parison are so ill sorted, and the effect so obscurely expressed, that I cannot but think something omitted that connected the last sentence with the former. It is well known that the players often shorten speeches to quicken the representation: and it may be suspected, that they sometimes performed their amputations with more haste than judgment. JOHNSON. Line 39 Upon the heels &c.] As soon as my book has been presented to lord Timon. Line 42. JOHNSON. this comes off well and excellent.] The meaning is, the figure rises well from the canvas. C'est bien relevé. Line 47. -to the dumbness of the gesture JOHNSON. One might interpret.] The figure, though dumb, seems to have a capacity of speech. The allusion is to the puppetshows, or motions, as they were termed in our author's time. The person who spoke for the puppets was called an interpreter. MALONE. Line 52. artificial strife-] Strife for action or motion. WARBURTON. Strife is either the contest of art with nature: "Hic ille est Raphael, timuit, quo sospite vinci or it is the contrast of forms or opposition of colours. JOHNSON. Line 57. this confluence, this great flood of visitors.] Mane salutantum totis vomit ædibus undam. JOHNS. Line 62. Halts not particularly,] My design does not stop at any single character. JOHNSON. Line 63. In a wide sea of wax:] Anciently they wrote upon waxen tables with an iron style. HANMER. Line 63. -no levell'd malice &c.] To level is to aim, to point the shot at a mark. Shakspeare's meaning is, my poem is not a satire written with any particular view, or levelled at any single person; I fly like an eagle into the general expanse of life, and leave not, by any private mischief, the trace of my passage. JOHNSON. Line 68. I'll unbolt-] I'll open, I'll explain. -75. glass-fac'd flatterer-] That shows in his look, as by reflection, the looks of his patron. JOHNSON. Line 78. -even he drops down &c.] Either Shakspeare meant to put a falsehood into the mouth of his Poet, or had not yet thoroughly planned the character of Apemantus; for in the ensuing scenes, his behaviour is as cynical to Timon as to his followers. STEEVENS. Line 85. -rank'd with all deserts,] Cover'd with ranks of all kinds of men. JOHNSON. Line 87. To propagate their states:] To advance or improve their various conditions of life. Line 93. JOHNSON. conceiv'd to scope.] Properly imagined, appoJOHNSON. sitely, to the purpose. Line 98. In our condition.] Condition for art. WARBURTON. 103. Rain sacrificial whisperings in his ear,] Whisperings attended with such respect and veneration as accompany sacrifices to the gods. Such, I suppose, is the meaning. Line 104. -through him MALONE. Drink the free air.] That is, catch his breath in affected fondness. Line 164. Therefore he will be, Timon:] Therefore he will continue to be so, and is sure of being sufficiently rewarded by the consciousness of virtue; and he does not need the additional blessing of a beautiful and accomplished wife. MALONE. That state or fortune fall into my keeping, never henceforth consider any thing that I possess, but as owed or duc to you; held for your service, and at your proposal. Line 204. pencil'd figures are JOHNSON. Even such as they give out.] Pictures have no hypocrisy; they are what they profess to be. Line 216. JOHNSON. -unclew me quite.] To unclew is to unwind a ball of thread. To unclew a man, is to draw out the whole mass of his fortunes. JOHNSON. Enter Apemantus.] See this character of a cynick finely drawn by Lucian, in his Auction of the Philosophers; and how well Shakspeare has copied it. WARBURTON. Line 232. When thou art Timon's dog,] When thou hast gotten a better character, and instead of being Timon as thou art, shalt be changed to Timon's dog, and become more worthy kindness and salutation. JOHNSON. Line 313. -The strain of man's bred out Into baboon and monkey.] Man is exhausted and degenerated; his strain or lineage is worn down into a monkey. JOHNSON. Line 348. All use of quittance.] i. e. all the customary returns made in discharge of obligations. WARBURTON. ACT I. SCENE II. Line 366. If our betters play at that game, &c.] The termour betters, being used by the inferior classes of men when they speak of their superiors in the state, Shakspeare uses these words, with his usual laxity, to express persons of high rank and fortune. MALONE. Line 394. -I myself would have no power:] These words refer to what