The Merchant Of Venice,: A Legend Of Italy Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABACCDEFFBBBAA EE GGGH I JJJJJ KKLLMMMEENNOOO PPPPLLEE ELLGGEEQRPPPPPPPSEEE EEPPBP SSPSTTEESPUUEUNPPEEP PPPPS VV PPP NNNNU VVPPEEGGPPUUE PP ETTTTBBGGUUUV EEEEEEUUUUU PPPPPLI believe there are few | A |
But have heard of a Jew | A |
Named Shylock of Venice as arrant a 'screw' | B |
In money transactions as ever you knew | A |
An exorbitant miser who never yet lent | C |
A ducat at less than three hundred per cent | C |
Insomuch that the veriest spendthrift in Venice | D |
Who'd take no more care of his pounds than his pennies | E |
When press'd for a loan at the very first sight | F |
Of his terms would back out and take refuge in Flight | F |
It is not my purpose to pause and inquire | B |
If he might not in managing thus to retire | B |
Jump out of the frying pan into the fire | B |
Suffice it that folks would have nothing to do | A |
Who could possibly help it with Shylock the Jew | A |
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But however discreetly one cuts and contrives | E |
We've been most of us taught in the course of our lives | E |
That 'Needs must when the Elderly Gentleman drives ' | - |
In proof of this rule | G |
A thoughtless young fool | G |
Bassanio a Lord of the Tomnoddy school | G |
Who by showing at Operas Balls Plays and Court | H |
A 'swelling' Payne Collier would read 'swilling' 'port ' | - |
And inviting his friends to dine breakfast and sup | I |
Had shrunk his 'weak means ' and was 'stump'd ' and 'hard up ' | - |
Took occasion to send | J |
To his very good friend | J |
Antonio a merchant whose wealth had no end | J |
And who'd often before had the kindness to lend | J |
Him large sums on his note which he'd managed to spend | J |
- | |
'Antonio ' said he 'Now listen to me | K |
I've just hit on a scheme which I think you'll agree | K |
All matters consider'd is no bad design | L |
And which if it succeeds will suit your book and mine | L |
'In the first place you know all the money I've got | M |
Time and often from you has been long gone to pot | M |
And in making those loans you have made a bad shot | M |
Now do as the boys do when shooting at sparrows | E |
And tom tits they chance to lose one of their arrows | E |
Shoot another the same way I'll watch well its track | N |
And turtle to tripe I'll bring both of them back | N |
So list to my plan | O |
And do what you can | O |
To attend to and second it that's a good man | O |
- | |
'There's a Lady young handsome beyond all compare at | P |
A place they call Belmont whom when I was there at | P |
The suppers and parties my friend Lord Mountferrat | P |
Was giving last season we all used to stare at | P |
Then as to her wealth her solicitor told mine | L |
Besides vast estates a pearl fishery and gold mine | L |
Her iron strong box | E |
Seems bursting its locks | E |
It's stuffed so with shares in 'Grand Junctions ' and 'Docks ' | - |
Not to speak of the money's she's got in the stocks | E |
French Dutch and Brazilian Columbian and Chilian | L |
In English Exchequer bills full half a million | L |
Not 'kites ' manufactured to cheat and inveigle | G |
But the right sort of 'flimsy ' all signed by Monteagle | G |
Then I know not how much in Canal shares and Railways | E |
And more speculations I need not detail ways | E |
Of vesting which if not so safe as some think'em | Q |
Contribute a deal to improving one's income | R |
In short she's a Mint | P |
Now I say deuce is in't | P |
If with all my experience I can't take a hint | P |
And her 'eye's speechless messages ' plainer than print | P |
At the time that I told you of know from a squint | P |
In short my dear Tony | P |
My trusty old crony | P |
Do stump up three thousand once more as a loan I | S |
Am sure of my game though of course there are brutes | E |
Of all sorts and sizes preferring their suits | E |
To her you may call the Italian Miss Coutts | E |
Yet Portia she's named from that daughter of Cato's | E |
Is not to be snapp'd up like little potatoes | E |
And I have not a doubt I shall rout every lout | P |
Ere you'll whisper Jack Robinson cut them all out | P |
Surmount every barrier Carry her marry her | B |
Then hey my old Tony when once fairly noosed | P |
For her Three and a half per cents New and Reduced ' | - |
- | |
