THE Life of Tymon of Athens' was first published | lations of the mad-house, in the play and in the picture are described with almost equal force and nature.” "No villainous bounty yet hath pass'd my heart. in the folio collection of 1623. The text, in this first edition, has no division into acts and scenes. We have reason to believe that, with a few exceptions, it is accurately printed from the copy which was in the possession of Heininge and Condell; and we have judged it important to follow that copy with very slight variations. In our fuller editions we have entered into a minute | In his splendid speech to Apemantus in the fourth act, examination of this play, for the purpose of expressing our belief that it was founded by Shakspere upon some older play, of which much has been retained; and that our poet's hand can only be traced with certainty in those scenes in which Timon appears. The Timon of Shakspere is not the Timon of the popular stories of Shakspere's day. The 28th novel of 6 The Palace of Pleasure' has for its title "Of the strange and beastly nature of Timon of Athens, enemy to mankind." According to this authority, "he was a man but by shape only "-he lived a beastly and churlish life." Neither was the Timon of Plutarch the Timon of Shakspere. The Greek biographer, indeed, tells us, that he was angry with all men, and would trust no man, "for the unthankfulness of those he had done good unto, and whom he took to be his friends;" but that he was represented as "a viper and malicious man unto mankind, to shun all other men's companies but the company of young Alcibiades, a bold and insolent youth." The Timon of Plutarch, and of the popular stories of Shakspere's time, was little different from the ordinary cynic. The Timon of Shakspere is in many respects essentially different from any model with which we are acquainted, but it approaches nearer, as Mr Skottowe first observed, to the Timon of Lucian than the commentators have pointed out. The character of Shakspere's misanthrope presents one of the most striking creations of his originality. The vices of Shakspere's Timon are not the vices of a sensualist. It is true that his offices have been oppressed with riotous feeders,-that his vaults have wept with drunken spilth of wine,-that every room he distinctly proclaims, that in the weakness with which "Hadst thou, like us, from our first swath, proceeded The all-absorbing defect of Timon—the root of those With this key to Timon's character, it appears to us that we may properly understand the “ general and exceptless rashness" of his misanthropy. The only relations in which he stood to mankind are utterly destroyed. In lavishing his wealth as if it were a common property, he had believed that the same common property would flow back to him in his hour of ad "Hath blaz'd with lights, and bray d with minstrelsy." But he has nothing selfish in the enjoyment of his prodigality and his magnificence. He himself truly expresses the weakness as well as the beauty of his own character: "Why, I have often wished myself poorer, that I might come nearer to you. We are born to do benefits, and what better or properer can we call our own, than the riches of our friends? O, what a pre-versity. "O, you gods, think I, what need we have cious comfort it is, to have so many, like brothers, commanding one another's fortunes!" Charles Lamb, in his contrast between Timon of Athens' and Hogarth's 'Rake's Progress,' has scarcely done justice to Timon: "The wild course of riot and extravagance, ending in the one with driving the Prodigal from the society of meu into the solitude of the deserts; and, in the other, with conducting Hogarth's Rake through his several stages of dissipation into the still more complete deso any friends, if we should never have need of them? they were the most needless creatures living, should we neer have use for them: and would most resemble sweet instruments hung up in cases, that keep their sounds to themselves." His false confidence is at once, and im parably, destroyed. If Timon had possessed one friend with whom he could have interchanged confidence upon equal terms, he would have been saved from his fall, and certainly from his misanthropy. 6 TIMON OF ATHENS. PERSONS REPRESENTED. TIMON, a noble Athenian. Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 2. Act II. sc. 2. Act III. sc. 4; sc. 6. Act IV. sc. 1; sc. 3. Act V. sc. 1; sc. 2. Lucius, a Lord, and a flatterer of Timon. Appears, Act I. sc. 2. Act III. sc. 2. LUCULLUS, a Lord, and a flatterer of Timon. Appears, Act I. sc. 2. Act III. sc. 1. SEMPRONIUS, a Lord, and a flatterer of Timon. Appears, Act I. sc. 2. Act III. sc. 3. FLAVIUS, steward to Timon. Appears, Act I. sc. 2. Act II. sc. 2. Act III. sc. 4. Act IV. sc. 2; sc. 3. Act V. sc. 2. FLAMINIUS, servant to Timon. Appears, Act II. sc. 2. Act III. sc. 1; sc. 4. LUCILIUS, servant to Timon. SERVILIUS, servant to Timon. Appears, Act II. sc. 2. Act III. sc. 2; sc. 4. PHILOTUS, servant to Timon's creditors. TITUS, servant to Timon's creditors. Appears, Act III. sc. 4. LUCIUS, servant to Timon's creditors. HORTENSIUS, servant to Timon's creditors. Two Servants of Varro, a creditor of Timon, A Servant of Isidore, a creditor of Timon. Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act V. sc. 1. Painter Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act V. sc. 1. Jeweller. Appeurs, Act I, sc. 1. Appears, Act II. sc. 2. Appears, Act II. sc. 2. PHRYNIA, a mistress to Alcibiades. Appears, Act IV. sc. 3. TIMANDRA, a mistress to Alcibiades. Appears, Act IV. sc. 3. Other Lords, Senators, Officers, Soldiers, Banditti ̧ and Attendants. SCENE, ATHENS, AND THE WOODS ADJOINING. ACT I. SCENE I-Athens. A Hall in Timon's House. Enter Poet, Painter, Jeweller, Merchant, and others, at several doors. I am glad you are well. Poet. Good day, sir. Ay, that 's well known: Nay, that 's most fix'd. Mer. A most incomparable man; breath'd, as it were, To an untirable and continuate goodness: He passes.b Breath'd. When Hamlet says, "It is the breathing time of day with me," he refers to the time of habitual exercise, by which his animal strength was fitted for "untirable and continuate" exertion. The analogy between this and the habitual exercise of "goodness' is obvious. He passes-be excels, he goes beyond common virtues. I'll unbolt 4 to you. Pain. How shall I understand vou? Poet. You see how all conditions, how all minds, (As well of glib and slippery creatures, as Of grave and austere quality,) tender down Their services to lord Timon: his large fortune, Upon his good and gracious nature hanging, Subdues and properties to his love and tendance All sorts of hearts; yea, from the glass-fac'd flatterer To Apemantus, that few things loves better Than to abhor himself: even he drops down The knee before him, and returns in peace Most rich in Timon's nod. Pain. I saw them speak together. Poct. 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 kinds 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. "T is conceiv'd to scope. This throne, this Fortune, and this hill, methinks, With one man beckon'd from the rest below, Bowing his head against the steepy mount To climb his happiness, would be well express'd In our condition.e Poet. Nay, sir, but hear me on: All those which were his fellows but of late, (Some better than his value,) on the moment Follow his strides, his lobbies fill with tendance, Rain sacrificial whisperings in his ear, Make sacred even his stirrup, and through him Drink the free air.' 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, A thousand moral paintings I can show, That shall demonstrate these quick blows of fortune's Trumpets sound. Enter TIMON, attended; the Ser Noble Ventidius! Well; I am not of that feather to shake off Old Ath. Lord Timon, hear me speak. [Ext. Tim. 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 ty creature, By night frequents my house. I am a man Tim. Tim. It must not bear my daughter. Tim. Does she love him? Tim. [To LUCILIUS] Love you the maid? The following is Coleridge's explanation of this progr -"The meaning of the first line the poet himself explains, f rather unfolds, in the second. The man is honest!- Tos. and for that very cause, and with no additional or extrinsr motive, he will be so. No man can be justly called honest who is not so for honesty's sake, itself including its own reward.”” Tim. Yes. Apem. Then I repent not. Jew. You know me, Apemantus. Apem. Right, if doing nothing be death by the law. Tim. How likest thou this picture, Apemantus! Apem. The best, for the innocence. Tim. Wrought he not well that painted it? Apem. He wrought better that made the painter; and yet he 's but a filthy piece of work. Pain. You are a dog. Apem. Thy mother 's of my generation: What s she, if I be a dog? Tim. Wilt dine with me, Apemantus? Apem. No; I eat not lords." Tim. An thou shouldst, thou 'dst anger ladies. Apem. O, they eat lords; so they come by great bellies. Mer. Ay, Apemantus. Apem. Traffic confound thee, if the gods will not! Mer. If traffic do it, the gods do it. Apem. Traffic 's thy god, and thy god confound thee! Trumpets sound. Enter a Servant. Tim. What trumpet 's that? Serv. T is Alcibiades, and some twenty horse, All of companionship. Tim. Pray entertain them; give them guide to us.