follows, not to that which precedes. I claim no extraordinary power in right of my being master of the house: I wish not by my commands to impose silence on any one: but though I myself do not enjoin you to silence, let my meat stop your mouth. MALONE. Line 396. I scorn thy meat; 'twould choke me, for I should Ne'er flatter thee.] The meaning is,-I could not swallow thy meat, for I could not pay for it with flattery; and what was given me with an ill will would stick in my throat. JOHNSON. Line 400. -so many dip their meat In one man's blood;] 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. JOHNSON. Line 412. windpipe's dangerous notes:] The notes of the windpipe seem to be only the indications which show where the windpipe is. JOHNSON. Shakspeare is very fond of making use of musical terms, when he is speaking of the human body, and windpipe and notes savour strongly of a quibble. Line 451. STEEVENS. -for ever perfect.] That is, arrived at the per fection of happiness. JOHNSON. Line 454. How had you been my friends else? why have you that charitable title from thousands, did you not chiefly belong to my heart?] The meaning is probably this:-Why are you distinguished from thousands by that title of endearment, was there not a particular connection and intercourse of tenderness between you and me? JOHNSON. Line 458. I confirm you.] I fix your characters firmly in my own mind. JOHNSON. Line 470.0 joy, e'en made away ere it can be born!] Tears being the effect both of joy and grief, supplied our author with an opportunity of conceit, which he seldom fails to indulge. Timon, weeping with a kind of tender pleasure, cries out, O joy, e'en made away, destroyed, turned to tears, before it can be born, before it can be fully possessed. JOHNSON. to make them drink,] The covert sense of Ape JOHNSON. Line 474. mantus is, what thou losest, they get. Line 476. -like a babe-] That is, a weeping babe. JOHNS. 481. Much!] Apemantus means to say,-That extraordinary. Much was formerly an expression of admiration. Line 504. Like madness is the glory of this life, MALONE. As this pomp shows to a little oil, and root.] The glory of this life is very near to madness, as may be made appear from this pomp, exhibited in a place where a philosopher is feeding on oil and roots. When we see by example how few are the necessaries of life, we learn what madness there is in so much superfluity. JOHNSON. Line 521. mine own device;] The mask appears to have JOHNSON. been designed by Timon to surprize his guests. Line 523. -even at the best.] I believe the meaning is, "You have conceived the fairest of us," (to use the words of Lucullus in a subsequent scene,) you have estimated us too highly, perhaps above our deserts. MALONE. Line 536. are following her. Line 537. 543. -had not eyes behind;] To see the miseries that JOHNSON. -for his mind.] For nobleness of soul. JOHNS. -to Advance this jewel ;] To prefer it; toraise it to honour by wearing it. JOHNSON. Line 612. Ay, defiled land,] I,-is the old reading, which apparently depends on a very low quibble. Alcibiades is told, that his estate lies in a pitch'd field. Now pitch, as Falstaff says, doth defile. Alcibiades therefore replies, that his estate lies in defiled land. This, as it happened, was not understood, and all the editors published I defy land Line 617. to you. Line 622. JOHNSON. All to you.] i. e. all good wishes, or all happiness STEEVENS. Serving of becks,] Beck means a salutation made with the head. So Milton: "Nods and becks, and wreathed smiles." To serve a beck, is to offer a salutation. JOHNSON. Line 623. I doubt whether their legs &c.] He plays upon the word leg, as it signifies a limb, and a bow or act of obeisance. Line 633. -I fear me, thou JOHNSON. Wilt give away thyself in paper shortly.] i. e. be ruined by his securities entered into. Line 643. Thy heaven-] The pleasure of being flattered. ACT II. SCENE I. JOHNSON. Line 10. Ask nothing, give it him, it fouls me straight, And able horses:] The passage means only this: "If I give my horse to Timon, it immediately foals, and not only produces more, but able horses." Line 13. -no reason STEEVENS. Can found his state in safety.] i. e. Reason cannot find his fortune to have any safe or solid foundation. JOHNSON. ACT II. SCENE II. Line 51. Good even, Varro:] It is observable, that this good evening is before dinner: for Timon tells Alcibiades, that they |