Infects one comma in the course I' hold;
But flies an eagle flight, bold, and forth on,
Leaving no tract behind.

Pain. How fhall I understand you?

Poet. I'll unbolt to you 3.

You fee, how all conditions, how all minds,
(As well of glib and flippery creatures, as
Of grave and auftere quality,) tender down
Their fervices to lord Timon: his large fortune,
Upon his good and gracious nature hanging,
Subdues and properties to his love and tendance
All forts of hearts; yea, from the glass-fac'd flatterer
To Apemantus, that few things loves better
Than to abhor himfelf: even he drops down
The knee before him, and returns in peace
Moft rich in Timon's nod.

Pain. I faw them speak together.

Poet. Sir, I have upon a high and pleasant hill Feign'd Fortune to be thron'd: The bafe o' the mount Is rank'd with all deferts, all kind of natures, That labour on the bofom of this fphere To propagate their ftates: amongst them all, Whole eyes are on this fovereign lady fix'd, One do I perfonate of lord Timon's frame, Whom Fortune with her ivory hand wafts to her;

9

3 I'll unbolt-] I'll open, I'll explain. JOHNSON.

4

glib and flippery creatures,-] Hanmer, and Warburton after him, read-natures. Slippery is moorb, unrefifting. JOHNSON. 5-glass-fac'd flatterer- That shows in his own look, as by reflection, the looks of his patron. JOHNSON.

6 - even be drops down, &c.] Either Shakspeare meant to put a falfhood into the mouth of his poet, or had not yet thoroughly planned the character of Apemantus; for in the enfuing fcenes, his behaviour is as cynical to Timon as to his followers. STEEVENS.

7 — ṛank'd with all deferts,] Cover'd with ranks of all kinds of men. JOHNSON.

To propagate their fates:] To advance or improve their various conditions of life. JOHNSON.

Feign'd Fortune to be thron'd :

on this fovereign lady, &c.] So, in the Tempeft : 65- bountiful fortune,

"Now my dear lady," &c. MALONE.

4

Whofe

Whofe prefent grace to prefent flaves and fervants
Tranflates his rivals.

Pain. 'Tis conceiv'd to scope'.

This throne, this Fortune, and this hill, methinks,
With one man beckon'd from the rest below,
Bowing his head against the steepy mount

To climb his happiness, would be well exprefs'd
In our condition 2.

Poet. Nay, fir, but hear me on:

All those which were his fellows but of late,
(Some better than his value,) on the moment
Follow his ftrides, his lobbies fill with tendance,
Rain facrificial whisperings in his ear3,

Make facred even his stirrop, and through him
Drink the free air 4.

Pain. Ay, marry, what of these?

Poet. When Fortune, in her fhift and change of mood, Spurns down her late belov'd, all his dependants, Which labour'd after him to the mountain's top, Even on their knees and hands, let him flip down", Not one accompanying his declining foot.

Pain. 'Tis common:

A thousand moral paintings I can fhew,

1-conceiv'd to fcope.] Properly imagined, appofitely, to the purpofe. JOHNSON.

2 In our condition.] Condition, for art. WARBURTON.

3 Rain facrificial whisperings in bis ear,] Whisperings attended with fuch refpect and veneration as accompany facrifices to the gods. Such, I fuppofe, is the meaning. MALONE.

-through bim

Drink the free air.] That is, catch his breath in affected fondnefs. JOHNSON.

So, in our author's Venus and Adonis :

"His noftrils drink the air."

Again, in The Tempest:

"I drink the air before me."

MALONE.

5 let bim flip down,] The old copy reads-let bim fit down. The emendation was made by Mr. Rowe. STEEVENS.

A thousand moral paintings I can fhew,] Shakspeare feems to intend in this dialogue to exprefs fome competition between the two great arts of imitation. Whatever the poet declares himself to have shewn, the painter thinks he could have fhewn better. JoHNSON.

That

That fhall demonftrate thefe quick blows of fortune's
More pregnantly than words. Yet you do well,
To fhew lord Timon, that mean eyes have feen
The foot above the head.

Trumpets found. Enter TIMON, attended; the fervant of Ventidius talking with him.

Tim. Imprifon'd is he, fay you?

Ven. Serv. Ay, my good lord: five talents is his debt; His means moft fhort, his creditors moft ftrait:

Your honourable letter he defires

To thofe have shut him up; which failing,

Periods his comfort 9.

Tim. Noble Ventidius! Well;

I am not of that feather, to shake off

My friend when he muft need me'. I do know him
A gentleman, that well deferves a help,

Which he shall have: I'll pay the debt, and free him.
Ven. Serv. Your lordship ever binds him.

