Bid him fuppofe, fome good neceffity

Touches his friend, which craves to be remember'd
With thofe five talents. That had, give't these fellows
To whom 'tis inftant due. Ne'er speak, 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.

I

ACT III.

SCENE, Lucullus's Houfe in Athens.

Flaminius waiting, Enter a fervant to him.

SERVANT.

Have told my lord of you; he is coming down to

Ser. Here's my lord.

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 mafter?

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 ufel

fifty talents, hath fent to your lordship to furnish him, nothing doubting your present affistance 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 honefty 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.
Lucul. Flaminius, I have noted thee always wife.
Here's to thee.

Flam. Your lordship fpeaks your pleasure.

Get you

Lucul. I have obferv'd thee always for a towardly prompt fpirit, give thee thy due: and one that knows what belongs to reafon; and canft ufe the time well, if the time use thee well. Good parts in thee gone, firrah. [To the firvant, 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, efpecially upon bare friendship without fecurity. Here's three Solidares for thee; good boy, wink at me, and fay, thou faw'st me not. Fare thee well. Flam. Is't poffible the world fhould fo much differ, And we alive that liv'd? fly, damned baseness, To him that worships thee. [Throwing the mony away.

Lucul, Ha! now I fee thou art a fool, and fit for thy

master.

[Exit Lucullus. Flam. May thefe add to the number that may fcald thee:

Let molten coin be thy damnation,

Thou disease of a friend, and not himself!
Has friendfhip fuch a faint and milky heart,
It turns in less than two nights? O you gods!
I feel my master's paffion. This flave
Unto this hour has my lord's meat in him :

Why

Why should it thrive, and turn to nutriment,
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
Of nature, my lord paid for, be of power
To expel ficknefs, but prolong his hour!

SCENE, a publick Street.

Enter Lucius, with three ftrangers.

[Exit.

Luc. WHO, the ford 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 ftrange 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 muft needs confefs, I have received fome fmall kindneffes from him, as mony, plate, jewels, and fuch like trifles, nothing comparing to his; yet had he mil took him, and fent him to me, I fhould 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

Luc. Servilius! you are kindly met, Sir.

[To Lucius

Fare the

well

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 shall I thank him, think'ft thou? and what has he fent now?

Ser. H'as only fent his prefent occafion now, my lord; equefting your lordship to fupply his inftant ufe, with ifty 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 less, my Lord. If his occafion were not virtuous,

I fhould not urge it half fo faithfully.

Luc. Doft thou fpeak feriously, Servilius?
Ser. Upon my foul, 'tis true, Sir.

Luc. What a wicked beaft was I, to disfurnish my elf against such a good time, when I might ha' fhewn my felf honourable? how unluckily it hap'ned, that I hould purchase the day before for a little (12) dirt, and undo a great deal of honour? Servilius, now before the gods, I am not able to do- (the more beast, I fay) I was fending to ufe lord Timon my self, thefe gentlemen can witnefs; but I would not, for the wealth of Athens, I had done't now. Commend me bountifully to his good lordship, and, I hope, his Honour will conceive the fairest of me, becaufe I have no power to be kind. And tell him this from me, I count

(12) 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? Hotour is the only Subftantive that follows in the Sentence; but Men don't purchase for Honour, tho' fometimes they may urn Purchafers out of Oftentation. How much is the Antibefis improv'd by the Senfe which my Emendation gives? "That I should be fo unlucky to make this Purchase, for the Lucre of a little Dirt, and undo a great deal of Honour!" This Manner of expreffing contemptuously of Land, is very frequent with the Poets.

it one of my greateft afflictions, that I cannot pleasure fach an honourable gentleman. Good Servilius, will you befriend me so 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 fpeed. [Exit.. I 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: (13)
Who can call him his friend,

That dips in the fame dish? for, in my knowing,
Timon has been to this lord as a father,
And kept his credit with his bounteous purse:
Supported his eftate; nay, Timon's mony
Has paid his men their wages. He ne'er drinks,
But Timon's Silver treads upon his lip;
And yet, oh, fee the monftrousness of man,
When he looks out in an ungrateful shape!
He does deny him (in refpect of his)
What charitable men afford to beggars.
3 Stran. Religion groans at it.

i Stran. For mine own part,
I never tasted Timon in my life;
Nor any of his bounties came o'er me,
To mark me for his friend. Yet, I proteft,
For his right noble mind, illuftrious virtue,
And honourable carriage,

Had his neceffity made ufe of me,

I would have put my wealth into donation,
And the best half should have return'd to him,
So much I love his heart; but, I perceive,
Men must learn now with pity to dispence,
For policy fits above confcience.

[Exeunt.

(13) Is every Flatterer's Sport.] This fenfelefs Corruption has run through all the Editions; and, as I fuppofe, without Sufpicion.

Enter