :Who choofeth me, fhall gain what many men defire. What many men defire,—That many may be meant Of the fool-multitude, that choose by fhow, Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach; Which pries not to the interior, but, like the martlet Builds in the weather on the outward wall, Even in the force and road of casualty. I will not choose what many men defire,

Because I will not jump with common spirits,
And rank me with the barbarous multitudes.
Why then to thee, thou filver treasure-houfe :-
Tell me once more, what title thou doft bear.
Who choofeth me, shall get as much as he deserves ;
And well faid too; for who fhall go about
To cozen fortune, and be honourable,

Without the stamp of merit? Let none presume
To wear an undeferved dignity.

O, that eftates, 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 ftand bare?
How many be commanded, that command ?
How much low peasantry would then be gleaned
From the true feed of honour? and how much honour
Pick'd from the chaff and ruin of the times,
To be new varnished? Well, but to my choice:
Who choofeth me shall get as much as he deferves:
I will affume defert ;-Give me a key for this,
And inftantly unlock my fortunes here.

Por. Too long a pause for that which you find there.
[Unlocking the filver cafket.
Ar. What's here! the portrait of a blinking idiot,
Presenting me a fchedule? I will read it.
How much unlike art thou to Portia !

How much unlike my hopes, and my defervings!
Who chooses me fhall have as much as he deferves.
Did I deferve-no more than a fool's head?
Is that my prize? are my deserts no better?
Por. To offend, and judge, are diftinct offices,
And of oppofed natures.

Ar. What is here?

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