The Merchant of Venice (The Jew of Venice) · chunk 18 of 42
Shakespeare, William · published 1623 · first performed or written 1596 [1596-1598] (Annals) comedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men unassigned nearest T19 Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions · 497 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
I am enjoined by oath to observe three things; First, never to unfold to any one Which casket 'twas I chose; next, if I fail Of the right casket, never in my life To woo a maid in way of marriage: Lastly, if I do fail in fortune of my choice, Immediately to leave you, and be gone. To these injunctions every one doth swear That comes to hazard for my worthless self. And so have I addressed me, fortune now To my hearts hope: gold, silver, and base lead. Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath. You shall look fairer ere I give or hazard. What says the golden chest, ha', let me see: Who chooseth me, shall gain what many men desire: What many men desire, that many may be meant By the fool multitude that choose by show, Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach, Which pries not to th' interior, but like the Martlet Builds in the weather on the outward wall, Even in the force and road of casualty. I will not choose what many men desire, Because I will not jump with common spirits, And rank me with the barbarous multitudes. 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 weare an undeserved dignity: O that estates, degrees, and offices, Were not deriu'd corruptly, and that clear honour Were purchased by the merit of the wearer; How many than should cover that stand bare? How many be commanded that command? How much low pleasantry would then be gleaned From the true seed of honour? And how much honour Picked from the chaff and ruin of the times, To be new varnished: 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. Too long a pause for that which you find there. 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? To offend and judge are distinct offices, And of opposed natures. What is here? The fire seven times tried this, Seven times tried that iudement is, That did never choose amiss, Some there be that shadows kiss, Such have but a shadow's bliss: There be fools alive Iwis Silvered o'er, and so was this: Take what wife you will to bed, I will ever be your head: So be gone, you are sped.
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)
I am enioynd by oath to obſerue three things; Firſt, neuer to vnfold to any one Which casket 'twas I choſe; next, if I faile Of the right casket, neuer in my life To wooe a maide in way of marriage: Laſtly, if I doe faile in fortune of my choyſe, Immediately to leaue you, and be gone. To theſe iniunctions euery one doth ſweare That comes to hazard for my worthleſſe ſelfe. And ſo haue I addreſt me, fortune now To my hearts hope: gold, ſiluer, and baſe lead. Who chooſeth me muſt giue and hazard all he hath. You ſhall looke fairer ere I giue or hazard. What ſaies the golden cheſt, ha, let me ſee: Who chooſeth me, ſhall gaine what many men deſire: What many men deſire, that many may be meant By the foole multitude that chooſe by ſhow, Not learning more then the fond eye doth teach, Which pries not to th' interior, but like the Martlet Builds in the weather on the outward wall, Euen in the force and rode of caſualtie. I will not chooſe what many men deſire, Becauſe I will not iumpe with common ſpirits, And ranke me with the barbarous multitudes. Why then to thee thou Siluer treaſure houſe, Tell me once more, what title thou dooſt beare; Who chooſeth me ſhall get as much as he deſerues: And well ſaid too; for who ſhall goe about To coſen Fortune, and be honourable Without the ſtampe of merrit, let none preſume To wear an vndeſerued dignitie: O that eſtates, degrees, and offices, Were not deriud corruptly, and that cleare honour Were purchaſt by the merrit of the wearer; How many then ſhould couer that ſtand bare? How many be commanded that command? How much low pleaſantry would then be gleaned From the true ſeede of honor? And how much honor Pickt from the chaffe and ruine of the times, To be new varniſht: Well, but to my choiſe. Who chooſeth me ſhall get as much as he deſerues. I will aſſume deſert; giue me a key for this, And inſtantly vnlocke my fortunes here. Too long a pauſe for that which you finde there. What's here, the portrait of a blinking idiot Preſenting me a ſcedule, I will reade it: How much vnlike art thou to Portia? How much vnlike my hopes and my deſeruings? Who chooſeth me, ſhall haue as much as he deſerues. Did I deſerue no more then a fooles head, Is that my prize, are my deſerts no better? To offend and iudge are diſtinct offices, And of oppoſed natures. What is here? The fier ſeauen times tried this, Seauen times tried that iudement is, That did neuer chooſe amis, Some there be that ſhadowes kiſſe, Such haue but a ſhadowes bliſſe: There be fooles aliue Iwis Siluer'd o're, and ſo was this: Take what wife you will to bed, I will euer be your head: So be gone, you are ſped.