Merchant of Venice. - Repositories

170 NOTES [ACT IIL
I. 31. Consistem of all nations; i.e. ^' stands, is held
together, by the fact that all nations trade here.'* (E. H.
Lewis.)
L 32. bated. Weakened. How ?
II. 1-36. Why should Antonio wish Bassanio to come and see
him pay his debt ? If Shylock had let Antonio speak, what
would the latter have said to him ? Is any light shed from this
scene upon the cause of Antonio's sadness ? What is the chief
purpose of the scene ?
SCENB IV
1. 2. conceit. Copception. Similar to the sense In which it
occurs where in L, i., in one of Gratiano's speeches ?
1. 3. amity. Friendship.
1. 6,. What preposition is understood in this line ?
1. 7. lover. Used often in Shakespeare in the sense of friencL
1. 9. customary boimty. Such deeds of kindness as she is
In the habit of doing. How does Lorenzo think that this act
differs from Portia's usual acts of charity,
L 10. for. What preposition would be used here to-day ?
1.11. What grammatical peculiarity in this line ? Find
another instance of the same in this play.
L 12. waste. Spend,
L14. proportion. Style,
L !&• manners. See the note on II., iii., 18,
L 16, spirit. Disposition. Find a different meaning in whicb