I do befeech you, good my lords, keep on;
[Exeunt Alcibiades, &c.
10I'll wait upon you instantly.--Come hither,pray you.
[To Flavius.

How goes the world, that I am thus encounter'd
With clamorous demands of broken bonds,
And the detention of long-fince-due debts,
15 Against my honour?

Flav. Please you, gentlemen,

The time is unagreeable to this business:
Your importunacy cease, 'till after dinner;
That I may make his lordship understand
20 Wherefore you are not paid.

Tim. Do fo, my friends: See them well enter-
tain'd.
[Exit Timon.
Flav. Pray draw near.
[Exit Flavius.
Enter Apemantus, and a Fool.

Enter Caphis, with the fervants of Ifidore and Varro. 25 Caph. Stay, stay, here comes the fool with

A gull is a bird as remarkable for the poverty of its feathers, as a phoenix is fuppofed to be for the richness of its plumage. 2 Which is here ufed for who, and refers to Timon. 3 Warburton fupplies the fenfe of this paffage thus: Never mind was [made] to be so unrvife, [in order] to be fo kind. i. e. Nature, in order to make a profufe mind, never before endowed any man with fo large a share of folly. 4 Gond even, or, as it is fometimes lefs accurately written, Good den, was the ufual falutation from non, the moment that Good morrow became improper. 5 The old name for a certain

difeafe was the brenning, and a fenfe of fealding is one of its firft fymptoms. bawdy-house, probably from the diffolutenefs of that ancient Greek city.

• A cant name for a

Page

Page. Thou waft whelp'd a dog; and thou 15 fhalt famish, a dog's death. Answer not, I am gone.

Apem. Even fo, thou out-run'ft grace. Fool, I will go with you to lord Timon's. Fool. Will you leave me there?

[Exit.

Apem. If Timon stay at home.-You three ferve three ufurers?

All. Ay; 'would they ferv'd us!

Apem. So would I,-as good a trick as ever hangman ferv'd thief.

Fool. Are you three ufurers' men?

All. Ay, fool.

Flav. You would not hear me,
At many leifures I propos'd.
Tim. Go to:

Perchance, fome fingle vantages you took
When my indifpofition put you back;
And that unaptness made your minister,
Thus to excufe yourself.

Flav. O my good lord!

At many times I brought in my accounts,
Laid them before you; you would throw them off,
And fay, you found them in mine honesty.
When, for fome trifling prefent, you have bid me
20 Return fo much, I have fhook my head, and wept;
Yea, 'gainst the authority of manners, pray'd you
To hold your hand more close: I did endure
Not feldom, nor no flight checks; when I have
Prompted you, in the ebb of your estate,

25 And your great flow of debts. My dear-lov'd lord,
Though you hear now, yet now's too late a time;
The greatest of your having lacks a half
To pay your prefent debts.

Fool. I think, no ufurer but has a fool to his fervant: My miftrefs is one, and I am her fool. When men come to borrow of your mafters, they 30 approach fadly, and go away merry; but they enter my master's houfe merrily, and go away fadly: The reason of this?

Var. I could render one.

Apem. Do it then, that we may account thee a 35 whore-mafter, and a knave; which notwithstanding, thou shalt be no less esteemed.

Var. What is a whore-mafter, fool?

Fool. A fool in good clothes, and something like thee. 'Tis a spirit: fometime, it appears like 40 a lord; fometime, like a lawyer; fometime, like a philofopher, with two ftones more than's artificial one': He is very often like a knight; and,| generally, in all fhapes, that man goes up and down in, from fourfcore to thirteen, this fpirit 45 walks in.

Var. Thou art not altogether a fool.

Fool. Nor thou altogether a wife man; as much foolery as I have, fo much wit thou lack'ft. Apem. That answer might have become Ape-150

mantus.

All. Afide, afide; here comes lord Timon.
Re-enter Timon, and Flavius.
Apem. Come with me, fool, come.

Fool. I do not always follow lover, elder bro-55 ther, and woman; sometime, the philofopher.

Tim. Let all my land be fold.

Flav. "Tis all engag'd, fome forfeited and gone;
And what remains will hardly stop the mouth
Of prefent dues: the future comes apace :
What fhall defend the interim? and at length
How goes our reckoning?

Tim. To Lacedæmon did my land extend.
Flav. O my good lord, the world is but a word 2;
Were it all yours, to give it in a breath,
How quickly were it gone?

