Thurston, Del.

Hopwood, Sculp

Merchant of Venice

Act.1. Scene. 3.

Published by Vernor & Hood, 1 Oct. 1798.

complexion of a devil, I had rather he should fhrive me Ithan wive me. Come, Neriffa.-Sirrah, go before.+ Whiles we fhut the gate upon one wooer, another knocks at the door. [Exeunt.

SCENE III.

Venice. A publick Place.

Enter BASSANIO and SHYLOCK.

Shy. Three thoufand ducats,-well.
Baf. Ay, fir, for three months.

Shy. For three months,-well.

Baff. For the which, as I told you, Antonio fhall be bound.

Shy. Antonio fhall become bound,-well.

Baff. May you ftead me? Will you pleasure me? Shall I know your answer.

Shy. Three thoufand ducats, for three months, and Antonio bound.

Baff. Your anfwer to that.

Shy. Antonio is a good man.

Baff. Have you heard any imputation to the contrary? Shy. Ho, no, no, no, no ;-my meaning, in faying he is a good man, is to have you understand me, that he is fufficient: yet his means are in fuppofition: he hath an argofy bound to Tripolis, another to the Indies; I understand moreover upon the Rialto, he hath a third at Mexico, a fourth for England,- -and other ventures he hath, fquander'd abroad: But ships are but boards, failors but men: there be land-rats, and water-rats, water-thieves, and land-thieves; I mean, pirates; and then, there is the peril of waters, winds, and rocks: The man is, notwithstanding,

8

withstanding, fufficient :think, I may take his bond.

-three thousand ducats;-I

Baff. Be affured you may.

Shy. I will be affured, I may; and, that I may be af fured, I will bethink me: May I fpeak with Antonio? Baff. If it please you to dine with us.

Shy. Yes, to fmell pork; to eat of the habitation which your prophet, the Nazarite, conjured the devil into: I will buy with you, fell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you. What news on the Rialto? Who is he comes here?

Enter ANTONIO.

Baff. This is fignior Antonio.

Shy. [Afide.] How like a fawning publican he looks! I hate him for he is a christian :

But more, for that, in low fimplicity,

He lends out money gratis, and brings down
The rate of ufance here with us in Venice.
If I can catch him once upon the hip,

I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.
He hates our facred nation; and he rails,
Even there where merchants most do congregate,
On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift,
Which he calls intereft: Curfed be my tribe,
If I forgive him!

Baff.

Shylock, do you hear?

Shy. I am debating of my present store ; And, by the near guess of my memory,

I cannot instantly raise up the grofs

Of full three thousand ducats: What of that?

Tubal,

Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe,
Will furnish me: But foft; How many months
Do you defire ?-Rest you fair, good fignior;

[TO ANTONIO.

Your worship was the last man in our mouths.
Ant. Shylock, albeit I neither lend nor borrow,
By taking, nor by giving of excess,

Yet, to supply the ripe wants of my friend,

I'll break a custom :-Is he yet poffefs'd,
How much you would?

Shy.

Ay, ay, three thousand ducats.

Ant. And for three months.

Shy. I had forgot,-three months, you told me fo.
Well then, your bond; and, let me see,-
-But hear you;

Methought, you faid, you neither lend, nor borrow,
Upon advantage.

Shy. When Jacob graz'd his uncle Laban's sheep, This Jacob from our holy Abraham was

(As his wife mother wrought in his behalf,)
The third poffeffor; ay, he was the third.

Ant. And what of him? did he take interest ?
Shy. No, not take interest; not, as you would fay,
Directly interest: mark what Jacob did.
When Laban and himself were compromis'd,

That all the eanlings which were streak'd, and pied,
Should fall as Jacob's hire, the ewes, being rank,
In the end of autumn turned to the rams:
And when the work of generation was
Between these woolly breeders in the act,
The skilful shepherd peel'd me certain wands,
And, in the doing of the deed of kind,
He stuck them up before the fulfome ewes ;
Who, then conceiving, did in eaning time

Fall