— [Exeunt some Attendants. You must needs dine with me:-Go not you hence Till I have thank'd you; and, when dinner 's done, Show me this piece.-I am joyful of your sights. Enter ALCIBIADES, with his company. Most welcome, sir! [They salute. Apem. So, so; there!— Aches contract and starve your supple joints!— That there should be small love 'mongst these sweet knaves, And all this court'sy! The strain of man 's bred out Alcib. Sir, you have sav'd my longing, and I feed Apem. Thou know'st I do; I called thee by thy Most hungerly on your sight. name. Tim. Thou art proud, Apemantus. Tim. Right welcome, sir. Ere we depart, we 'll share a bounteous time Apem. Of nothing so much as that I am not like In different pleasures. Pray you, let us in. Timon. Tim. Whither art going? Apem. To knock out an honest Athenian's brains. Tim. That's a deed thou 'lt die for. [Exeunt all but APEMANTES. Enter Two Lords. 1 Lord. What time a day is 't, Apemantus? Apem. No, I will do nothing at thy bidding; make thy requests to thy friend. 2 Lord. Away, unpeaceable dog, or I'll spurn thee hence. Apem. I will fly, like a dog, the heels of the ass. [Exit. 1 Lord. He's opposite to humanity. Come, shall we in, And taste lord Timon's bounty? he outgoes 2 Lord. He pours it out; Plutus, the god of gold, Is but his steward: no meed, but he repays Sevenfold above itself; no gift to him, But breeds the giver a return exceeding 1 Lord. The noblest mind he carries, That ever govern'd man. 2 Lord. Long may he live in fortunes! Shall we in? 1 Lord. I'll keep you company. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-The same. A Room of State in Timon's House. Hautboys playing loud music. A great banquet served in; FLAVIUS and others attending; then enter TIMON, ALCIBIADES, LUCIUS, LUCULLUS, SEMPRONIUS, and other Athenian Senators, with VENTIDIUS, and Attendants. Then comes, dropping after all, APEMANTUS, discontentedly. Ven. Most honour'd Timon, It hath pleas'd the gods to remember my father's age, He is gone happy, and has left me rich: To your free heart, I do return those talents, Tim. O, by no means, Honest Ventidius: you mistake my love; I gave it freely ever; and there's none If our betters play at that game, we must not dare [They all stand ceremoniously looking on TIMON. Tim. Nay, my lords, ceremony was but devis'd st first Go, let him have a table by himself; Apem. Let me stay at thine apperil," Timon; I come to observe; I give thee warning on 't. Tim. I take no heed of thee; thou art an Athenian; therefore welcome: I myself would have no power: prithee, let my meat make thee silent. Apem. I scorn thy meat; 't would choke me, for I should Ne'er flatter thee.-O you gods! what a number I wonder men dare trust themselves with men : Is the readiest man to kill him: it has been prov`d. Tim. My lord, in heart; and let the health go round. Those healths will make thee, and thy state, look ill, Here's that, which is too weak to be a sinner, APEMANTUS'S GRACE. Rich men sin, and I eat root. [Eats and drinks. Much good dich thy good heart, Apemantus! Tim. Captain Alcibiades, your heart's in the field now. Alcib. My heart is ever at your service, my lord. Tim. You had rather be at a breakfast of enemies, than a dinner of friends. Alcib. So they were bleeding-new, my lord, there's no meat like them; I could wish my best friend at such a feast. Apem. 'Would all those flatterers were thine ene mies then; that then thou mightst kill 'em, and bid me to 'em. 1 Lord. Might we but have that happiness, my lord, that you would once use our hearts, whereby we migit express some part of our zeals, we should think our selves for ever perfect. Tim. O, no doubt, my good friends, but the gods themselves have provided that I shall have much Lep from you: How had you been my friends else? why have you that charitable title from thousands, did not you chiefly belong to my heart? I have told more of you to myself, than you can with modesty speak in Apperil. The word repeatedly occurs in Ben Jonson, as in the Tale of a Tub:' "As you will answer it at your apperil.” b Every guest in our author's time brought his own knife |