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 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 honesty 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 paft, 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 shew'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 thew'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 20him, 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 ufe the time well, if the time ufe 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 say, thou faw'ft me not. Fare thee well.

Flam. Is 't poffible, the world should 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 these add to the number that may

40

1451

50

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 hatla

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 so 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 myself against fuch a good time, when I might have fhewn myself honourable? how unluckily it happen'd, that I should purchase the day before for a little part, and undo a great deal of honour 5?Servilius, now before the gods, I am not able to do 't; the more beast, fay:-I was fending to ufe 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.
3 i, e. If he did not want it for a good ufe.

As much as to fay, in fo fhort a time. 3 Alluding to the turning or acefcence of
4 Faithfully, for fervently.
5 The mean-

milk.

ing is, By purchafing what brought me but little honour, I have loft the more honourable opportunity

of fupplying 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 shrunk, indeed;
And he, that's once deny'd, will hardly speed.

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

[Exit.

I 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 difh? for, in my knowing,
Timon has been this lord's father,

And kept his credit with his purfe!
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 tafted 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, illustrious virtue,
And honourable carriage,

Had his neceffity made ufe of me,

I would have put my wealth into donation,
And the best half should have return'd to him 2,
So much I love his heart: But, I perceive,
Men must learn now with pity to dispense;
For policy fits above conscience.

[Exeunt.

Enter Sempronius, with a Servant of Timon's. Jem. Muft he needs trouble me in't? Hum

'Bove all others?

He might have try'd lord Lucius, or Lucullus;
And now Ventidius is wealthy too,

Whom he redeem'd from prifon: All these
Owe their eftates unto him.

Serv. My lord,

5

10

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. I 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 cross'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 course allows;

40 Who cannot keep his wealth, must keep his house". [Exit.

45

[tal; for

They have all been touch'd 3, and found bafe me-
They have all deny'd him!

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 supposed myself to be indebted to his bounty. 3 i. e. tried, alluding

to the touchflone. 4 That is, "His friends, like phyficians, thrive by his bounty and fees, and either relinquish, and forfake him, or give his case up as desperate.” 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. These 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 fer 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.

within doors for fear of duns.

8 i. c. keep

Pbi. I wonder on't; he was wont to fhine at Luc. Ay, but the days are waxed fhorter with him:

You must confider, that a prodigal's courfe

Is like the fun's'; but not, like his, recoverable.
I fear,

'Tis deepeft winter in lord Timon's purse;
That is, one may reach deep enough, and yet
Find little.

Phi. I am of your fear for that.

Tit. I'll fhew you how to observe a strange event,

Your lord fends now for money.

Her. Moft true, he does.

20

25

Var. How! what does his cashier'd worship mutter?

Tit. No matter what; he's poor,

[broader

And that's revenge enough. Who can speak
Than he that has no houfe to put his head in?
Such may rail 'gainst great buildings.

Enter Servilius.

Tit. O, here's Servilius; now we shall know Some answer.

Serv. If I might beseech you, gentlemen,

To repair fome other hour, I should

Tit. And he wears jewels now of Timon's gift,|30|Derive much from it: for take it on my soul,

i. e. like him in blaze and splendour. 2. e. of this commiffion. 3 His may refer to mine; as if he had faid: Your mafter's confidence was above my mafter's; elfe furely bis, i. e. the fum demanded from my mafter (for that is the laft antecedent) had been equal to the fum demanded from yours. 4 Timon quibbles. They prefent their written bills; he catches at the word, and alludes to the bills, or battle-axes, which the ancient foldiery carried, and were ftill ufed by the watch in Shakspeare's time.

Tim.

Tim. So fitly? Go, bid all my friends again,
Lucius, Lucullus, and Sempronius, all;
I'll once more feaft the rafcals.

Flav. O my lord,

You only speak from your distracted foul;
There is not fo much left, to furnish out
A moderate table.

Tim. Be it not in thy care: go,

I charge thee, invite them all let in the tide
Of knaves once more; my cock and I'll provide.

[Exeunt.

1 Sen. My lord, you have my voice to't; the fault's bloody;

'Tis neceffary, he should die :

Nothing emboldens fin fo much as mercy.

2 Sen. Moft true; the law fhall bruife 'em.
Alc. Honour, health, and compaffion to the
1 Sen. Now, captain?

And with fuch fober and unnoted 2 paffion
He did behave 3 his anger ere 'twas spent,
As if he had but prov'd an argument.

