[Footnote 54: _--I shall have good fortune_!; The palm which offers to swear that the owner shall have good fortune, is a fair table to be proud of.] [Footnote 55: _--here's a simple line of life_!; In allusion to the lines on the palm of his hand.] [Footnote 56: _--in peril of my life with the edge of a feather-bed_,; A cant phrase to signify the danger of marrying.] [Footnote 57: _--something too_ liberal:--; Gross or coarse.] [Footnote 58: _--hood mine eyes_; Alluding to the manner of covering a hawk's eyes.] [Footnote 59: _--sad ostent;_ Grave appearance--show of staid and serious behaviour. _Ostent_ is a word very commonly used for _show_ among the old dramatic writers.] [Footnote 60: _--we shall see your bearing_.; Bearing is carriage--deportment.] [Footnote 61: _We have not spoke us yet of torch-bearers_.; _Id est_, we have not yet bespoken the torch-bearers.] [Footnote 62: _--to break up this,_ To _break up_ was a term in carving.] [Footnote 63: _I am bid forth to supper,_; I am invited. To _bid_, in old language, meant to _pray_.] [Footnote 64: _to feed upon the prodigal Christian:_ The poet here means to heighten the malignity of Shylock's character, by making him depart from his settled resolve, of "neither to eat, drink nor pray with Christians," for the prosecution of his revenge.] [Footnote 65: _nose fell a bleeding_; Some superstitious belief was annexed to the accident of bleeding at the nose.] [Footnote 66: _wry-neck'd fife,_; The upper part or mouth-piece, resembling the beak of a bird.] [Footnote 67: _--worth a Jewess' eye_.; It's worth a Jews' eye is a proverbial phrase.] [Footnote 68: _The patch is kind enough;_ Patch is the name of a Fool, probably in allusion to his _patch'd_ or party colored dress.] [Footnote 69: Sung by Miss POOLE, Miss LEFFLER, and Mr. WALLWORTH.] [Footnote 70: The words are from _Midsummer Night's Dream_, Act i., Scene 1.] [Footnote 71: _--a Gentile and no Jew_.; A jest arising from the ambiguity of _Gentile_, which signifies both a _Heathen_, and one well-born.] ACT III. SCENE I.--SALOON OF THE CASKETS IN PORTIA'S HOUSE AT BELMONT. _Enter_ NERISSA, _with_ SERVANTS. _Ner_. The prince of Arragon hath ta'en his oath, And comes to his election presently. _Flourish of Trumpets. Enter the_ PRINCE OF ARRAGON, PORTIA, _and their Trains_. _Por_. Behold, there stand the caskets, noble prince; If you choose that wherein I am contain'd, Straight shall our nuptial rites be solemniz'd; But if you fail, without more speech, my lord, You must be gone from hence immediately. _Arr_. I am enjoin'd 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. _Por_. To these injunctions every one doth swear That comes to hazard for my worthless self.