2 The

' Meaning the celebrated philofopher's ftone, which was in thofe times much talked of. meaning is, As the world itfelf may be comprised in a word, you might give it away in a breath. 3 Feeders are fervants, whofe low debaucheries are practifed in the offices of a houfe. It appears, that what we now call offices, were anciently called boufes of office. 4 A wasteful cock is what we now

call a waste pipe; a pipe which is continually running, and thereby prevents the overflow of cisterns and other refervoirs, by carrying off their fuperfluous water. This circumftance ferved to keep the idea of Timon's unceafing prodigality in the mind of the fteward, while its remotenefs from the fcenes of luxury within the houfe, was favourable to meditation.

The

The breath is gone whereof this praife is made:
Feaft won, faft-loft; one cloud of winter showers,
Thefe flies are couch'd.

Tim. Come, fermon me no further:

No villainous bounty yet hath past my heart;
Unwifely, not ignobly have I given.

[lack,
Why doft thou weep? Can't thou the confcience
To think I fhall lack friends? Secure thy heart;
If I would broach the veffels of my love,

And try the argument of hearts by borrowing,
Men, and men's fortunes, could I frankly use,
As I can bid thee speak.

Flav. Affurance blefs your thoughts!

Tim. And, in fome fort, thefe wants of mine)
are crown'd,

That I account them bleffings; for by these
Shall I try friends: You fhall perceive, how you
Miftake my fortunes; I am wealthy in my friends.
Within there,-Flaminius Servilius!

Enter Flaminius, Servilius, and other Servants.
Serv. My lord, my lord,-

Tim. I will difpatch you feverally,-You, to
lord Lucius,

To lord Lucullus you; I hunted with his
Honour to-day,-You, to Sempronius,-
Commend me to their loves; and, I am proud, fay,
That my occafions have found time to use them
Toward a fupply of money: let the request
Be fifty talents.

Flam. As you have faid, my lord.

Flav. Lord Lucius, and Lucullus? hum!Tim. Go you, fir, to the fenators, [To Flavius. (Of whom, even to the ftate's best health, I have Deferv'd this hearing) bid 'em fend o' the inftant A thousand talents to me.

Flav. I have been bold,

(For that I knew it the most general 2 way) To them to use your fignet, and your name;

5

But they do fhake their heads, and I am here
No richer in return.

Tim. Is't true? can't be?

Flaw. They answer, in a joint and corporate voice, That now they are at fall, want treasure, cannot Do what they would; are forry—you are honourable,

But yet they could have wifh'd-they know notSomething hath been amiss-a noble nature 10 May catch a wrench-would all were well-'tis pity

And fo, intending 3 other serious matters,

After diftafteful looks, and thefe hard fractions 4, With certain half-caps 5, and cold-moving nods, 15 They froze me into filence.

Tim. You gods reward them!—

I pr'ythee, man, look cheerly: Thefe old fellows
Have their ingratitude in them hereditary:
Their blood is cak'd, 'tis cold, it feldom flows;
20Tis lack of kindly warmth, they are not kind;
And nature, as it grows again toward earth,
Is fashion'd for the journey, dull, and heavy.
Go to Ventidius,-Pr'ythee, be not fad,
Thou art true, and honeft; ingenuously I speak,
25 No blame belongs to thee :-Ventidius lately
Bury'd his father; by whose death, he's stepp'd
Into a great eftate: when he was poor,
Imprifon'd, and in scarcity of friends,

1 Argument may here be put for contents, as the arguments of a book; or for evidences and proofs. 2 i. e. compendious way. 3 To intend and to attend had anciently the fame meaning.

4 Fractions

here mean broken hints, interrupted fentences, abrupt remarks. 5 A balf-cap is a cap flightly moved, i. e. liberal. 7 i. e. respe&fully.

not put off.

occafion

occafion to use fifty talents, hath fent to your lordship to furnish him; nothing doubting your prefent affiftance therein.

Lucul. La, la, la, la,-nothing doubting, fays he? alas, good lord! a noble gentleman 'tis, if he 5 would not keep fo good a house. Many a time and often I ha' din'd with him, and told him on't; and come again to fupper to him, of purpose to have him fpend lefs: and yet he would embrace no counsel, take no warning by my coming. Every man has his fault, and honefty is his; I ha' told him on't, but I could never get him from 't. Re-enter Servant, with wine.

