It is engender'd in the eyes, With gazing fed;and fancy dies In the cradle where it lies. Let us all ring fancy's knell I'll begin it,--Ding,dong,bell. ALL Ding,dong,bell. BASSANIO So may the outward shows be least themselves: The world is still deceived with ornament In law,what plea so tainted and corrupt, But,being seasoned with a gracious voice. Obscures the show of evil?In religion, What damned error,but some sober brow Will bless it and approve it with a text, Hiding the grossness with fair ornament? There is no vice so simple but assumes Some mark of virtue on his outward parts: How many cowards,whose hearts are all as false As stairs of sand,wear yet upon their chins The beards of Hercules and frowning Mars; Who,inward search'd,have livers white as milk; And these assume but valour's excrement To render them redoubted!Look on beauty. And you shall see 'tis purchased by the weight; Which therein works a miracle in nature, Making them lightest that wear most of it: So are those crisped snaky golden locks Which make such wanton gambols with the wind, Upon supposed fairness,often known To be the dowry of a second head, The skull that bred them in the sepulchre. Thus ornament is but the guiled shore To a most dangerous sea;the beauteous scarf Veiling an Indian beauty;in a word, The seeming truth which cunning times put on To entrap the wisest.Therefore,thou gaudy gold, Hard food for Midas,I will none of thee; Nor none of thee,thou pale and common drudge "Tween man and man:but thou,thou meagre lead, Which rather threatenest than dost promise aught, Thy paleness moves me more than eloquence; And here choose I;joy be the consequence! PORTIA [Aside]How all the other passions fleet to air, As doubtful thoughts,and rash-embraced despair,It is engender'd in the eyes, With gazing fed; and fancy dies In the cradle where it lies. Let us all ring fancy's knell I'll begin it,--Ding, dong, bell. ALL Ding, dong, bell. BASSANIO So may the outward shows be least themselves: The world is still deceived with ornament. In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt, But, being seasoned with a gracious voice, Obscures the show of evil? In religion, What damned error, but some sober brow Will bless it and approve it with a text, Hiding the grossness with fair ornament? There is no vice so simple but assumes Some mark of virtue on his outward parts: How many cowards, whose hearts are all as false As stairs of sand, wear yet upon their chins The beards of Hercules and frowning Mars; Who, inward search'd, have livers white as milk; And these assume but valour's excrement To render them redoubted! Look on beauty, And you shall see 'tis purchased by the weight; Which therein works a miracle in nature, Making them lightest that wear most of it: So are those crisped snaky golden locks Which make such wanton gambols with the wind, Upon supposed fairness, often known To be the dowry of a second head, The skull that bred them in the sepulchre. Thus ornament is but the guiled shore To a most dangerous sea; the beauteous scarf Veiling an Indian beauty; in a word, The seeming truth which cunning times put on To entrap the wisest. Therefore, thou gaudy gold, Hard food for Midas, I will none of thee; Nor none of thee, thou pale and common drudge 'Tween man and man: but thou, thou meagre lead, Which rather threatenest than dost promise aught, Thy paleness moves me more than eloquence; And here choose I; joy be the consequence! PORTIA [Aside] How all the other passions fleet to air, As doubtful thoughts, and rash-embraced despair