And death unloads thee: friend hast thou none; Do curse the gout, serpigo,* and the rheum, : For ending thee no sooner thou hast not youth nor age; But, as it were, an after-dinner's sleep, Dreaming on both for all thy blessed youth Becomes as aged, and doth beg the alms Of palsied eld; and when thou art old, and rich, VIRTUE AND GOODNESS. Virtue is bold, and goodness never fearful. GREATNESS SUBJECT TO CENSURE. O place and greatness, millions of false eyes Make thee the father of their idle dream, And rack thee in their fancies. RESOLUTION FROM A SENSE OF HONOUR. Why give me this shame ? Think you I can a resolution fetch From flowery tenderness? If I must die, I will encounter darkness as a bride, And hug it in mine arms. Leprous eruptions. + Old age Sallies. Claud. Ay, but to die, and go we know not where, To lie in cold obstruction, and to rot: This sensible warm motion to become Imagine howling!-'tis too horrible! The weariest and most loathed worldly life, To what we fear of death. MERCHANT OF VENICE. MIRTH AND MELANCHOLY. Now, by two-headed Janus, Nature hath framed strange fellows in her time Some that will evermore peep through their eyes, And laugh, like parrots, at a bag-piper; And other of such vinegar aspect, That they'll not show their teeth in way of smile, Though Nestor swear the jest be laughable. WORLDLINESS. You have too much respect upon the world: CHEERFULNESS. Let me play the fool: With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come; Than my heart cool with mortifying groans. Sleep when he wakes? and creep into the jaundice THE WORLD'S TRUE VALUE. I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano; A stage, where every man must play a part. THE JEW'S EXPOSTULATION. Signior Antonio, many a time and oft, And all for use of that which is mine own. A cur can lend three thousand ducats? or With 'bated breath, and whispering humbleness, Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last, You call'd me-dog; and for these courtesies A GOOD DEED COMPARED. How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a naughty world. * Interest. THE JEW'S MALICE. Bass. This is signior Antonio. Shy. [Aside.] How like a fawning publican he looks! I hate him, for he is a Christian : But more, for that, in low simplicity, He lends out money gratis, and brings down If I can catch him once upon the hip, I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him. |