He does deny him, in respect of his, What charitable men afford to beggars. Third Stran. Religion groans at it.

First 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, 90
For his right noble mind, illustrious virtue,
And honorable carriage,

Had his necessity made use 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 dispense;
For policy sits above conscience.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III

A room in Sempronius' house.

Enter Sempronius, and a Servant of Timon's. Sem. Must he needs trouble me in 't,-hum!-'bove all others?

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

85. "in respect of his"; Staunton conj. "this.”—I. G.

That is, “in respect of his fortune." What Lucius denies to Timon is in proportion to his fortune less than the usual alms given by good men to beggars.-H. N. H.

94. The meaning evidently is, "Though he has never given me any thing, I would have regarded my wealth as a gift from him, and returned him the best half of it."-H. N. H.

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

Serv.

My lord,

They have all been touch'd and found base

metal, for

They have all denied him.

Sem.

How! have they denied him? Has Ventidius and Lucullus denied him?

And does he send to me? Three? hum!

It shows but little love or judgment in him: 10 Must I be his last refuge? His friends, like physicians,

Thrive, give him over: must I take the cure upon me?

Has much disgraced me in 't; I'm angry at him,
That might have known my place: I see no sense
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

20

To the rest, and 'mongst lords I be thought a

fool.

I'd rather than the worth of thrice the sum,

Had sent to me first, but for my mind's sake;

12. "Thrive, give him over"; so F. 1; Ff. 2, 3, 4, "That thriv'd, give him over"; Pope, "Three give him over?"; Hanmer, "Tried give him over"; Theobald, "Thriv'd, give him over?"; Tyrwhitt conj. "Shriv'd give him over"; Johnson conj. "Thrice give him over,” etc. -I. G.

14. "sense"; Collier conj. "'scuse.”—I. G.

I'd such a courage to do him good. But now

return,

And with their faint reply this answer join; Who bates mine honor shall not know my coin. [Exit. Serv. Excellent! Your lordship's a goodly villain. The devil knew not what he did when he made man politic; he crossed himself by 't: and I cannot think but in the end 30 the villainies 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:

Of such a nature is his politic love.

This was my lord's best hope; now all are fled,
Save only the gods: now his friends are dead,
Doors, that were ne'er acquainted with their
wards

Many a bounteous year, must be employ'd 40
Now to guard sure their master.

And this is all a liberal course allows;

29. "crossed himself"; defeated his own purpose.-C. H. H. 31. "villainies set him clear"; Ritson's explanation of this passage is undoubtedly the right one: "The devil's folly in making man politic is to appear in this, that he will at the long run be too many for his old master, and get free of his bonds. The villainies of man are to set himself clear, not the devil, to whom he is supposed to be in thraldom."-H. N. H.

33-34. "those that under zeal"; Warburton thinks that this is leveled at the Puritans. "Sempronius, like them, takes a virtuous semblance to be wicked, pretending that warm affection and generous jealousy of friendship, that is affronted if any other be applied to before it."-H. N. H.

Who cannot keep his wealth must keep his house.

[Exit.

SCENE IV

A hall in Timon's house.

Enter two Servants of Varro, and the Servant of Lucius, meeting Titus, Hortensius, and other Servants of Timon's creditors, waiting his coming out.

First Var. Serv. Well met; good morrow, Titus and Hortensius.

Tit. The like to you, kind Varro.

Not yet.

Phi. I wonder on 't; he was wont to shine at seven.

43. That is, keep within doors for fear of duns.-H. N. H.

Luc. Serv. Aye, but the days are wax'd shorter with him:

Phi.

You must consider that a prodigal course

11

Is like the sun's; but not, like his, recoverable.
I fear

'Tis deepest winter in Lord Timon's purse;
That is, one may reach deep enough and yet
Find little.

I am of your fear for that.
Tit. I'll show you how to observe a strange event.
Your lord sends now for money.

Hor.
Most true, he does.
Tit. And he wears jewels now of Timon's gift,

For which I wait for money.

Hor. It is against my heart.

Luc. Serv.

21

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.

Hor. I'm weary of this charge, the gods can wit

ness:

I know my lord hath spent of Timon's wealth, And now ingratitude makes it worse than stealth.

First Var. Serv. Yes, mine's three thousand crowns: what's yours?

Luc. Serv. Five thousand mine.

15-17. Still perhaps alluding to the effects of winter, during which some animals are obliged to seek their scanty provision through a depth of snow.-H. N. H.