Chapter 6

_Gratiano._ O, be thou damn'd, inexorable dog! And for thy life let justice be accus'd. Thou almost mak'st me waver in my faith, To hold opinion with Pythagoras, That souls of animals infuse themselves Into the trunks of men: thy currish spirit Govern'd a wolf, who, hang'd for human slaughter, Even from the gallows did his fell soul fleet, And, whilst thou lay'st in thy unhallow'd dam, Infus'd itself in thee; for thy desires Are wolfish, bloody, starv'd, and ravenous.

_Shylock._ Till thou canst rail the seal from off my bond, Thou but offend'st thy lungs to speak so loud: Repair thy wit, good youth, or it will fall To cureless ruin. I stand here for law. _Duke._ This letter from Bellario doth commend A young and learned doctor to our court:-- Where is he?

_Nerissa._ He attendeth here hard by, To know your answer, whether you'll admit him.

_Duke._ With all my heart.--Some three or four of you Go give him courteous conduct to this place.-- Meantime the court shall hear Bellario's letter.

[Clerk reads.] _Your grace shall understand, that, at the receipt of your letter, I am very sick: but, in the instant that your messenger came, in loving visitation was with me a young doctor of Rome; his name is Balthazar. I acquainted him with the cause in controversy between the Jew and Antonio the merchant: we turned o'er many books together: he is furnished with my opinion: which, bettered with his own learning, the greatness whereof I cannot enough commend, comes with him, at my importunity, to fill up your grace's request in my stead. I beseech you, let his lack of years be no impediment to let him lack a reverend estimation; for I never knew so young a body with so old a head. I leave him to your gracious acceptance, whose trial shall better publish his commendation._

_Duke._ You hear the learned Bellario, what he writes: And here, I take it, is the doctor come.--

_Enter_ PORTIA, _dressed like a doctor of laws._

Give me your hand: came you from old Bellario?

_Portia._ I did, my lord.

_Duke._ You are welcome; take your place. Are you acquainted with the difference That holds this present question in the court?

_Portia._ I am informed, throughly of the cause. Which is the merchant here, and which the Jew?

_Duke._ Antonio and old Shylock, both stand forth.

_Portia._ Is your name Shylock?

_Shylock._ Shylock is my name.

_Portia._ Of a strange nature is the suit you follow; Yet in such rule that the Venetian law Cannot impugn you as you do proceed.-- You stand within his danger, do you not? [_To_ ANTONIO.

_Antonio._ Ay, so he says.

_Portia._ Do you confess the bond?

_Antonio._ I do.

_Portia._ Then must the Jew be merciful.

_Shylock._ On what compulsion must I? Tell me that.

_Portia._ The quality of mercy is not strain'd; It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath: it is twice bless'd; It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes: 'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes The throned monarch better than his crown; His sceptre shows the force of temporal power, The attribute to awe and majesty, Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings; But mercy is above this sceptred sway; It is enthroned in the hearts of kings, It is an attribute to God himself; And earthly power doth then show likest God's When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew, Though justice be thy plea, consider this,-- That, in the course of justice, none of us Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy; And that same prayer doth teach us all to render The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much To mitigate the justice of thy plea; Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.

_Shylock._ My deeds upon my head! I crave the law, The penalty and forfeit of my bond.

_Portia._ Is he not able to discharge the money?

_Bassanio._ Yes, here I tender it for him in the court; Yea, twice the sum: if that will not suffice, I will be bound to pay it ten times o'er, On forfeit of my hands, my head, my heart: If this will not suffice, it must appear That malice bears down truth. And I beseech you, Wrest once the law to your authority: To do a great right, do a little wrong; And curb this cruel devil of his will.

_Portia._ It must not be; there is no power in Venice Can alter a decree established: 'Twill be recorded for a precedent; And many an error, by the same example, Will rush into the state. It cannot be.

_Shylock._ A Daniel come to judgment! yea, a Daniel! O wise young judge, how do I honour thee!

_Portia._ I pray you, let me look upon the bond.

_Shylock._ Here 'tis, most reverend doctor, here it is.

_Portia._ Shylock, there's thrice thy money offer'd thee.

_Shylock._ An oath, an oath, I have an oath in heaven: Shall I lay perjury upon my soul? No, not for Venice.

_Portia._ Why, this bond is forfeit; And lawfully by this the Jew may claim A pound of flesh, to be by him cut off Nearest the merchant's heart.--Be merciful; Take thrice thy money; bid me tear the bond.

