Page:Merchant of Venice (1923) Yale.djvu/56

42

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:

Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves.

And well said too; for who shall go about

To cozen fortune and be honourable

Without the stamp of merit? Let none presume

To wear an undeserved dignity.

O! that estates, degrees, and offices

Were not deriv'd corruptly, and that clear honour

Were purchas'd 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 honour; and how much honour

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 for this,

And instantly unlock my fortunes here.

[He opens the silver casket.]

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

Ar. 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 deserve no more than a fool's head?

Is that my prize? are my deserts no better?

 32 jump: agree

33 rank me: class myself

37 go about: undertake

38 cozen: cheat

honourable: worshipful, honored

41 estates: status, position

degrees: ranks

42 deriv'd: inherited

44 cover: wear their hats (in token of social dignity)

47 true honour: scions of the great

48 chaff and ruin: riff-raff

51 assume: claim 