Enter SERVILIUS. Ser. See, by good hap, yonder's my lord; I have sweat to see his honour.-My honoured lord, [TO LUCIUS. Luc. Servilius! you are kindly met, sir. Fare thee well:-Commend me to thy honourable-virtuous lord, my very exquisite friend. Ser. May it please your honour, my lord hath sent Luc. Ha! what has he sent? I am so much endeared to that lord; he's ever sending: How shall I thank him, thinkest thou? And what has he sent now? Ser. He has only sent his present occasion now, my lord; requesting your lordship to supply his instant use with so many 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 occasion were not virtuous,' I should not urge it half so faithfully. Luc. Dost thou speak seriously, Servilius? Luc. What a wicked beast was I, to disfurnish myself against such a good time, when I might have shown myself honourable? how unluckily it happened, that I should purchase the day before for a little part, and undo a great deal of honour?— Servilius, now before the gods, I am not able to do't; the more beast, I say:-I was sending to use lord Timon myself, these gentlemen can witness; but I would not, for the wealth of Athens, I had 1 If his occasion were not virtuous,] i. e. if he did not want it for a good use. — half so faithfully.] Faithfully for fervently. done it 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, say, that I cannot pleasure such an honourable gentleman. Good Servilius, will you befriend me so far, as to use mine own words to him? Ser. Yes, sir, I shall. Luc. I will look you out a good turn Servilius.Erit SERVILIUS. True, as you said, Timon is shrunk, indeed; And he that's once denied, will hardly speed. Exit LUCIUS. 1 Stran. Do you observe this, Hostilius: 2 Stran. Ay, too well. 1 Stran. Why this Is the world's soul; and just of the same piece Supported his estate; nay, Timon's money I never tasted Timon in my life, For mine own part, Nor came any of his bounties over me, 3-in respect of his,] In respect of his fortune: what Lucius denies to Timon is in proportion to what Lucius possesses, less than the usual alms given by good men to beggars. JOHNSON. For his right noble mind, illustrious virtue, Had his necessity made use of me, I would have put my wealth into donation, [Exeunt. SCENE III. The same. A Room in Sempronius's House. Enter SEMPRONIUS, and a Servant of Timon's. Sem. Must he needs trouble me in't? Humph! 'Bove all others? He might have tried lord Lucius, or Lucullus; Whom he redeem'd from prison: All these three Serv. O my lord, They have all been touch'd, and found base metal; for They have all denied him! Sem. How! have they denied him? Has Ventidius and Lucullus denied him? And does he send to me? Three? humph!It shows but little love or judgment in him. Must I be his last refuge? His friends, like physicians, 4 I would have put my wealth into donation, And the best half should have return'd to him,] i. e. The best half of my wealth should have been the reply I would have made to Timon: I would have answered his requisition with the best half of what I am worth. 5 They have all been touch'd,] That is, tried, alluding to the touchstone. Thrive, give him over; Must I take the cure upon me? But his occasions might have woo'd me first; And does he think so backwardly of me now, And I amongst the lords be thought a fool. I had rather than the worth of thrice the sum, And with their faint reply this answer join; [Exit. Serv. Excellent! Your lordship's a goodly villain. The devil knew not what he did, when he made man politick; he crossed himself by't: and I cannot think, but, in the end, the villanies of man will set him clear. How fairly this lord strives to ap 6 8 His friends, like physicians, Thrive, give over;] i. e. "His friends, like physicians, thrive by his bounty and fees, and either relinquish, and forsake him, or give his case up as desperate.' 7 such a courage-] Such an ardour, such an eager desire. 8 The devil knew not what he did, when he made man politick; he crossed himself by't: and I cannot think, but, in the end, the villanies of man will set him clear.] Of the various conjectures on this passage, the following seems most probable :-The devil did not know what he was about, [how much his reputation for wickedness would be diminished] when he made man crafty and interested ; he thwarted himself by it; [by thus raising up rivals to contend with him in iniquity, and at length to surpass him;] and I cannot but think that at last the enormities of mankind will rise to such a height, as to make even Satan himself, in comparison, appear (what he would least of all wish to be) spotless and innocent. MALONE. pear foul? takes virtuous copies to be wicked; like those that, under hot ardent zeal, would set whole realms on fire. Of such a nature is his politick love. This was my lord's best hope; now all are fled, And this is all a liberal course allows; Who cannot keep his wealth, must keep his house.9 SCENE IV. The same. A Hall in Timon's House. [Exit. Enter Two Servants of VARRO, and the Servant of LUCIUS, meeting TITUS, HORTENSIUS, and other Servants to TIMON's Creditors, waiting his coming out. Var. Sero. Well met; good-morrow, Titus and Tit. The like to you, kind Varro. What, do we meet together? Lucius ? Ay, and, I think, One business does command us all; for mine Luc. Serv. Is money. Tit. Luc. Serv. Philotus too! So is theirs and ours. Enter PHILOTUS. And sir keep his house.] i. e. keep within doors for fear of duns. |