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

Tim.

Is't true? can it be?

sir: And what hast thou there under thy cloak, pretty Flaminius?

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Flam. 'Faith, nothing but an empty box, sir which, in my lord's behalf, I come to entreat your honour to supply; who, having great and instant

Flav. They answer, in a joint and corporate voice, That now they are at fall,' want treasure, cannot Do what they would; are sorry-you are honour-occasion to use fifty talents, hath sent to your lord

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Something hath been amiss-a noble nature
May catch a wrench-would all were well-'tis
pity-

And so, intending2 other serious matters,
After distasteful looks, and these hard fractions,
With certain half-caps,3 and cold-moving nods,
They froze me into silence.

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Tim. You gods, reward them! I pr'ythee, man, look cheerly: These 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, Is fashion'd for the journey, dull, and heavy.Go to Ventidius, To a Serv.]-'Pr'ythee, [To FLAVIUS.] be not sad,

Thou art true and honest; ingeniously I speak,
No blame belongs to thee;-[To Serv.] Ventidius
lately

Buried his father; by whose death, he's stepp'd
Into a great estate: when he was poor,
Imprison'd, and in scarcity of friends,

I clear'd him with five talents; Greet him from me;
Bid him suppose, some good necessity
Touches his friend, which craves to be remember'd
With those five talents:-that had, [To FLAV.]
give it these fellows

To whom 'tis instant due. Ne'er speak, or think,
That Timon's fortunes 'mong his friends can sink.
Flav. I would, I could not think it; That thought
is bounty's foe;

Being free itself, it thinks all others so. [Exeunt.

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ship to furnish him; nothing doubting your present assistance therein.

Lucul. La, la, la, la,-nothing doubting, says he? alas, good lord! a noble gentleman 'tis, if he would not keep so good a house. Many a time and often I have dined with him, and told him on't; and come again to supper to him, of purpose to have him spend less: and yet he would embrace no counsel, take no warning by my coming. Every man has his fault, and honesty is his; I have told him on't, but I could never get him from it. Re-enter Servant, with wine.

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

Flam. Your lordship speaks your pleasure.

prompt spirit, give thee thy due, and one that Lucul. I have observed thee always for a towardly knows what belongs to reason: and canst use the time well, if the time use thee well: good parts in thee.-Get you gone, sirrah.-[To the Servant, who goes out.]-Draw nearer, honest Flaminius. Thy lord's a bountiful gentleman; but thou art wise; and thou knowest well enough, although thou comest to that this is no time to lend money; espeme, cially upon bare friendship, without security. Here's three solidares" for thee; good boy, wink at me,

and thou saw'st me not. Fare thee well. say, Flam. Is't possible, the world should so much

differ ;

And we alive that liv'd? Fly, damned baseness,
To him that worships thee.
[Throwing the money away.
for thy master.
Lucul. Ha! Now I see, thou art a fool, and fit
[Exit LUCULLus
Flam. May these add to the number that ma
scald thee!

Let molten coin be thy damnation,
Thou disease of a friend, and not himself!10
Has friendship such a faint and milky heart,
It turns in less than two nights? O you gods,
I feel my master's passion! This slave
Unto his honour, 12 has my lord's meat in him.
Why should it thrive, and turn to nutriment,
When he is turn'd to poison?

O, may diseases only work upon't!
And, when he is sick to death, let not tha

nature

Serv. Here's my lord. Lucul. [Aside.] One of Lord Timon's men? a gift, I warrant. Why, this hits right; I dreamt of a silver bason and ewer to-night. Flaminius, honest Which my lord paid for, be of any power Flaminius; you are very respectively welcome, To expel sickness, but prolong his hour sir.-Fill me some wine.-[Exit Servant.]—And SCENE II. The same. A public Pları how does that honourable, complete, free-hearted gentleman of Athens, thy very bountiful good lord and master?

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5 i. e. consideratively, regardfully.

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6 Honesty here means liberality. That nobleness of spirit or honesty that free-born men have.'-Baret. 7 Steevens says, 'I believe this coin is from the mint of the poet.' We are not to look for the name of a Greek coin here, but he probably formed it from solidarı, or roldi, a small coin, which Florio makes equal to shillings in value.

8 And we alive now who lived then. As much as to cay, in so short a time.

9 One of the punishments invented for the covetous and avaricious in hell of old, was to have melted gold.

LUCIUS, with three Strangers.

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Luc. Who, the Lord Timon? he is my very good friend, and an honourable gentlerian.

