The French and English, there miscarried Salan. You were best to tell Antonio what you hear; Yet do not suddenly, for it may grieve him. Salar. A kinder gentleman treads not the earth. Bassanio told him, he would make some speed 2 He wrung Bassanio's hand, and so they parted. I With some delight or other. Salar. Do we so. [Exeunt. SCENE IX. Belmont. A Room in Portia's House. Enter NERISSA, with a Servant. Ner. Quick, quick, I pray thee, draw the curtain straight; The prince of Arragon hath ta'en his oath, And comes to his election presently. 1 To slubber is to do a thing carelessly. 2 Shows, tokens. Flourish of Cornets. Enter the Prince of Arragon, PORTIA, and their Por. Behold, there stand the caskets, noble prince. Ar. I am enjoined by oath to observe three things. Which casket 'twas I chose; next, if I fail Of the right casket, never in my life To woo a maid in way of marriage; lastly, Por. To these injunctions every one doth swear, 2 What says the golden chest? Ha! let me see.- 3 eye Even in the force and road of casualty. 4 I will not choose what many men desire, 1 Prepared. 2 By and of, being synonymous, were used by our ancestors indifferently; Malone has adduced numerous instances of the use of by, in all of which, by substituting of, the sense is rendered clear to the modern reader. 3 Power. 4 To jump is to agree with. Tell me once more what title thou dost bear. Who chooseth me, shall get as much as he deserves; Without the stamp of merit? Let none presume O, that estates, degrees, and offices, Were not derived corruptly; and that clear honor Por. Too long a pause for that which you find there Ar. What's here? the portrait of a blinking idiot, Presenting me a schedule. I will read it. How much unlike art thou to Portia ! How much unlike my hopes, and my deservings! Is that my prize? Are my deserts no better? Ar. What is here? The fire seven times tried this; Silvered o'er; and so was this. The meaning is, how much meanness would be found among the great, and how much greatness among the mean. 2 Know. Take what wife you will to bed,1 Still more fool I shall appear Sweet, adieu! I'll keep my oath, [Exeunt Arragon, and Tram Por. Thus hath the candle singed the moth. O these deliberate fools! when they do choose, They have the wisdom by their wit to lose. Ner. The ancient saying is no heresy.Hanging and wiving goes by destiny. Por. Come, draw the curtain, Nerissa. Enter a Servant. Serv. Where is my lady? Por. Here; what would my lord? A day in April never came so sweet, Por. No more, I pray thee. I am half afeard, 1 The poet had forgotten that he who missed Portia was never to marry any other woman. 2 Wroath is used in some of the old writers for misfortune, and is often spelled like ruth. 3 Salutations. Thou spend'st such high-day1 wit in praising him.- - Quick Cupid's post, that comes so mannerly. ACT III. SCENE 1. Venice. A Street. Enter SALANIO and SALARINO. Salan. Now, what news on the Rialto? Salar. Why, yet it lives there unchecked, that Antonio hath a ship of rich lading wrecked on the narrow seas; the Goodwins, I think they call the place; a very dangerous flat, and fatal, where the carcasses of many a tall ship lie buried, as they say, if my gossip report be an honest woman of her word. Salan. I would she were as lying a gossip in that, as ever knapped ginger, or made her neighbors believe she wept for the death of a third husband. But it is true, without any slips of prolixity, or crossing the plain highway of talk,-that the good Antonio, the honest Antonio, O that I had a title good enough to keep his name company,— 2 Salar. Come, the full stop. Salan. Ha,-what say'st thou?-Why the end is, he hath lost a ship. Salar. I would it might prove the end of his losses! Salan. Let me say amen betimes, lest the devil cross my prayer; for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew. 2 To knap is to break short. The word occurs in the Common Prayer "He knappeth the spear in sunder." |