Serv. Please your lordship, here is the wine. Lucul. Flaminius, I have noted thee always wife. Here's to thee.

Flam. Your lordship speaks your pleasure.

thing, my lord, and which I hear from common rumours, now lord Timon's happy hours are done and past, and his estate shrinks from him.

Luc. Fye, no, do not believe it; he cannot want for money.

2 Stran. But believe you this, my lord, that, not long ago, one of his men was with the lord Lucullus, to borrow so many talents; nay, urg'd extremely for 't, and fhew'd what neceffity berolong'd to 't, and yet was deny'd. Luc. How?

2 Stran. I tell you, deny'd, my lord.

Luc. What a strange cafe was that? now, before the gods, I am afham'd on't. Deny'd that 15 honourable man? there was very little honour hew'd in 't. For my own part, I muft needs confefs, I have receiv'd fome small kindneffes from him, as money, plate, jewels, and fuch like trifles, nothing comparing to his; yet, had he mistook him, and fent to me, I should ne'er have deny'd his occafion fo many talents.

Lucul. I have obferv'd thee always for a towardly prompt fpirit,-give thee thy due,-and one that knows what belongs to reafon; and canft 20 ufe the time well, if the time use thee well: good -parts in thee.-Get you gone, firrah. [To the Servant, who goes out.]-Draw nearer, honeft Flaminius. Thy lord's a bountiful gentleman: but thou art wife; and thou know'ft well enough, although 25 thou com'ft to me, that this is no time to lend money; especially upon bare friendship, without fecurity. Here's three folidares for thee; good boy, wink at me, and fay, thou faw'ft me not. Fare thee well.

Flam. Is 't poffible, the world fhould fo much
differ;

And we alive, that liv'd2?Fly, damned bafenefs,
To him that worships thee.

30

[Throwing the money away. 35 Lucul. Ha! Now I fee, thou art a fool, and fit for thy mafter. [Exit Lucullus.

Flam. May thefe add to the number that may

40

145

Enter Servilius.

Ser. See, by good hap, yonder's my lord; I have fweat to fee his honour.-My honour'd lord

[To Lucius.

Luc. Servilius! you are kindly met, fir. Fare thee well:-Commend me to thy honourablevirtuous lord, my very exquifite friend.

Serv. May it please your honour, my lord hatha fent

Luc. Ha! what hath he fent? I am fo much endear'd to that lord; he's ever fending; How fhall I thank him, think'ft thou? And what has he fent now?

Ser. He has only fent his prefent occafion now, my lord; requesting your lordship to fupply his inftant ufe with fo many talents.

Luc. I know, his lordship is but merry with me;
He cannot want fifty-five hundred talents.
Serv. But in the mean time he wants lefs, my
lord.

If his occafion were not virtuous 3,

I fhould not urge it half fo faithfully 4.
Luc. Doft thou speak seriously, Servilius?
Ser. Upon my foul, 'tis true, fir.

Luc. What a wicked beaft was I, to disfurnish myfelf against fuch a good time, when I might have fhewn myself honourable? how unluckily it happen'd, that I fhould purchase the day before for 50a little part, and undo a great deal of honour 5?Servilius, now before the gods, I am not able to do 't; the more beaft, I fay:-I was fending to Jufe lord Timon myself, thefe gentlemen can witnefs, but I would not, for the wealth of Athens, 55I had done it now. Commend me bountifully to his good lordship; and, I hope, his honour will conceive the fairest of me, because I have no power to be kind :-And tell him this from me, I count it one of my greatest afflictions, fay, that I cannot pleasure fuch an honourable Gentleman. Good

1 Stran. We know him for no lefs, though we are but ftrangers to him. But I can tell you one 60

1 Mr. Steevens believes this coin to be from the mint of the poet. 2 i. e. and we who were alive then, alive now. As much as to fay, in fo fhort a time.

3 Alluding to the turning or acefcence of

milk. 3 i, e. If he did not want it for a good ufe. 4 Faithfully, for fervently.

5 The mean

ing is, By purchafing what brought me but little honour, I have lost the more honourable opportunity of supplying the wants of my friend.

Servilius,

Servilius, will you befriend me fo far, as to use
my own words to him?
Ser. Yes, fir, I fhall.

