Luc. You fee, my Lord, how amply you're be lov'd.

Apem. Heyday! what a fweep of vanity comes this way !

They dance? They are mad women.
Like madness is the glory of this life;
As this pomp fhews to a little oil and root.
We make ourselves fools, to disport ourselves;
And spend our flatteries, to drink those men,
Upon whofe age we void it up again,
With poisonous fpite and envy.

Who lives, that's not depraved, or depraves?
Who dies, that bears not one fpurn to their graves
Of their friends' gift?

I should fear, thole, that dance before me now,

They dance, they are mad

women.

Like madness, is the glory of this
life;
As this pomp fhews to a little

oyl and root.] This is Apemantus's reflection on the Mask of Ladies: and, for its obfcurity, would become any pagan philofopher. The first line is a compleat fentence: the fecond is the beginning of a new reflection; and the third, the conclufion of it by a fimilitude. Hence it appears, that fome lines are dropt out and loft from between the fecond and third verfes. I conjecture the fenfe of the whole might be this, The glory of human life is like the madness of this Mafk; it is a falfe aim at happiness, which is to be obtained only by fobriety and temperance in a private and retired life. But fuperficial judges will always prefer pomp and glory; becaufe in outward appearance

it has fo greatly the advantage: as great as this pompous fupper appears to have above my oil and rcot. This, in my opinion, was the fentiment that connected the fecond and third lines together: which for the future should be read with afterisks between them.

WARBURTON.

When I read this paffage I was at firft of the fame opinion with this learned man; but, upon longer confideration, I grew lefs confident, because I think the prefent reading fufceptible of explanation, with no more violence to language than is frequently found in our authour. The glory of this life is very near to madness, as may be made appear from this pump exhibited in a place where a philofopher is feeding on oil and roots. When we fee by example how few are the neceffaries of life, we learn what madness there is in fo much fuperfluity.

Would

Would one day stamp upon me. 'T has been done; Men shut their doors against the setting fun.

The Lords rife from table, with much adoring of Timon; each fingling out an Amazon, and all dance, men with women; a lofty ftrain or two to the bautboys, and ceafe.

Tim. You have done our pleasures much grace, fair ladies,

Set a fair fashion on our entertainment,

Which was not half fo beautiful and kind;
You've added worth unto't, and lively luftre,
And entertain'd me with 7 mine own device.
I am to thank you. for it.

*

Luc. My Lord, you take us even at the best. Apem. 'Faith, for the worst is filthy, and would not hold taking, I doubt me.

Tim. Ladies, there is an idle banquet attends you. Please you to dispose yourselves.

All Lad. Moft thankfully, my Lord.

Tim. Flavius,

Flav. My Lord.

Tim. The little casket bring me hither.

[Exeunt.

Flav. Yes, my Lord. More jewels yet? there is no croffing him in's humour,

[Afide.

Elfe I fhould tell him-well-i'faith, I should,
When all's spent, he'd be crofs'd then if he could :

8

7-mine own device.] The mafk appears to have been defigned by Timon to furprife his guests.

My Lord,] This anfwer feems rather to belong to one of the Ladies. It was probably only marked L in the copy;

—he'd be cross'd then if he could:] The Poet does not mean here, that he would be croft'd in Humour, but that he would have his Hand cross'd with

Money, if he could. He is playing on the Word, and alluding to our old Silver Penny,

ufed before K. Edward the firft's Time, which had a Cross on the Reverse with a Crease, that it might be more easily broke into Halves and Quarters, Halfpence and Farthings. From this Penny, and other Pieces, was our common Expreffion derived, I have not a Crofs about me; i. e. not a Piece of Money. THEOBALD.

'Tis pity, Bounty has not eyes behind;

That men might ne'er be wretched for his mind.
Lucul. Where be our men?

Serv. Here, my Lord, in readiness.
Luc. Our Horfes.

Tim. O my good friends!

I have one word to fay to you; look, my Lord,
I muft entreat you, honour me fo much

As to advance this jewel, accept and wear it,
Kind my Lord!

Luc. I am fo far already in your gifts

All. So are we all.

Enter a Servant.

Serv. My Lord, there are certain Nobles of the Senate newly alighted, and come to vifit you. Tim. They are fairly welcome.

Re-enter Flavius.

Flav. I beseech your Honour, vouchsafe me a word; it does concern you near.

Tim. Near! Why then another time I'll hear thee. I pr'ythee, let's be provided to fhew them entertain

ment.

Flav. [Afide.] I fcarce know how.

Enter another Servant.

2 Serv. May it please your Honour, Lord Lucias, out of his free love, hath prefented to you four milkwhite horses trapt in filver.

Tim. I fhall accept them fairly. Let the Prefents Be worthily entertain❜d.

9 eyes behind] To fee the miferies that are following her.

for bis mind.] For no

bleness of foul.

—to advance this jewel] To prefer it; to raise it to honour by wearing it,

Enter

Enter a third Servant.

How now? what news?

3 Serv. Please you, my Lord, that honourable gentleman, Lord Lucullus, entreats your company tomorrow to hunt with him, and has fent your Honour two brace of grey-hounds.

Tim. I'll hunt with him; and let them be received, Not without fair reward.

Flav. [Afide.] What will this come to? he commands us to provide, and give great gifts, and all out of an empty coffer.

Nor will he know his purfe, or yield me this,
To fhew him what a beggar his heart is,
Being of no power to make his wifhes good;
His promifes fly fo beyond his ftate,

That what he fpeaks is all in debt; he owes
For ev'ry word. He is fo kind, that he
Pays intereft for't; his land's put to their books.
Well, 'would I were gently put out of office,
Ere I were forc'd!

Happier is he that has no friend to feed,

Than fuch that do e'en enemies exceed.

I bleed inwardly for my Lord.

[Exit.

Tim. You do yourselves much wrong, you 'bate too much of your own merits. Here, my Lord, a trifle of our love.

I Lord. With more than common thanks I will receive it.

3 Lord. He has the very foul of bounty.

Tim. And now I remember, my Lord, you gave good words the other day of a bay courfer I rode on. 'Tis yours, because you lik'd it.

2 Lord. Oh, I beseech you, pardon me, my Lord, in that.

Tim. You may take my word, my Lord. I know

no man

Can

Can juftly praife, but what he does affect;
I weigh my friend's affection with my own.
3 I tell you true. I'll call on you.
none fo welcome.

All Lords. O,

Tim. I take all, and your feveral visitations So kind to heart, 'tis not enough to give,

4

My thanks, I could deal Kingdoms to my friends,
And ne'er be weary. Alcibiades,

Thou art a foldier, therefore feldom rich,
It comes in charity to thee; thy living

Is 'mongst the dead; and all the lands thou haft
Lie in a pitcht field.

Alc. I' defiled land, my Lord.

I Lord. We are so virtuously bound-
Tim. And fo am I to you.

2 Lord. So infinitely endear'd

Tim. All to you. Lights! more lights, more lights. 3 Lord. The best of happiness, honour and fortunes, Keep with Lord Timon

you,

Tim. Ready for his friends.

[Exeunt Lords.

3 I tell you true.] The other depends on a very low quibble. editions, I'll tell you.

4 'tis not enough to give; Methinks, I could deal kingdoms] Thus the paffage flood in all editions before Hanmer's, who restored my thanks.

I'defiled land,] This is the old reading, which apparently

Alcibiades is told, that his eftate lies in a pitch'd field. Now pitch, as Falstaff fays, doth defile. Alcibiades therefore replies, That his eftate lies in defiled land. This, as it happened, was not underlcod, and all the editors published, I defy land.

SCENE