Being ten times undervalued to tri'd gold?

O sinful thought! Never so rich a gem

Was set in worse than gold. They have in England
A coin that bears the figure of an angel1

Stamp'd in gold, but that's insculp'd upon;
But here an angel in a golden bed
Lies all within. Deliver me the key:
Here do I choose, and thrive I as I may !

Portia. There, take it, prince; and if my form lie there,
Then I am yours.

Morocco.

[He unlocks the golden casket.

O hell! what have we here?

A carrion Death, within whose empty eye
There is a written scroll! I'll read the writing.

[Reads] "All that glisters is not gold;

Often have you heard that told:
Many a man his life hath sold
But my outside to behold:
Gilded tombs do worms infold.

Had you been as wise as bold,

Young in limbs, in judgment old,

Your answer had not been inscroll'd:

Fare you well; your suit is cold."

Cold, indeed; and labor lost :

Then, farewell, heat, and welcome, frost !
Portia, adieu. I have too griev'd a heart
To take a tedious leave: thus losers part.

Portia. A gentle riddance. Draw the curtains, go.

Let all of his complexion choose me so.

[Exeunt.

1 An old English coin first coined in the reign of Edward IV. (1465) bore

the figure of St. Michael piercing the dragon.

SCENE VIII. Venice. A Street.

Enter SALARINO and SALANIO.

Salarino. Why, man, I saw Bassanio under sail: With him is Gratiano gone along;

And in their ship I am sure Lorenzo is not.

Salanio. The villain Jew with outcries rais'd the duke,

Who went with him to search Bassanio's ship.

Salarino. He came too late, the ship was under sail: But there the duke was given to understand

1

That in a gondola 1 were seen together

Lorenzo and his amorous Jessica :

Besides, Antonio certified the duke

They were not with Bassanio in his ship.

Salanio. I never heard a passion so confus'd,
So strange, outrageous, and so variable,
As the dog Jew did utter in the streets:

"My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter
Fled with a Christian ! O my Christian ducats!
Justice the law! my ducats, and my daughter!
A sealed bag, two sealed bags of ducats,

Of double ducats, stol'n from me by my daughter!
And jewels, two stones, two rich and precious stones,
Stol'n by my daughter! Justice! find the girl;
She hath the stones upon her, and the ducats."

Salarino. Why, all the boys in Venice follow him,
Crying, his stones, his daughter, and his ducats.
Salanio. Let good Antonio look he keep his day,
Or he shall pay for this.

Salarino.

Marry, well remember'd.
I reason'd 2 with a Frenchman yesterday,
Who told me, in the narrow seas that part
The French and English, there miscarried

I thought upon Antonio when he told me;
And wish'd in silence that it were not his.

Salanio. You were best to tell Antonio what you hear;
Yet do not suddenly, for it may grieve him.

Salarino. A kinder gentleman treads not the earth.

I saw Bassanio and Antonio part:

Bassanio told him he would make some speed

Of his return: he answer'd, “Do not so;
Slubber 2 not business for my sake, Bassanio,
But stay the very riping of the time;

3

And for the Jew's bond which he hath of me,
Let it not enter in your mind of love:
Be merry, and employ your chiefest thoughts
To courtship and such fair ostents of love
As shall conveniently become you there: "
And even there, his eye being big with tears,
Turning his face, he put his hand behind him,
And with affection wondrous sensible 4

He wrung Bassanio's hand; and so they parted.

Salanio. I think he only loves the world for him.
I pray thee, let us go and find him out

And quicken his embraced heaviness
With some delight or other.

Salarino.

Do we so.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IX. Belmont. A Room in PORTIA'S House.

Enter NERISSA with a Servitor.

Nerissa. Quick, quick, I pray thee; draw the curtain straight:5 The Prince of Arragon hath ta'en his oath,

And comes to his election presently.

1 Laden.

5 At once.

2 To do carelessly.

3 Manifestations. 4 Sensitive. 6" To his election," i.e., to make his choice.

Flourish of cornets.

Enter the PRINCE OF ARRAGON, PORTIA,

and their trains.

Portia. Behold, there stand the caskets, noble prince:

If you choose that wherein I am contain'd,

Straight shall our nuptial rites be solemniz'd:

But if you fail, without more speech, my lord,

You must be gone from hence immediately.

Arragon. I am enjoin'd by oath to observe three things: First, never to unfold to any one

Which casket 'twas I chose; next, if I fail

Of the right casket, never in my life

To woo a maid in way of marriage;
Lastly,

If I do fail in fortune of my choice,

Immediately to leave you and be gone.

Portia. To these injunctions every one doth swear That comes to hazard for my worthless self.

Fortune now

Arragon. And so have I address'd me.1
To my heart's hope! Gold, silver, and base lead.
"Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath."
You shall look fairer, ere I give or hazard.

What says the golden chest? ha! let me see:
"Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire."
What many men desire! that "many" may be meant
By 2 the fool multitude, that choose by show,
Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach;
Which pries not to the interior, but, like the martlet,3
Builds in the weather on the outward wall,

Even in the force and road of casualty.

I will not choose what many men desire,
Because I will not jump with common spirits

1 "Address'd me," i.e., made myself ready.

4 " 'Jump with," i.e., go with. "Jump" is often used by Shakespeare in this sense of "agreement."

And rank me with the barbarous multitudes.
Why, then to thee, thou silver treasure-house;
Tell me once more what title thou dost bear:
"Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves:”
And well said too; for who shall go about
To cozen fortune and be honorable

Without the stamp of merit? Let none presume
To wear an undeserved dignity.

Oh that estates,1 degrees, and offices

Were not deriv'd corruptly, and that clear honor
Were purchas'd by the merit of the wearer !
How many then should cover that stand bare !
How many be commanded that command!
How much low peasantry would then be glean'd
From the true seed of honor! and how much honor
Pick'd from the chaff and ruin of the times

To be new-varnish'd! Well, but to my choice:
"Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves."

I will assume desert. Give me a key for this,

And instantly unlock my fortunes here. [He opens the silver casket. Portia. Too long a pause for that which you find there.

Arragon. What's here?

Presenting me a schedule!

The portrait of a blinking idiot,

I will read it.

How much unlike art thou to Portia !

How much unlike my hopes and my deservings!
"Who chooseth me shall have as much as he deserves."

Did I deserve no more than a fool's head?

Is that my prize? are my deserts no better?

Portia. To offend, and judge, are distinct offices

And of opposed natures.

Arragon.

[Reads]

What is here ?

"The fire seven times tried this:

Seven times tried that judgment is,

That did never choose amiss.

1 Dignities, not property.