1 Stran. We know14 him for no less, though we

poured down their throats. In the old Shepherd's Calendar, Lazarus declares himself to have seen covetous men and women in hell dipped in caldrons of molten metal. And in the old black letter ballad of The Dead Man's Song:

Ladles full of melted gold Were poured down their throats.' Crassus was so punished by the Parthians. 10 So in King Lear :

my daughter, Or rather a disease,' &c.

11 i. e. suffering, grief. Othello, when Desdemona weeps, says :

O well-dissembled passion.' 12 Some modern editions have changed his honour into this hour. I think the old reading which Steevens explains, "This slave (to the honour of his character) has,' &c. not what is meant to be expressed, and should prefer the correction.

13 i. e. prolong his hour of suffering. Thus Timna, in a future passage, says, 'Live loath'd, and long" 14 Acknowledge.

are but strangers to him. But I can tell you one 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, urged extremely for't, and showed what necessity belonged to't, and yet was denied.

Luc. How?

2 Stran. I tell you, denied, my lord.

Luc. What a strange case was that? now, before the gods, I am ashamed on't. Denied that honourable man? there was very little honour showed in't. For my own part, I must needs confess, I have received some small kindnesses from him, as money, plate, jewels, and such like trifles, nothing comparing to his; yet had he mistook him,2 and sent to me, I should ne'er have denied his occasion so many talents.

Enter SERVILIUS.

Ser. See, by good hap, yonder's my lord; I have sweat to see his honour.-My honoured lord,[To LUCIUS. Luc. Servilius! you are kindly met, sir. Fare thee well:-Commend me to thy honourable-virtuous lord, my very exquisite friend.

Ser. May it please your honour, my lord hath

sent

you befriend me so far, as to use inine own words to him?

Ser. Yes, sir, I shall.

Luc. I will look you out a good turn, Servilius.-
[Exit SERVILIUS
True, as you said, Timon is shrunk, indeed;
And he, that's once deniec, will hardly speed.
[Exit ImCIUS

1 Stran. Do you observe this, Hostilius?
2 Stran. Ay, too well.
1 Stran. Why this

Is the world's soul; and just of the same piece
Is every flatterer's spirit. Who can call him
His friend, that dips in the same dish? for, in
My knowing, Timon has been this lord's father,
And kept his credit with his purse;
Supported his estate; nay, Timon's money
Has paid his men their wages: He ne'er drinks,
But Timon's silver treads upon his lip;
And yet (0, see the monstrousness of man,
When he looks out in an ungrateful shape!)
He does deny him, in respect of his,"
What charitable men afford to beggars.
2 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, illustrious virtue,
And honourable carriage,

Had his necessity made use of me,

I would have put my wealth into donation, Luc. Ha! what has he sent? I am so much en-And the best half should have return'd to him, deared to that lord; he's ever sending: How shall I thank him, thinkest thou? And what has he sent

now?

Ser. He has only sent his present occasion now, my lord; requesting your lordship to supply his instant use with so many talents.3

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 less, my lord.

If his occasion were not virtuous,4

I should not urge it half so faithfully.

Luc. Dost thou speak seriously, Servilius?
Ser. Upon my soul, 'tis true, sir.

Luc. What a wicked beast was I, to disfurnish myself against such a good time, when I might might have shown myself honourable! how unluckily it happened, 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, I say:-I was sending to use Lord Timon myself, these gentlemen can witness 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 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, say, that I cannot pleasure such ån honourable gentleman. Good Servilius, will

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So much I love his heart: But, I perceive,
Men must learn now with pity to dispense:
For policy sits above conscience.
[Exeunt.
SCENE III. The same. A Room in Sempro-
nius's House. Enter SEMPRONIUS, and a Šer-
vant of Timon's.

Sem. Must he needs trouble me in't? Humph!
'Bove all others?

He might have tried Lord Lucius, or Lucullus ;
And now Ventidius is wealthy too,

Whom he redeem'd from prison: All these
Owe their estates unto him.
Serv.

9

O my lord,
They have all been touch'd, and found base metal ;
They have all denied him.

for

Sem.
How! have they denied him?
Has Ventidius and Lucullus denied him?
And does he send to me? Three? humph!1
It shows but little love or judgment in him.
Must I be his last refuge? His friends, like phy-

sicians,

me?

Thrive,11 give him over; Must I take the cure upon He has much disgrac'd me in't; I am angry at him, nies to Timon is in proportion to his fortune less than the usual alms given by good men to beggars.

8 The commentators have made difficulties about this passage, of which the meaning appears to be-Had he applied to me, I would have put my wealth into the form

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1 'So many talents,' a common colloquial phrase for an indefinite number: the stranger apparently did not know the exact sum; and yet some editors have arbi-of a gift. and have sent him the best half of it.' The trarily substituted fifty talents.'

