The Merchant of Venice (The Jew of Venice) · chunk 9 of 43
Shakespeare, William · published 1619 · first performed or written 1596 [1596-1598] (Annals) comedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men unassigned nearest T51 Parents and children: blessing, birthrig · 511 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T51: esau, iacob, father, son, isaac, god, love, birthright, parents, thing.
O father Abram, what these Christians are, Whose own hard dealings teaches them suspect The thoughts of others: pray you tell me this, If he should break his day, what should I gain By the exaction of the forfeiture? A pound of man's flesh taken from a man, Is not so estimable, profitable neither As flesh of Muttons, beeves, or Goats, I say, To buy his favour, I extend this friendship, If he will take it so, if not adieu, And for my love, I pray you wrong me not. Yes Shylocke, I will seal unto this bond. Then meet me forthwith at the Noteries, Give him direction for this merry bond, And I will go and purse the ducats strait, See to my house, left in the fearful guard Of an unthrifty knave; and presently I'll be with you. High thee gentle Jew: the Hebrew will turn Christian, he grows so kind. I like not fair terms, and a villains mind. Come on, in this there can be no dismay. My ships come home a month before the day. Mislike me not for my complexion, The shadowed livery of the burnished sun, To whom I am a neighbour, and near bred. Bring the fairest creature northward borne, Where Phoebus' fire scarce thaws the icicles, And let us make incision for your love, To prove whose blood is reddest, his or mine. I tell thee Lady, this aspect of mine Hath feared the valiant (by my love I swear) The best regarded virgins of our clime Hath loved it too: I would not change this hue, Except to steal your thoughts my gentle Queen. In terms of choice I am not solely led By nice direction of a maidens eyes. Besides, the Lottry of my destiny Bars me the right of voluntary choosing: But if my father had not scanted me, And hedged me by his wit, to yield myself His wife, who wins me by that means I told you, Yourself (renowned Prince) than stood as fair As any comer I have looked on yet, For my affection. Even for that I thank you, Therefore I pray you lead me to the Caskets To try my fortune. By this Semitaur That slew the Sophy, and a Persian Prince, That won three fields of Sultan Solyman, I would outstare the sternest eyes that look: Outbrave the heart most daring on the earth: Pluck the young sucking Cubs from the she-bear, Yea, mock the lion when he tores for prey, To win the Lady. But alas, the while If Hercules and Lichas play at dice Which is the better man, the greater throw May turn by fortune from the weaker hand: So is Alcides beaten by his rage, And so may I, blind fortune leading me, Miss that which one unworthier may attain, And die with grieving. You must take your chance, And either not attempt to choose at all, Or swear before you choose, if you choose wrong, Never to speak to Lady afterward In way of marriage, therefore be advised.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
O father Abram, what theſe Chriſtians are, Whoſe owne hard dealings teaches them ſuſpect The thoughts of others: pray you tell me this, If he ſhould breake his day, what ſhould I gaine By the exaction of the forfeiture? A pound of mans fleſh taken from a man, Is not ſo eſtimable, profitable neyther As fleſh of Muttons, Beefes, or Goats, I ſay, To buy his fauour, I extend this friendſhip, If he will take it ſo, if not adiew, And for my loue, I pray you wrong me not. Yes Shylocke, I will ſeale vnto this bond. Then meete me forthwith at the Noteries, Giue him direction for this merry bond, And I will goe and purſe the ducats ſtraight, See to my houſe, left in the fearefull guard Of an vnthrifty knaue; and preſently Ile be with you. Hie thee gentle Iew: the Hebrew will turne Chriſtian, he growes ſo kinde. I like not faire termes, and a villaines minde. Come on, in this there can be no diſmay. My ſhips come home a month before the day. Miſlike me not for my complexion, The ſhadowed liuery of the burniſht ſunne, To whom I am a neighbour, and neere bred. Bring the faireſt creature North-ward borne, VVhere Phoebus fire ſcarſe thawes the yſicles, And let vs make inciſion for your loue, To proue whoſe blood is reddeſt, his or mine. I tell thee Lady, this aſpect of mine Hath fear'd the valiant (by my Loue I ſweare) The beſt regarded virgins of our clime Hath lou'd it too: I would not change this hue, Except to ſteale your thoughts my gentle Queene. In termes of choiſe I am not ſoly led By nice direction of a maydens eyes. Beſides, the Lottry of my deſtiny Barres me the right of voluntary chooſing: But if my father had not ſcanted me, And hedg'd me by his wit, to yeeld my ſelfe His wife, who winnes me by that meanes I told you, Your ſelfe (renowned Prince) than ſtood as faire As any commer I haue look'd on yet, For my affection. Euen for that I thanke you, Therefore I pray you leade me to the Caskets To try my fortune. By this Semitaur That ſlew the Sophy, and a Perſian Prince, That wonne three fields of Sultan Solyman, I would out-ſtare the ſterneſt eyes that looke: Out-braue the heart moſt daring on the earth: Plucke the yong ſucking Cubs from the ſhee-Beare, Yea, mocke the Lyon when he tores for prey, To win the Lady. But alas, the while If Hercules and Lychas play at dice Which is the better man, the greater throw May turne by fortune from the weaker hand: So is Alcides beaten by his rage, And ſo may I, blinde fortune leading mee, Miſſe that which one vnworthier may attaine, And dye with greeuing. You muſt take your chance, And either not attempt to chooſe at all, Or ſwear before you chooſe, if you chooſe wrong, Neuer to ſpeake to Lady afterward In way of marriage, therefore be aduiſde.