1 Lord. I should think so: He hath sent me an earnest inviting, which many my near occasions did urge me to put off; but he hath conjured me beyond them, and I must needs appear.

2 Lord. In like manner was I in debt to my importunate business, but he would not hear my excuse. I am sorry, when he sent to borrow of me, that my provision was out. 1 Lord. I am sick of that grief too, as I understand how all things go.

2 Lord. Every man here's so. What would he have borrowed of you?

1 Lord. A thousand pieces.

2 Lord. A thousand pieces! 1 Lord. What of you?

3 Lord. He sent to me, sir,-Here he comes.

Enter TIMON, and Attendants.

Tim. With all my heart, gentlemen both :-And how fare you?

1 Lord. Ever at the best, hearing well of your lordship. 2 Lord. The swallow follows not summer more willing, than we your lordship.

Tim. [Aside.] Nor more willingly leaves winter; such summer-birds are men.-Gentlemen, our dinner will not recompense this long stay: feast your ears with the music awhile; if they will fare so harshly on the trumpet's sound we shall to't presently.

1 Lord. I hope, it remains not unkindly with ship, that I returned you an empty messenger. Tim. O, sir, let it not trouble you.

2 Lord. My noble lord,

Tim. Ah, my good friend! what cheer?

your lord

[The Banquet brought in. 2 Lord. My most honourable lord, I am e'en sick of shame, that, when your lordship this other day sent to me, I was so unfortunate a beggar.

Tim. Think not on't, sir.

2 Lord. If you had sent but two hours before,— Tim. Let it not cumber your better remembrance.— Come, bring in all together.

2 Lord. All covered dishes!

1 Lord. Royal cheer, I warrant you.

[yield it.

3 Lord. Doubt not that, if money, and the season can

1 Lord. How do you? What's the news?
3 Lord. Alcibiades is banished: Hear you of it?

1 & 2 Lord. Alcibiades banished!

3 Lord. 'Tis so, be sure of it.

1 Lord. How ? how?

2 Lord. I pray you, upon what?

Tim. My worthy friends, will you draw near? 3 Lord. I'll tell you more anon.

2 Lord. This is the old man still.

3 Lord. Will't hold ? will't hold ?

Here's a noble feast

2 Lord. It does: but time will-and so3 Lord. I do conceive.

[toward.

Tim. Each man to his stool, with that spur as he would to the lip of his mistress: your diet shall be in all places alike. Make not a city feast of it, to let the meat cool ere we can agree upon the first place: Sit, sit. The gods require our thanks.

You great benefactors, sprinkle our society with thankfulness. For your own gifts, make yourselves praised: but reserve still to give, lest your deities be despised. Lend to each man enough, that one need not lend to another; for, were your godheads to borrow of men, men would forsake the gods. Make the meat be beloved, more than the man that gives it. Let no assembly of twenty be without a score of villains: If there sit twelve women at the table, let a dozen of them beas they are. The rest of your fees, O gods,-the senators of Athens, together with the common lag of people,—what is amiss in them, you gods, make suitable for destruction. For these my present friends,-as they are to me nothing, so in nothing bless them, and to nothing they are welcome.

Uncover, dogs, and lap.

8

[The dishes uncovered are full of warm water. Some speak. What does his lordship mean? Some other. I know not.

Tim. May you a better feast never behold,

You knot of mouth-friends! smoke, and luke-warm water
Is your perfection. This is Timon's last;
Who stuck and spangled you with flatteries,
Washes it off, and sprinkles in your faces

[Throwing water in their faces. Your reeking villany. Live loath'd, and long, Most smiling, smooth, detested parasites,

Courteous destroyers, affable wolves, meek bears,
You fools of fortune, trencher-friends, time's flies,

[3] We should read---foes. WARBURTON.

Your perfection, is, the highest of your excellence.
Time's flics--flies of a season. JOHNSON.

JOHNSON.

Cap and knee slaves, vapours, and minute-jacks !
Of man, and beast, the infinite malady'

Crust you quite o'er !-What, dost thou go?
Soft, take thy physic first-thou too,-and thou ;-

[Throws the dishes at them, and drives them out. Stay, I will lend thee money, borrow none.— What, all in motion? Henceforth be no feast, Whereat a villain's not a welcome guest. Burn, house; sink, Athens! henceforth hated be Of Timon, man, and all humanity!

[Exit.

Re-enter the Lords, with other Lords and Senators. 1 Lord. How now, my lords ?®

2 Lord. Know you the quality of lord Timon's fury? 3 Lord. Pish! did you see my cap?

4 Lord. I have lost my gown.

3 Lord. He's but a mad lord, and nought but humour sways him. He gave me a jewel the other day, and now he has beat it out of my hat :-Did you see my jewel? 4 Lord. Did you see my cap?