2 Lucius means to insinuate that it would have been a kind of mistake in Timon to apply to him, who had received but few favours from him in comparison to those bestowed on Lucullus.

3 Such is again the reading the old copy supplies; some modern editors have here again substituted fifty talents.' But this was the phraseology of the poet's age. In Julius Cæsar, Lucilius says to his adversary :There is so much that thou wilt kill me straight.' 4 If he did not want it for a good use.'

5 i. e. by purchasing what brought me but little honour, I have lost the more honourable opportunity of supplying the wants of my friend.'

6 The old copy reads:

'Is every flatterer's sport.

The emendation 's Theobald's. I think with Malone that this speech was never intended for verse, though printed as such in the folio

Stranger could not mean that he would have treated his wealth as a present originally received from Ti mon,' because he expressly declares that he never tasted his bounties

9 Alluding to the trial of metals by the touchstone Thus in King Richard III. :—

'O Buckingham, now do I play the touch, To try if thou be current gold indeed.' 10 This speech appears to be mutilated, and therefore unmetrical; the first part of it may perhaps bear modi fying thus:-

'Ventidius, and Lucius, and Lucullus, Have denied him, and does he send to me? Three? humph!

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7 e. i.c.in respect of his fortune.' What Lucius de- I but says, 'perhaps the old reading is the true; which

That might nave known my place: I see no sense | Is like the sun's ;4 but not, like his, recoverabie.

for't,

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

And does he think so backwardly of me now,
That I'll requite it last? No: So it may prove
An argument of laughter to the rest,
And I amongst the lords be thought a fool.

I had rather than the worth of thrice the sum,
He had sent to me first, but for my mind's sake;

I had such a courage to do him good. But now
return,

And with their faint reply this answer join ;
Who bates mine honour, shall 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 politic; he cross'd himself by't: and
I cannot think, but, in the end, the villanies of man
will set him clear. How fairly this lord strives
to appear foul! takes virtuous copies to be wicked:
like those that, under hot ardent zeal, would set
whole realms on fire.2

Of such a nature is his politic love.

This was my lord's best hope; now all are fled,
Save the gods only: 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 sure their master.

And this is all a liberal course allows;
Who cannot keep his wealth must keep his house.3

[Exit.

SCENE IV. The same. A Hall in Timon's House. Enter two Servants of VARRO, and the Servant of LUCIUS, meeting TITUS, HORTENSIUS, and other Servants to TIMON's Creditors, waiting his coming out.

I fear,

"Tis deepest winter in Lord Timon's purse;
That is, one may reach deep enough, and yet
Find little."
Phi.
Tit. I'll show you how to observe a strange event.
Your lord sends now for money.

I am of your fear for that.

Hor.
Most true, he does.
Tit. And he wears jewels now of Timon's gift,
For which you wait for money.

Hor. It is against my heart.
Luc. Serv.

Mark, how strange it shows,
Timon in this should pay more than he owes :
And e'en as if your lord should wear rich jewels,
And send for money for 'em.

I

Hor. I am weary of this charge," the gods can witness:

know, my lord hath spent of Timon's wealth, And now ingratitude makes it worse than stealth. 1 Var. Serv. Yes, mine's three thousand crowns: What's yours?

and it should seem

Luc. Serv. Five thousand mine.
1 Var. Serv. 'Tis much deep
by the sum,

Your master's confidence was above mine;
Else, surely, his had equall'd."

Enter FLAMINIUS.

Tit. One of Lord Timon's men.

Luc. Serv. Flaminius! sir, a word: Pray, is my lord ready to come forth?

Flam. No, indeed, he is not.

Tit. We attend his lordship; 'pray, signify so

much.

Flam. I need not tell him that; he knows, you are too diligent. [Exit FLAMINIUS. Enter FLAVIUs in a cloak, muffled. Luc. Serv. Ha! is not that his steward muffled s.?

Var. Serv. Well met; good-morrow, Titus and He goes away in a cloud: call him, call him.

Hortensius.

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Tit. Do you hear, sir?

1 Var. Serv. By your leave, sir,-
Flav. What do you ask of me, my friend?
Tit. We wait for certain money here, sir.
Flav.

Ay,

If money were as certain as your waiting,
"Twere sure enough. Why then preferr❜d you not
Your sums and bills, when your false masters eat
Of my lord's meat? Then they could smile, and

fawn

Upon his debts, and take down th' interest
Into their gluttonous maws. You do yourselves

but wrong,

To stir me up; let me pass quietly:
I have no more to reckon, he to spend.
Believe't, my lord and I have made an end;

Luc. Serv. Ay, but this answer will not serve.
Flav.
If 'twill not serve,
Not yet."Tis not so base as you; for you serve knaves.

