Have lov'd it too : I would not change this lue,
Except to steal your thoughts, my gentle Queen,

Por. In terms of choice I am not solely led
By nice direction of a maiden's eyes:
Besides, the lottery of my destiny
Bars me the right of voluntary chusing.
But if my father had not scanted me,
And hedg’d me by his wit to yield myself
His wife, who wins me by that means I told you ;
Yourself, renowned Prince, then stood as fair,
As any comer I have look'd on yet,
For
my

affection.
Mor. Ev’n for that I thank you;
Therefore, I pray you, lead me to the caskets
To try my fortune. By this fcimitar,
That slew the Sophy and a Persian Prince,
That won three fields of Sultan Solyman,
I would out-stare the sternest eyes that look,
Out-brave the heart most daring on the earth,
Pluck the young fucking cubs from the the-bear,
Yea, mock the lion when he roars for prey,
To win thee, lady. But, alas the while !
If Hercules and Lichas play at dice
Which is the better man, the greater throw
May turn by fortune from the weaker hand :
So is Alcides beaten by his page; (8)

And (8) So is Alcides beaten by bis rage.] Tho' the whole set of editions concur in this reading, and it pals's wholly unsuspected by the late learned editor ; I am very well afiur'd, and, i dare say, the readers will be fo too presenıly, that it is corrupt at bottom. Let us look into the poet's drift, and the history of the persons mention'd in the context. If Hercules (fays he) and Lichas were to play at dice for the decifion of their fuperiority, Licbas, the weaker man, might have the better cast of the two. But how then is Alcides beaten by his rage To admit this, we inuft suppose a gap in the poet; and that some lines are loit, in which Hercules, in his passion for losing the hand, had thrown i he box and dice away, and knock'd his own head again si the wait for mere mai ness. Thus, indeed, might he be said, in some fense, to be beaten by his rage. But Sbakespeare had no fuch Auff in his tead. He means no more, than, if Lyckas had the better throw, lo might Hercules himself be beaten by Lichas. And who was he, but a poor unfortunate servant of Hercules, that unknowingly brought his

mafier

E 5

Ard so may I, blind fortune leading me,
Mifs that, which onc unworthier may attain ;
Ard die with grieving.

Por. You must take your chance,
And cither not attempt to chuse at all,
Or swear, before you chuse, if you

chure

wrong, Never to speak to lady afterward Io way of marriage; therefore, be advis’d.

Mor. Nor will not; therefore, bring me to my chances

Por. First, forward to the temple; after dinner
Your hazard shall be made.
Mor. Good fortune then !

[Cornets. To make me blest, or cursed'st among men, [Exeunt,

SCEN E changes to Venice.

Enter Launcelot alone.

Laun. Ertainly, my conscience will serve me to run from this Jew my

master. The fiend is at mine elbow, and tempts me, saying to me, Gobbo, Launcelot Gobbo, good Launcelot, or good Gobbo, or good Launcelot Gobbo, use your legs, take the start, run away. Mv conscience says, no; take heed, honest Launcelot; take heed, honest Gobbo; or, as aforesaid, honest Launcemaller the envenom’d Mirt, dijt in the blood of the certaur Nilus, and was thrown headilang into the sea for his pains ? This one circumftance of Lichas's quality known fufficiently ascertains the emendation I have tubstituted, of puşe instead of rage. It is scarce requifite so hint here, it is a point so well known, that fage has been always we'd in English to signify any boy fervanti as well as what la:ter times bave appropriated it to, a lady's truinbearer. And, consonant to our txiended usage of the word, the French call a pipboy, un page du riaure. So much in explanation of this new adopted reading. The very excellent Lord LANSDOWNE, in his alteration of this play, tho'ne micht not stand to make the correction upon the poet, seems at Icast to have understood the passage exactly as I do: and tho' he changes the verie, vetains the sense of it in this manner :

So were a Giune worsted by a Dwarf ! Tho' I had made the emendation, before I thought to Icok into his Iardhip's performance; it is no small satisfaction to me, that I have the authority of such a Genius to back my conjecture. Mr. Pope, in kis last edition, has thought fit to embrace my reading.

lot Gobbo, do not run ; fcorn running with thy heels. Well, the most courageous fiend bids me pack; via! says the fiend; away! says the fiend; for the heav'ns rouse up a brave mind, says the fiend, and run. Well, my conscience, hanging about the neck of my heart, says very wisely to me, my honest friend Launcelot, being an honest man's son, or rather an honest woman's fon

-(for, indeed, my father did something smack, something grow to; he had a kind of taite.) ----well, my conscience says, budge not; budge, says the fiend; budge not, fays my conscience; conicience, say I, you counsel ill; fiend, say I, you counsel ill. To be rul'd by my conscience, I should stay with the few my master, who, God bless the mark, is a kind of devil; and to run away from the Jew, I should be ruled by the fiend, who, faving your reverence, is the devil hiinfelf. Certainly, the few is the very devil incarnal; and in my conscience, my conscience is but a kind of hard conscience, to offer to counsel me to stay with the Jew. The fiend gives the more friendly countel; I will run, fiend, my heels are at your commandment, I will run..

