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Por. Heaven made him, and therefore let him pass for a man. In truth I know it is a sin to be a mocker, but he! why he hath a horse better than the Neapolitan's; a better bad habit of frowning than the count Palatine; he is every man in no man, as, if a tassel sing, he will fall strait a capering; he will fence with his own shadow. If I should If I should marry him I should marry twenty husbands: if he would despise me, I would forgive him; for if he love me to madness, I should never requite him.

Ner. What say you then to Falconbridge, (17) the young baron of England?

such, than that of the Neapolitan's horse; and his conical has the form of a tassel, as noticed in the text.

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Fig. 110.

(17) Falconbridge has his prototype in the hieroglyphic bird, drawn ante, in fig. 12, and here (as appears from his

Por. You know I say nothing to him, for he understands not me, nor I him. He hath neither Latin, French, nor Italian, and you will come into the court and swear that I have a poor pennyworth in the English: he is a proper man's picture, but alas, who can converse with a dumbshew? How oddly he is suited; I think he bought his doublet in Italy, his round hose in France, his bonnet in Germany, and his behaviour every where.

Ner. What think you of the other lord, his neighbour? (18)

Por. That he hath a neighbourly charity in him, for he borrowed a box o' the ear of the Englishman, and swore he would pay him again when he was able. I think the Frenchman became his surety, and sealed under for another.

name) supposed to be a falcon. This space in the moon was represented by Voltimand in Hamlet, drawn ante in fig. 55.

(18) If the map be still kept with its south side uppermost, the neighbour of Falconbridge will be seen in dark shadows, immediately behind him, with the resemblance of the fingers of a hand (in light) on his ear. His head is the same as Magnano's in Hudibras (drawn in fig. 29.) turned upside down, and he is himself drawn in fig. 111. There

Ner. How like you the young German, (19) the Duke of Saxony's nephew?

Por. Very vilely in the morning, when he is sober, and most vilely in the afternoon, when he is drunk; when he is best, he is a little worse than a man: and when he is worst, he is little better than a beast; and the worst fall that ever fell, I hope, I shall make shift to go without him.

is the mark of another hand, in shadow, on Monsieur le Bon, the Frenchman's ear.

Fig. 111.

(19) By the young German I understand the same original to be intended as that of the Lawyer in Hudibras, drawn in fig. 38, and the same as Cornwall's servant, drawn in fig. 95. The black shadows of which he is composed account for the mention of the devil: his figure resembles a spunge also; and immediately before him stands the likeness of a drinking-cup (on the person of Hudibras's Talgol, drawn in fig. 17) so often alluded to in the preceding pages.

Ner. If he should offer to choose, and choose. the right casket, you should refuse to perform your father's will, if you should refuse to accept him.

Por. Therefore, for fear of the worst, I pray thee set a deep glass of Rhenish wine on the contrary casket; for if the devil be within, and that temptation without, I know he will choose it. I will do any thing Nerissa, ere I will be married to a sponge.

Ner. You need not fear, lady, the having any of these lords; they have acquainted me with their determination, which is, indeed, to return to their home, and to trouble you with no more suit unless you may be won by some other sort than your father's imposition, depending on the. caskets.

Por. If I live to be as old as Sibylla, I will die as chaste as Diana, unless I be obtain'd by the manner of my father's will: I am glad this parcel of wooers are so reasonable; for there is not one among them but I doat on his very absence, and wish them a fair departure.

Ner. Do you not remember, lady, in your father's time, a Venetian, a scholar, (20) and a

(20) Bassanio's being called a scholar has regard to the several circumstances of there being the resemblance of an hour-glass and of Arabic figures on his person, and of a

soldier, that came hither in company of the Marquis of Mountferrat ?

Por. Yes, yes, it was Bassanio, as I think, he was so call'd.

Ner. True, madam; he, of all the men that ever my foolish eyes look'd upon, was the best deserving a fair lady.

Por. I remember him well, and I remember him worthy of thy praise. How now? what news?

Enter BALTHAZAR.

(21) Bal. The four strangers seek for you, madam, to take their leave: and there is a forerunnner come from a fifth, the Prince of Morocco, who brings word, the prince, his master, will be here to-night.

Por. If I could bid the fifth welcome, with so good a heart as I can bid the other four farewel,

telescope before his eyes. Horatio in Hamlet was, for the same reasons, called a scholar. The cause of Bassanio's being called a soldier also, will appear on inspecting the figure of Fortinbras (No, 52, ante) who has the same prototype in the moou as Bassanio.

(21) From the passages regarding Balthazar, inserted in the third act, which will be noticed presently, I take him to have the same original as Horatio in Hamlet, drawn in fig. 49. The Prince of Morocco will be pointed out hereafter.

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