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THE

MERCHANT

O F

VENI C E

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LAUNCELOT, a clown, fervant to the Jew.

GOBBO, father to Launcelot.

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Senators of Venice, officers, jailer, fervants and other attendants.

SCENE, partly at Venice, and partly at Belmont, the feat of Portia.

THE

MERCHANT OF VENICE.

ACT I

SCENE I.

I

A ftreet in Venice.

Enter Anthonio, Solarino, and Salanio.
ANTHONI O.

'N footh, I know not why I am so sad:

It wearies me; you fay, 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 fuch a want-wit fadness makes of me,
That I have much ado to know myself.

SAL. Your mind is toffing on the ocean;
There, where your argofies with portly fail,
Like Signiors and rich burghers on the flood,
Or as it were the pageants of the fea,
Do over-peer the petty traffickers,

That curtfie to them, do them reverence,

As they fly by them with their woven wings.
SOLA. Believe me, fir, had I fuch venture forth,
The better part of my affections would
Be with my hopes abroad. I should be still
Plucking the grafs to know where fits the wind;
Peering in maps for ports, for piers, and roads.
And every object, that might make me fear
Misfortune to my ventures, out of doubt,
Would make me fad.

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SAL. 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 fee the fandy hour-glass run,
But I fhould think of fhallows and of flats;
And see my wealthy Andrew dock'd in sand,
Vailing her high top lower than her ribs,
To kifs her burial. Should I go to church,
And fee the holy edifice of ftone,

And not bethink me ftraight of dang 'rous rocks
Which, touching but my gentle veffel's fide,
Would fcatter all the fpices on the stream,
Enrobe the roaring waters with my filks;
And in a word, but even now worth this,

And now worth nothing. Shall I have the thought,
To think on this, and fhall I lack the thought,
That fuch a thing, bechanc'd, would make me fad?
But tell not me ;-
-I know, Anthonio

Is fad to think upon his merchandize.

ANTH. 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 eftate

Upon the fortune of the prefent year:

Therefore, my merchandize makes me not fad.
SOLA. Why then you are in love.

ANTH. Fie, fie!

SOLA. Not in love neither! then let's fay, you're fad, Because you are not merry; and 'twere as ealy

For

you to laugh and leap, and fay, you're merry, Because you are not fad. Now by two-headed Janus, Nature hath fram'd ftrange fellows in her time: Some that will evermore peep through their eyes,

And laugh, like parrots, at a bag-piper;
And others of fuch vinegar afpect,

That they'll not fhew their teeth in way

of fmile,

Though Neftor swear, the jest be laughable.

Enter Baffanio, Lorenzo and Gratianó.

SAL. Here comes Baffanio, your most noble kinsman,
Gratiano and Lorenzo. Fare ye well;
We leave you now with better company.

SOLA. I would have ftaid 'till I had made you merry,
If worthier friends had not prevented me.

ANTH. Your worth is very dear in my regard.
I take it, your own business calls on you,
And you embrace th'occafion to depart.
SAL. Good morrow my good lords.

BASS. Good figniors both, when shall we laugh? fay, when? You grow exceeding strange; must it be fo?

SAL. We'll make our leifures to attend on yours. SOLA. My lord Baffanio, fince you've found Anthonio, We two will leave you; but at dinner-time,

I pray you, have in mind where we must meet.

BASS. I will not fail you.

[Exeunt Solar. and Sala.

GRA. You look not well, fignior Anthonio; You have too much refpect upon the world: They lofe it, that do buy it with much care. Believe me, you are marvelously chang'd.

ANTH. I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano,

A ftage, where every man must play his part,

And mine a fad one.

GRA. Let me play the fool;

With mirth and laughter, let old wrinkles come;

And let my liver rather heat with wine,

Than my heart cool with mortifying groans.

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