_Shylock._ When it is paid according to the tenor. It doth appear you are a worthy judge; You know the law, your exposition Hath been most sound: I charge you by the law, Whereof you are a well-deserving pillar, Proceed to judgment. By my soul I swear There is no power in the tongue of man To alter me: I stay here on my bond.

_Antonio._ Most heartily I do beseech the court To give the judgment.

_Portia._ Why, then, thus it is: You must prepare your bosom for his knife;--

_Shylock._ O noble judge! O excellent young man!

_Portia._--For the intent and purpose of the law Hath full relation to the penalty, Which here appeareth due upon the bond.

_Shylock._ 'Tis very true: O wise and upright judge! How much more elder art thou than thy looks!

_Portia._ Therefore, lay bare your bosom.

_Shylock._ Ay, his breast: So says the bond:--doth it not, noble judge?-- "Nearest his heart:" those are the very words.

_Portia._ It is so. Are there balance here, to weigh The flesh?

_Shylock._ I have them ready.

_Portia._ Have by some surgeon, Shylock, on your charge, To stop his wounds, lest he do bleed to death.

_Shylock._ Is it so nominated in the bond?

_Portia._ It is not so express'd; but what of that? 'Twere good you do so much for charity.

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

_Portia._ Come, merchant, have you anything to say?

_Antonio._ 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. Commend me to your honorable wife: Tell her the process of Antonio's end; Say how I lov'd you, speak me fair in death; And, when the tale is told, bid her be judge Whether Bassanio had not once a love. 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.

_Bassanio._ Antonio, I am married to a wife Which is as dear to me as life itself; But life itself, my wife, and all the world, Are not with me esteem'd above thy life: I would lose all, ay, sacrifice them all Here to this devil, to deliver you.

_Portia._ Your wife would give you little thanks for that, If she were by, to hear you make the offer.

_Gratiano._ I have a wife, whom, I protest, I love: I would she were in heaven, so she could Entreat some power to change this currish Jew.

_Nerissa._ 'Tis well you offer it behind her back; The wish would make else an unquiet house.

_Shylock._ [_Aside._] These be the Christian husbands! I have a daughter; Would any of the stock of Barrabas Had been her husband rather than a Christian!-- [_To_ PORTIA.] We trifle time; I pray thee, pursue sentence.

_Portia._ A pound of that same merchant's flesh is thine: The court awards it, and the law doth give it.

_Shylock._ Most rightful judge!

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

_Shylock._ Most learned judge! A sentence!--Come, prepare.

_Portia._ 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 thy bond, take thou thy pound of flesh; But, in the cutting 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.

_Gratiano._ O upright judge!--Mark, Jew:--O learned judge!

_Shylock._ Is that the law?

_Portia._ Thyself shalt see the act: For, as thou urgest justice, be assur'd Thou shalt have justice, more than thou desirest.

_Gratiano._ O learned judge!--Mark, Jew:--a learned judge!

_Shylock._ I take this offer, then: pay the bond thrice, And let the Christian go.

_Bassanio._ Here is the money.

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

_Gratiano._ O Jew! an upright judge, a learned judge!

_Portia._ 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.

_Gratiano._ A second Daniel, a Daniel, Jew! Now, infidel, I have thee on the hip.

_Portia._ Why doth the Jew pause? Take thy forfeiture.

_Shylock._ Give me my principal, and let me go.

_Bassanio._ I have it ready for thee; here it is.

_Portia._ He hath refus'd it in the open court: He shall have merely justice, and his bond.

_Gratiano._ A Daniel, still say I; a second Daniel!-- I thank thee, Jew, for teaching me that word.

_Shylock._ Shall I not have barely my principal?

_Portia._ Thou shalt have nothing but the forfeiture, To be so taken at thy peril, Jew.

_Shylock._ Why, then the devil give him good of it! I'll stay no longer question.

_Portia._ 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 That by direct or indirect attempts He seek the life of any citizen, The party 'gainst the which he doth contrive Shall seize one 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 contriv'd 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.

_Gratiano._ Beg that thou mayst 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 unto a fine.

_Portia._ Ay, for the state; not for Antonio.

_Shylock._ 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.

_Portia._ What mercy can you render him, Antonio?

_Gratiano._ A halter gratis; nothing else, for God's sake.

_Antonio._ 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.

_Portia._ Art thou contented, Jew? what dost thou say?

_Shylock._ I am content.

