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 heaven ;
You may as well do any thing moft hard,

?

As feek to foften that (than which what's harder?)
His Jewish heart :-Therefore, I do befeech 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.
Baff. For thy three thousand ducats here is fix.
Shy. If every ducat in fix' thousand ducats
Were in fix parts, and every part a ducat,
I would not draw them, I would have my bond.
Duke. How fhalt thou hope for mercy, rend'ring none?
Shy. What judgment shall I dread, doing no wrong
You have among you many a purchas'd flave,[8],
Which, like your affes, and your dogs, and mules,
You ufe in abject and in flavish parts,
Because you bought them :-Shall I fay to you,
Let them be free, marry them to your heirs?
Why fweat they under burdens? let their beds
Be made as foft as yours, and let their palates
Be feafon'd with fuch viands? you will answer,
The flaves are ours :-So do I anfwer you:
The pound of flesh, which I demand of him,
Is dearly bought, is mine, and I will have it :
If you deny me, fie upon your law !

There is no force in the decrees of Venice:

I ftand for judgment: Answer; fhall I have it? Duke. Upon my power, I may dismiss this court, Unless Bellario, a learned doctor,

Whom I have fent for to determine this,

Come here to-day.

Sal. My lord, here stays without

A meffenger with letters from the doctor,
New come from Padua.

Duke. Bring us the letters: call the meffenger. Baff. Good cheer, Anthonio! What, man? courage yet!

The Jew fhall have my flesh, blood, bones, and all, Ere thou fhalt lofe for me one drop of blood.

[8] This argument confidered as used to the particular perfons, feema conclufive. I fee not how Venetians or Englishmen, while they practife the purchase and fale of flaves, can much enforce or demand the law of Doing to others as we would that they should do to us. JOHNS.

Anth. I am a tainted wether of the flock, Meeteft for death: the weakeft kind of fruit Drops earliest to the ground, and fo let me : You cannot better be employ'd, Baffanio, Than to live ftill, and write mine epitaph.

Enter NERISSA, dreffed like a Lawyer's Clerk. Duke. Come you from Padua, from Bellario? Ner. From both, my lord: Bellario greets your grace. Baff. Why doft thou whet thy knife fo earnestly? Shy. To cut the forfeiture from that bankrupt there. Gra. Not on thy foal, but on thy foul, harsh Jew, Thou mak'ft thy knife keen: but no metal can, No, not the hangman's axe, bear half the keennefs Of thy sharp envy. Can no prayers pierce thee? Shy. No, none that thou haft wit enough to make. Gra. O, be thou damn'd, inexorable dog, And for thy life let justice be accus'd! Thou almoft mak'ft me waver in my faith, To hold opinion with Pythagoras, That fouls of animals infufe themfelves Into the trunks of men: Thy currish spirit Govern'd a wolf, who hang'd for human flaughter Even from the gallows did his fell foul fleet, And, whilft thou lay'ft in thy unhallow'd dam, Infus'd itself in thee; for thy defires

Are wolfish, bloody, ftarv'd, and ravenous.

Shy. Till thou canft rail the feal from off my bond, Thou but offend'ft thy lungs to speak fo loud: Repair thy wit, good youth, or it will fall

To cureless ruin.-I ftand here for law.

Duke. This letter from Bellario doth commend

A young and learned doctor to our court :—
Where is he?

Ner. He attendeth here hard by,

To know your anfwer, whether you'll admit him.
Duke. With all my heart :-Some three or four of you,
Go give him courteous conduct to this place.-
Mean time the court fhall hear Bellario's letter.

Your grace fall understand, that, at the receipt of your letter, I am very fick; but at the inftant that your meffenger came, in loving vifitation was with me a young doc tor of Rome, his name is Balthazar; I acquainted him

with the caufe in controverfy between the Jew and Anthonio the merchant: We turn'd o'er many books together: he is furnish'd with my opinion; which, bettered with his own learning, (the greatness whereof I cannot enough commend,) comes with him, at my importunity, to fill up your grace's request in my ftead. I beseech you, let his lack of years be no impediment to let him lack a reverend eftimation; for I never knew fo young a body with fo old a head. I leave him to your gracious acceptance, whose trial fhall better publish his commendation.

Enter PORTIA, dressed like a Doctor of Laws.

Duke. You hear the learn'd Bellario what he writes; And here, I take it, is the doctor come.

Give me your hand: Came you from old Bellario? Por. I did, my lord.

Duke. You are welcome: take your place.
Are you acquainted with the difference

That holds this prefent question in the court?
Por. I am informed thoroughly of the caufe.
Which is the merchant here, and which the Jew?
Duke. Anthonio and old Shylock, both ftand forth.
Por. Is your name Shylock?

