But how I caught it, found it, or came by it,
What stuff 'tis made of, whereof it is born,
I am to learn:

And such a want-wit fadness makes of me,
That I have much ado to know myself.

Sal. Your mind is toffing on the ocean;
There, where your argofies with portly fail,-
Like figniors and rich burghers on the flood,
Or as it were the pageants of the sea,-
Do over-peer the petty traffickers,

lyfe and terrible death of the rich Jewe of Malta; and the tra gedie on the fame fubject, were both entered on the Stationers' books, May 1594. STEEVENS.

The story was taken from an old tranflation of the Gefta Romanorum, first printed by Winkin de Word. The book was very popular, and Shakspeare has clofely copied fome of the language: an additional argument, if we wanted it, of his track of reading. Three veffels are exhibited to a lady for her choice-The first was made of pure gold, well befet with precious ftones without, and within full of dead mens bones; and thereupon was engraven this pofie: Whofo chufeth me, fhall find that be deferveth. The fecond veffel was made of fine filver, filled with earth and worms, the fuperfcription was thus, Whofo chufeth me, fhall find that his nature defireth. The third veffel was made of lead, full within of precious ftones, and thereupon was infculpt this pofie, Whofo cbufeth me, fhall find that God hath difpofed for him. lady after a comment upon each, chufes the leaden veffel.

The

In a MS. of Lidgate, belonging to my very learned friend, Dr. Askew, 1 find a Tale of two Marchants of Egipt and of Baldad, ex Geftis Romanorum. Leland therefore could not be the original author as Bishop Tanner fufpected. He lived a century after Lidgate. FARMER.

5 Argofie,] In Ricaut's Maxims of Turkish Polity, ch. xiv. it is faid, "Thofe vaft carracks called argofies, which are so much famed for the vaftnefs of their burthen and bulk, were corruptly fo denominated from Ragofies," i. e. fhips of Ragufa, a city and territory on the gulf of Venice, tributary to the Porte. If my memory does not fail me, the Ragufans lent their laft great ship to the king of Spain for the Armada, and it was loft on the coaft of Ireland. Shakspeare, as Mr. Heath obferves, has given the name of Ragozine to the pirate in Meafure for Meafure.

STEEVENS.

That curtly to them, do them reverence,
As they fly by them with their woven wings.

Sala. Believe me, fir, had I fuch venture forth, The better part of my affections would

Be with my hopes abroad. I fhould be ftill
Plucking the grafs, to know where fits the wind;
Prying in maps, for ports, and piers, and roads:
And every object, that might make me fear
Misfortune to my ventures, out of doubt,
Would make me fad.

Sal. My wind, cooling my broth,

Would blow me to an ague, when I thought
What harm a wind too great might do at fea.
I fhould not fee the fandy hour-glafs run,
But I fhould think of fhallows, and of flats;
And fee my wealthy Andrew dock'd in fand,
Vailing her high top lower than her ribs,
To kifs her burial. Should I go to church,

8

And

Plucking the grafs, &c.] By holding up the grafs, or any light body that will bend 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 lytle graffe, and fo learned how the wind food." Afcham. JOHNSON.

7 Prying] One of the quartos reads-peering. I have followed the other, becaufe it prevents the jingle which, otherwife, occurs in the line. STEEVENS.

8 Andrew] The name of the fhip. JOHNSON.

9 Vailing her high top lower than her ribs,] In Bullokar's Englifh Expofitory, 1616, to vail, is thus explained: "It means to put off the bat, to firike fail, to give fign of fubmiffion." So, in Stephen Goffon's book, called Playes confuted in feveral Actions:"They might have vailed and bended to the king's idol." Again, in Middleton's Blurt Mafter Conftable, 1602: "I'll vail creft to death for her dear fake." Again, in the Fair Maid of the Wef, 1613, by Heywood:

my

it did me good

"To fee the Spanish Carveil vail her top
"Unto my maiden flag."

A carvel is a small vellel. It is mentioned by Raleigh; and I

often

And see the holy edifice of stone,

And not bethink me ftraight of dangerous rocks? Which touching but my gentle veffel's fide, Would scatter all her fpices on the stream; Enrobe the roaring waters with my filks;

And, in a word, but even now worth this,

And now worth nothing? Shall I have the thought To think on this; and fhall I lack the thought, That fuch a thing, bechanc'd, would make me fad ? But, tell not me; I know, Anthonio

Is fad to think upon his merchandize.

Anth. Believe me, no: I thank my fortune for it, My ventures are not in one bottom trusted, Nor to one place; nor is my whole estate Upon the fortune of this prefent year: Therefore, my merchandize makes me not fad. Sala. Why then you are in love.

Anth. Fie, fie!

