Pain. I faw them fpeak together.

Poet. Sir, I have upon a high and pleasant hill Feign'd Fortune to be thron'd. The bafe o' the mount Is 3 rank'd with all deferts, all kind of natures, That labour on the bofom of this fphere

To propagate their ftates: amongst them all, Whofe eyes are on this fovereign lady fix'd, One do I perfonate of Timon's frame,

Whom Fortune with her ivory hand wafts to her; Whole prefent grace to prefent flaves and fervants Tranflates his rivals.

- Pain. 'Tis conceiv'd to fcope.

This throne, this Fortune, and this hill, methinks, With one man beckon'd from the reft below, Bowing his head against the fteepy mount

To climb his happinefs, would be well exprefs'd

In our condition.

Poet. Nay, fir, but hear me on:

All those which were his fellows but of late, (Some better than his value) on the moment Follow his ftrides; his lobbies fill with 'tendance; 'Rain facrificial whifperings in his ear;

Make

3-rank'd with all deferts,] Cover'd with ranks of all kinds of

men.

JOHNSON,

+ To propagate their fates:] To propagate, for to make.

WARBURTON.

To advance or improve their various conditions of life.

JOHNSON,

-conceiv'd to fcope.] Properly imagined, appofitely, to the purpose. JOHNSON. WARBURTON.

In our condition.] Condition, for art. Rain facrificial whip'rings in his ear;] The fenfe is obvious, and means, in general, flattering him. The particular kind of flattery may be collected from the circumftance of its being of fered up in whispers: which fhews it was the calumniating thofe whom Timon hated or envied, or whofe vices were oppofite to his own. This offering up, to the perfon flattered, the murdered reputation of others, Shakespeare, with the utmost beauty of

T 3

thought

Make facred even his stirrop; and through him Drink the free air.

Pain. Ay, marry, what of these?

Poet. When Fortune in her fhift and change of
mood,

Spurns down her late belov'd, all his dependants,
Which labour'd after to the mountain's top
Even on their knees and hands, let him flip down,
Not one accompanying his declining foot.
Pain. 'Tis common:

A thousand moral paintings I can shew, '

That fhall demonftrate thefe quick blows of fortune
More pregnantly than words: yet you do well
To fhew lord Timon, that mean eyes have feen
The foot above the head.

Trumpets found. Enter Timon, addreffing himself cour teoufly to every fuitor.

Tim. Imprifoned is he, fay you? [To a meffenger, Mef. Ay, my good lord. Five talents is his debt; His means moft fhort, his creditors moft ftraight: Your honourable letter he defires

To thofe have shut him up, which failing him, 'Periods his comfort.

Tim. Noble Ventidius! well;

I am not of that feather to shake off

My friend when he muft need me. I do know him

thought and expreffion, calls facrificial whisp'rings, alluding to the victims offered up to idols. WARBURTON.

8

-through him

Drink the free air.]

JOHNSON.

That is, catch his breath in affected fondnefs. 9 A thousand moral paintings I can fhew.] Shakespeare feems to intend in this dialogue to exprefs fome competition between the two great arts of imitation. Whatever the poet declares himself to have shewn, the painter thinks he could have fhewn better. JOHNSON. ! To period is, I believe, a verb of Shakespeare's own formation.

STEEVENS.

A

A gentleman, that well deferves a help,
Which he fhall have: I'll pay the debt, and free him.
Mef. Your lordship ever binds him.

Tim. Commend me to him: I will fend his ranfom; And, being enfranchis'd, bid him come to me :''Tis not enough to help the feeble up,

But to fupport him after. Fare you well.
Mef. All happiness to your honour!

Enter an old Athenian.

Old Ath. Lord Timon, hear me speak.
Tim. Freely, good father.

[Exit.

Old Ath. Thou haft a fervant nam'd Lucilius.
Tim. I have fo: what of him?

Old Ath. Most noble Timon, call the man before thee.

