For giving it to me. Well, peace be with you! Baff. Go, Gratiano, run and overtake him, Re-enter Portia and Neriffa. [Exeunt. Por. Enquire the Jew's houfe out, give him this Deed, And let him fign it; we'll away to-night, And be a day before our husbands home; This Deed will be well welcome to Lorenzo. Enter Gratiano. Gra. Fair Sir, you are well o'erta'en: Por. That cannot be. This ring I do accept moft thankfully, Ner. Sir, I would fpeak with you. I'll fee if I can get my husband's ring: Which I did make him fwear to keep for ever. [To Por. Por.Thou may'ft, Iwarrant. We fhall have old fwearing, That they did give the rings away to men; Ner. Come, good Sir, will you fhew me to this house F [Exeunt. ACT SCENE, Belmont. A Grove, or green place before Portia's House. T Enter Lorenzo and Jeffica. LORENZO. HE moon fhines bright: in fuch a night as this, When the sweet wind did gently kifs the trees, And they did make no noise; in fuch a night, Troilus, methinks, mounted the Trojan wall; And figh'd his foul toward the Grecian tents, Where Crefid lay that night. Jef. In fuch a night, Did Thisbe fearfully o'er-trip the dew; And ran difmayed away. Lor. In fuch a night, Stood Dido with a willow in her hand Upon the wild fea-banks, and wav'd her love To come again to Carthage. Jef. In fuch a night, Medea gather'd the enchanted herbs, That did renew old Æfon. Lor. In fuch a night, Did Jeffica fteal from the wealthy Jew, And with an unthrift love did run from Venice, Jef. And in fuch a night, Did young Lorenzo fwear, he lov'd her well; Lor. And in fuch a night, Did pretty Jeffica (like a little fhrew) fe. I would out-night you, did no body come: But hark, I hear the footing of a man. Enter Stephano. Lor. Who comes so fast, in filence of the night? Lor. What friend? your name, I pray you, friend? Lor. Who comes with her? Mef. None, but a holy hermit, and her maid, I pray you, is my mafter yet return'd? Lor. He is not, nor have we yet heard from him : But go we in, I pray thee, Jefica, And ceremoniously let us prepare Some welcome for the miftrefs of the house. Enter Launcelot. Laun. Sola, fola; wo ha, ho; fola, fola! Lor. Who calls? Laun. Sola! did you fee mafter Lorenzo and miftrefs Lorenza? fola, fola! Lor. Leave hollowing, man: here. Laun. Sola! where? where? Lor. Here. Laun. Tell him, there's a poft come from my mafter, with his horn full of good news. My mafter will be here ere morning. Lor. Sweet love, let's in, and there expect their coming, And yet no matter why should we go in ? My friend Stephano, fignify, I pray you, Within the house, your mistress is at hand; [Exit Stephano. And bring your mufick forth into the air. Become Become the touches of sweet harmony. Jes. I'm never merry, when I hear sweet mufick. [Mufick. Lor. The reafon is, your spirits are attentive; Fetching mad bounds, bellowing and neighing loud, (Which is the hot condition of their blood) If they perchance but hear a trumpet found, You fhall perceive them make a mutual stand; By the fweet power of mufick. Therefore, the poet (31) Such barmony is in immortal fouls;] But the harmony here defcribed is that of the spheres, fo much celebrated by the antients. He fays, the fmalleft orb fings like an angel; and then fubjoins, such barmony is in immortal fouls: but the harmony of angels is not here meant, but of the orbs. Nor are we to think, that here the poet alludes to the notion, that each orb has its intelligence or angel to direct it; for then with no propriety could he fay, the orb fung like an angel: he should rather have said, the angel in the orb fung. We must therefore correct the line thus; Such harmony is in immorta! founds : i. e. in the mufick of the fpheres. Mr. Warburton. Macrobius, I remember, accounts for our not hearing that musick, which is produc'd by the conftant volubility of the heavens, from the organs in the human ear not being capable, thro' their ftraitness, of admitting fo vehement a found. Muficam perpetua coeli volubilitate nafcentem ideo claro non fentimus auditu, quia major fonus eft quam ut bumanarum aurium recipiatur anguftiis. But But mufick for the time doth change his nature, Nor is not mov'd with concord of fweet founds, Let no fuch man be trufted- -Mark the mufick. Enter Portia and Neriffa. Por. That light we fee, is burning in my hall: How far that little candle throws his beams! So fhines a good deed in a naughty world. Ner. When the moon fhone, we did not fee the candle. Por. So doth the greater glory dim the less; A fubftitute shines brightly as a King, Until a King be by; and then his ftate Empties itself, as doth an inland brook Into the main of waters. Musick, hark! [Mufick. Ner. It is the mufick, madam, of your house. Ner. Silence bestows the virtue on it, madam. Lor. That is the voice, Or I am much deceiv'd, of Portia. [Mufick ceafes. Por. He knows me, as the blind man knows the cuckow, By the bad voice. Lor. Dear Lady, welcome home. Por. We have been praying for our husbands healths,, Which speed, we hope, the better for our words. Are they return'd? Lor. Madam, they are not yet; 'But |