Moves in this lip! to the dumbness of the gesture One might interpret. Pain. It is a pretty mocking of the life. Here is a touch; is't good? Poet. I'll say of it, It tutors nature: artificial strife Lives in these touches, livelier than life. Enter certain Senators, and pass over. Pain. How this lord's follow'd! Poet. The senators of Athens:-Happy men! Pain. Look, more! Poet. You see this confluence, this great flood of visitors. I have, in this rough work, shap'd out a man, Whom this beneath world doth embrace and hug Pain. How shall I understand you? 1 I'll unbolt to you. You see how all conditions, how all minds, (As well of glib and slippery creatures, as 6 artificial strife —] 7 Halts not particularly,] character. JOHNSON. Strife is the contest of art with nature. 8 In a wide sea of wax:] Anciently they wrote upon waxen tables with an iron style. 9 no levell❜d malice, &c.] To level is to aim, to point the shot at a mark. Shakspeare's meaning is, my poem is not a satire written with any particular view, or levelled at any single person; I fly like an eagle into the general expanse of life, and leave not, by any private mischief, the trace of my passage. 1 I'll unbolt —] I'll open, I'll explain. JOHNSON. Of grave and austere quality,) tender down Pain. I saw them speak together. Poet. Sir, I have upon a high and pleasant hill, Feign'd fortune to be thron'd: The base o'the mount Is rank'd with all deserts, all kind of natures, That labour on the bosom of this sphere To propagate their states: amongst them all, Whose eyes are on this sovereign lady fix'd, One do I personate of lord Timon's frame, Whom fortune with her ivory hand wafts to her; Whose present grace to present slaves and servants Translates his rivals. Pain. "Tis conceiv'd to scope. This throne, this Fortune, and this hill, methinks, To climb his happiness, would be well express'd Poet. Nay, sir, but hear me on: All those which were his fellows but of late, 2 glass-fac'd flatterer -] reflection, the looks of his patron. 3 rank'd with all deserts,] men. JOHNSON. 4 To propagate their states:] various conditions of life. 5 That shows in his look, as by JOHNSON. Cover'd with ranks of all kinds of To advance or improve their conceiv'd to scope.] Properly imagined, appositely, to the purpose. JOHNSON. 6 In our condition.] Condition for art. Follow his strides, his lobbies fill with tendance, Make sacred even his stirrop, and through him Pain. Ay, marry, what of these? Poet. When Fortune, in her shift and change of mood, Spurns down her late belov'd, all his dependants, Which labour'd after him to the mountain's top, Pain. 'Tis common: A thousand moral paintings I can show', That shall demonstrate these quick blows of fortune + To show lord Timon, that mean eyes' have seen Trumpets sound. Enter TIMON, attended; the Servant of VENTIDIUS talking with him. Tim. Imprison'd is he, say you? To those have shut him up; which failing to him ‡, 7 Rain sacrificial whisperings —] i. e. whisperings of officious servility, the incense of the worshipping parasite to the patron as to a god. 8 through him Drink the free air.] That is, breathe only with his per mission. 9 A thousand moral paintings I can show,] Shakspeare seems to intend in this dialogue to express some competition between the two great arts of imitation. Whatever the poet declares himself to have shown, the painter thinks he could have shown better. 1 + "blows of fortune's "-MALOne. mean eyes —] i. e. inferior spectators. Mr. Malone omits to him. Tim. Noble Ventidius! Well; I am not of that feather, to shake off My friend when he must need me. I do know him 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 ransome; And, being enfranchis'd, bid him come to me:"Tis not enough to help the feeble up, But to support him after.-Fare you well. [Exit. 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 so: What of him? Old Ath. Most noble Timon, call the man before thee. Tim. Attends he here, or no?-Lucilius! Enter LUCILIUS. Luc. Here, at your lordship's service. Old Ath. This fellow here, lord Timon, this thy crea ture, By night frequents my house. I am a man That from my first 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 else, 2 your honour!] The common address to a lord in our author's time was your honour, which was indifferently used with your lordship. Join with me to forbid him her resort; Tim. The man is honest. Old Ath. Therefore he will be, Timon3: His honesty rewards him in itself, It must not bear my daughter. Tim. Does she love him? Old Ath. She is young, and apt : Tim. [to LUCILIUS.] Love you the maid? Luc. Ay, my good lord, and she accepts of it. I call the gods to witness, I will choose Mine heir from forth the beggars of the world, Tim. How shall she be endow'd, If she be mated with an equal husband? Old Ath. Three talents, on the present; in future, all. Tim. This gentleman of mine hath serv'd me long; To build his fortune, I will strain a little, For 'tis a bond in men. Give him thy daughter: And make him weigh with her. Old Ath. Most noble lord, Pawn me to this your honour, she is his. Tim. My hand to thee; mine honour on my promise. Luc. Humbly I thank your lordship: Never may That state or fortune fall into my keeping, Which is not ow'd to you! : [Exeunt LUCILIUS and old Athenian. 3 Therefore he will be, Timon:] The thought is closely expressed, and obscure but this seems the meaning: "If the man be honest, my lord, for that reason he will be so in this; and not endeavour at the injustice of gaining my daughter without my consent." Never may That state or fortune fall into my keeping, WARBURTON. Which is not ow'd to you!] The meaning is, let me never |