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 150 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 in your account

I might in virtues, beauties, livings, friends,
Exceed account: but the full sum of me
Is sum of something, which, to term in gross,
Is an unlesson'd girl, unschool'd, unprac-
tised:

Happy in this, she is not yet so old
160 But she may learn; happier than this,
She is not bred so dull but she can learn ;
Happiest of all in 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
[ring;
170 Are yours, my lord,-I give them with this
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.

myself

Bass. 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, pleasèd multitude;
Where every something, being blent to-
gether,

Turns to a wild of nothing, save of joy,
Express'd and not express'd. But when

this ring
[hence;
Parts from this finger, then parts life from
O, then be bold to say Bassanio's dead.

per,

Ner. My lord and lady, it is now our time, That have stood by and seen our wishes pros[lady! To cry good joy; good joy, my lord and Gra. My lord Bassanio and my gentle lady,

I wish you all the joy that you can wish;
For I am sure you can wish none from me:
And, when your honors mean to solemnize
The bargain of your faith, I do beseech you
Even at that time I may be married too.

Bass. With all my heart, so thou canst get
a wife.

Gra. I thank your lordship; you have got

me one.

My eyes, my lord, can look as swift as yours:
You saw the mistress, I beheld the maid;
You loved, I loved; for intermission

No more pertains to me, my lord, than you.

180

190

200 Your fortune stood upon the caskets there;
And so did mine too, as the matter falls :
For wooing here until I sweat again,
And swearing till my very roof was dry
With oaths of love, at last,-if promise last,—
I got a promise of this fair one here

To have her love, provided that your fortune
Achieved her mistress.

Por.

Is this true, Nerissa? Ner. Madam, it is, so you stand pleased

withal. [faith? Bass. And do you, Gratiano, mean good

ΤΟ Gra. Yes, faith, my lord.

Bass. Our feast shall be much honor'd in your marriage.

Gra. But who comes here? Lorenzo, and his infidel?

What, and my old Venetian friend, Solanio?

Enter LORENZO, JESSICA, and SOLANIO.

Bass. Lorenzo and Solanio, welcome
hither;

If that the youth of my new interest here
Have power to bid you welcome.—By your

leave,

I bid my very friends and countrymen,

Sweet Portia, welcome.

Por.

They are entirely welcome.

So do I, my lord;

Lor. I thank your honor.-For my part, 220 my lord,

My purpose was not to have seen you here;
But meeting with Solanio by the way,
He did entreat me, past all saying nay,
To come with him along.

Solan.
I did, my lord,
And I have reason for it. Signior Antonio
Commends him to you. [Gives BASSANIO a letter.
Ere I ope this letter,
I pray you tell me how my good friend doth.
Solan. Not sick, my lord, unless it be in

Bass.

mind;

Nor well, unless in mind: his letter there
Will show you his estate.

welcome.

Gra. Nerissa, cheer yon stranger; bid her [Venice? Your hand, Solanio. What's the news from How doth that royal merchant, good Antonio?

I know he will be glad of our success;
We are the Jasons, we have won the fleece.
Solan. I would you had won the fleece that
he hath lost!

Por. There are some shrewd contents in

yon same paper,

That steal the color from Bassanio's cheek;
Some dear friend dead; else nothing in the

world

Could turn so much the constitution

Of any constant man. What, worse and worse?

With leave, Bassanio; I am half yourself,

230

240

250

And I must freely have the half of anything
That this same paper brings you.

Bass,
O sweet Portia,
Here are a few of the unpleasant'st words
That ever blotted paper! Gentle lady,
When I did first impart my love to you,
I freely told you all the wealth I had
Ran in my veins,-I was a gentleman;
And then I told you true: and yet, dear
lady,

Rating myself at nothing, you shall see
How much I was a braggart. When I told

you

[you My state was nothing, I should then have told That I was worse than nothing; for, indeed, I have engaged myself to a dear friend, Engaged my friend to his mere enemy, To feed my means. Here is a letter, lady ; The paper as the body of my friend, And every word in it a gaping wound, 260 Issuing life-blood. But is it true, Solanio? Have all his ventures fail'd? What, not one hit?

From Tripolis, from Mexico, and England,
From Lisbon, Barbary, and India?

And not one vessel 'scape the dreadfui touch
Of merchant-marring rocks?

Solan.
Not one, my lord.
Besides, it should appear, that if he had
The present money to discharge the Jew,
He would not take it. Never did I know
A creature that did bear the shape of man,
270 So keen and greedy to confound a man :