Phi. I wonder on't; he was wont to shine at seven. Luc. Serv. Ay, but the days are waxed shorter with him:

You must consider that a prodigal course

[Exit.

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

generous jealousy of friendship, that is affronted if any

Steevens illustrates by the following passage in Web-other be applied to before it.' ster's Patchess of Malfy :

Physicians thus,

With their hands full of money, use to give o'er
Their patients.'

3 i. e. keep within doors for fear of duns. Thus in Measure for Measure, Act iii. Sc. 2:-'You will turn good husband now, Pompey, you will keep the house' 4 i. e. like him in blaze and splendor.

'Soles occidere et redire possunt.'-Catull.

The passage will then mean, His friends, like physicians, thrive by his bounty and fees, and either relin- 5 Still perhaps alluding to the effects of winter, during quish and forsake him, or give up his case as despe- which some animals are obliged to seek their scanty rate.' It is remarked by Malone that Webster has fre-provision through a depth of snow. quently imitated Shakspeare, and that this passage may de an imitation of that in the text.

1 I take the sense of this passage to be, 'The devil knew not what he did when he made man politic, (i. e. crafty, or full of cunning shifts;) he thwarted himself by so doing, overreached himself: and I cannot think but in the end the villanies of man will (make the devil | appear in comparison innocent) set him clear, and that they will change places; man becoming the tempter, not the tempted.

2 Warburton thinks that this is levelled at the Puritans.. Sempronius, like them, takes a virtuous semblance to be wicked, pretending that warm affection and

6 The old copy reads, 'For which I wait for money.' 7 i. e. this office or employment.

8 The commentators thought this simple passage re|quired a comment; and the reader will be surprised hear that it bears several constructions. It is obvious that the meaning is, 'it should seem by the sum your master lent, his confidence in Timon was greater than that of my master, else surely my master's loan had equalled his.' If there be any obscurity, it is because the relative pronoun his does not quite clearly refer to its immediate antecedent mine. I should not have thought the passage needed explanation, had it not bees the subject of contention.

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Senate sitting. Enter ALCIBIADES, attended.

2 Var. Serv. No matter what; he's poor, and | SCENE V. The same. The Senate House. The that's revenge enough. Who can speak broader than he that has no house to put his head in? such may rail against great buildings.

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1 Sen. My lord, you have my voice to it; the fault's

Bloody; 'tis necessary he should die :
Nothing emboldens sin so much as mercy.

2 Sen. Most true; the law shall bruise him. Alcib. Honour, health, and compassion to the senate!

1 Sen. Now, captain?

Alcib. I am an humble suitor to your virtues,
For pity is the virtue of the law,
And none but tyrants use it cruelly.
It pleases time, and fortune, to lie heavy
Upon a friend of mine, who, in hot blood,
Hath stepp'd into the law, which is past depth
To those that, without heed, do plunge into it.
He is a man, setting his fate aside,3
Of comely virtues:

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

And with such sober and unnoted
passion
He did behave his anger, ere 'twas spent,
As if he had but prov'd an argument.

5

1 Sen. You undergo too strict a paradox, Striving to make an ugly deed look fair : Your words have took such pains, as if they labour'd

To bring manslaughter into form, set quarrelling
Upon the head of valour; which, indeed,

Is valour misbegot, and came into the world
When sects and factions were newly born:
He's truly valiant, that can wisely suffer

Tim. Knock me down with 'em: cleave me to The worst that man can breathe; and make his

Luc. Serv. Alas! my lord,

the girdle.

Tim. Cut my heart in sums.

Tit. Mine fifty talents.

Tim. Tell out my blood.

Luc. Serv. Five thousand crowns, my Tim. Five thousand drops pays that.

What yours?—and yours?

1 Var. Serv. My lord,

2 Var. Serv. My lord,

lord.

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

[Exit. Hor. 'Faith, I perceive our masters may throw their caps at their money: these debts may well be called desperate ones, for a madman owes 'em.

Re-enter TIMON and FLAVIUS.

[Exeunt.

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1 Sen. You cannot make gross sins look clear, To revenge is no valour, but to bear.

Alcib. My lords, then, under favour, pardon me, If I speak like a captain.