2 Lord. Here 'tis.

4 Lord. Here lies my gown.
1 Lord. Let's make no stay.
2 Lord. Lord Timon's mad.
3 Lord. I feel't upon my bones.

4 Lord. One day he gives us diamonds, next day stones.

ACT IV.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I.-Without the Walls of Athens. Enter TIMON.
Tim. LET me look back upon thee, O thou wall,
That girdlest in those wolves! Dive in the earth,
And fence not Athens! Matrons, turn incontinent;
Obedience fail in children! slaves, and fools,
Pluck the grave wrinkled senate from the bench,
And minister in their steads! to general filths
Convert o'the instant, green virginity!

Do't in your parent's eyes! bankrupts, hold fast;
Rather than render back, out with your knives,

[6] A minute-jack is what was formerly a Jack of the clock-house; an image whose office was the same as one of those at St. Dunstan's church. See note K. Richard III. Vol. VII. p. 78. n. 6.

[7] Every kind of disease incident to man and beast.

JOHNSON.

[8] This and the next speech are spoken by the newly arrived lords. MALONE.

And cut your trusters' throats! Bound servants, steal!
Large-handed robbers your grave masters are,
And pill by law! maid, to thy master's bed;
Thy mistress is o'the brothel! son of sixteen,
Pluck the lin❜d crutch from the old limping sire,
With it beat out his brains! piety, and fear,
Religion to the gods, peace, justice, truth,
Domestic awe, night-rest, and neighbourhood,
Instruction, manners, mysteries, and trades,
Degrees, observances, customs, and laws,
Decline to your confounding contraries,
And yet confusion live !9-Plagues, incident to men,
Your potent and infectious fevers heap

On Athens, ripe for stroke! Thou cold sciatica,
Cripple our senators, that their limbs may halt
As lamely as their manners! lust and liberty
Creep in the minds and marrows of our youth;
That gainst the stream of virtue they may strive,
And drown themselves in riot! itches, blains,
Sow all the Athenian bosoms; and their crop
Be general leprosy! breath infect breath;
That their society, as their friendship, may
Be merely poison! Nothing I'll bear from thee,
But nakedness, thou détestable town!

Take thou that too, with multiplying banns!'
Timon will to the woods; where he shall find
The unkindest beast more kinder than mankind.
The gods confound (hear me, you good gods all,)
The Athenians both within and out that wall!
And grant, as Timon grows, his hate may grow
To the whole race of mankind, high, and low!
Amen.

SCENE II.

[Exit.

Athens. A Room in TIMON's House. Enter FLAVIUS with two or three Servants.

1 Ser. Hear you, master steward, where's our master? Are we undone? cast off? nothing remaining?

[9] Though by such confusion all things seem to hasten to dissolution, yet let not dissolution come, but the miseries of confusion continue. JOHNSON.

[1] Accumulated curses. Multiplying for multiplied: the active participle with a passive signification. STEEVENS.

[2] Nothing contributes nore to the exaltation of Timon's character than the zeal and fidelity of his servants. Nothing but real virtue can be honoured by domestics nothing but impartial kindness can gain affection from dependants. JOHNSON.

.

Flav. Alack, my fellows, what should I say
Let me be recorded by the righteous gods,
I am as poor as you.

1 Serv. Such a house broke!

So noble a master fallen! all gone! and not
One friend, to take his fortune by the arm,
And go along with him.

2 Serv. As we do turn our backs

From our companion, thrown into his grave;
So his familiars to his buried fortunes

to you?

Slink all away; leave their false vows with him,
Like empty purses pick'd: and his poor self,
A dedicated beggar to the air,

With his disease of all-shunn'd poverty,

Walks, like contempt, alone.-More of our fellows.
Enter other Servants.

Flav. All broken implements of a ruin'd house.
3 Serv. Yet do our hearts wear Timon's livery,
That see I by our faces; we are fellows still,
Serving alike in sorrow: Leak'd is our bark;
And we, poor mates, stand on the dying deck,
Hearing the surges threat: we must all part
Into this sea of air.

Flav. Good fellows all,

The latest of my wealth I'll share amongst you.
Wherever we shall meet, for Timon's sake,

Let's yet be fellows; let's shake our heads, and say,
As 'twere a knell unto our master's fortunes,
We have seen better days. Let each take some;

[Giving them money. Nay, put out all your hands. Not one word more : Thus part we rich in sorrow, parting poor. [Exe. Serv. -O, the fierce wretchedness that glory brings us!* Who would not wish to be from wealth exempt, Since riches point to misery and contempt? "Who'd be so mock'd with glory? or to live But in a dream of friendship?

To have his pomp, and all what state compounds,
But only painted, like his varnish'd friends?
Poor honest lord, brought low by his own heart;
Undone by goodness! Strange, unusual blood,3
When man's worst sin is, he does too much good!

STEEVENS.

[2] Fierce--I believe, is here used for hasty, precipitate. Throughout these plays blood is frequently used in the sense of natural propensity or disposition. MALONE.