MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT I. SCENE I.-Venice. A Street. Enter ANTONIO, SALARINO, and SALANIO. Antonio. IN sooth, I know not why I am so sad ; And such a want-wit sadness makes of me, Salar. Your mind is tossing on the ocean; That curt'sy to them, do them reverence, Be with my hopes abroad. I should be still Salar. My wind, cooling my broth, [1] Argosies-A name given in our author's time to ships of great burthen, probably galleons, such as the Spaniards use in their West India trade. JOHNSON. [2] By holding up the grass, or any light body that will bead by a gentle blast, the direction of the wind is found. This way I used in shooting. Betwixt the markes was an open place, there I take a fethere, or a lyttle light grasse, and so learned her the wind stood." Ascham. JOHNSON. 10 VOL. II. G I should not see the sandy hour-glass run, To kiss her burial. Should I go to church, And see the holy edifice of stone, And not bethink me straight of dangerous rocks? Is sad to think upon his merchandize. Ant. Believe me, no: I thank my fortune for it, Ant. Fye, fye! Salan. Not in love neither? Then let's say, you are sad, That they'll not show their teeth in way of smile, 5 Enter BASSANIO, LORENZO, and GRATIANO. Salan. Here comes Bassanio, your most noble kinsman, Gratiano, and Lorenzo: Fare you well; We leave you now with better company. Salar. I would have staid till I had made you merry, if worthier friends had not prevented me. Ant. Your worth is very dear in my regard. [3] Andrew-The name of the ship. JOHNSON. This gives a very picturesque image of the countenance in laughing when the eyes are balf shut. WARBURTON. [5] Because such are apt enough to show their teeth in anger. WARBURTON, L I take it, your own business calls on you, Bass. Good signiors both, when shall we laugh? Say, You grow exceeding strange: Must it be so? Salar. We'll make our leisures to attend on yours. [Exe. SALARINO and SALANIQ. Lor. My lord Bassanio, since you have found Antonio, We two will leave you but, at dinner time, pray you, have in mind where we must meet. Bass. I will not fail you. I Gra. You look not well, signior Antonio ; Ant. I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano; Gra. Let me play the fool : With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come; Sleep when he wakes? and creep into the jaundice If they should speak, would almost damn those ears, [6] Alluding to the common comparison of human life to a stage-play. So that he desires his may be the fool's or befoon's part, which was a constant character ig the old farces; from whence came the phrase, to play the fool. WARBURTON. I'll tell thee more of this another time: Come, good Lorenzo :-Fare ye well, a while; Lor. Well, we will leave you then till dinner time: Gra. Well, keep me company but two years more, Thou shalt not know the sound of thine own tongue. Ant. Farewell: I'll grow a talker for this gear. Gra. Thanks, i' faith; for silence is only commendable In a neat's tongue dried, and a maid not vendible. [Exeunt GRA. and LOREN. Ant. Is that any thing now? Bass. Gratiano speaks an infinite deal of nothing, more than any man in all Venice His reasons are as two grains of wheat hid in two bushels of chaff; you shall seek all day ere you find them; and, when you have them, they are not worth the search. Ant. Well; tell me now, what lady is this same Bass. 'Tis not unknown to you, Antonio, Ant. I pray you, good Bassanio, let me know it ; [7] The humour of this consists in its being an allusion to the practice of the puritan preachers of those times: who being generally long and tedious, were oftes forced to put off that part of their sermon called the exhortation, till after dinner. WARBURTON |