Luc. I'll look you out a good turn, Servilius.-
[Exit Servilius.
True, as you faid, Timon is fhrunk, indeed;
And he, that's once deny'd, will hardly speed.

1 Stran. Do you obferve this, Hoftilius? 2 Stran. Ay, too well.

[Exit.

1 Stran. Why, this is the world's fport;
And just of the fame piece is every flatterer's foul.
Who can call him his friend,

That dips in the fame dish? for, in my knowing,
Timon has been this lord's father,
And kept his credit with his purse!

Supported his eftate; nay, Timon's money
Has paid his men their wages: He ne'er drinks,
But Timon's filver treads upon his lip;
And yet, (O, fee the monftrousness of man,
When he looks out in an ungrateful shape !)
He does deny him, in respect of his,
What charitable men afford to beggars'.
3 Stran. Religion groans at it.

1 Stran. For mine own part,

I never tasted Timon in my life,
Nor came any of his bounties over me,

To mark me for his friend; yet, I protest,
For his right noble mind, illuftrious virtue,
And honourable carriage,

Had his neceffity made use of me,

I would have put my wealth into donation,
And the best half should have return'd to him2,
So much I love his heart: But, I perceive,
Men must learn now with pity to dispense;
For policy fits above confcience.

[Exeunt.

5

ΙΟ

Sem. How! have they deny'd him?
Has Ventidius and Lucullus deny'd him?
And does he fend to me? Three? hum!-
It fhews but little love or judgement in him.
Muft I be his last refuge? His friends, like phy-
ficians,

[me?

Thrive, give him over 4; Muft I take the cure upon
He has much difgrac'd me in't; I am angry at him,
That might have known my place: I fee no fenfe
for 't,

But his occafions might have woo'd me first;
For, in my confcience, I was the first man
That e'er receiv'd gift from him:

And does he think fo backwardly of me now, 15 That I'll requite it laft? No :

So it may prove an argument of laughter To the reft, and I 'mongst lords be thought a fool. had rather than the worth of thrice the fum, He had fent to me first, but for my mind's fake; 20I had fuch a courage 5 to do him good. But now return,

25

And with their faint reply this answer join;
Who bates mine honour, fhall not know my coin.

[Exit.

Serv. Excellent! Your lordship's a goodly villain. The devil knew not what he did, when he made man politick; he crofs'd himself by't: and I cannot think, but, in the end, the villanies of man will fet him clear. How fairly this lord 30ftrives to appear foul? takes virtuous copies 7 to be wicked; like those, that, under hot ardent zeal, would fet whole realms on fire.

Of fuch a nature is his politic love.

This was my lord's best hope; now all are fled,
35 Save only the gods: Now his friends are dead,
Doors that were ne'er acquainted with their wards
Many a bounteous year, must be employ'd
Now to guard fure their master.

And this is all a liberal courfe allows;

40 Who cannot keep his wealth, must keep his house.

[Exit.

45 Enter Varro, Titus, Hortenfius, Lucius, and other Servants of Timon's Creditors, who wait for his coming out.

Var. Well met; good morrow, Titus, and Hortenfius.

i. e. In respect of bis fortune, what Lucius denies to Timon is, in proportion to what Lucius poffeffes, less than the ufual alms given by good men to beggars. 2 That is, I would have treated my wealth as a prefent originally received from him, and on this occafion have return'd him the half of that whole for which I fuppofed myself to be indebted to his bounty.

3 i. e. tried, alluding

to the touchstone. 4 That is, “His friends, like physicians, thrive by his bounty and fees, and either relinquish, and forfake him, or give his case up as defperate." To give over has no reference to the irremediable condition of a patient, but fimply means to leave, to forfake, to quit. 5 i. e. I had fuch an ardour, fuch an eager defire. • Set him clear does not mean, acquit him before heaven; but it fignifies, puzzle him, outdo him at his own weapons. And the meaning of the paffage is, " If the devil made men politic, he has thwarted his own intereft, because the fuperior cunning of man will at last puzzle him, or be above the reach of his temptations." 7 This is a reflection on the puritans of that time. Thefe people were then fet upon a project of new modelling the ecclefiaftical and civil government according to fcripture rules and examples; which makes him fay, that under zeal for the word of God, they would fet while realms on fire. So Sempronius pretended to that warm affection and generous jealousy of friendship, that is affronted, if any other be applied to before it. i. c. keep Ti

within doors for fear of duns.