_Portia._ Clerk, draw a deed of gift.

_Shylock._ 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.

_Gratiano._ In christening thou shalt have two godfathers; Had I been judge, thou should'st have had ten more, To bring thee to the gallows, not the font. [_Exit Shylock._

_Duke._ Sir, I entreat you home with me to dinner.

_Portia._ I humbly do desire your grace of pardon: I must away this night toward Padua, And it is meet I presently set forth.

_Duke._ I am sorry that your leisure serves you not. Antonio, gratify this gentleman, For, in my mind, you are much bound to him.

[_Exeunt omnes._

FOOTNOTES:

[A] As an introduction read "The Merchant of Venice," FOURTH READER, page 311.

IV. OF BOLDNESS.

LORD BACON.--1561-1626.

_From_ ESSAYS.

It is a trivial grammar-school text, but yet worthy a wise man's consideration: question was asked of Demosthenes, what was the chief part of an orator? He answered, action: what next? action: what next again? action. He said it that knew it best, and had by nature himself no advantage in that he commended. A strange thing, that that part of an orator which is but superficial, and rather the virtue of a player, should be placed so high above those other noble parts, of invention, elocution, and the rest; nay, almost alone, as if it were all in all. But the reason is plain. There is in human nature generally more of the fool than of the wise; and therefore those faculties by which the foolish part of men's minds is taken, are most potent. Wonderful like is the case of boldness in civil business; what first? boldness: what second and third? boldness. And yet boldness is a child of ignorance and baseness, far inferior to other parts: but, nevertheless, it doth fascinate, and bind hand and foot those that are either shallow in judgment or weak in courage, which are the greatest part; yea, and prevaileth with wise men at weak times; therefore we see it hath done wonders in popular states, but with senates and princes less; and more, ever upon the first entrance of bold persons into action, than soon after; for boldness is an ill keeper of promise. Surely, as there are mountebanks for the natural body, so are there mountebanks for the politic body--men that undertake great cures, and perhaps have been lucky in two or three experiments, but want the grounds of science, and therefore cannot hold out. Nay, you shall see a bold fellow many times do Mahomet's miracle. Mahomet made the people believe that he would call a hill to him, and from the top of it offer up his prayers for the observers of his law. The people assembled: Mahomet called the hill to come to him again and again; and when the hill stood still, he was never a whit abashed, but said, "If the hill will not come to Mahomet, Mahomet will go to the hill." So these men, when they have promised great matters, and failed most shamefully, yet, if they have the perfection of boldness, they will but slight it over, and make a turn, and no more ado. Certainly, to men of great judgment, bold persons are sport to behold; nay, and to the vulgar also boldness hath somewhat of the ridiculous: for, if absurdity be the subject of laughter, doubt you not but great boldness is seldom without some absurdity; especially it is a sport to see when a bold fellow is out of countenance, for that puts his face into a most shrunken and wooden posture, as needs it must--for in bashfulness the spirits do a little go and come--but with bold men, upon like occasion, they stand at a stay; like a stale at chess, where it is no mate, but yet the game cannot stir: but this last were fitter for a satire than for a serious observation. This is well to be weighed, that boldness is ever blind, for it seeth not dangers and inconveniences: therefore it is ill in counsel, good in execution; so that the right use of bold persons is, that they never command in chief, but be seconds, and under the direction of others; for in counsel it is good to see dangers, and in execution not to see them, except they be very great.

* * * * *

_He that cannot see well, let him go softly._

BACON.

V. TO DAFFODILS.

ROBERT HERRICK.--1594-1674.

Fair Daffodils, we weep to see You haste away so soon; As yet the early-rising sun Has not attain'd his noon. Stay, stay, Until the hasting day Has run But to the even-song; And, having pray'd together, we Will go with you along.

We have short time to stay, as you; We have as short a spring; As quick a growth to meet decay, As you, or anything. We die As your hours do, and dry Away, Like to the summer's rain; Or as the pearls of morning's dew, Ne'er to be found again.

* * * * *

_Stone walls do not a prison make, Nor iron bars a cage; Minds innocent and quiet take That for a hermitage: If I have freedom in my love, And in my soul am free, Angels alone, that soar above, Enjoy such liberty._

RICHARD LOVELACE.--1618-1658.

VI. OF CONTENTEDNESS IN ALL ESTATES AND ACCIDENTS.

JEREMY TAYLOR.--1613-1667.

_From_ HOLY LIVING.

