The breath is gone whereof this praife is made:
Feaft-won, faft-loft; one cloud of winter fhowers,
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 dost thou weep? Can't thou the confcience
To think I fhall lack friends? Secure thy heart;
If I would broach the vessels 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.

I

Flav. Allurance blefs your thoughts!

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

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

Flav. 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 bo-
nourable,-

But yet they could have wifh'd-they know not-
Something hath been amifs-a noble nature
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,

Tim. And, in fome fort, these wants of mine With certain half-caps 5, and cold-moving nods,

are crown'd,

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

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

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 seldom flows;
'Tis lack of kindly warmth, they are not kind;
And nature, as it grows again toward earth,

Tim. I wil difpatch you feverally,-You, to Is fashion'd for the journey, dull, and heavy.

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 state'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;

Go to Ventidius,-Pr'ythee, be not fad,
Thou art true, and honeft; ingenuously I speak,
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,

I clear'd him with five talents: Greet him from me;
Bid him fuppofe, fome good neceffity
Touches his friend, which craves to be remember'd
With thofe five talents :-that had, give it thefe
fellows

To whom 'tis inftant due. Ne'er speak, or think,
That Timon's fortunes 'mong his friends can fink.

Flav. I would, I could not think it; That
thought is bounty's foe;
Being free itself, it thinks all others fo. [Extant.

Serv. Here's my lord.

III.

honeft Flaminius; you are very respectively 7 welcome, fir.-Fill me fome wine.-And how does that honourable, complete, free-hearted gentleman of Athens, thy very bountiful good lord and is mafter?

Lucul. [Afide.] One of lord Timon's men ? a

Flam. His health is well, fir.

Lucul. I am right glad that his health is well, fir: And what haft thou there under thy cloak, pretty Flaminius ?

Flam. 'Faith, nothing but an empty box, fir; gift, I warrant. Why, this hits right; I dreamt which, in my lord's behalf, I come to entreat your of a filver bafon and ewer to-night. Flaminius, honour to fupply; who, having great and inftant

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. here mean broken hints, interrupted sentences, abrupt remarks. 4 Fractions 5 A half-cap is a cap flightly moved, 6 i. a liberal. 7 i. e. refpe&tfully.

not put off.

occafion

L

ccafion 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, says 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 purpofe to have him spend lefs: and yet he would embrace no counfel, 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.

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 fhew'd what neceffity belong'd to 't, and yet was deny'd. Luc. How?

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

Luc. What a ftrange cafe was that? now, before the gods, I am afham'd on't. Deny'd that honourable man? there was very little honour fhew'd in 't. For my own part, I muft needs Flam. Your lordship fpeaks your pleasure. confefs, I have receiv'd fome fmall kindneffes from Lucul. 1 have obferv'd thee always for a to-him, as money, plate, jewels, and fuch like trifles, wardly prompt fpirit,-give thee thy due, and nothing comparing to his; yet, had he mittook him, one that knows what belongs to reafon; and canft and fent to me, I fhould ne'er have deny'd his ocufe the time well, if the time afe thee well: good cafion fo many talents. 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 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 should fo much
differ;

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.

Ser. May it pleate your honour, my lord hath fent

Luc. Ha! what hath he fent? I am fo much endear'd to that lord; he's ever fending; How And we alive, that liv'd 2? Fly, damned bafenefs, fhall I thank him, think'ft thou? And what has To him that worships thee. he fent now?

[Throwing the money away.
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
fcald thee!

Let molten coin be thy damnation,

Thou difeafe of a friend, and not himself!
Has friendship fuch a faint and milky heart,
It turns 3 in lefs than two nights? O you gods,
I feel my mafter's paffion! This flave,
Unto his honour, has my lord's meat in him :
Why should it thrive, and turn to nutriment,
When he is turn'd to poifon ?
O, may diseases only work upon 't!
And, when he's fick to death, let not that
Which my lord paid for, be of any power
To expel fickness, but prolong his hour!

[nature
part of

[Exit.

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

Luc. I know, his lordship is but merry with me; He cannot want fifty-five hundred talents.

Ser. But in the mean time he wants lefs, mý

lord.

If his occafion were not virtuous 3,

I should not urge it half fo faithfully 4.
Luc. Doft thou fpeak ferioufly, Servilius ?
Ser. Upon my foul, 'tis true, fir.

Luc. What a wicked beatt 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 a little part, and undo a great deal of honours -Servilius, now before the gods, I am not able to do 't; the more beaft, I fay :-I was fending to ufe lord Timon myfelf, thefe gentlemen can witnefs; but I would not, for the wealth of Athens, I had done it now. Commend me bountifully to his good lordship; and, I hope, his honour will

Luc. Who, the lord Timon? he is my very good conceive the fairest of me, because I have no power friend, and an honourable gentleman.

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

milk.

to be kind :-And tell him this from me, I count it one of my greatest afflictions, fay, that I cannot pleafure fuch an honourable gentleman. Good

2 i. e. and we who were alive

5 The

1 Mr. Steevens believes this coin to be from the mint of the poet. then, alve now. As much as to fay, in fo fhort a time. 3 Alluding to the turning or acefcence of 3 i. e. If he did not want it for a good ufe. 4 Faithfully, for fervently. meating is, By purchasing what brought me but little honour, I have loft the more honourable opportunity ping the wants of my friend.

