Your answer had not been infcrol'd;

Fare you well, your fuit is cold.
MOR. Cold, indeed, and labour loft:
Then farewel, heat; and welcome, frost.
Portia, adieu! I have too griev'd a heart
To take a tedious leave.-Thus lofers part.

POR. A gentle riddance-draw the curtains; go

Let all of his complexion chufe me so.

SCENE IX. Changes to Venice.

Enter Solarino and Salanio.

SAL. Why, man, I faw Baffanio under fail ; With him is Gratiano gone along;

And in their ship, I'm fure, Lorenzo is not.

[Exit.

[Exeunt.

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

Who went with him to search Baffanio's ship.

SAL. He came too late, the fhip was under fail;
But there the duke was given to understand,
That in a Gondola were seen together
Lorenzo and his am'rous Jeffica:
Befides, Anthonio certify'd the duke,
They were not with Baffanio in his ship.
SOL. I never heard a paffion fo confus'd,
So ftrange, outrageous, and fo 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, two fealed bags of ducats,

Of double ducats, ftol'n from me by my daughter!
And jewels too, ftones, rich and precious ftones,
Stol'n by my daughter! justice! find the girl;

She hath the stones upon her, and the ducats.
SAL. Why, all the boys in Venice follow him,
Crying his ftones, his daughter, and his ducats.
SOL. Let good Anthonio look he keep his day;
Or he shall 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 wifh'd in filence, that it were not his.

SOL. 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.

Bassanio told him, he would make some speed

Of his return: he answer'd, do not fo,
Slubber not business for my fake, Baffanio,
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 such fair oftents of love,
As fhall 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 fenfible
He wrung Baffanio's hand, and fo they parted.

SOL. 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.

SCENE X. Changes to Belmont.

Enter Neriffa with a fervant.

[Exeunt.

NER. Quick, quick-I pray thee, draw the curtain ftrait; The prince of Arragon has ta'en his oath, And comes to his election presently.

Enter Arragon, his train, Portia.

Flourish of cornets.

The cafkets are discover'd.

POR. Behold, there ftand the caskets, noble prince; If you chufe that, wherein I am contain'd

Strait fhall our nuptial rites be folemniz'd:

But if you fail, without more speech, my lord,

You must be gone from hence immediately.

AR. I am enjoin'd by oath t'observe three things.

First, never to unfold to any one

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,
Laft, if I fail in fortune of my choice,
Immediately to leave you and be gone.

POR. To thefe injunctions every one doth fwear,
That comes to hazard for my worthless felf.

AR. And fo have I addreft me. Fortune now

To my heart's hope!-Gold, filver, and bafe lead.
"Who chuseth me, must give and hazard all he hath."
You shall look fairer, ere I give or hazard.

What fays the golden chest? ha, let me fee

"Who chuseth me, fhall gain what many men defire." What many men defire-that may be meant

Of the foul multitude, that chufe by fhow;

Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach;

Which pries not to th' interior, but like the martlet
Builds in the weather on the outward wall
Ev'n in the force and road of casualty.
I will not chufe what many men defire,
Because I will not jump with common spirits,
And rank me with the barb'rous multitudes.
Why then to thee, thou filver treasure-house:
Tell me once more what title thou doft bear,
"Who chuseth me, fhall get as much as he deferves;"
And well faid too, for who fhall go about
To cozen fortune, and be honourable
Without the ftamp of merit? let none prefume
To wear an undeferved dignity:

O, that eftates, degrees and offices,

Were not deriv'd corruptly, that clear honour
Were purchas'd by the merit of the wearer !
How many then fhould cover, that ftand bare ?
How many be commanded, that command ?
How much low pleasantry would then be glean'd
From the true feed of honour? how much honour
Pickt from the chaff and ruin of the times,
To be new varnish'd? well, but to my choice:
"Who chuseth me, fhall get as much as he deserves :"
I will affume defert; give me a key for this,
And instantly 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 schedule? I will read it.

-How much unlike art thou to Portia ?

How much unike my hopes and my defervings?

"Who chufes me, fhall get 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?

The fire fev'n times tried this;

Sev'n times tried that judgment is,

That did never chufe amifs.
Some there be, that shadows kifs;
Some have but a fhadow's bliss:
There be fools alive, I wis,
Silver'd o'er, and fo was this:
Take what wife you will to bed,
I will ever be your head:

So, begone, Sir, you are sped.

Still more fool I fhall appear,

By the time I linger here.

With one fool's head I came to woo,
But I go away with two.

Sweet, adieu!I'll keep my oath,
Patiently to bear my wrath.

POR. Thus hath the candle fing'd the moth.
O these deliberate fools! when they do chufe,
They have the wisdom by their wit to lose.
NER. The ancient faying is no heresy,

Hanging and wiving go by destiny.

POR. Come, draw the curtain, Neriffa.

Enter a fervant.

SERV. Where is my lady?

[Exit.