Why do fond men expose themselves to battle,
And not endure all threatnings? sleep upon it,
And let the foes quietly cut their throats,
Without repugnancy? but if there be
Such valour in the bearing, what make we
Abroad?" why then, women are more valiant,
That stay at home, if bearing carry it;

And th' ass more captain than the lion; the felon,”
Loaden with irons, wiser than the judge,

If wisdom be in suffering. O my lords,

As you are great, be pitifully good:

Who cannot condemn rashness in cold blood?
To kill, I grant, is sin's extremest gust;9
But, in defence, by mercy,
10 tis most just.
To be in anger is impiety;
But who is man, that is not angry?
Weigh but the crime with this.

2 Sen. You breathe in vain.
Alcib.

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' And with such sober and unnoted passion
He did behoove his anger ere 'twas spent.'

5 You undertake a paradox too hard.
6 i. e. utter.

7 What do we, or what have we to do in the field?s The old copy reads 'fellow. The alteration was made at Johnson's suggestion, perhaps without neces sity. Fellow is a common term of contempt.

9 Gust here means rashness. We still say, 'it was done in a gust of passion."

10 i. e all mercy herself to witness

At Lacedæmon, and Byzantium, Were a sufficient briber for his life.

1 Sen. What's that?

Alcib. Why, I say, my lords, h'as done fair service,

And slain in fight many of your enemies :
How full of valour did he bear himself

In the last conflict, and made plenteous wounds?
2 Sen. He has made too much plenty with 'em, he
Is a sworn rioter,' h'as a sin that often
Drowns him, and takes his valour prisoner :
If there were no foes, that were enough alone
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.

Alcib. Hard fate! he might have died in war.
My lords, if not for any parts in him

Though his right arm might purchase his own time, And be in debt to none,) yet, more to move you, Take my deserts to his, and join them both : And, for I know your reverend ages love Security, I'll pawn my victories, all2 My honour to you, upon his good returns. If by this crime he owes the law his life, Why, let the war receive't in valiant gore ; For law is strict, and war is nothing more.

1 Sen. We are for law, he dies; urge it no more, On height of our displeasure: Friend or brother, He forfeits his own blood, that spills another. Alcib. Must it be so? it must not be. My lords, I do beseech you, know me.

2 Sen. How?

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thee,

Attend our weighter judgment. And, not to swell our spirit,"

He shall be executed presently. [Exeunt Senators. Alcib. Now the gods keep you old enough; that you may live

Only in bone, that none may look on you!

I am worse than mad: I have kept back their foes,
While they have told their money, and let out
Their coin upon large interest; I myself,

Rich only in large hurts;-All those, for this?
's this the balsam, that the usuring senate
Pours into captains' wounds? ha! banishment?
It comes not ill; I hate not to be banish'd;
It is a cause worthy my spleen and fury,
That I may strike at Athens. I'll cheer
My discontented troops, and lay for hearts.
'Tis honour, with most lands to be at odds;
Soldiers should brook as little wrongs, as gods. [Exit.

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That makes the senate ugly.'

SCENE VI.-A magnificent Room in Timon's House. Music. Tables set out: Servants attending. Enter divers Lords, at several doors.

1 Lord. The good time of day to you, sir, 2 Lord. I also wish it to you. I think, this ho nourable lord did but try us this other day.

1 Lord. Upon that were my thoughts tiring him, as he made it seem in the trial of his severa when we encountered: I hope, it is not so low with

friends.

2 Lord. It should not be, by the persuasion of his new feasting.

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 be yond them, and I must needs appear.

2 Lord. In like manner was I in debt to my im portunate business, but he would not hear my exthat my provision was out. cuse. I am sorry, when he sent to borrow of me,

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.

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

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.

3 Remembrances is here used as a word of five sylla-i bles. In the singular Shakspeare uses it as a word of four syllables only:

'And lasting in her sad remembrance.
Twelfth Night, Act i. Sc. 1.

4 Base for dishonoured. 5 This, says Steevens, I believe, means 'not to put ourselves into any tumour of rage, take our definitive resolution.' So in King Henry VIII. Act iii. Sc. 1:"The hearts of princes kiss obedience, So much they love it; but to stubborn spirits, They surell and grow as terrible as storms.'

1 Lord. I hope, it remains not unkind.y with your lordship, that I returned you an empty mes

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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.

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

2 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 draw near?

you

3 Lord. I'll tell you more anon. Here's a noble feast toward.9

I think we might read with advantage:

And not to quell our spirit.'

e. not to repress or humble it.

6 To lay for hearts, is to endeavour to win the affections of the people.

7 Upon that were my thoughts feeding or most anxiously employed.'

8 i. e. your good memory.' Shakspeare and his contemporaries often use the comparative for the positive or superlative. Thus in King John:

Nay, but make haste the better fout before." 9 i. e. near at hand, or in prospect. So in Rome. and Juliet:-

"We have a foolish triding banquet towards '

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