Servilius,

That dips in the fame difh? for, in my knowing, And does he think fo backwardly of me now,

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, (0, fee the monftrousness of man,
When he looks out in an ungrateful shape!)
He does deny him, in refpect 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, illuftrious virtue,
And honourable carriage,

Had his neceffity made ufe of me,

I would have put my wealth into donation,

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.

1 had rather than the worth of thrice the fum,
He had fent to me first, but for my mind's fake;

I had fuch a courage 5 to do him good. But now

return,

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 vil-
lain. The devil knew not what he did, when he
made man politick; he crofs'd himself by 't: ad
I cannot think, but, in the end, the villanies of
man will fet him clear. How fairly this lord
ftrives to appear foul? takes virtuous copies 7 to be
wicked;
like thofe, that, under hot ardent zeal,
would fet whole realms on fire.

And the best half should have return'd to him 2, Of fuch a nature is his politic love.

So much I love his heart: But, I perceive,
Men must learn now with pity to dispense;
For policy fits above confcience.

[Exeunt.

This was my lord's best hope; now all are fled,
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 mafter.

And this is all a liberal courfe allows;

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

1 i. c. In respect of his fortune, what Lucius denies to Timon is, in proportion to what Lucius pof feffes, lefs 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 myfelf 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 for fake him, or give his cafe 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. si. c. 1 had fuch an ardour, fuch an eager defire. 6 Set him clear does not mean, acquit him before heaven; but it fignifics, puzzle him, outdo him at his own weapons. And the meaning of the paf fage is, "If the devil made men politic, he has thwarted his own intereft, because the fuperior cun 7 This is a rening of man will at laft puzzle him, or be above the reach of his temptations." flection 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 fet whole realms on fire. So Sempronius pretended to that warm affection and generous jealoufy of friendship, that is affronted, if any other be applied to before it. 8 i. e. keep within doors for fear of duns.

Serv. If I might befeech you, gentlemen, To repair fome other hour, I fhould

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

Luc. Flaminius! fir, a word; Pray, is my lord Like all mankind, fhew me an iron heart?
Ready to come forth?

Luc. Put in now, Titus.

Tit. My lord, here is my bill.

Luc. Here's mine.

Var. And mine, my lord.

Caph. And ours, my lord.

Phi. All our bills.

1 i. e. like him in blaze and fplendour. 2 i. e. of this commiffion. 3 His may refer to mine ; as if he had faid: Your malter's confidence was above my mofter's; elfe furely his, i. e. the fum demanded from my master (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 still used by the watch in Shakspeare's time.

Tim. Cut my heart in fums.
Tit. Mine, fifty talents.

Tim. Tell out my blood.

Luc. Five thousand crowns, my lord. Tim. Five thousand drops pays that.--What yours?—and yours?

1 Var. My lord,—

2 Var. My lord,

Tim. Tear me, take me, and the gods fall upon you!

[Exit. Her. 'Faith, I perceive, our masters may throw their caps at their money; thefe debts may be well called defperate ones, for a madman owes 'em.

[Exeunt.

Re-enter Timen, and Flavius.
Tim. They have e'en put my breath from me,

the flaves:

Creditors!--devils.

Flav. My dear lord,

Tim. What if it should be fo?

Flav. My lord,-

Tim. I'll have it fo :-My steward!
Flav. Here, my lord.

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 cook and I'll provide.

SCENE

The Senate-houfe.

[Exeunt.

V.

Senators, and Alcibiades.

And with fuch fober and unnoted 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,
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 quarrel
ling

Upon the head of valour; which, indeed,
Is valour mifbegot, and came into the world
When fects and factions were newly born:
He's truly valiant, that can wifely fuffer
The worlt that man can breathe; and make his
wrongs
[lefty;
His outfides; to wear them like his raiment, care-
And ne'er prefer his injuries to his heart,
To bring it into danger.

If wrongs he evils, and enforce us kill,
What folly 'tis to hazard life for ill?
Ale. My lord,-

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

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

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
Abroad 5 why then, women are more valiant,
That stay 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,
As you are great, be pitifully good:

Who cannot condemn rafhnets in cold blood?
To kill, I grant, is fin's extremest gust *;
But, in defence, by mercy 7, 'tis most juít,

1 Sen. My lord, you have my voice to 't; the To be in anger, is impiety;

fault's bloody;

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,
Were a fufficient briber for his life.

[fervice,

1 Sen. What's that?
ile. Why, I fay, my lords, he has done far
And flain in fight many of your enemies :
How full of valour did he bear himself

In the lait conflict, and made plenteous wounds?
2 Sen. He has made too much plenty with 'em; he
Is a fworn rioter : he has a fin

That often drowns him, and takes his valour prifoner:
If there were no foes, that were enough
To overcome him: in that beaftly 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.

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 hithero been obferved. 3.e. manage his anger. 4 You undertake a paradox too hard.

5 i. c. Weat

7 The

have we to do in the field? 6 Gajl, for aggravation, according to Warburton. Mr. Sierveas thinks that gut here means rafhrefs, and that the allufion may be to a fudden gust of wind. meaning is, Icall mercy herfelj to witnefs, that defenfive violence is juit.