Tim. Attends he here or no?-Lucilius !

Enter Lucilius.

Luc. Here, at your lordship's fervice.

Old Ath. This fellow here, lord Timon, this thy

creature,

By night frequents my houfe. I am a man
That from my first have been inclin'd to thrift;
And my eftate deferves an heir more rais'd

Than one which holds a trencher.

Tim. Well, what further?

Old Ath. One only daughter have I, no kin elfe, On whom I may confer what I have got: The maid is fair, o' the youngest for a bride, And I have bred her at my dearest coft, In qualities of the best. This man of thine Attempts her love: I pray thee, noble lord,

''Tis not enough, &c.] This thought is better expressed by Dr. Madden in his elegy on archbishop Boulter.

He thought it mean

Only to help the poor to beg again.

T 4

JOHNSON.

Join

Join with me to forbid him her refort;
Myfelf have fpoke in vain.

Tim. The man is honeft.

2

Old Ath. Therefore he will be, Timon:
His honefty rewards him in itfelf,

It must not bear my daughter.
Tim. Does fhe love him?

Old Ath. She is young, and apt:
Our own precedent paffions do instruct us,
What levity is in youth.

Tim. [To Lucil.] Love you the maid?

Luc. Ay, my good lord, and fhe accepts of it. Old Ath. If in her marriage my confent be miffing,

I call the Gods to witness, I will chufe

Mine heir from forth the beggars of the world,
And difpoffefs her all.

Tim. How fhall fhe be endow'd

If the be mated with an equal husband?

Old Ath. Three talents on the prefent; in future all. Tim. This gentleman of mine hath ferv'd me long; To build his fortune, I will ftrain a little, For 'tis a bond in men. Give him thy daughter: What you beflow, in him I'll counterpoife, And make him weigh with her.

Old Ath. Moft noble lord,

Pawn me to this your honour, fhe is his.

2 Therefore he will be, Timon.] The thought is closely exprefied, and obfcure: but this feems the meaning, If the man be boneft, my lord, for that rafon be will be fo in this; and not endeavour at tee injustice of gaining my daughter without my conjent.

I rather think an emendation neceffary, and read,

Therefore well be him, Timen.

His honfly rewards him in itself.

WARB.

That is, If he is bon ft, bene fit illi, I wish kim the proper ha¡pin:fs of an honest man, but his bonefly gives him no claim to my daughter. The first tranfcriber probably wrote will be bim, which the next, not understanding, changed to, he will be.

JOHNSON.

Tim. My hand to thee; mine honour on my pro

mife.

Luc. Humbly I thank your lordship: 3 never may That state, or fortune, fall into my keeping,

Which is not ow'd to you! [Exit Lucil and old Ath. Poet. Vouchfafe my labour, and long live your lordship!

Tim. I thank you, you shall hear from me anon: Go not away. What have you there, my friend? Pain. A piece of painting; which I do befeech Your lordship to accept.

Tim. Painting is welcome.

The painting is almoft the natural man ;
For fince difhonour trafficks with man's nature,
He is but out-fide: pencil'd figures are
Even fuch as they give out. I like your work
And you fhall find I like it: wait attendance
'Till you hear further from me.

Pain. The Gods preserve you!
Tim. Well fare ye, gentlemen.

hand,

Give me your

We must needs dine together.-Sir, your jewel
Hath fuffer'd underpraise.

3

never may

That fate, or fortune, fall into my keeping,
Which is not ow'D to you!]

i. e. may I never have any acceffion of fortune which you are not the author of. An odd ftrain of complaifance. We should read, Which is not OWN'D to you,

i. e. which I will not acknowledge you laid the foundation of in this generous act. WARBURTON. The meaning is, let me never henceforth confider any thing that I poffefs, but as owed or due to you; held for your fervice, and at your disposal. JOHNSON.

Pictures have no hypo crify; they are what they profess to be.

JOHNSON.

Jew.