TIMON

OF

ATHENS

Ventidius, one of Timon's falfe Friends.
Cupid and Maskers.

Thieves, Senators, Poet, Painter, Jeweller, Mercer and Merchant; with divers fervants and attendants.

SCENE, Athens; and the Woods not far from it.

TIMON of ATHENS

ACT I.

SCENE, A Hall in Timon's House.

Enter Poet, Painter, Jeweller, Merchant, and Mercer, at feveral doors.

G

РОЕТ.

OOD day, Sir.

Pain. I am glad y' are well.

Poet. I have not feen you long; how goes

the world?

Pain. It wears, Sir, as it goes.

Poet. Ay, that's well known.

But what particular rarity? what so strange,
Which manifold Record not matches? fee,
(Magick of Bounty!) all these Spirits thy power
Hath conjur'd to attend. I know the merchant.
Pain. I know them both; th' other's a jeweller.
Mer. O'tis a worthy lord!

Jew. Nay, that's most fixt.

Mer. A most incomparable man, breath'd as it were

To

To an untirable and continuate goodness.

He paffes

Few. I have a jewel here.

Mer. O, pray, let's fee't:

For the lord Timon, Sir?

Jew. If he will touch the estimate: but for that

Poet. When we for recompence have prais'd the vile, It ftains the glory in that happy verse

Which aptly fings the good.

Mer. 'Tis a good form.

[Looking on the jewel.

Few. And rich; here is a water, look ye.

Pain. You're rapt, Sir, in fome Work, fome dedication

To the great lord.

Poet. A thing flipt idly from me.

Our Poefie is as a Gum, which iffues

From whence 'tis nourished. The fire i'th' flint

Shews not, 'till it be ftruck: our gentle flame
Provokes it felf,and like the current flies

Each Bound it chafes. What have you there? (1)
Pain. A picture, Sir:- when comes your book forth?
Poet. Upon the heels of my prefentment, Sir.
Let's fee your piece.

Pain. 'Tis a good piece.

Poet. So 'tis,

This comes off well and excellent.

Pain. Indiff'rent.

Poet. Admirable! how this grace

Speaks his own ftanding? what a mental power
This eye fhoots forth? how big imagination
Moves in this lip? to th' dumbness of the gefture
One might interpret.

(1) Each Bound it chafes.-] How, chafes? The Flood, indeed, beating up upon the Shore, covers a Part of it, but cannot be faid to drive the Shore away. The Poet's Allufion is to a Wave, which, foaming and chafing on the Shore, breaks; and then the Water feems to the Eye to retire. So, in Lear,

-The murmuring Surge,

That on th unnumber'd idle Pebbles chafes, &c.

And fo in Ful. Cæfar.

The troubled Tiber, chafing with his Shores,

Pain. It is a pretty mocking of the life : Here is a Touch-is't good?

Poet. I'll fay of it,

It tutors Nature; artificial ftrife

Lives in those touches, livelier than life.

Enter certain Senators.

Pain. How this lord is followed!

Poet. The Senators of Athens! happy man! (2)
Pain. Look, more!

Poet. You fee this confluence, this great flood of vifiters.
I have, in this rough Work fhap'd out a Man,
Whom this beneath world doth embrace and hug
With ampleft entertainment. My free drift
Halts not particular, but moves itself

In a wide fea of wax; no levell❜d malice
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.

You fee, how all conditions, how all minds,
As well of glib and flipp'ry creatures, as
Of grave and auftere quality, tender down
Their Service 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 himself; ev'n he drops down
The knee before him, and returns in peace
Moft rich in Timon's nod.

Pain. I faw them fpeak together.

Poet. I have upon a high and pleasant hill
Feign'd Fortune to be thron'd. The Bafe o'th' mount
Is rank'd with all deferts, all kind of natures,

(2) Happy Men !] Thus the printed Copies: but I cannot think the Poet meant, that the Senators were happy in being admitted to Timon; their Quality might command That: but that Timon was happy in being follow'd, and carefs'd, by thofe of their Rank and Dignity.

VOL. V.

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