Tim. Commend me to him: I will send his ransom ; And, being enfranchis'd, bid him come to me :

7

- these quick blows of fortune's-] This was the phrafeology of Shakspeare's time, as I have already obferved in a note on K. Jebn, Vol. IV. p. 464, n. 7. The modern editors read, more elegantly,-of fortune. MALONE.

8 -mean eyes- i. e. inferior fpectators. So, in Wotton's Letter to Bacon, dated March the laft, 1613: "Before their majefties, and almoft as many other meaner eyes," &c. TOLLET.

Periods, &c. To period is, perhaps, a verb of Shakspeare's introduction into the English language. I find it however ufed by Heywood, after him, in A Maidenhead well Loft, 1634:

"How eafy could I period all my care." Again, in the Country Girl, by T. B. 1647:

"To period our vain grievings." STEEVENS.

1- when he muft need me.] When he cannot but want my affiftance. I once idly conjectured that Shakspeare wrote-When he most needs me; and fo, I have fince found, the third folio reads: but if fuch capricious innovations were to be admitted, every line in thefe plays might be changed. MALONE.

'Tis not enough to help the feeble up, But to fupport him after.-Fare you well.

Ven. Serv. All happiness to your honour 3 !

Enter an old Athenian.

Old Ath. Lord Timon, hear me speak.
Tim. Freely, good father.

Old Ath. Thou hast a servant nam'd Lucilius.

Tim. I have fo: What of him?

[Exit.

Old Ath. Moft noble Timon, call the man before thee. Tim. Attends he here, or no?-Lucilius!

Enter LUCILIUS.

Lnc. Here, at your lordship's fervice.

Old Ath. This fellow here, lord Timon, this thy creature,

By night frequents my house. I am a man

That from my firft have been inclin❜d to thrift;
And my estate deserves an heir more rais'd,
Than one which holds a trencher.

Tim. Well; what further?

Old Ath. One only daughter have I, no kin elfe,
On whom I may confer what I have got:
The maid is fair, o' the youngest for a bride,
And I have bred her at my dearest coft,
In qualities of the best. This man of thine
Attempts her love: I pr'ythee, noble lord,
Join with me to forbid him her refort ;
Myself have spoke in vain.

Tim. The man is honest.

2 'Tis not enough, &c.] This thought is better expreffed by Dr. Madden in his Elegy on archbishop Boulter:

3

16- He thought it mean

"Only to help the poor to beg again." JOHNSON.

-your bonour!] The common addrefs to a lord in our author's time, was your bonour, which was indifferently ufed with your lordhip. See any old letter, or dedication of that age. STEEVENS.

Old Ath.

Old Ath. Therefore he will be, Timon+: His honefty rewards him in itself,

It must not bear my daughter.

Tim. Does the love him?

Old Ath. She is young, and apt:
Our own precedent paffions do inftruct us
What levity's in youth.

Tim. [to Lucil.] Love you the maid?

Luc. Ay, my good lord, and fhe accepts of it.
Old Ath. If in her marriage my confent be miffing,
I call the gods to witnefs, I will choose

Mine heir from forth the beggars of the world,
And difpoffefs her all.

Tim. How fhall fhe be endow'd,

If she be mated with an equal husband?

Old Ath. Three talents, on the prefent; in future, all. Tim. This gentleman of mine hath ferv'd me long;

4 Therefore he will be, Timon:] Therefore he will continue to be fo, and is fure of being fufficiently rewarded by the consciousness of virtue; he does not need the additional bleffing of a beautiful and accomplished wife.

It has been objected, I forget by whom, if the old Athenian means to fay that Lucilius will still continue to be virtuous, what occafion has he to apply to Timon to interfere relative to this marriage? But this is making Shakspeare write by the card. The words mean undoubtedly, that he will be honest in his general conduct through life; in every other action except that now complained of. MALONE.

So, in King Henry VIII:

66 May he continue

"Long in his highness' favour; and do justice
"For truth's fake and bis confcience."

Again, more appofitely, in Cymbeline:

"Your faithful fervant; I dare lay mine honour,
"He will remain fo." STEEVENS.

I rather think an emendation neceflary, and read:
Therefore well be him, Timon:

His honefty rewards him in itself.

That is, If be is boneft, bene fit illi, I wish him the proper happiness of an boneft man, but bis bonefty gives him no claim to my daughter. The first tranfcriber probably wrote will, be bim, which the next, not understanding, changed to, be will be. JOHNSON.

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