1 Sen. You undergo too strict a paradox 4,
5 Striving to make an ugly deed look fair:
Your words have took fuch pains, as if they labour'd
To bring man-flaughter into form, and fet quar-
relling

Upon the head of valour; which, indeed,
10 Is valour misbegot, and came into the world
When fects and factions were newly born:
He's truly valiant, that can wifely fuffer

The worst that man can breathe; and make his
wrongs
[lefly;
15 His outfides; to wear them like his raiment, care-
And ne'er prefer his injuries to his heart,

20

To bring it into danger.

If wrongs be evils, and enforce us kill,
What folly 'tis to hazard life for ill?

Alc. My lord,—

1 Sen. You cannot make grofs fins look clear; To revenge is no valour, but to bear.

Alc. My lords, then, under favour, pardon me,
If I fpeak like a captain.-

25 Why do fond men expofe themselves to battle,
And not endure all threats? fleep upon it,
And let the foes quietly cut their throats,
Without repugnancy? If there be
Such valour in the bearing, what make we
30 Abroad 5? why then, women are more valiant,
That ftay at home, if bearing carry it;
The afs, more captain than the lion; and the fellow,
Loaden with irons, wifer than the judge,
If wifdom be in fuffering. O my lords,
35 As you are great, be pitifully good :

Who cannot condemn rafhnefs in cold blood?
To kill, I grant, is fin's extremeft guft";
But, in defence, by mercy 7, 'tis most just.
To be in anger, is impiety;

40 But who is man, that is not angry?
Weigh but the crime with this.
2 Sen. You breathe in vain.
Alc. In vain? his fervice done
At Lacedæmon, and Byzantium,
[fenate! 45 Were a fufficient briber for his life.
1 Sen. What's that?
Alc. Why, I fay, my lords, he has done fair
And flain in fight many of your enemies:
How full of valour did he bear himself

Alc. I am an humble fuitor to your virtues; For pity is the virtue of the law,

And none but tyrants ufe it cruelly.

It pleafes time and fortune, to lie heavy
Upon a friend of mine, who, in hot blood,
Hath ftept into the law, which is paft depth
To thofe that, without heed, do plunge into it.
He is a man, fetting his fate afide,
Of comely virtues :

Nor did he foil the fact with cowardice;
(An honour in him, which buys out his fault)
But with a noble fury, and fair fpirit,
Seeing his reputation touch'd to death,
He did oppofe his foe:

[fervice,

50 In the laft conflict, and made plenteous wounds?
,2 Sen. He has made too much plenty with 'em; he
Is a fworn rioter: he has a fin
[foner:
That often drowns him, and takes his valour pri
If there were no foes, that were enough
55 To overcome him: in that beastly fury
He has been known to commit outrages,
And cherish factions: 'Tis inferr'd to us,
His days are foul, and his drink dangerous.
1 Sen. He dies.

5 i. e. What

i. e. putting this action of his, which was pre-determined by fate, out of the question. noted paffion means, perhaps, an uncommon command of his paffion, fuch a one as has not hitherto been obferved. 3 i. e. manage his anger. 4 You undertake a paradox too hard. have we to do in the field? Guft, for aggravation, according to Warburton. Mr. Steevens thinks that guft here means rafbnefs, and that the allufion may be to a sudden gust of wind. meaning is, I call mercy berfelf to witnefs, that defenfive violence is just.

7 The

Ale. Muft it be fo? it must not be. My lords, 15 I do beseech you, know me.

Alc. I cannot think, but your age has forgot me, 20

It could not elfe be, I fhould prove fo base,

To fue, and be deny'd fuch common grace;
My wounds ake at you.

1 Sen. Do you dare our anger?

"Tis in few words, but fpacious in effect; We banish thee for ever.

1 Sen. If, after two days' fhine, Athens contain 30 Attend our weightier judgment. And not to fwell our spirit 2,

2 Sen. I alfo with it to you. I think, this ho- 55 nourable lord did but try us this other day.

1 Sen. Upon that were my thoughts tiring4, when we encounter'd: I hope, it is not fo low with him, as he made it feem in the trial of his feveral friends.

2 Not to fwell our Spirit, may mean, not to put ourselves into any tumour of 3 i. e. the affections of the people. 4 A hawk is faid to tire, when the amufes herfelf with pecking a pheafant's wing, or any thing that puts her in mind of prey. To tire upon a thing, is therefore to be idly employed upon its