NATHAN. Twist, writhe, disguise you, as you will, I know you, You were too honest, knight, to be more civil; A girl all feeling, and a she-attendant All complaisance, a father at a distance— You valued her good name, and would not see her. You scorned to try her, lest you should be victor; For that I also thank you. TEMPLAR. I confess, You know how templars ought to think. NATHAN. Still templars— And only _ought_ to think—and all because The rules and vows enjoin it to the _order_— I know how good men think—know that all lands Produce good men. TEMPLAR. But not without distinction. NATHAN. In colour, dress, and shape, perhaps, distinguished. TEMPLAR. Here more, there fewer sure? NATHAN. That boots not much, The great man everywhere has need of room. Too many set together only serve To crush each others’ branches. Middling good, As we are, spring up everywhere in plenty. Only let one not scar and bruise the other; Let not the gnarl be angry with the stump; Let not the upper branch alone pretend Not to have started from the common earth. TEMPLAR. Well said: and yet, I trust, you know the nation, That first began to strike at fellow men, That first baptised itself the chosen people— How now if I were—not to hate this people, Yet for its pride could not forbear to scorn it, The pride which it to Mussulman and Christian Bequeathed, as were its God alone the true one, You start, that I, a Christian and a templar, Talk thus. Where, when, has e’er the pious rage To own the better god—on the whole world To force this better, as the best of all— Shown itself more, and in a blacker form, Than here, than now? To him, whom, here and now, The film is not removing from his eye— But be he blind that wills! Forget my speeches And leave me. NATHAN. Ah! indeed you do not know How closer I shall cling to you henceforth. We must, we will be friends. Despise my nation— We did not choose a nation for ourselves. Are we our nations? What’s a nation then? Were Jews and Christians such, e’er they were men? And have I found in thee one more, to whom It is enough to be a man? TEMPLAR. That hast thou. Nathan, by God, thou hast. Thy hand. I blush To have mistaken thee a single instant. NATHAN. And I am proud of it. Only common souls We seldom err in. TEMPLAR. And uncommon ones Seldom forget. Yes, Nathan, yes we must, We will be friends.