As TROILUS is going out, enter from the verse for it? what instance for it ?-Let me see : Full merrily the humble-bee doth sing, * Ignominy. Canvass hangings for rooms, painted with emblems and mottos. This play is more correctly written than most of Shakspeare's compositions, but it is not one of those in which either the extent of his views or elevation of his fancy is fully displayed. As the story abounded with materials, he has exerted little invention; but he has diversified his characters with great variety, and preserved them with great exactness. His vicious characters disgust, but cannot corrupt, for both Cressida and Pandarus are detested and contemned. The comic characters seem to have been the favourites of the writer; they are of the superficial kind, and exhibit more of manners, than nature; but they are copiously filled and powerfully impressed. Shakspeare has in his story followed, for the greater part, the old book of Caxton, which was then very popular; but the character of Thersites, of which it makes no mention, is a proof that this play was written after Chapman had published his version of Homer.-JOHNSON. mistresses to Alcibiades. Other Lords, Senators, Officers, Soldiers, Thieves, and Attendants. CAPHIS, PHILOTUS, TITUS, LUCIUS, HOR. TENSIUS, servants to Timon's Cre-Scene,-- Athens; and the Woods additors. joining. Poet. A thing slipp'd idly from me. Our poesy is as a gum, which oozes [flint From whence 'tis nourished. The fire i'the Enter Poet, Painter, Jeweller, Merchant, and Shows not, till it be struck; our gentle flame Others, at several Doors. Poet. Good day, sir. Puin. I am glad you are well. Poet. I have not seen you long; how goes Pain. It wears, sir, as it grows. [the world?Poet. Ay, that's well known: But what particular rarity? what strange, Which manifold record not matches? See, Magic of bounty! all these spirits thy power Hath conjured to attend. I know the mer[ler. Pain. I know them both; t'other's a jewelMer. O, 'tis a worthy lord! Jew. Nay, that's most fix'd, Mer. A most incomparable man; breathed*, as it were, chant. To an untirable and continuate † goodness: Jew. I have a jewel here. Jew. If he will touch the estimate; but, Poet. When we for recompense have praised the vile, It stains the glory in that happy verse Mer. 'Tis a good form. [Looking at the Jewel. Jew, And rich here is a water, look you. Puin. You are rapt, sir, in some work, some To the great lord. [dedication | Provokes itself, and, like the current, flies Each bound it chates. What have you there? Pain. A picture, sir.And when comes your book forth? Poet. Upon the heels of my presentments, Let's see your piece. Pain. Poet. So 'tis: this comes off well and exPain. Indifferent. [cellent. Poet. Admirable: How this grace Speaks his own standing! what a mental power This eye shoots forth! how big imagination Moves in this lip! to the dumbness of the ges One might interpret. [ture Pain. It is a pretty mocking of the life. Here is a touch; is't good? Poet. I'll say of it, Enter certain Senators, and pass over. Poet. You see this confluence, this great flood of visitors. I have, in this rough work, shaped out a man, Whom this beneath world doth embrace and hug With amplest entertainment: My free drift Halts not particularly¶, but moves itself • Inured by constant practice. ti. e., Exceeds, goes beyond common bounds. presented to Timon. + For continual. As soon as my book has been i. e., The contest of art with nature. In a wide sea of wax: no levell'd malice Pain. How shall I understand you? ance Pain. [mount hill, Pain. With one man beckon'd from the rest below, Poet. Not one accompanying his declining foot. A thousand moral paintings I can show [tune him. Ven. Serv. Your lordship ever binds him. And, being enfranchised, bid him come to me: Enter an old Athenian. Old Ath. Lord Timon, hear me speak. Tim. Attends he here, or no?