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" Accursed be the tongue which tells me so," said the trembling Macbeth, who felt his last hold of confidence give way. " I will not live to kiss the ground before young Malcolm's feet, and to be baited with the curses of the rabble. Though Birnam wood be come to Dunsinane, and thou opposed to me, who wast never born of woman, yet will I try the last." With these frantic words he threw himself upon Macduff, who, after a severe struggle, in the end overcame him, and cutting off his head, made a present of it to the young and lawful king, Malcolm; who at last took upon him the government of which he had so long been deprived.

The Merchant of Venice

Shylock, the Jew, lived at Venice. He was an usurer who had amassed an immense fortune by lending money at great interest to Christian merchants. Shylock, being a hard-hearted man, exacted the payment of the money

With the possible exception of " The Tempest," " The Merchant of Venice" has had a greater popularity, both among readers and audiences alike, than any other of Shakespeare's comedies. The reasons for this preference are not far to seek.

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he lent with such severity that he was much disliked by all good men, and particularly by Antonio, a young merchant of Venice; and Shylock as much hated Antonio, because he used to lend money to people in distress, and would never take any interest for the money he lent.

Antonio was greatly beloved by all his fellow-citizens; but the friend who was nearest and dearest to his heart was Bassanio, a noble Venetian, who had nearly exhausted his little fortune by living in too expensive a manner for his slender means. Whenever Bassanio wanted money, Antonio assisted him ; and it seemed as if they had but one heart and one purse between them.

One day Bassanio came to Antonio, and told him that he wished to repair his fortune by a wealthy marriage with a lady whom he dearly loved, whose father, that was lately dead, had left her sole heiress to a large estate; but not having money to furnish himself with an appearance befitting the lover of so rich an heiress, he besought Antonio to add to the many favours he had shown him, by lending him three thousand ducats.

Antonio had no money by him at that time to lend his friend; so the two friends went together to Shylock, and Antonio asked the Jew to lend him three thousand ducats upon any interest he should require, to be paid out of the merchandise contained in his ships at sea. On this, Shylock thought within himself, " If I can catch him on

Although the theme of the main plot is almost tragic in its conception, yet the characters are marked with discrimination and variety, and a wholesome, sweet—almost idyllic—atmosphere pervades it throughout. For the incidents Shakespeare was indebted to more than one old legend and old play. The firstnamed occurs in Giovanni Firnentine's " II Pecorone," where a Christian is rescued from discharging a debt with a pound of his own flesh, through the advocacy of a " Lady of Belmont." A similar story appears in " Gesta Romanorum," and the legend of the caskets and the bonds also figure in another part of the same work. The earliest version of the " Merchant of Venice " was produced in August, 1594, but was not published until 1600. when two versions, compiled from different stage copies, appeared.

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the hip, I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him."

Antonio, finding he was musing within himself, said to him, " Shylock, do you hear ? will you lend the money ? " To which question the Jew replied, " Signior Antonio, on the Rialto many a time and often you have railed to me about my moneys and my usuries, and I have borne it with a patient shrug, for sufferance is the badge of all our tribe; and then you have called me unbeliever, cut-throat dog, and spit upon my Jewish garments, and spurned at me with your foot, as if I was a cur. Has a dog money? Is it possible a cur should lend three thousand ducats?" Antonio replied, " I am as like to spit on you again, and spurn you too. If you will lend me this money, lend it not to me as to a friend, but rather lend it to me as to an enemy, that, if I break, you may with better face exact the penalty."—" Why, look you," said Shylock, " how you storm! I would be friends with you, and have your love. I will forget the shames you have put upon me. I will supply your wants, and take no interest for my money."

This seemingly kind offer greatly surprised Antonio; and then Shylock, still pretending kindness, and that all he did was to gain Antonio's love, again said he would lend him the three thousand ducats, and take no interest for his money; only Antonio should go with him to a lawyer, and there sign in merry sport a bond, that if he did not repay the money by a certain day, he would forfeit a pound of flesh, to be cut off from any part of his body that Shylock pleased. " Content," said Antonio; but Bassanio said Antonio should not sign to such a bond for him. But still Antonio insisted that he would sign it, for that before the day of payment came, his ships would return laden with many times the value of the money.