Por.-It is not so express'd; but what of that?

'I were good you do so much for charity.

Shy. I cannot find it; 'tis not in the bond.

Por.-Come, merchant, have you any thing to say?
[Portia takes a seat near the Duke-Shylock stands musing.]
Ant. But little; I am arm'd, and well prepar'd.
Give me your hand, Bassanio; fare you well!
Grieve not that I am fallen to this for you;
For herein fortune shows herself more kind
Than is her custom: it is still her use,

To let the wretched man outlive his wealth,
To view with hollow eye, and wrinkled brow,
An age of poverty; from which lingering penance
Of such a misery doth she cut me off.

Repent not you that you shall lose your friend,
And he repents not that he pays your debt;

For, if the Jew do cut but deep enough,

I'll

pay it instantly with all my heart.

Shy. We trifle time: I pray thee, pursue sentence. Por.-[Comes forward.]—A pound of that same merchant's flesh is thine;

The court awards it, and the law doth give it.

Shy. Most rightful judge!

Por. And you must cut this flesh from off his breast;
The law allows it, and the court awards it.

Shy.-Most learned judge!—a sentence; come, prepare.
Por.-Tarry a little; there is something else.-
This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood;
The words expressly are, a pound of flesh;

Take then try bond, take thou thy pound of flesh;

But, in the cutting of it, if thou dost shed

One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods
Are, by the laws of Venice, confiscate

Unto the state of Venice.

Gra.-O, upright judge !—Mark, Jew !-a learned judge! Shy.-[Tremulously.]-Is that the law?

Por.-Thyself shall see the act:

For, as thou urgest justice, be assur'd

Thou shalt have justice, more than thou desir'st..

Gra. O learned judge!—Mark, Jew!—a learned judge! Shy. I take this offer, then ;-pay the bond thrice,

And let the Christian go.

Bass. Here is the money.

Por.-Soft:

The Jew shall have all justice ;-soft!-no haste ;-
He shall have nothing but the penalty.

Gra.-O, Jew! an upright judge, a learned judge!
Por.-Therefore, prepare thee to cut off the flesh.
Shed thou no blood; nor cut thou less, nor more,
But just a pound of flesh; if thou tak'st more,
Or less, than a just pound-be it but so much
As makes it light, or heavy, in the substance,
Or the division of the twentieth part
Of one poor scruple! nay, if the scale do turn
But in the estimation of a hair-

Thou diest, and all thy goods are confiscate.
Gra.-A second Daniel! a Daniel, Jew!
Now, infidel, I have thee on the hip.

Por.-Why doth the Jew pause? take thy forfeit
Shy. Give me my principal, and let me go.
Bass.-I have it ready for thee; here it is.
Por. He hath refus'd it in the open court;
He shall have merely justice, and his bond.
Gra.-A Daniel, still say I; a second Daniel!-
I thank thee, Jew, for teaching me that word.
Shy. Shall I not barely have my principal?
Por.-Thou shalt have nothing but the forfeiture,
To be so taken at thy peril, Jew.

Shy.-Why then the devil give him good of it!
I'll stay no longer question.

Por.-Tarry, Jew:

The law hath yet another hold on you

It is enacted in the laws of Venice

If it be prov'd against an alien,

A

That by direct or indirect attempts,

He seek the life of any citizen,

The party, 'gainst the which he doth contrive,
Shall seize on half his goods; the other half
Comes to the privy coffer of the state;
And the offender's life lies in the mercy
Of the Duke only, 'gainst all other voice.
In which predicament I say, thou stand'st:
For it appears by manifest proceeding,
That, indirectly, and directly too,
Thou hast contrived against the very life
Of the defendant; and thou hast incurr'd
The danger formerly by me rehears'd.—
Down, therefore, and beg mercy of the Duke.

[Retires to the Duke.] Gra.-Beg, that thou may'st have leave to hang thyself: And yet, thy wealth being forfeit to the state,

Thou hast not left the value of a cord;

Therefore, thou must be hang'd at the state's charge.

Duke. That thou shalt see the difference of our spirit:

I pardon thee thy life before thou ask it.

For half thy wealth, it is Antonio's ;
The other half comes to the general state,

Which humbleness may drive into a fine.

Por. [Seated by the DUKE.]-Ay, for the state; not for Antonio.
Shy.-Nay, take my life and all, pardon not that:

You take my house, when you do take the prop
That doth sustain my house: you take my life,
When you do take the means whereby I live.

Por. What mercy can you render him, Antonio?
Gra.-A halter gratis; nothing else, for heaven's sake.
Ant. So please my lord the duke, and all the court,

To quit the fine for one half of his goods;

I am content, so he will let me have
The other half in use-to render it,
Upon his death, unto the gentleman
That lately stole his daughter.

'Two things provided more-that, for this favor, He presently become a Christian ;

The other, that he do record a gift,

Here in the court, of all he dies possess'd,

Unto his son Lorenzo, and his daughter.

Duke. He shall do this; or else I do recant

The pardon that I late pronounced here.

Por.-Art thou contented, Jew? What dost thou say?
Shy.-I am content.

I pray you, give me leave to go from hence;

I am not well; send the deed after me,

And I will sign it.

Duke.-Get thee gone, but do it.

Gra. In christening thou shalt have two godfathers;
Had I been judge, thou shouldst have had ten more,
To bring thee to the gallows, not the font.
Duke.-Sir, I entreat you home with me to dinner.

[Exit SHYLOCK.]

Por. I humbly desire your grace of pardon;

I must away this night toward Padua,

And it is meet I presently set forth.

[TO PORTIA.]

Duke.-I am sorry that your leisure serves you not. Antonio, gratify this gentleman,

For, in my mind, you are much bound to him.

[The Court breaks up—all go out.]

SCENE FROM HENRY VIII.-SHAKS.

The tone of WOLSEY should be that of a proud spirit, broken, but not subdued; and at last agonised with remorse. That of CROMWELL should mark the humble, but faithful and sympathising friend.].

WOLSEY [alone.]

FAREWELL, a long farewell to all my greatness !— This is the state of man; to-day he puts forth

The tender leaves of hope, to-morrow blossoms,
And bears his blushing honors thick upon him
The third day comes a frost, a killing frost;
And when he thinks, good easy man! full surely
His greatness is a-ripening-nips his root,
And then he falls as I do. I have ventured,
Like little wanton boys, that swim on bladders,
These many summers in a sea of glory;

We

But far beyond my depth: my high-blown pride
At length broke under me; and now has left me,
Veary,
and old with service, to the mercy
Of a rude stream that must for ever hide me.
Vain pomp, and glory of the world, I hate ye!
I feel my heart new open'd: O, how wretched
Is that poor man that hangs on prince's favors!
There is, betwixt that smile we would aspire to,
That sweet aspect of princes, and our ruin,
More pangs and fears than war or women have;
And when he falls, he falls like Lucifer,

Never to hope again !—

Enter CROMWELL.

Wol.-Why, how now, Cromwell?
Crom.-I have no power to speak, sir.
Wol.-What, amazed

At my misfortunes? Can thy spirit wonder,
A great man should decline? Nay, an' you weep,
I'm fallen indeed.

Crom.-How does your grace?

Wol.-Why, well;

Never so truly happy, my good Cromwell.

I know myself now; and I feel within me

A peace above all earthly dignities,

A still and quiet conscience,

Crom. I'm glad your grace has made that right use of it. Wol.-I hope I have: I'm able now, methinks,

Out of a fortitude of soul I feel,