Without the stamp of merit! Let none presume O, that estates, degrees, and offices, Were not deriv'd corruptly! and that clear honour To be new varnish'd? LOVE MESSENGER COMPARED TO AN APRIL DAY. I have not seen So likely an ambassador of love: A day in April never came so sweet, To show how costly summer was at hand, ACT III. THE JEW'S REVENGE. If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me, and hindered me of half a million; laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies; and what's his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a christian, what is his humility? revenge: if a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? why, revenge The villany, you teach me, I will execute: and it shall go hard, but I will better the instruction. MUSIC. Let music sound, while he doth make his choice; May stand more proper, my eye shall be the stream THE DECEIT OF ORNAMENT OR APPEARANCES. The world is still deceived with ornament; In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt, But, being season'd with a gracioust voice, Obscures the show of evil? In religion, What damned error, but some sober brow Will bless it, and approve it with a text, Hiding the grossness with fair ornament? There is no vice so simple, but assumes Some mark of virtue on his outward parts. How many cowards, whose hearts are all as false As stairs of sand, wear yet upon their chins The beards of Hercules, and frowning Mars; Who, inward search'd, have livers white as milk? And these assume but valour's excrement, To render them redoubted. Look on beauty, And you shall see 'tis purchas'd by the weight; Which therein works a miracle in nature, Making them lightest that wear most of it: So are those crisped‡ snaky golden locks, * Dignity of mein. + Winning favour. + Curled Which make such wanton gambols with the wind, Upon supposed fairness, often known To be the dowry of a second head, The skull that bred them, in the sepulchre. To a most dangerous sea; the beauteous scarf The seeming truth which cunning times put on PORTIA'S PICTURE. What find I here? [Opening the leaden casket Should sunder such sweet friends Here in her hairs SUCCESSFUL LOVER COMPARED TO A CONQUEROR. Like one of two contending in a prize, Giddy in spirit, still gazing, in a doubt Whether those peals of praise be his or not; HIS THOUGHTS TO THE INARTICULATE JOYS OF A CROWD. There is such confusion in my powers, As, after some oration fairly spoke Turns to a wild of nothing save of joy, IMPLACABLE REVENGE. Shy. I'll have my bond; I will not hear thee speak: To shake the head, relent, and sigh, and yield THE BOASTING OF YOUTH I'll hold thee any wager, When we are both accouter'd like young men, And wear my dagger with the braver grace; Like a fine bragging youth: and tell quaint lies, That men shall swear, I have discontinued school AFFECTATION IN WORDS. O dear discretion, how his words are suited' THE JEW'S REASON FOR REVENGE. You'll ask me why I rather chose to have * Particular fancy. And I be pleased to give ten thousand ducats More than a lodg'd hate, and a certain loathing A losing suit against him. Are you answer'd? MERCY. The quality of mercy is not strain'd; It is an attribute to God himself; And earthly power doth then show likest God's, When mercy seasons justice. FORTUNE. For herein fortune shows herself more kind To let the wretched man outlive his wealth, An age of poverty * Prejudice. 5 + Crying. |