With a wink of his eye His friend made reply | S |
In his jocular manner sly caustic and dry | S |
'Still the same boy Bassanio never say 'die' | P |
Well I hardly know how I shall do't but I'll try | S |
Don't suppose my affairs are at all in a hash | T |
But the fact is at present I'm quite out of cash | T |
The bulk of my property merged in rich cargoes is | E |
Tossing about as you know in my Argosies | E |
Tending of course my resources to cripple I | S |
've one bound to England another to Tripoli | P |
Cyprus Masulipatam and Bombay | U |
A sixth by the way I consigned t'other day | U |
To Sir Gregor M'Gregor Cacique of Poyais | E |
A country where silver's as common as clay | U |
Meantime till they tack And come some of them back | N |
What with Custom house duties and bills falling due | P |
My account with Jones Loyd and Co looks rather blue | P |
While as for the 'ready ' I'm like a Church mouse | E |
I really don't think there's five pounds in the house | E |
But no matter for that | P |
Let me just get my hat | P |
And my new silk umbrella that stands on the mat | P |
And we'll go forth at once to the market we two | P |
And try what my credit in Venice can do | P |
I stand well on 'Change and when all's said and done I | S |
Don't doubt I shall get it for love or for money ' | - |
- | |
They were going to go | V |
When lo down below | V |
In the street they heard somebody crying 'Old Clo' ' | - |
'By the Pope there's the man for our purpose I knew | P |
We should not have to search long Salanio run you | P |
Salarino quick haste ere he get out of view | P |
And call in that scoundrel old Shylock the Jew ' | - |
- | |
With a pack | N |
Like a sack | N |
Of old clothes at his back | N |
And three hats on his head Shylock came in a crack | N |
Saying 'Rest you fair Signior Antonio vat pray | U |
Might your vorship be pleashed for to vant in ma vay ' | - |
- | |
'Why Shylock although As you very well know | V |
I am what they call 'warm ' pay my way as I go | V |
And as to myself neither borrow nor lend | P |
I can break through a rule to oblige an old friend | P |
And that's the case now Lord Bassanio would raise | E |
Some three thousand ducats well knowing your ways | E |
And that nought's to be got from you say what one will | G |
Unless you've a couple of names to the bill | G |
Why for once I'll put mine to it | P |
Yea seal and sign to it | P |
Now then old Sinner let's hear what you'll say | U |
As to 'doing' a bill at three months from to day | U |
Three thousand gold ducats mind all in good bags | E |
Of hard money no sealing wax slippers or rags ' | - |
- | |
' Vell ma tear ' says the Jew 'I'll see vat I can do | P |
But Mishter Antonio hark you 'tish funny | P |
You say to me 'Shylock ma tear ve'd have money ' | - |
Ven you very vell knows How you shpit on ma clothes | E |
And use naughty vords call me Dog and avouch | T |
Dat I put too much int'resht py half in ma pouch | T |
And vhile I like de resht of ma tribe shrug and crouch | T |
You find fault mit ma pargains and say I'm a Smouch | T |
Vell n o matters ma tear Von vord in your ear | B |
I'd be friends mit you bote and to make dat appear | B |
Vy I'll find you de monies as soon as you vill | G |
Only von littel joke musht be put in de pill | G |
Ma tear you musht say | U |
If on such and such day | U |
Such sum or such sums you shall fail to repay | U |
I shall cut vere I like as de pargain is proke | V |
A fair pound of your flesh chest by vay of a joke ' | - |
- | |
So novel a clause Caused Bassanio to pause | E |
But Antonio like most of those sage 'Johnny Raws' | E |
Who care not three straws | E |
About Lawyers or Laws | E |
And think cheaply of 'Old Father Antic ' because | E |
They have never experienced a gripe from his claws | E |
'Pooh pooh'd' the whole thing 'Let the Smouch have his way | U |
Why what care I pray | U |
For his penalty Nay | U |
It's a forfeit he'd never expect me to pay | U |
And come what come may I hardly need say | U |
My ships will be back a full month ere the day ' | - |
So anxious to see his friend off on his journey | P |
And thinking the whole but a paltry concern he | P |
Affixed with all speed | P |
His name to a deed | P |
Duly stamp'd and drawn up by a sharp Jew attorney | P |
Thus again | L |
Richard Harris Barham
(1)
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