Jef. I would out-night you, did no body come: But hark, I hear the footing of a man. Enter Stephano. Lor. Who comes fo faft, in filence of the night? Mef. A friend. Lor. What friend? your name, I pray you, friend? Be here at Belmont : fhe doth ftray about Lor. Who comes with her? Mef. None, but a holy hermit, and her maid, I pray you, is my master yet return'd? Lor. He is not, nor have we yet heard from him: But go we in, I pray thee, Jeffica, And ceremoniously let us prepare Some welcome for the miftress of the house. Enter Launcelot. Laun. Sola, fola; wo ha, ho, fola, fola ! Lor. Who calls? Laun. Sola! did you fee mafter Lorenzo and mistres 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 bring your mufick forth into the air. Become Become the touches of fweet harmony. Jes. I'm never merry, when I hear sweet mufick. [Mufick. Lor. The reason 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, 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 fpheres, so much celebrated by the antients. He fays, the fmalleft orb fings like an angel; and then fubjoins, fuch 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 sung like an angel : he should rather have faid, the angel in the orb fung. We must therefore correct the line thus ; Such barmony is in immortal sounds: i. e. in the mufick of the spheres. 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 straitness, of admitting fo vehement a found. Musicam perpetua cœli volubilitate nafcentem ideo claro non fentimus auditu, quia major foxus eft quam ut humanarum aurium recipiatur anguftiis, But But mufick for the time doth change his nature. Mark the mufick. Enter Portia and Neriffa. Por. That light we fee, is burning in my hall: ; Ner. When the moon fhone, we did not fee the candle. Por. So doth the greater glory dim the less A fubftitute fhines brightly as a King, Until a King be by; and then his state Empties itfelf, as doth an inland brook Into the main of waters. Musick, hark! [Mufick. Ner. It is the mufick, madam, of your house. Ner. Silence beftows the virtue on it, madam. Lor. That is the voice, Or I am much deceiv'd, of Portia. [Mufick ccafes. 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 But there is come a meffenger before, Por. Go, Neriffa, Give order to my fervants, that they take Nor you, Lorenzo; Felica, nor you. [A Tucket founds. Lor. Your husband is at hand, I hear his trumpet: We are no tell-tales, madam, fear your not. Por. This night, methinks, is but the day-light fick; It looks a little paler; 'tis a day, Such as the day is when the fun is hid. Enter Baffanio, Anthonio, Gratiano, and their followers. Baff. We should hold day with the Antipodes, If you would walk in absence of the fun. Por. Let me give light, but let me not be light; But God fort all you're welcome home, my Lord. : Baff. I thank you, madam: give welcome to my friend; This is the man, this is Anthonio, To whom I am fo infinitely bound. Por. You should in all fenfe be much bound to him; For, as I hear, he was much bound for you. Anth. No more than I am well acquitted of. Por. Sir, you are very welcome to our house; It muft appear in other ways than words; Therefore I fcant this breathing courtesy. Gra. By yonder moon, 1 fwear, you do me wrong; In faith, I gave it to the judge's clerk. [To Neriffa. Would he were gelt that had it, for my part, Since you do take it, love, so much at heart. Por. A quarrel, ho, already! what's the matter? Gra. About a hoop of gold, a paltry ring, That she did give me, whose poefy was For all the world like cutler's poetry Upon a knife; Love me, and leave me not. Ner. What talk you of the poefy, or the value? You fwore to me, when I did give it you, That you would wear it 'till your hour of death, And it. And that it fhould lye with you in your grave: I could not for my heart deny it him. Por. You were to blame, I must be plain with you, I gave my love a ring, and made him fwear Baff. Why, I were beft to cut my left hand off, [Afide Gra. My Lord Baffanio gave his ring away Por. What ring gave you, my Lord? I would deny it, but you fee my finger Por. Even fo void is your false heart of truth. Ner. Nor I in yours, |