Page 105 - William_Shakespeare_-_The_Merchant_of_Venice_191

—Singer
Tell me where is fancy bred,
In° the heart or in the head? {Or in} > Either in
61
How ‘tis born and how ’tis fed? {How begot, how nourishèd?}

—Chorus
Tell me, tell me.° {Reply, reply}

—Singer
It is engendered in the eyes,° / Dull and heavy in the eyes
With gazing fed all fancy dies° / With more gazing, come more lies
62
In the cradle, where it lies.° / is where it lies / ‘tis there it dies.
Let us all ring fancy’s knell: 63
[spoken] I will begin: [sung] Ding, dong, bell.

—Chorus
64
Ding, dong, bell, + Ding, dong, bell. ,

61. {Tell me where is fancy bred,} / Tell me where does loving start,
{Or in the heart, or in the head?} / In the head or in the heart?
{How begot, how nourishèd?} / Does it bind or rend apart?
The three lines of the original verse all end in words that rhyme with lead. This is often cited to support the
argument that Bassanio was directed, by the rhyme-scheme of this song, to choose the lead casket. The words of the
following verses may also provide clues in their warning against the fancy of the eyes, i.e., the gold and silver
caskets—suggesting the choice of lead. As mentioned in the previous note, Bassanio would need a more obvious
clue (such as a clear directive as to where to look for a clue) to then make the connection between the rhyme-scheme
and the lead casket. Nerissa telling Bassanio to listen carefully to the song would be a hint regarding the location of
the hint; Bassanio, intent on the casket—without the hint on where to look for a hint—might miss the song and its
lyrics completely. [See Additional Notes, 3.2.65] [See: Essays, The Lottery, for evidence suggesting that Bassanio
received help with the lottery].
62. {It is engendered in the eyes,}
{With gazing fed, and fancy dies:} / With gazing fed, all fancy dies,
{In the cradle where it lies.}
63. {Let us all ring fancy’s knell.}
Making the song too obvious would give away its hidden hint and so the song must be subtle in its direction
to the lead casket—and subtle enough to be picked up only by someone who had been instructed to listen with care.
One example of lyrics which might make the hint too obvious—leading one to give so to get—would be as follows:
Let the sun of fancy set, | I’ll begin—and you beget, | Ay you will, but not quit yet
Chorus: What you give is what you get.
64. [See Additional Notes, 3.2.72, for facsimile of Q1 original]