Imatges de pàgina
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I wonder, men dare truft themselves with men!
Methinks, they fhould invite them without knives;
Good for their meat, and fafer for their lives.
There's much example for't; the fellow that
Sits next him now, parts bread with him, and pledges
The breath of him in a divided draught,

Is th' readieft man to kill him. "Thas been prov'd.
Were I a great man, I should fear, to drink,

Left they fhould fpy my wind-pipe's dangerous notes:
Great men fhould drink with harnefs on their throats.
Tim. My Lord, in heart; and let the health go round. -
Lucul. Let it flow this way, my good Lord.

Apem. Flow this way!-a brave fellow! he keeps his tides well; thofe healths will make thee and thy ftate look ill, Timon. Here's that which is too weak to be a finner, honeft water, which ne'er left man i' th' mire: This and my food are equal, there's no odds; Feafts are too proud to give thanks to the gods.

Apemantus's grace.

Immortal gods, I crave no pelf;
1 pray for no man but myself;
Grant, I may never prove fo fond
To truft man on his oath, or bond;
Or a harlot for her weeping;
Or a dog, that feems a fleeping;
Or a keeper with my freedom;
Or my friends, if I fhould need 'em.
Amen, Amen; So fall to't:

Rich men fin, and I eat root.

Much good dich thy good heart, Apemantus!

Tim. Captain, Alcibiades, your heart's in the field now. Alc. My heart is ever at your fervice, my Lord. Tim. You had rather been at a breakfast of enemies, than a dinner of friends.

Ale. So they were bleeding new, my Lord, there's no meat like 'em. I could with my friend at fuch a feast. Apem. Would all thefe flatterers were thine enemies then; that thou might't kill 'em, and bid me to 'em!

Luc.

Luc. Might we but have the happiness, my Lord, that you would once use our hearts, whereby we might exprefs fome part of our zeals, we should think ourfelves for ever perfect.

Tim. Oh, no doubt, my good friends, but the gods themselves have provided that I fhall have as much help from you: how had you been my friends elfe; why have you that charitable title from thoufands, did not you chiefly belong to my heart? I have told more of you to myfelf, than you can with modefty fpeak in your own behalf. And thus far I confirm you. Oh you gods, (think I,) what need we have any friends, if we fhould never have need of 'em? they would most refemble fweet inftruments hung up in cafes, that keep their founds to themfelves. Why I have often witht myfelf poorer, that I might come nearer to you: we are born to do benefits. And what better or properer can we call our own, than the riches of our friends? O, what a precious comfort 'tis to have fo many, like brothers, commanding, one another's fortunes! O joy, e'en made away ere't can be born; mine eyes cannot hold water, methinks: to forget their faults, I drink

to you.

Apem. Thou weep'ft to make them drink, Timon. Lucul. Joy had the like conception in our eyes, And at that inftant like a babe fprung up.

Apem. Ho, ho! I laugh to think that babe a baftard. 3 Lord. I promise you, my Lord, you mov'd me much. Apem. Much!

Sound Tucket.

Tim. What means that trump? how now?

Enter Servant.

Serv. Pleafe you, my Lord, there are certain Ladies moft defirous of admittance.

Tim. Ladies? what are their wills?

Serv. There comes with them a fore-runner, my Lord, which bears that office to fignify their pleasures. Tim. I pray, let them be admitted.

Enter

Enter Cupid with a Mafque of Ladies, as Amazons.

Cup. Hail to thee, worthy Timon, and to all That of his bounties tafte! The five beft fenfes Acknowledge thee their patron; and do come Freely to gratulate thy plenteous bofom :

Th'ear, tafte, touch, smell, pleas'd from thy table rise, (7) These only now come but to feaft thine eyes.

Tim.They're welcome all;let'em have kind admittance. Let mufick make their welcome.

Luc. You fee, my Lord, how amply you're belov'd. Apem. Hoyday! what a fweep of vanity comes this way! They dance, they are mad women.

Like madness is the glory of this life;

As this pomp fhews to a little oil and root.
We make ourselves fools, to difport ourselves;
And spend our flatteries, to drink those men,
Upon whofe age we void it up again,
With poisonous fpight and envy-

Who lives, that's not depraved, or depraves?
Who dies, that bears not one fpurn to their graves
Of their friends gift?.

