Sound Tucket. Tim. What means that trump? how now? Enter fervant. Ser. Please you, my lord, there are certain ladies most defirous of admittance. Tim. Ladies? what are their wills? Serv. There comes with them a fore-runner, my lord, which bears that office to fignifie their pleasures. Tim. I pray, let them be admitted. Enter Cupid with a Masque of ladies, as Amazons. Cup. Hail to thee, worthy Timon, and to all That of his bounties tafte! The five beft Senses Acknowledge thee their patron; and do come Freely to gratulate thy plenteous bosom : [rife, (7) Th' Ear, Tafte, Touch, Smell, pleas'd from thy Table Thefe only now come but to feaft thine eyes. [tance. Tim. They're welcome all; let 'em have kind admitLet mufick make their welcome. Luc. You fee, my lord, how amply you're belov❜d. Apem. Hoyday! what a Tweep of vanity comes this They dance, they are mad women. Like madness is the glory of this life; As this pomp fhews to a little oyl and root. We make our felves fools, to difport our felves; With poisonous fpight and envy (7) There tafte, touch, all, pleas'd from thy Table rife: [way! They only now-] The incomparable Emendation, with which the Text is here fupply'd, I owe to my ingenious Friend Mr. Warburton. The five Senfes, as he obferves, are talk'd of by Cupid, but only 'Three of them made out; and thofe in a very heavy, unintelligible Manner. But now you have them all, and the Poet's Senfe, compleat, viz. The five Senfes, Timon, acknowledge thee their Patron; Four of them, the Hearing, the Touch, the Tafte, and Smell, are all regaled at your Board; and thefe Ladies come with me to entertain your Sight, in presenting a Mafque. Who Who lives, that's not depraved, or depraves? Who dies, that bears not one Spurn to their graves Of their friends gift? I fhould fear, thofe, that dance before me now, The lords rife from table, with much adoring of Timon; each fingling out an Amazon, and all dance, men with women; a lofty strain or two to the hautboys, and cease. Tim. You have done our pleafures much ladies, Set a fair fashion on our entertainment, Luc. My lord, you take us even at the best. grace, fair Apem. Faith, for the worft is filthy, and would not hold taking, I doubt me. Tim. Ladies, there is an idle banquet attends Please you to dispose your felves. All La. Moft thankfully, my lord. Tim. Flavius? Flav. My lord. Tim. The little cafket bring me hither. you. [Exeunt. Flav. Yes, my lord. More jewels yet? there is no croffing him in's humour, Elfe I should tell him-well-i'faith, I fhould, When all's spent, he'd be cross'd then if he could: (8) 'Tis pity, Bounty has not eyes behind; That (8) -he'd be cross'd then if he could:] The Poet does not mean here, that he would be cross'd, or thwarted in Humour ; but that he would have his Hand cross'd, as we fay, with Money, if he could. He is playing on the Word, and alluding to our old Silver-penny, used before K. Edward the 1ft his Time, which had a Crofs on the Reverse with a Crease, that it might be more easily broke into Halves and Quarters, Half-pence and Farthings. From this Penny, and other fubfequent Pieces that bore the like Imprefs, was our common Expreffion deriv'd, I have not a Cross about me; i. e. not a Piece of Money. I thought, this Note might not be That man might ne'er be wretched for his mind. Ser. Here, my lord, in readiness. Tim. O my good friends! I have one word to fay to you; look, my lord, As to advance this jewel, accept, and wear it, Luc. I am fo far already in your gifts, [Ex. Lucius and Lucullus. Enter a fervant. Serv. My lord, there are certain Nobles of the Senate newly alighted, and come to vifit you. Tim. They are fairly welcome. Re-enter Flavius. Fla. I beseech your Honour, vouchsafe me a word; it does concern you near. Tim. Near! why then another time I'll hear thee. I pr'ythee, let's be provided to fhew them entertainment. Flav. I fcarce know how. Enter another Servant. 2 Serv. May it please your Honour, lord Lucius, out of his free love, hath prefented to you four milk-white horfes trapt in filver. be unneceffary, becaufe it ferves to explain feveral other Paffages, where the Poet has punn'd on this Term. For Inftance, in the ad Part of Henry IVth. Falftaffe asking the Lord Chief Justice to lend him a thousand Pounds, he replies; Not a penny, not a penny; you are too impatient to bear Croffes. In Love's Labour loft; Arm. I love not to be crofs'd. Moth. He speaks the clean contrary: Croffes love not him. And in As you like it ; Clown. Yet I should bear no Crofs, if I did bear you: for, Ithink, you have no Money in your Purfe. In all which Places, 'tis clear, that Money is fignified by the Word Croffes. Tim. I fhall accept them fairly: let the Prefents Be worthily entertain❜d. Enter a third fervant. How now? what news? 3 Ser. Please you, my lord, that honourable gentleman, Lord Lucullus, entreats your company to morrow to hunt with him, and has fent your Honour two brace of greyhounds. Tim. I'll hunt with him; and let them be received, not without fair reward. Flav. What will this come to? he commands us to provide, and give great gifts, and all out of an empty coffer: Nor will he know his purse, or yield me this, To fhew him what a beggar his heart is, Being of no power to make his wishes good; His promises fly fo beyond his ftate, [word: That what he fpeaks is all in debt; he owes for ev'ry He is fo kind, that he pays interest for't: His land's put to their books. Well, would I were Happier is he that has no friend to feed, Than Such that do e'en enemies exceed. [Exit. much wrong, you bate too Here, my lord, a trifle of I Lord. With more than common thanks I will receive it. 3 Lord. He has the very foul of bounty. Tim. And now I remember, my lord, you gave good words the other day of a bay Courfer I rode on. 'Tis yours, because you lik'd it. 2 Lord. Oh, I befeech you, pardon me, my lord, in that. Tim. You may take my word, my lord: I know no man can juftly praise, but what he does affect. I weigh my friends affection with my own; I'll tell you true. I'll call on you. All Lords. O, none fo welcome. Tim. I take all, and your several vifitations Thou art a foldier, therefore feldom rich, Is 'mongst the dead; and all the lands thou haft Alc. I defie land, my lord. 1 Lord. We are fo virtuously boundTim. And fo am I to you. 2 Lord. So infinitely endear'd Tim. All to you. Lights! more lights, more lights. 3 Lord. The best of happiness, honour and fortunes, Keep with you, lord Timon Tim. Ready for his friends. [Exeunt lords. Serving of becks and jutting out of bums! (9) Apem. No, I'll nothing; for if I fhould be brib'd too, there would be none left to rail upon thee, and then thou wouldst fin the fafter. Thou giv'ft fo long, (9) Serving of becks,] I have not I confefs freely, I don't understand it. Ways, with a very flight Alteration. to me, Serring of Becks, ventur'd to alter this Phrafe, tho from the French Word ferrer, to join clofe together, to lock one within another; by a Metaphor taken from the billing of Pigeons, who interfert their Bills into one another.- Or, we might read, Scruing of Backs, and jutting out of Bums! For Apemantus is obferving on the ridiculous Congées, and complimental Motions of the flattering Guests in taking their Leave. Both Conjectures are fubmitted to Judg ment. |