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.

Por. To these injunctions everyone doth swear
That comes to hazard for my worthless self.

Arr. And so have I address'd me. Fortune now To my heart's hope! - Gold, silver, and base lead.

66

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 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,
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,
And rank me with the barbarous multitude.
Why then to thee, thou silver treasure-house;
Tell me once more what title thou dost bear:

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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?

To wear an undeserved dignity.

Let none presume

O, that estates, degrees, and offices

Were not derived corruptly! and that clear honor

Were purchased 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,

And instantly unlock my fortunes here. [He opens the silver casket].

Por. Too long a pause for that which you find there.

Arr. What's here? the portrait of a blinking idiot,

Presenting me a schedule! 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 not deserve no more than a fool's head?

Is that my prize? are my deserts no better?

Por. T'offend, and judge, are distinct offices, And of opposed natures.

By the time I linger here:

With one fool's head I came to woo,

But I go away with two.

Sweet, adieu! I'll keep my oath,

Patiently to bear my wroth.

Exeunt ARRAGON and train.

Enter BASSANIO

Bassanio. So may the outward shows be least themselves:

The world is still deceived with ornament.

In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt,
But being season'd with a gracious voice,
Obscures the show of evil?

There is no vice so simple but assumes
Some mark of virtue on its outward parts:

How
many cowards, whose hearts are all as false
As stayers of sand, wear yet upon their chins
The beards of Hercules and frowning Mars;
Who, inward search'd, have livers white as milk!
And these assume but valor's excrement,

To render them redoubted. Look on beauty,
And you shall see 'tis purchased by the weight;
Which therein works a miracle in nature,
Making them lightest that wear most of it:
So are those crisped snaky golden locks,
Which make such wanton gambols with the wind,
Upon supposed fairness, often known

To be the dowry of a second head,

The skull that bred them in the sepulchre.

Thus ornament is but the guilèd shore

To a most dangerous sea; the beauteous scarf
Veiling an Indian feature; in a word,

The seeming truth which cunning times put on
T'entrap the wisest. Therefore, thou gaudy gold,
Hard food for Midas, I will none of thee:

Nor none of thee, thou stale and common drudge
"Tween man and man: but thou, thou meagre lead,
Which rather threatenest than dost promise aught,
Thy plainness moves me more than eloquence;

And here choose I: Joy be the consequence! [Opening the leaden casket].

What find I here?

Fair Portia's counterfeit!

Here's the scroll,

The continent and summary of my fortune:

You that choose not by the view

Chance as fair, and choose as true:

Since this fortune falls to you,

Be content and seek no new.

If you be well pleased with this,

And hold your fortune for your bliss,

Turn you where your lady is,

And claim her with a loving kiss.

Por. You see me, Lord Bassanio, where I stand,

Such as I am: though, for myself alone

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 on 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, unpractised:
Happy in this, she is not yet so old

But she may learn; then happier in 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 myself
Are yours, my lord; I give them with this ring;
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.

-SHAKESPEARE.

COMFORTAS

While Comfortas was still a child, his father, the king, was called to a distant land to put down a war. After many days he returned, having journeyed far and having gathered much treasAll the city went forth to greet the king and brought him with shouts to his own city. Afterward, when every man had returned to his own house, the king went into the palace to re

ure.