Imprifon'd, and in fcarcity of friends, I clear'd him with five talents. Greet him from me; Touches his friend, which craves to be remember'd With those five talents. That had, give't thefe fellows To whom 'tis inftant due. Ne'er fpeak, or think, That Timon's fortunes 'mong his friends can fink. Stew. Would, I could not: that thought is bounty's foe Being free it felf, it thinks all others fo. [Exeunt. ACT III. SCENE, Lucullus's Houfe in Athens. I Flaminius waiting, Enter a fervant to him. SERVANT. Have told my lord of you; he is coming down to you. Ser. Here's my lord. Enter Lucullus. Lucul. One of lord Timon's men; a gift, I warrantWhy, this hits right: I dreamt of a filver bafon and ewre to night. Flaminius, honeft Flaminius, you are very refpectively welcome, Sir; fill me fome wine. And how does that honourable, compleat, free-hearted Gentleman of Athens, thy very bountiful good lord and master? Flam. His health is well, Sir. Lucul, I am right glad that his health is well, Sir; and what haft thou there under thy cloak, pretty Flaminius? Flam. Faith, nothing but an empty box, Sir, which in my lord's behalf, I come to entreat your Honour to fupply; who having great and inftant occafion to ufe fifty talents, talents, hath fent to your lordship to furnish him, nothing doubting your prefent affiftance therein. Lucul. La, la, la, la, Nothing doubting, fays he? alas, good lord, a noble gentleman 'tis, if he would not keep fo good a houfe. Many a time and often I ha' din'd with him, and told him on't; and come again to fupper to him, on purpose to have him fpend lefs. And yet he would embrace no counfel, take no warning by my Coming; every man hath his fault, and honeity is his. I ha told him on't, but I could never get him from't. Enter a fervant, with wine. Ser. Please your lordship, here is the wine. Lacul. Flaminius, I have noted thee always wife. Here's to thee. Flam. Your lordship speaks your pleasure. Lucul. I have obferv'd thee always for a towardly prompt fpirit, give thee thy due: and one that knows what belongs to reason; and canft use the time well, if the time ufe thee well. Good parts in thee-Get you gone, firrah. [To the fervant, who goes out]-Draw nearer, honeft Flaminius, thy lord's a bountiful gentleman, but thou art wife, and thou knoweft well enough (altho' thou comeft to me) that this is no time to lend mony, especially upon bare friendship without fecurity. Here's three Solidares for thee; good boy, wink at me, and fay, thou faw'ft me not. Fare thee well. Flam. Is't poffible the world should fo much differ, [Throwing the mony away. Lucul. Ha! now I fee thou art a fool, and fit for thy mafter. [Exit Lucullus. fcald thee: may Flam. May thefe add to the number that When When he is turn'd to poison? O! may diseases only work upon't: And when he's fick to death, let not that part To expel fickness, but prolong his hour! (16) [Exit. Luc. SCENE, a publick Street. Enter Lucius, with three ftrangers. WHO, the lord Timon ? he is my very good friend, and an honourable gentleman. 1 Stran. We know him for no lefs, tho' we are but ftrangers to him. But I can tell you one thing, my lord, and which I hear from common rumours, now lord Timon's happy hours are done and paft, and his eftate fhrinks from him. Luc. Fye, no, do not believe it: he cannot want for mony. 2 Stran. But believe you this, my lord, that not long ago one of his men was with the lord Lucullus, to borrow fifty talents, nay, urg'd extremely for't, and fhewed what neceffity belong'd to't, and yet was deny❜d. Luc. How? 2 Stran. I tell you, deny'd, my lord. Luc. What a strange cafe was that? now, before the Gods, I am afham'd on't. Deny'd that honourable man? there was very little honour fhew'd in that. For my own part, I must needs confefs, I have received fome fmall kindneffes from him, as mony, plate, jewels, and fuch (16) But prolong his hour!] Mr. Pope, in both his Editions, without any Authority or Reafon affign'd, has fubftituted or instead of but here: by which the Sense is infeebled; and the Servant only