Shy. Shylock is my name.

Por. Of a strange nature is the fuit you follow; Yet in fuch rule, that the Venetian law

Cannot impugn you, as you do proceed.→

You ftand within his danger, do you not? [TO ANTH.

Por. Then muft the Jew be merciful.

Shy. On what compulfion muft I? tell me that. Por. The quality of mercy is not ftrain'd; It droppeth, as the gentle rain from heaven, Upon the place beneath: It is twice blefs'd; It bleffeth him that gives, and him that takes: 'Tis mightiest in the mightieft; it becomes The throned monarch better than his crown : His fceptre fhews the force of temporal power, The attribute to awe and majefty, Wherein doth fit the dread and fear of kings; But mercy is above this fcepter'd sway, It is enthroned in the hearts of kings:

It is an attribute to God himself;

And earthly power doth then fhew likeft God's,
When mercy feafons juftice: Therefore, Jew,
Though juftice be thy plea, confider this-
That, in the course of juftice, none of us
Should fee falvation: We do pray for mercy;
And that fame prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have fpoke thus much,
To mitigate the juftice of thy plea;

Which if thou follow, this ftrict court of Venice
Muft needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.
Shy. My deeds upon my head! I crave the law,
The penalty and forfeit of my bond.

Por. Is he not able to discharge the money ? Baff. Yes, here I tender it for him in the court; Yea, twice the fum: if that will not fuffice,

I will be bound to pay it ten times o'er,

On forfeit of my hands, my head, my heart.
If this will not fuffice, it must appear

That malice bears down truth. And, I befeech you,
Wreft once the law to your authority :

To do a great right, do a little wrong;

And curb this cruel devil of his will.

Por. It must not be; there is no power in Venice Can alter a decree eftablished :

'Twill be recorded for a precedent;

And many an error, by the fame example,

Will rush into the ftate: it cannot be.

Shy. A Daniel come to judgment ! yea, a Daniel ! O wife young judge, how do I honour thee! Por. I pray you let me look upon the bond. Shy. Here 'tis, moft reverend doctor, here it is. Por. Shylock, there's thrice thy money offer'd thee. Shy. An oath, oath,-I have an oath in heaven: Shall I lay perjury upon my foul ?

No, not for Venice.

Por. Why, this bond is forfeit ;
And lawfully by this the Jew may claim

A pound of flesh, to be by him cut off

Nearest the merchant's heart.-Be merciful;

Take thrice thy money; bid me tear the bond.
Shy. When it is paid according to the tenour.-

It doth appear you are a worthy judge;
You know the law; your expofition

Hath been moft found: I charge you by the law,
Whereof you are a well-deserving pillar,
Proceed to judgment: By my foul I swear,
There is no power in the tongue of man
To alter me; I ftay here on my bond.

Anth. Moft heartily I do befeech the court
To give the judgment.

Por. Why, then, thus it is:

You must prepare your bofom for his knife.
Shy. O noble judge! O excellent young man !
Por. For the intent and purpose of the law
Hath full relation to the penalty,

Which here appeareth due upon the bond.

Shy. "Tis very true: O wife and upright judge!
How much more elder art thou than thy looks!
Por. Therefore lay bare your bosom.

Shy. Ay, his breaft:

So fays the bond :-Doth it not, noble judge?—
Nearest his heart, thofe are the very words.

Por. It is fo. Are there balance here to weigh
The flesh?

Shy. I have them ready.

Por. Have by fome furgeon, Shylock, on your charge, To ftop his wounds, left he should bleed to death. Shy. Is it fo nominated in the bond?

Por. It is not fo exprefs'd; but what of that? 'Twere good, you do fo much for charity.

Shy. I cannot find it; 'tis not in the bond.
Por. Come, merchant, have you any thing to fay ?
Anth. But little : I am arm'd, and well prepar'd.-
Give me your hand, Baffanio; fare ye well!
Grieve not that I am fallen to this for you;
For herein fortune fhews herfelf more kind
Than is her cuftom: It is ftill her ufe,
To let the wretched man out-live his wealth,
To view with hollow eye, and wrinkled brow,
An age of poverty; from which lingering penance
Of fuch a mifery doth fhe cut me off.
Commend me to your honourable wife;
Tell her the procefs of Anthonio's end;
Say how I lov'd you; fpeak me fair in death;
And, when the tale is told, bid her be judge,
Whether Baffanio had not once a love.

Repent not you that you shall lofe your friend,
VOL. II.

F