SCENE changes to Timon's Houfe. 1 Sen. Enter divers Senators, at feveral doors. "THE 2 Sen. I alfo with it to you: I think, this honourable Lord did but try us this other day. 1 Sen. Upon that were my thoughts tiring, when we encountred. I hope, it is not fo low with him, as he made it seem in the tryal of his feveral friends. 2 Sen. It should not be, by the perfuafion of his new feafting. 1 Sen. I fhould think fo: he hath fent me an earnest inviting, which many my near occafions did urge me to put off: but he hath conjur'd me beyond them, and I must needs appear. 2 Sen. In like manner was I in debt to my impor tunate bufinefs; but he would not hear my excufe. I am forry, when he fent to borrow of me, that my provifion was out. 1 Sen. I am fick of that grief too, as I understand how all things go. 2 Sen. Every man here's fo. What would he have borrow'd of you? 1 Sen. A thousand pieces. 2 Sen. A thousand pieces! 1 Sen. What of you? 3 Sen. He fent to me, Sir-here he comes. Enter Timon and Attendants. Tim. With all my heart, gentlemen both-and how fare you? 1 Sen. Ever at the beft, hearing well of your Lordship. 2 Sen. The swallow follows not fummer more willingly, than we your Lordship. Tim. Nor more willingly leaves winter: fuch fummer-birds are men.-Gentlemen, our dinner will not recompenfe this long ftay: feaft your ears with the mufick awhile; if they will fare fo harfhly as on the trumpets found: we fhall to't prefently. 1 Sen. I hope, it remains not unkindly with your Lordship, that I return'd you an empty meffenger. Tim. O Sir, let it not trouble you. 2 Sen. My noble Lord. Tm. Ah, my good friend, what cheer? [The banquet brought in. 2 Sen. Moft honourable Lord, I'm e'en fick of fhame, that when your Lordship t'other day fent to me, I was fo unfortunate a beggar. Tim. Think not on't, Sir. 2 Sen. If you had fent but two hours before. Tim. Let it not cumber your better remembrance. Come, bring in all together. 2 Sen. All cover'd difhes! 1 Sen. Royal cheer, I warrant you. 3 Sen. Doubt not that, if moneyand the feafon can yield it. i Sen. How do you? what's the news? 3 Sen. Alcibiades is banish'd: hear you of it? Both. Alcibiades banish'd! 3 Sen. "Tis fo, be fure of it. 1 Sen. How? how? 2 Sen. I pray you, upon what? Tim. My worthy friends, will you draw near? 3 Sen. I'll tell ye more anon. Here's a noble feaft toward. 2 Sen. This is the old man ftill. 3 Sen. Will't hold? will't hold ? 2 Sen. It does, but time will, and fo 3 Sen. I do conceive. Tim. Each man to his stool, with that fpur as he would to the lip of his mistress: your diet fhall be in all places alike. Make not a city-feaft of it, to let the meat cool ere we can agree upon the firft place. Sit, fit. The gods require our thanks. You great benefactors, Sprinkle our fociety with thankfulnefs. For your own gifts make yourselves prais'd: but referve fill to give, left your deities be defpifed. Lend to each man enough, that one need not lend to another. For were your godbeads to borrow of men, men would forfake the gods. Make the meat beloved, more than the man that gives it. Let no assembly of twenty be without a score of villains. If there fit twelve women at the table, let a dozen of them be as they are-The rest of your fees, O gods, the fenators of Athens, together with the common lag of people, what is amifs in them, you gods, make suitable for deftruction. For thefe my friends-as they are to me nothing, fo in nothing bless them, and to nothing are they welcome. Uncover, dogs, and lap. Some Speak. What does his Lordship mean? Tim. May you a better feaft never behold, You knot of mouth-friends: fmoke, and lukewarm water Courteous deftroyers, affable wolves, meek bears, Cruft you quite o'er!-What, doft thou go? (20) -and minute jacks Of man and beaft, the infinite malady Cruft you quite o'er!] I had reform'd the bad pointing of this paffage in my SHAKESPEARE reflor'd, and have accordingly rectified it here. In what fenfe could the fenators be call'd minute jacks of man and beaft? The poet just before calls them vapours; and certainly means to inforce that image, by faying, they were jacks not of a mi nute's truft, or dependance. Then what could the infinite malady fignify, without fomething fubjoin'd to give us a clearer idea of it? As I point the paffage, it plainly means, may the whole catalogue, the infinite number of diftempers, that have ever invaded either man or beaft, all be join'd to plague you. Coriolanus curfes his cowardly followers, in our author's tragedy fo call'd, in a manner not much unlike; All the contagion of the South light on you, You fhames of Rome, you! herds of boils and plagues What! What! all in motion? henceforth be no feast, Re-enter the Senators. 1 Sen. How now, my Lords? [Exit. 2 Sen. Know you the quality of Lord Timon's fury! 3 Sen. Piha! did you fee my cap? 4 Sen. I've loft my gown. i Sen. He's but a mad Lord, and nought but humour fways him. He gave me a jewel th' other day, and now he has beat it out of my cap. Did you fee my jewel? 2 Sen. Did you see my cap? 3 Sen. Here 'tis. 4 Sen. Here lyes my gown. i Sen. Let's make no stay. 2 Sen. Lord Timon's mad. 3 Sen. I feel't upon my bones. 4 Sen. One day he gives us diamonds, next day ftones. [Exeunt. ACT V. SCENE, Without the walls of Athens. L Enter TIM O N. ET me look back upon thee, O thou wall, That girdleft in thofe wolves! dive in the earth, And fence not Athens! matrons, turn incontinent; Obedience fail in children; flaves and fools Pluck the grave wrinkled fenate from the bench, And minifter in their fteads: To general filths (21) Convert o' th' inftant, green virginity! (21) To general filths Convert oth' inftant, &c.] This paffage was very faulty in the pointing, till I first reform'd it in my SHAKESPEARE restor'd; and Mr. Pope vouchfaf'd to copy my correction in his last edition. Do't Do't in your parents eyes. Bankrupts, hold faft; On Athens, ripe for ftroke! thou cold Sciatica, Take thou that too, with multiplying banns : (22) -Bankrupts, bold faft, Rather than render back; out with your knives, And cut your trufters throats.] Thus has this paffage hitherto been moft abfurdly pointed; even by the poetical editors, Mr. Rowe, and Mr. Pope. I had reform'd the pointing; but am, however, to make my acknowledgments to fome anonymous gentleman, who by letter advifed me to point it as I have done in the text. SCENE |