made to fay, Let my Master's Meat in his Belly, when he comes to be fick, neither be of Force to expel his Sickness, nor to put off the Time of his Death, one hour. Whereas but finely exaggerates the Servant's intended Curfe, to this effect: Let Diseases only work upon that Food in him, which my Mafter paid for; let it not prove a Nutriment able to expel the Malady; but on the contrary, the Fewel to his Diftemper, and the Means of prolonging his Torture! like trifles, nothing comparing to his; yet had he mistook him, and sent him to me, I should ne'er have deny'd his occafion fo many talents. Enter Servilius. Ser. See, by good hap, yonder's my lord, I have fweat to fee his Honour.- -My honour'd lord [To Lucius. Luc. Servilius! you are kindly met, Sir. Fare thee well, commend me to thy honourable virtuous lord, my very exquifite friend. Ser. May it please your Honour, my lord hath fent Luc. Ha! What hath he fent? I am fo much endear'd to that lord; he's ever fending: how fhall I thank him, think'ft thou? and what has he fent now? lord; Ser. H'as only fent his prefent occafion now, my requesting your lordship to fupply his inftant ufe, with fifty talents. Luc. I know, his lordship is but merry with me; He cannot want fifty five hundred talents. Ser. But in the mean time he wants lefs, my lord. If his occafion were not virtuous, I should not urge it half fo faithfully. Luc. Doft thou speak seriously, Servilius? Luc. What a wicked beaft was I, to disfurnish my felf against fuch a good time, when I might ha' fhewn my felf honourable? how unluckily it hapned, that I fhould purchafe the day before for a little (17) dirt, and undo a great deal of honour? Servilius,, now before the gods, I am (17) That I should purchase the day before for a little part, and undo a great deal of Honour ] Tho' there is a feeming plaufible Antithefis, in the Terms, I am very well affur'd, they are corrupt at the bottom. For a little Part of What? Honour is the only Subftantive that follows in the Sentence; but Men don't purchafe for Honour, tho' fometimes they may turn Purchasers out of Oftentation. How much is the Antithefis improv'd by the Senfe which my Emendation gives?" That I fhould be fo unlucky "to make this Purchafe, for the Lucre of a little Dirt, and undo a great “ deal of Honour !" This Manner of expreffing contemptuoufly of Land, is very frequent with the Poets. So Hamlet, Act 5, speaking of Ofrick, be am not able to do (the more beaft, I fay) - I was fending to use lord Timon my felf, thefe gentlemen can witness; but I would not, for the wealth of Athens, I had don't now. Commend me bountifully to his good lordship, and, I hope, his Honour will conceive the fairest of me, because I have no power to be kind. And tell him this from me, I count it one of my greatest afflictions, that I cannot pleasure fuch an honourable gentleman. Good Servilius, will you befriend me fo far, as to use my own words to him? Ser. Yes, Sir, I fhall. [Exit Servilius. Luc. I'll look ye out a good turn, Servilius True, as you faid, Timon is fhrunk, indeed; And he, that's once deny'd, will hardly speed. 1 Stran. Do you obferve this, Hoftilius? 2 Stran. Ay, too well. I Stran. Why, this is the world's foul; Of the fame piece is every flatterer's fpirit: (18) That dips in the fame dish? for, in my knowing, And kept his credit with his bounteous purse: he hath much Land and fertile ; Spacious in the Poffeffion of Dirt. [Exit. tis a Chough; but, as I fay, So Beaumont and Fletcher in the Scornful Lady, A&t 1. your Brother's house is big enough; and, to fay truth, he has too much Land; hang it, Dirt. And again, in the 2d Act; for thy Dirt. Noble Boy, the God of Gold here has fee'd thee well; take Mony And the Elder Brother, A&t. 3d. Had y' only fhew'd me Land, I had deliver'd it, And been a proud Man to have parted with it : 'Tis Dirt and Labour. More Authorities would be fuperfluous." (18) Is every Flatterer's Sport.] This fenfelefs Corruption has hitherto run through all the Editions; and, as I fuppofe, without Sufpicion. He |
