Why should it thrive, and turn to nutriment,
When he is turn'd to poifon?

O! may diseases only work upon't:

And when he's fick to death, let not that part
Of nature, my lord paid for, be of power
To expel fickness, but prolong his hour!

Luc.

SCENE, a publick Street.

Enter Lucius, with three ftrangers.

[Exit.

WHO, the lord Timon ? he is my very good

friend, and an honourable gentleman.

1 Stran. We know him for no lefs, tho' we are but ftrangers 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 paft, and his eftate fhrinks from him.

Luc. Fye, no, do not believe it: he cannot want for

mony.

2 Stran. But believe you this, my lord, that not long ago one of his men was with the lord Lucullus, to borrow fifty talents, nay, urg'd extremely for't, and fhewed what neceffity belong'd to't, and yet was dony'd.

Luc. How?

2 Stran. I tell you, deny'd, my lord.

was very

Luc. What a ftrange cafe was that? now, before the Gods, I am afham'd on't. Deny'd that honourable man ? there little honour fhew'd in that. For my own part, I must needs confefs, I have received fome small kindneffes from him, as mony, plate, jewels, and fuch like trifles, nothing comparing to his; yet had he miftook him, and fent him to me, I fhould ne'er have deny'd his occafion fo many talents.

Enter Servilius.

Ser. See, by good hap, yonder's my lord, I have fweat to fee his Honour. My honour'd lord

[To Lucius.

well

Luc. Servilius! you are kindly met, Sir." Fare thee

well, commend me to thy honourable virtuous lord, my very exquifite friend.

Ser. May it please your Honour, my lord hath fentLuc. Ha! What hath he sent? I am so much endear'd to that lord; he's ever fending: how fhall I thank him, think'st thou and what has he fent now?

Ser. H'as only fent his present occafion now, my lord; requesting your lordship to fupply his inftant ufe, with fifty talents.

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 lefs, my

If his occafion were not virtuous,

I fhould not urge it half fo faithfully.

Luc. Doft thou fpeak feriously, Servilius ?
Ser. Upon my foul, 'tis true, Sir.

Lord.

Luc. What a wicked beaft was I, to disfurnish my felf against fuch a good time, when I might ha' fhewn my felf honourable? how unluckily it hap'ned, that I fhould purchase the day before for a little (r2) dirt, and undo a great deal of honour? Servilius, now before the gods, I am not able to do (the more beaft, I fay) -I was fending to ufe lord Timon my felf, these gentlemen can witnefs; but I would not, for the wealth of Athens, I had don't 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

(12) That I should purchase the day before for a little part, and undo a great deal of Honour?] Tho' there is a feeming plaufible Antithefis, in the Terms, I am very well affur'd, they are corrupt at the bottom. For a little Part of What? Honour is the only Subftantive that follows in the Sentence; but Men don't purchase for Honour, tho' fometimes they may turn Purchasers out of Oftentation. How much is the Antithefis improv'd by the Sense which my Emendation gives? "That I fhould be fo unlucky to make this Purchase, for the "Lucre of a little Dirt, and undo a great deal of Honour ! ” This Manner of expreffing contemptuously of Land, is very frequent with the Poets.

it one of my greatest afflictions, that I cannot pleasure fuch an honourable gentleman. Good Servilius, will you befriend me fo far, as to use my own words to him?

Ser. Yes, Sir, I fhall.

[Exit Servilius. Luc. I'll look ye out a good turn, Servilius

True, as you faid, Timon is fhrunk, indeed;

And he, that's once deny'd, will hardly fpeed. [Exit. 1 Stran. Do you obferve this, Hoftilius?

2 Stran. Ay, too well.

I Stran. Why, this is the world's foul;
Of the fame piece is every flatterer's spirit: (13)
Who can call him his friend,

That dips in the fame dish? for, in my knowing,
Timon has been to this lord as a father,

And kept his credit with his bounteous purse :
Supported his estate; nay, Timon's mony
Has paid his men their wages. He ne'er drinks,
But Timon's Silver treads upon his lip;
And yet, oh, fee the monftrousness of man,
When he looks out in an ungrateful shape!
He does deny him (in respect of his)
What charitable men afford to beggars.
3 Stran. Religion groans at it.
1 Stran. For mine own part,
I never tafted Timon in my life;
Nor any of his bounties came o'er me,

To mark me for his friend. Yet, I proteft,
For his right noble mind, illuftrious virtue,
And honourable carriage,

Had his neceffity made ufe of me,

I would have put my wealth into donation,
And the best half should have return'd to him,
So much I love his heart; but, I perceive,
Men must learn now with pity to difpence,
For policy fits above confcience.

[Exeunt.

(13) Is every Flatterer's Sport. ] This fenfelefs Corruption has run through all the Editions; and, as I fuppofe, without Sufpicion.

Enter

Enter a third Servant with Sempronius.

Sem. Muft he needs trouble me in't? 'bove all others ?--He might have tried lord Lucius, or Lucullus,

And now Ventidius is wealthy too,

Whom he redeem'd from prifon : All these three
Owe their estates unto him.

Ser. Oh, my lord,

They've all been touch'd, and all are found base metal; For they have all deny'd him.

Sem. How? deny'd him?

Ventidius and Lucullus both deny'd him?
And does he fend to me? three! hum-
It fhews but little love or judgment in him.
Muft I be his last refuge? his friends, like physicians, (14)
Thriv'd, give him over? muft I take the cure
On me? h'as much disgrac'd me in't; I'm angry.
He might have known my Place; I fee no fenfe for't,
But his occafions might have wooed me first :
For, in my confcience, I was the first man
That e'er received gift from him.
And does he think fo backwardly of me,
That I'll requite it laft? no:

So it may prove an argument of laughter

To th' reft, and 'mongft lords I be thought a fool:
I'd rather than the worth of thrice the fum,
H'ad fent to me first, but for my mind's fake:
I'd fuch a courage to have done him good.
But now return,

And with their faint Reply this Answer join;
Who bates mine honour, shall not know my

coin. [Exit.

(14) his Friends, like Phyficians Thriv'd, give him over?] I have reftor'd this old Reading, only amended the Pointing which was faulty. Mr. Pope, fufpecting the Phrafe, has Subftituted Three in the room of thriv'd, and fo difarm'd the Poet's Satire. Phyficians thriv'd is no more than Physicians grown rich: Only the Adjective Paffive of this Verb, indeed, is not fo common in Ufe; and yet it is a familiar Expreffion, to this day, to fay, Such a One is well thriven on his Trade,

Ser.

Ser. Excellent! your lordship's a goodly villain. The devil knew not what he did, when he made man politick; he crois'd himself by't; and I cannot think, but in the end the villanies of man will fet him clear. How fairly this lord ftrives to appear foul? takes virtuous copies to be wicked like those that under hot, ardent, zeal would fet whole Realms on fire. Of fuch a nature is his politick 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, muft be employ'd
Now to guard fure their master.

And this is all a liberal course allows;

Who cannot keep his wealth, must keep his house.

[Exit. SCENE changes to Timon's Hall.

Enter Varro, Titus, Hortenfius, Lucius, and other fervants of Timon's creditors, who wait for his com ing out.

Var. WELL met, good morrow, Titus and Hor

tenfius.

Tit. The like to you, kind Varro.

Hor. Lucius, why do we meet together?

Luc. I think, one business does command us all.

For mine is mony.

Tit. So is theirs, and ours.

Enter Philo.

Luc. And Sir Philo's too.

Phi. Good day, at once.

Luc. Welcome, good brother. What d'you think the hour?