I fhould fear, thofe, that dance before me now,
Would one day ftamp upon me: "Thas been done;
Men shut their doors against the fetting fun.

The Lords rife from table, with much adoring of Timon; each fingling out an Amazon, and all dance, men with women; a lofty firain or two to the hautboys, and cease. Tim. You have done our pleasures much grace, fair Set a fair fashion on our entertainment, [Ladies,

(7) There tafle, touch, all, pleas'd from thy table rife: They only now---] The incomparable emendation, with which the text is here fupply'd, I owe to my ingenious friend Mr. Warburton. The five fenfes, as he obferves, are talk'd of by Cupid, but only three of them made out; and thofe in a very heavy, unintelligible manner. But now you have them all, and the poet's fenfe, compleat, viz. The five fenfes, Timon, acknowledge thee their patron; four of them, the hearing, the touch, the taste, and fmell, are all regaled at your board; and thefe Ladies come with me to entertain your fight, in presenting a mafque.

Which was not half fo beautiful and kind:
You've added worth unto't, and lively luftre,
And entertain'd me with mine own device.
I am to thank you for it.

Luc. My Lord, you take us even at the best. Apem. Faith, for the worft is filthy, and would not hold taking, I doubt me.

Tim. Ladies, there is an idle banquet attends you. Please you to difpofe yourselves.

All La. Moft thankfully, my Lord.

Tim. Flavius?

Flav. My Lord.

Tim. The little casket bring me hither.

[Exeunt.

Flav. Yes, my Lord. More jewels yet? there is no croffing him in's humour,

Elfe I should tell him—well—i̇' faith, I should, When all's spent, he'd be crofs'd then if he could: (8) 'Tis pity, bounty has not eyes behind;

That man might ne'er be wretched for his mind.
Luc. Where be our men?

(8)---be'd be cross'd then if he could:] The poet does not mean here, that he would be cross'd, or thwarted in humour; but that he would have his hand crofs'd, as we say, with money, if he could. He is playing on the word, and alluding to our old filver-penny, used before K. Edward the 1ft his time, which had a cross on the reverse with a crease, that it might be more easily broke into halves and quarters, balf-pence and farthings. From this penny, and other fub-fequent pieces that bore the like imprefs, was our common expreffion deriv'd, I have not a cross about me; i. e. not a piece of money. I thought, this note might not be unneceffary, because it ferves to explain feveral other paffages, where the poet has punn'd on this term. For inftance, in the 2d part of Henry IVth. Falfaffe asking the Lord Chief Juftice to lend him a thousand pounds, he replies;

Not a penny, not a penny; you are too impatient to bear crosses. In Love's Labour loft;

Arm. I love not to be cross'd.

Moth. He fpeaks the clean contrary:

Croffes love not him,

And in As you like it;

Clown.

Yet I should bear no cross, if I did bear you: for,

I think, you have no money in your purse.

In all which places, 'tis clear, that money is fignified by the word

croffes.

Serv. Here, my Lord, in readinefs.

Lucul. Our horfes.

Tim. O my good friends!.

I have one word to fay to you; look, my Lord,
I must entreat you, honour me fo much

As to advance this jewel, accept, and wear it,
Kind my Lord!

Luc. I am fo far already in your gifts,

All. So are we all.

[Ex. Lucius and Lucullus.

Enter a Servant.

Serv. My Lord, there are certain nobles of the fenate newly alighted, and come to visit you.

Tim. They are fairly welcome.

Re-enter Flavius.

Flav. I beseech your honour, vouchsafe me a word; it does concern you near.

Tim. Near! why then another time I'll hear thee. I pr'ythee, let's be provided to fhew them entertainment. Flav. I fcarce know how.

Enter another Servant.

2 Serv. May it please your honour, Lord Lucius; out of his free love, hath prefented to you four milk-white horfes trapt in filver.

Tim. I fhall accept them fairly let the prefents Be worthily entertain'd.

Enter a third Servant.

How now? what news?

3 Serv. Please you, my Lord, that honourable gentleman, Lord Lucullus, entreats your company to-morrow to hunt with him, and has fent your honour twobrace of grey-hounds.

Tim. I'll hunt with him; and let them be received, not without fair reward.

Flav. What will this come to? he commands us to provide, and give great gifts, and all out of an empty coffer: Nor will he know his purfe, or yield me this,

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