‘He lends out money gratis, and brings down
The rate of usance.’”
“And then becomes security for a friend,” added the first,—“not merely by putting his name on the back of a bill, but by pledging his flesh! How very improbable! And then again consider his insolence to Shylock, of whom he wants to borrow money; which is about as wise as if an American who wants credit were to insult Nic’las Biddle!”
“All my sympathies in that play,” rejoined the second, “are with the Jew; who, after all, claimed nothing that was not lawful, and in every one of his speeches evinces more common sense than the Christian, who suffers his vessels to go to sea without having them insured.
‘And thrift is blessing, if men steal it not,’
is a very good motto. The Jew is no fool, I tell you.”
“Quite a sensible man, that,” exclaimed a sharp-featured, long-headed, grey-eyed, raw-boned male figure who had taken his stand by the side of us, and had evidently overheard the severe critic: “if it were not for our thrifty merchants, I do not know what figure we should make in the world!”
Here the commentators on Shakspeare looked round and measured the pedlar (for such he was from his language and appearance), and then turned back again with a doubtful shrug of their shoulders, which had the effect of completely silencing the “Down-Easter.”
The momentary quiet produced by the cold rebuke of the gentlemen was soon taken advantage of by the ladies, who, engaging with each other in loud conversation, notwithstanding the cries of “Hold your tongues!” from the pit, gave the strongest possible proof of their fashionable indifference with regard to ordinary acting; until, at last, the appearance of Othello silenced every voice with the universal roar of applause from the pit, boxes, and galleries. Othello bowed, the ladies observing “that he had learned that in England.” Fresh acclamations and plaudits, followed by renewed acknowledgments on the part of the actor; during which Iago finishes his speech, and gives the cue to Othello.
Othello.—“’Tis better as it is.”
“After all, I do not see what the English people liked in Forest,” observed a lady on the front seat. “I think him excessively clumsy.”