Shy. When Jacob grazed his uncle Laban's sheep,

This Jacob from our holy Abraham was

(As his wise mother wrought in his behalf)

The third 13 possessor; ay, he was the third,—
Anto. And what of him? did he take interest?

Shy. No, not take interest; not, as you would say,
Directly interest: mark what Jacob did,

When Laban and himself were compromised

That all the eanlings 14 which were streak'd and pied
Should fall as Jacob's hire.

This was a way to thrive, and he was blest;

And thrift is blessing, if men steal it not.

Anto. This was a venture, sir, that Jacob served for;
A thing not in his power to bring to pass,

But sway'd and fashion'd by the hand of Heaven.
Was this inserted 15 to make interest good?

Or is your gold and silver ewes and rams?
Shy. I cannot tell; I make it breed as fast.
But note me, signior.

Anto.

Mark you this, Bassanio, The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.

An evil soul, producing holy witness,

Is like a villain with a smiling cheek,

A goodly apple rotten at the heart:

O, what a godly outside falsehood 16 hath!

18 The third, reckoning Abraham himself as the first. How Jacob's "wise mother wrought" is told in Genesis, xxvii.

14 Eanlings are new-born lambs. · .-A compromise is a contract or mutual agreement.-See Genesis, xxx. 31-43.

15 "Was this inserted in Scripture?" is the meaning, probably.

16 Falsehood for knavery, as truth sometimes for honesty.

Anto. Well, Shylock, shall we be beholding 17 to you?
Shy. Signior Antonio, many a time and oft,
In the Rialto,18 you have rated me
About my moneys, and my usances:
Still have I borne it with a patient shrug;
For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe.
You call me misbeliever, cut-throat, dog,
And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine,19
And all for use of that which is mine own.
Well then, it now appears you need my help:
Go to,20 then; you come to me, and you say,
Shylock, we would have moneys: you say so;
You, that did void your rheum 21 upon my beard,
And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur

Over your

threshold:
: moneys is your suit.

What should I say to you? Should I not say,
Hath a dog money? is it possible,

17 Shakespeare always has beholding, the active form, in the sense of beholden, the passive. Of course it means indebted.

18 In this scene we have already had "on the Rialto," and "upon the Rialto." Concerning the place meant, Rogers thus speaks in one of the notes to his poem on Italy: "Rialto is the name, not of the bridge, but of the island from which it is called; and the Venetians say il ponte di Rialto, as we say Westminster-bridge. In that island.is the exchange; and I have often walked there as on classic ground. In the days of Antonio and Bassanio it was second to none."

19 Gaberdine was a long, coarse outer garment or frock. Caliban, in The Tempest, ii. 2, wears one big enough, it seems, to wrap both himself and Trinculo in.

20 Go to is an old phrase of varying import, sometimes of reproach, sometimes of encouragement. Hush up, come on, be off, and go ahead are among its meanings.

21 "Eject your spittle." Rheum was used indifferently of what issues from the mouth, the nose, and the eyes. - Spurn, in the next line, is kick; the same as foot.

A cur can lend three thousand ducats? or
Shall I bend low, and in a bondman's key,
With 'bated breath and whispering humbleness,
Say this,

Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last;
You spurn'd me such a day; another time
You call'd me dog; and for these courtesies
I'll lend
you thus much moneys?

Anto. I am as like to call thee so again,
To spit on theé again, to spurn thee too.
If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not
As to thy friend;

for when did friendship take

A breed 22 of barren metal of his friend?—

But lend it rather to thine enemy;

Who if he break,23 thou mayst with better face
Exact the penalty.

Shy.
Why, look you, how you storm!
I would be friends with you, and have your love,
Forget the shames that you have stain'd me with,
Supply your present wants, and take no doit 24
Of usance for my moneys, and you'll not hear me :
This is kind I offer.

Anto.

This were kindness.

Shy. This kindness will I show :

Go with me to a notary, seal me there

Your single bond; and, in a merry sport,
If you repay me not on such a day,

22 Breed, here, is interest; that which is bred from the principal.

23 This doubling of the subject, who and he, in relative clauses was common with all writers. Bacon has it very often. So in his Advancement of Learning: "Which though it be true, yet I forbear to note any deficiencies." 24 Doit was a small Dutch coin, less in value than our cent."

In such a place, such sum or sums as are
Express'd in the condition, let the forfeit
Be nominated for an equal pound

Of your fair flesh,25 to be cut off and taken
In what part of your body pleaseth me.

Anto. Content, in faith; I'll seal to such a bond,
And say there is much kindness in the Jew.

Bass. You shall not seal to such a bond for me: I'll rather dwell 26 in my necessity.

Anto. Why, fear not, man; I will not forfeit it: Within these two months, that's a month before This bond expires, I do expect return

Of thrice three times the value of this bond.

Shy. O, father Abraham, what these Christians are,
Whose own hard dealing teaches them suspect 27
The thoughts of others! - Pray you, tell me this:
If he should break his day,28 what should I gain
By the exaction of the forfeiture?

A pound of man's flesh taken from a man

Is not so estimable, profitable neither,
As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. I say,
To buy his favour I extend this friendship:
If he will take it, so ; 29 if not, adieu;

And, for my love, I pray you wrong me not.

Anto. Yes, Shylock, I will seal unto this bond.

25 The language is odd, and rather obscure. The sense will come thus: "Let the forfeiture of a pound of your flesh be named or specified as an equivalent for the debt."

26 Dwell here has the sense of continue or abide.

27" Teaches them to suspect," of course.

when it would defeat his rhythm.

The Poet often thus omits to

28 To break his day was the current phrase for breach of contract.

29 The use of so for very well, or so be it, was very common.

Shy. Then meet me forthwith at the notary's:
Give him direction for this merry bond,
And I will go and purse the ducats straight; 30
See to my house, left in the fearful guard 31
Of an unthrifty knave, and presently

I will be with you.

Anto.

Hie thee, gentle Jew.

The Hebrew will turn Christian; he grows kind.
Bass. I like not fair terms and a villain's mind.
Anto. Come on: in this there can be no dismay;
My ships come home a month before the day.

[Exit.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I.-Belmont,

ACT II.

A Room in PORTIA's House.

Flourish of Cornets. Enter the Prince of MOROCCO, and his Train; PORTIA, NERISSA, and other of her Attendants.

Moroc. Mislike me not for my complexion,

The shadow'd livery of the burning Sun,
To whom I am a neighbour, and near bred.
Bring me the fairest creature northward born,
Where Phoebus' fire scarce thaws the icicles,
And let us make incision for your love,

To prove whose blood is reddest,1 his or mine.

30 Straight for straightway, that is, immediately. Often so. 31 "Fearful guard" is a guard not to be trusted, or that gives cause of fear. To fear was used in an active as well as a passive sense. So in the next scene: "This aspect of mine hath fear'd the valiant."

1 Red blood is a traditionary sign of courage. Thus Macbeth calls his frightened servant a lily-liver'd boy; again, in this play, cowards are said to have livers white as milk; and an effeminate man is termed a milksop.