Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

Which rather threatenest, than dost promise aught,
Thy plainness moves me more than eloquence,
And here choose I: joy be the consequence !

Por. How all the other passions fleet to air,
As doubtful thoughts, and rash-embraced despair,
And shuddering fear, and green-eyed jealousy!
O love, be moderate, allay thy ecstasy,

In measure rain thy joy, scant this excess;
I feel too much thy blessing: make it less,
For fear I surfeit.

Bas.

What find I here?

[opening the leuden casket

Fair Portia's counterfeit ? 1 What demi-god
Hath come so near creation? Move these eyes?
Or whether, riding on the balls of mine,

Seem they in motion? Here are sever'd lips,
Parted with sugar breath: so sweet a bar

Should sunder such sweet friends. Here in her

hairs

The painter plays the spider, and hath woven
A golden mesh to entrap the hearts of men,
Faster than gnats in cobwebs.

How could he see to do them?

But her eyes,

Having made one,

Methinks, it should have power to steal both his, And leave itself unfurnish'd. Yet look, how far The substance of my praise doth wrong this shadow In underprizing it, so far this shadow

Doth limp behind the substance.—Here's the scroll,

Likeness. resemblance.

[graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small]

The continent and summary of my fortune :

[ocr errors]

You that choose not by the view,

Chance as fair, and choose as true!
Since this fortune falls to you,
Be content, and seek no new.
If you be well pleased with this,
And hold your fortune for your
Turn you where your lady is,
And claim her with a loving kiss.'

bliss,

A gentle scroll!-Fair lady, by your leave,

[kissing her.

I come by note, to give, and to receive.
Like one of two contending in a prize,
That thinks he hath done well in people's eyes,
Hearing applause, and universal shout,

Giddy in spirit, still gazing, in a doubt
Whether those peals of praise be his or no;
So, thrice fair lady, stand I, even so;
As doubtful whether what I see be true,
Until confirm'd, sign'd, ratified by you.

Por. You see me, lord Bassanio, where I stand,
Such as I am though, for myself alone,
I would not be ambitious in my wish,
To wish myself much better; yet, for you,
I would be trebled twenty times myself;

A thousand times more fair, ten thousand times
More rich;

That only to stand high on your account,

I might in virtues, beauties, livings, friends,
Exceed account: but the full sum of me

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

Is sum of something; 1 which, to term in gross.
Is an unlesson'd girl, unschool'd, unpractised:
Happy in this, she is not yet so old

But she may learn; happier than this,
She is not bred so dull but she can learn ;
Happiest of all, is, that her gentle spirit
Commits itself to yours to be directed,
As from her lord, her governor, her king.
Myself, and what is mine, to you and yours
Is now converted: but now I was the lord
Of this fair mansion, master of my servants,
Queen o'er myself; and even now, but now,
This house, these servants, and this same myself,
Are yours, my lord: I give them with this ring ;
Which when you part from, lose, or give away,
Let it presage the ruin of your love,

And be my vantage to exclaim on you.

Bas. Madam, you have bereft me of all words, Only my blood speaks to you in my veins : And there is such confusion in my powers, As, after some oration fairly spoke By a beloved prince, there doth appear Among the buzzing, pleased multitude; Where every something, being blent 2 together, Turns to a wild of nothing, save of joy,

Express'd, and not express'd. But when this ring Parts from this finger, then parts life from hence; O, then be bold to say, Bassanio's dead.

Is not intirely ideal.

2 Blended.

« AnteriorContinuar »