Jean Pierre Simon 'John Peter Simon, the Younger' & Robert Smirke

Shakspeare. Merchant of Venice. Act II, Scene V. Shylock's House. Shylock, Jessica and Launcelot. Publish'd Dec. 1, 1795, by John & Josiah Boydell, at the Shakspeare Gallery, Pall-Mall; & at No. 90, Cheapside, London . Engraved by J. P. Simon. Painted by R. Smirke R. A.

Jessica: Call you? What is your will?

Shylock: I am bid forth for supper, Jessica;
There are my keys -- But wherefore should I go?
I am not bid for love; they flatter me:
But yet I'll go in hate, to feed upon
The prodigal Christian. -- Jessica, my girl,
Look to my house: -- I am right loath to go;
There is some ill a brewing towards my rest,
For I did dream of money-bags to-night.

Launcelot: I beseech you, sir, go; my young master doth
expect your reproach.

Shylock: So do I his.

Launcelot: And they have conspired together, -- I will not say,
you shall see a masque; but if you do, then it was not for nothing
that my nose fell a bleeding on Black-Monday last, at six o'clock i' the morning,
falling out that year on Ash-Wednesday was four year in the afternoon.

Shylock: What! are there masques? Hear you me, Jessica:
Lock up my doors; and when you hear the drum
And the vile squealing of the wry-neck'd fife,
Clamber not you up to the casements then,
Nor thrust your head into the public street,
To gaze on Christian fools with varnish'd faces:
But stop my house's ears, I mean my casements;
Lets not the sound of shallow foppery enter
My sober house. -- By Jacob's staff I swear,
I have no mind of feasting forth to-night:
But I will go. -- Go you before me, sirrah;
Say I will come.

Launcelot: I will go before sir. --
Mistress, look out at window, for all this;
There will come a Christian by,
Will be worth a Jewess' eye. [Exit Launcelot.]

This original first edition engraving depicts a scene from a scene from William Shakespeare, 'Act Two, Scene Five', Merchant of Venice with Shylock, Jessica and Launcelot at Shylock's House. It includes such fine characters as, Lorenzo a friend of Bassanio and the young man who has fallen in love with Jessica, daughter of Shylock, a rich Jewish moneylender. Lorenzo requests the help of his two friends, Graziano and Salerio. Launcelot Gobbo (the man at the door portrayed in this engraving), is Shylock's mistreated servant, a quick witted fellow who decides to help Jessica and Lorenzo with their dilemma. The young lovers manage to elope leaving Shylock infuriated. Later in the story, Lorenzo appears in Belmont to help Antonio, the wealthy and respected merchant of Venice and his good friend, Bassanio. Bassanio needs money to court Portia, a wealthy and beautiful woman in Belmont. Since Antonio has invested in merchant ships, he has none to lend, but confident that the ships will arrive in time, agrees to let Bassanio use his name to secure the loan from Shylock. Shylock despises Antonio, but agrees to lend the money, only if he can take a pound of flesh from Antonio as payment if he does not pay in time. When Bassanio and his friend, Gratiano arrive in Belmonto, the fair Portia & Bassanio fall in love, but according to her father's wishes, Portia can only marry the man who chooses the right casket, and of course, he does, having rejected the gold and the silver he has chosen her lovely picture. Gratiano and Portia's maid and confidant, Nerissa also fall in love. Their weddings take place and a letter from Antonio arrives informing them his ships have been lost at sea. Antonio must fulfill his agreement with Shylock and is summon to court. In the end, Portia and Nerissa intervene in court, save Antonio's life, leave the villainous Shylock without money and the lovers are re-united.

This original engraving is a 'First Edition Impression'. 4. 'First Edition Impressions'. The completed set of Boydell's Shakespeare engravings was published in London in 1803. The full publisher's address appears along the lower margin as well as the text for the play. The heading, 'Shakspeare', is now filled in with stippling. The text below the image of this first edition impression reads;

"Shakspeare. Merchant of Venice. Act II, Scene V. Shylock's House. Shylock, Jessica and Launcelot. Publish'd Dec. 1, 1795, by John & Josiah Boydell, at the Shakspeare Gallery, Pall-Mall; & at No. 90, Cheapside, London . Engraved by J. P. Simon. Painted by R. Smirke R. A.

Shy: What are there masques? Hear you me Jessica:
Lock up my doors; and when you hear the drum,
And the vile squealing of the wry neck'd fife,
Clamber not you up to the casements then,
Nor thrust your head into the public street,
let not the sound of shallow foppery enter
My sober house.___"

An Important Note on Boydell States and Editions: Proof impressions and true first edition impressions are easily identified by their fine lines and strong contrasts of black and white tones. Later more common editions print in a more overall grey tone and contain areas of re-working. Briefly, the publishing history of these great engravings can be categorized into five states or editions:

1. 'Artist's Proofs'. These are the earliest of states and were printed in only a handful of impressions. They are identified not only by their vibrant lines and tones but by the fact that they lack any letters along the lower margin.
2. 'Proofs Before Title'. These impressions usually contain the names of the artist, publisher and engraver along the lower margin. They lack the title of the specific play depicted and usually the heading -- 'Shakspeare' -- is smaller than in the published edition. Once again, this state was printed in a very small numbers.
3. 'Open Letter Proofs'. These impressions bear the title of the play. the heading, 'Shakspeare' (Shakespeare), is yet to be filled in with stippling. These impressions were printed before the publication of the first edition and were probably struck from the plate at a customer's request. Perhaps ten to twenty Open Letter Proofs exist for each engraving.
4. 'First Edition Impressions'. The completed set of Boydell's Shakespeare engravings was published in London in 1803. The full publisher's address appears along the lower margin as well as the text for the play. The heading, 'Shakspeare', is now filled in with stippling. Both first edition impressions and proofs were most often printed on either hand-made, laid paper or wove paper bearing the 'J. Whatman' watermark.
5. 'Posthumous Impressions and Restrikes' As early as 1807, John Stockdale of London issued a second edition of the Shakespeare prints. They continued to be published throughout the first half of the nineteenth century. Finally, in 1852, an enterprising dentist in New York City (with the delightful name of Shearjashub Spooner) acquired the plates, restored them and produced the last edition. These prints are most commonly offered for sale.

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