Sala. Not in love neither? Then let's fay, you are fad, Because you are not merry: and 'twere as eafy For you, to laugh, and leap, and fay, you are merry, Because you are not fad. Now, by two-headed Janus', Nature hath fram'd ftrange fellows in her time: Some that will evermore peep through their eyes, And laugh, like parrots, at a bag-piper;

often meet with the word in Jarvis Markham's English Arcadia, 1607. STEEVENS.

Now, by two-headed Janus,] Here Shakspeare fhews his knowledge in the antique. By two-headed Janus is meant those antique bifrontine heads, which generally reprefent a young and fmiling face, together with an old and wrinkled one, being of Pan and Bacchus; of Saturn and Apollo, &c. These are not uncommon in collections of antiques: and in the books of the antiquaries, as Montfaucon, Spanheim, &c. WARBURTON.

Here, fays Dr. Warburton, Shakspeare fhews his knowledge in the antique: and fo does Taylor the water-poet, who defcribes Fortune, "Like a Janus with a double-face." FARMER. 2 peep through their eyes,] This gives us a very picturesque image of the countenance in laughing, when the eyes appear half shut. WARBURTON.

And other of fuch vinegar afpect,

That they'll not fhow their teeth in way of fmile', Though Neftor fwear the jeft be laughable.

Enter Bafanio, Lorenzo, and Gratiano.

Sal. Here comes Baffanio, your most noble kinfman, Gratiano, and Lorenzo: Fare you well; We leave you now with better company.

Sala. I would have ftaid till I had made you merry, If worthier friends had not prevented me. Anth. Your worth is very dear in my regard. I take it, your own bufinefs calls on you, And you embrace the occafion to depart. Sal. Good morrow, my good lords.

Baff. Good figniors both, when fhall we laugh? fay, when?

You grow exceeding ftrange; Muft it be fo?
Sal. We'll make our leifures to attend on yours.
[Exeunt Sal. and Sula.
Lor. My lord Baffanio, fince you have found An-

thonio,

We two will leave you; but, at dinner time,
I pray you, have in mind where we must meet.
Baf. I will not fail you.

Gra. You look not well, fignior Anthonio;
You have too much refpect upon the world:
They lofe it, that do buy it with much care.
Believe me, you are marvellously chang'd.

3 their teeth in way of fimile,] Becaufe fuch are apt enough to fhew their teeth in anger. WARBURTON.

4 Sola. My lord Baffanio, &c.] This fpeech is given to Lorenzo in the first folio; and Salarino and Salanio make their exit at the clofe of the preceding fpeech. Which is certainly right. Lorenze (who, with Gratiano, had only accompanied Bassanic, till he should find Anthonio) prepares now to leave Baffanio to his bulinefs; but is detained by Gratiano, who enters into a converfation with Anthonio. TYRWHITT.

I have availed my felf of this judicious correction, by restoring the fpeech to Lorenzo, and marking the exits of Salarino and Salanio at the end of the preceding fpeech. STEEVENS.

VOL. III.

L

Anth.

Anth. I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano; A ftage, where every man muft play a part, And mine a fad one.

Gra. Let me play the Fool":

With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come;
And let my liver rather heat with wine,

Than my heart cool with mortifying groans.
Why fhould a man, whofe blood is warm within,
Sit like his grandfire cut in alabafter?

Sleep when he wakes? and creep into the jaundice
By being peevith? I tell thee what, Anthonio,-
I love thee, and it is my love that fpeaks;--
5 There are a fort of men, whofe vifages
Do cream and mantle, like a standing pond;
And do a wilful ftillness entertain,

With purpose to be dreft in an opinion
Of wifdom, gravity, profound conceit ;
As who fhould fay, I am Sir Oracle,
And when I ope my lips, let no dog bark'!
O, my Anthonio, I do know of thefe,
That therefore only are reputed wife,
For faying nothing: who, I am very fure,
If they should fpeak, would almoft damn thofe ears",
Which,

4 Let me play the Fool:] Alluding to the common comparison of human life to a stage play. So that he defires his may be the fool's or buffoon's part, which was a constant character in the old farces; from whence came the phrafe, to play the fool. WARBURTON.

5 There are a fort of men, whofe vifages

Do cream] The poet here alludes to the manner in which the film extends itself over milk in fcalding; and he had the fame appearance in his eye when writing a foregoing line:

• With mirth and laughter let old wrintles come."

So alfo, the author of Busly d'Ambois :

"Not any wrinkle creaming in their faces." HENLEY. 6 As who should fay, I am Sir Ŏracle.] The folio reads, I believe rightly I am Sir, an oracle. MALONE.

7

-let no dog bark! This feems to be a proverbial expreffion. So, in Acolaftus, a comedy, 1529: -nor there fhall no dogge barke at mine ententes.'

STEEVENS.

—would almoft damn thofe ears,] Several old editions have it, dam, damme, and daunt. Some more correct copies, damn.