Page images
PDF
EPUB

LIERAR

DY YORK

[ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

}

Duke of Venice.
Prince of Morocco,

suitors to Portia.
Prince of Arragon,
Antonio, the Merchant of Venice.
Bassanio, his friend.
Salanio,
Salarino, friends to Antonio and Bassanio.
Gratiano,
Lorenzo, in love with Jessica,
Shylock, a Jew.
Tubal, a Jew, his friend.
Launcelot Gobbo, a clown, servant to Shylock.
Old.Gobbo,:Father, to Launcelot.
Salério, -a:messenger from Venice.
Eeonardo, sepant to Bassanio.
Balthazar, i

seroants to Portia.
Stephano,
Portia, a rich heiress.
Nerissa, her waiting-maid.
Jessica, daughter to Shylock.

Magnificoes of Venice, Oficers of the Court of Justice,

Jailer, Servants, and other Attendants.

SCENE, partly at Venice, and partly at Belmont, the

Seat of Portia, on the Continent.

MERCHANT OF VENICE.

ACT I.

SCENE I. Venice. A Street.

Enter ANTONIO, SALÁRINO, and SALANIO.

Antonio.
In sooth, I know not why I am so sad;

I
It wearies me; you say, it wearies you ;
But how I caught it, found it, or came by it,
What stuff 'tis made of, whereof it is born,
I am to learn;
And such a want-wit sadness makes of me,
That I have much ado to know myself.

Salar. Your mind is tossing on the ocean;
There, where your argọsies' with portly sail,
Like signiors and rich burghers of the flood,
Or, as it were the pageants of the sea,
Do overpeer the petty traffickers,
That curt'sy to them, do them

reverence,
As they fly by them with their woven wings.

Salan. Believe me, sir, had I such yenture forth, The better part of my affections would Be with my hopes abroad. I should be still Plucking the grass, to know where sits the wind;

* Ships of large burthen,

Peering in maps, for ports, and piers, and roads;
And every object, that might make me fear
Misfortune to my ventures, out of doubt,
Would make me sad.
Salar.

My wind, cooling my broth,
Would blow me to an ague, when I thought
What harm a wind too great might do at sea.
I should not see the sandy hour-glass run,
But I should think of shallows and of flats;
And see my wealthy Andrew dock'd in sand,
Vailing? her high-top lower than her ribs,
To kiss her burial. Should I go to church,
And see the holy edifice of stone,
And not bethink me straight of dangerous rocks?
Which touching but my gentle vessel's side,
Would scatter all'her spices on the stream;
Errobė the roaring waters with my silks ;
And; in a word; but even now worth this,
And now worth nothing ? Shall I have the thought
To think on this; and shall I lack the thought,

; That such a thing, bechanc'd, would make me sad ? But, tellinot me; I know, Antonio Is sad to think upon his merchandize.

Ant. Believe me, no : I thank my fortune for it,
My ventures are not in one bottom trusted,
Nor to one place; nor is my whole estate
Upon the fortune of this present year :
Therefore, my merchandize makes me not sad.

Salan. Why then you are in love,
Ant.

Fye, fye! Salan. Not in love neither? Then let's say, you are sad,

2 Lowering.

« PreviousContinue »