Enter old Gobbo, with a basket. Gob. Mafter young man, you, I pray you, which is the way to maiter's Jew's ?

Laun. O heav'ns, this is my true begotten father, who being more than fand-blind, high gravel-blind, knows me not; I will try confusions with him.

Gob. Mafter young Gentleman, I pray you, which is the way to mafter Jew's?

Laun. Turn up, on your right-hand (9) at the next turning, but, at the next turning of all, on your lett ;:

(9) Turn up, on your right hand-]. This arch and perplex'd direction, on purpole to puzzle the enquirer, seems to be copied fiom Syrus to Demea, in the Brothers of Terence : Act. 4. Sc. 2.

ubi eas præterieris,
At finiftram kaze recti platea: ubi ad Diane veneris,

Ito ad dextram prius, quam ad fortam venias: &c. The realer, upon. a collation of the whole passage, will find, how. infinitely more concise and humourous the jeit is couch'd in our poet.

marsy,

marry, at the very next turning turn of no hand, but turn down indirectly to the Jew's house.

Gob. By God's fonties, 'twill be a hard way to hit; can you tell me whether one Launcelot, that dwells with him, dwell with him or no? Laun. Talk

you
of
young

master Launcelot ? (mark me now, now will I raile the waters ;) talk you of young master Launcelot ?

Geb. No master, Sir, but a poor man's son. His father, though I say’t, is an honest exceeding poor man, and, God be thanked, well to live.

Laun. Well, let his father be what he will, we talk of young master Launcelot.

Gob. Your worship's friend and Launcelot, Sir.

Laun. But, I pray you ergo, old man; ergo I beseech you, talk you

of
young

master Launcelot?
Gob. of Launcelot, an't please your maftership.

Laun. Ergo, master Launcelot; talk not of master Launcclot, father, for the young gentleman (according to fates and deftinies, and such odd sayings, the fifters three, and such branches of learning,) is, indeed, deceased; or, as you would say, in plain terms, gone to heav'n.

Gob. Marry, God forbid! the boy was the very staff of my age, my very prop.

Laun. Do I look like a cudgel, or a hovel-post, a staff or a prop? do you know me, father?

Gob. Alack the day, I know you not, young ge tleman; but, I pray you, tell me, is my boy, God rest his soul, alive or dead ?

Laun. Do yoù not know me, father?
Gob. Alack, Sir, I am sand-blind, I know you not.

Leun. Nay, indeed, if you had your eyes, you might fail of the knowing me: it is a wise father that knows his own child. Well, old man, I will tell you news of your son ; give me your blessing, truth will come to light; murder cannot be hid long, a man's son may ; but, in the end, truth will out.

Gob. Pray you, Sir, stand up; I am sure, you are not Launcelot my boy.

Laun

Laun. Pray you, let's have no more fooling about it, but give me your blessing; I am Launcelot, your boy, that was, your son that is, your child that shall be.

Gob. I cannot think, you are my fon.

Laun. I know not, what I shall think of that: but I am Launcelot the Jeru's man, and, I am sure, Margery your wife, is my mother.

Gób. Her name is Margery, indeed. I'll be sworn, if thou be Launcelot, thou art my own flesh and blood: ford worship'd might he be! what a beard hast thou got! thou haft got more hair on thy chin, than Dobbin my

Thill-horfe has on his tail (10). Laun. It should seem then, that Dobbin's tail grows backward; I am sure, he had nore hair on his tail, than I have on my face, when I last faw him.

Gob. Lord, how art thou chang'd! how doft thou and thy master agree? I have brought him a present; how agree you now?

Laun. Well, well, but for mine own part, as I have set up my reft to run away, fo I will not rest 'till I have run some ground. My master's a very Jew: give him a prefent! give him a halter: I am familh'd in his fervice. You may tell every finger I have with

my

ribs. Father, I am glad you are come, give me your present to one master Basanio, who, indeed, gives rare new liveries; if I serve him not, I will run as far as God has any ground. O rare fortune, here comes the man; to him, father, for I am a Jew, if I serve the Jew any. longer.

Enter Bassanio 'with Leonardo, and a follower or

two more.

Ball. You may do so; but let it be fo hasted, that fupper be ready at the farthest by five of the clock: fee these letters deliver’d, put the liveries to making, and desire Gratiano to come anon to my lodging.

Laun. To him, father. (10) than Dobbin my Thill-borse] Some of the editions have it Pbill, vers Fill-horse; both, erroneously. It must be tbill-borse; i, e. the horse, which draws in the Sbafts, or Tbill, of the carriage.