-Lucilius! Luc. Here, at your lordship's service. By night frequents my house. I am a man Tim. On whom I may confer what I have got: Tim. Does she love him? Tim. [To LUCILIUS.] Love you the maid? Old Ath. If in her marriage my consent be * Open, explain. + One who shows by reflection the looks of his patron. To advance their conditions of life. Inhale, What you bestow, in him I'll counterpoise, Old Ath. Most noble lord, my promise. [Exeunt LuCILIUS and old Athenian. Pain. A piece of painting, which I do be. Painting is welcome. Pain. We must needs dine together.-Sir, your jewel Jew. What, my lord? dispraise? Tim. A mere satiety of commendations. If I should pay you for't as 'tis extoll'd, It would unclew me quite. Jew. My lord, 'tis rated As those which sell would give: But you well know, Things of like valne, differing in the owners, Which all men speak with him. [lord, Well mock'd. he speaks the Pain. You are a dog. Apem. Thy mother's of my generation; Tim. Wilt dine with me, Apemantus ? Tim. An thon should'st, thou'dst anger ladies. Apem. O, they eat lords; so they come by great bellies. Tim. That's a lascivious apprehension. Apem. So thou apprehend'st it: Take it for thy labour. Tim. How dost thou like this jewel, Apemantus? Apem. Not so well as plain dealing ‡, which will not cost a man a doit. Tim. What dost thou think 'tis worth? poet? philosopher? Poet. How now, Poet. Then I lie not. Apem. Then thou liest: look in thy last work, where thou hast feign'd him a worthy fellow. Poet. That's not feign'd, he is so. Apem. Yes, he is worthy of thee, and to pay thee for thy labour: He that loves to be Tim. Look, who comes here. Will you be flatter'd, is worthy o' the flatterer. Heavens, chid? that I were a lord! Tim. What wouldst do then, Apemantus? Apem. Even as Apemantus does now, hate a lord with my heart. Tim. What, thyself? Tim. Wherefore? Apem. That I had no angry wit to be a lord.-Art not thou a merchant? 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 con found thee! Pictures have no hypocrisy; they are what they profess to be. Alluding to the proverb: plain-dealing is a jewel, but they who use it beggars. Tim. What trumpet's that? Serv. 'Tis Alcibiades, and Some twenty horse, all of companionship. Tim. Pray, entertain them; give them guide [Exeunt some Attendants. to us. You must needs dine with me:-Go not you Enter ALCIBIADES, with his Company. attend ng; then enter TIMON, ALCIRI- Ven. Most honour'd Timon, 't hath pleased My father's age, and call him to long peace. the gods remember He is gone happy, and has left me rich: Then, as in grateful virtue I am bound To your free heart, I do return those talents, Doubled, with thanks, and service, from whose I derived liberty. [help Tim. Honest Ventidius: you mistake my love; O, by no means, And all this court'sy! The strain of man's bred Can truly say he gives if he receives: Tout I gave it freely ever; and there's none Into baboon and monkey *. [dare [feed If our betters play at that game, we must not Alcib. Sir, you have saved my longing, and I To imitate them; Faults that are rich are fair. Most hungrily on your sight. Ven. A noble spirit. Tim. Right welcome, sir; Ere we depart, we'll share a bounteous time In different pleasures. Pray you, let us in. [They all stand ceremoniously looking on TIMON. Tim. [Exeunt all but APEMANTUS. Nay, my lords, ceremony none. 1 Lord. My lord, we always have con- Apem. Ho, ho, confess'd it? hang'd it, have No, 1 come to have thee thrust me out of doors. Does not become a man, 'tis much to blame: Go, let him have a table by himself; [Timon; Apem. Let me stay at thine own peril, I come to observe; I give thee warning ou't. Tim. I take no heed of thee; thou art an Athenian; therefore welcome: I myself would have no power: pr'ythee, let my meat make thee silent. Apem. I scorn thy meat; 'twould choke I wonder men dare trust themselves with men: * Man is degenerated; his strain or lineage is worn down into a monkey. + Meed here means desert. i. e., All the customary returns made in discharge of obligations. Anger is a short madness. The allusion is to a pack of hounds trained to pursuit, by being gratified with the blood of an animal which they kill; and the wonder is, that the animal, on which they are feeding, cheers them to the chase. |