Virtues and discourses are, like friends, necessary in all fortunes; but those are the best, which are friends in our sadnesses, and support us in our sorrows and sad accidents: and in this sense, no man that is virtuous can be friendless; nor hath any man reason to complain of the Divine Providence, or accuse the public disorder of things, or in his own infelicity, since God hath appointed one remedy for all the evils in the world, and that is a contented spirit: for this alone makes a man pass through fire, and not be scorched; through seas, and not be drowned; through hunger and nakedness, and want nothing. For since all the evil in the world consists in the disagreeing between the object and the appetite, as when a man hath what he desires not, or desires what he hath not, or desires amiss; he that composes his spirit to the present accident, hath variety of instances for his virtue, but none to trouble him, because his desires enlarge not beyond his present fortune: and a wise man is placed in the variety of chances, like the nave or centre of a wheel, in the midst of all the circumvolutions and changes of posture, without violence or change, save that it turns gently in compliance with its changed parts, and is indifferent which part is up, and which is down; for there is some virtue or other to be exercised, whatever happens, either patience or thanksgiving, love or fear, moderation or humility, charity or contentedness, and they are every one of them equally in order to his great end and immortal felicity: and beauty is not made by white or red, by black eyes and a round face, by a straight body and a smooth skin; but by a proportion to the fancy. No rules can make amiability; our minds and apprehensions make that: and so is our felicity; and we may be reconciled to poverty and a low fortune, if we suffer contentedness and the grace of God to make the proportions. For no man is poor that does not think himself so: but if, in a full fortune, with impatience he desires more, he proclaims his wants and his beggarly condition. But because this grace of contentedness was the sum of all the old moral philosophy, and a great duty in Christianity, and of most universal use in the whole course of our lives, and the only instrument to ease the burdens of the world and the enmities of sad chances, it will not be amiss to press it by the proper arguments by which God hath bound it upon our spirits; it being fastened by reason and religion, by duty and interest, by necessity and conveniency, by example, and by the proposition of excellent rewards, no less than peace and felicity.

Contentedness in all estates is a duty of religion; it is the great reasonableness of complying with the Divine Providence, which governs all the world, and hath so ordered us in the administration of his great family. He were a strange fool that should be angry because dogs and sheep need no shoes, and yet himself is full of care to get some. God hath supplied those needs to them by natural provisions, and to thee by an artificial: for he hath given thee reason to learn a trade, or some means to make or buy them, so that it only differs in the manner of our provision: and which had you rather want, shoes or reason? and my patron, that hath given me a farm, is freer to me than if he gives a loaf ready baked. But, however, all these gifts come from him, and therefore it is fit he should dispense them as he pleases; and if we murmur here, we may, at the next melancholy, be troubled that God did not make us to be angels or stars. For if that which we are or have do not content us, we may be troubled for every thing in the world which is beside our being or our possessions.

God is the master of the scenes; we must not choose which part we shall act; it concerns us only to be careful that we do it well, always saying, "If this please God, let it be as it is:" and we, who pray that God's will may be done in earth as it is in heaven, must remember that the angels do whatsoever is commanded them, and go wherever they are sent, and refuse no circumstances; and if their employment be crossed by a higher decree, they sit down in peace, and rejoice in the event; and when the angel of Judea could not prevail in behalf of the people committed to his charge, because the angel of Persia opposed it, he only told the story at the command of God, and was as content, and worshipped with as great an ecstasy in his proportion, as the prevailing spirit. Do thou so likewise: keep the station where God hath placed you, and you shall never long for things without, but sit at home, feasting upon the Divine Providence and thy own reason, by which we are taught that it is necessary and reasonable to submit to God.

For is not all the world God's family? Are not we his creatures? Are we not as clay in the hand of the potter? Do we not live upon his meat, and move by his strength, and do our work by his light? Are we any thing but what we are from him? And shall there be a mutiny among the flocks and herds, because their lord or their shepherd chooses their pastures, and suffers them not to wander into deserts and unknown ways? If we choose, we do it so foolishly that we cannot like it long, and most commonly not at all: but God, who can do what he pleases, is wise to choose safely for us, affectionate to comply with our needs, and powerful to execute all his wise decrees. Here, therefore, is the wisdom of the contented man, to let God choose for him; for when we have given up our wills to him, and stand in that station of the battle where our great General hath placed us, our spirits must needs rest while our conditions have for their security the power, the wisdom, and the charity of God.