May catch a wrench-would all were well-'tis pity And so, intending other ferious matters, TIM. 4-intending-] is regarding, turning their notice to other things. JOHNSON. To intend and to attend had anciently the fame meaning. So, in The Spanish Curate of Beaumont and Fletcher: "Good fir, intend this business." See Vol. V. p. 145, n. 6. STEEVENS. So, in Wits, Fits, and Fancies, &c. 1595: " Tell this man that I am going to dinner to my lord maior, and that I cannot now intend his tittle-tattle." Again, in Pasquil's Night-Cap, a poem, 1623: " For we have many fecret ways to spend, MALONE. 5 and these hard fractions,] Flavius, by fractions, means broken hints, interrupted sentences, abrupt remarks. JOHNSON. half-caps, A half-cap is a cap flightly moved, not put off. JOHNSON. 7 -cold-moving nods,] By cold-moving I do not understand with Mr. Theobald, chilling or cold-producing nods, but a flight motion of the head, without any warmth or cordiality. Cold-moving is the fame as coldly-moving. So-perpetual fober gods, for perpetually fober; lazy-pacing clouds, -loving-jealousflattering sweet, &c. Such distant and uncourteous salutations are properly termed cold-moving, as proceeding from a cold and unfriendly difpofition. MALONE. 8 Have their ingratitude in them hereditary :) Hereditary, for by natural constitution. But some distempers of natural conftitution being called hereditary, he calls their ingratitude fo. WARBURTON. J And nature, as it grows again toward earth, FLAVIUS,] be not fad, Thou art true, and honeft; ingenioufly I speak, No blame belongs to thee:- [To Serv.] Ventidius lately Bury'd his father; by whose death, he's stepp'd I clear'd him with five talents: Greet him from me; Bid him suppose, some good necessity ber'd With those five talents:-that had, - [To FLAVIUS,] give it these fellows To whom 'tis instant due. Ne'er speak, or think, That Timon's fortunes 'mong his friends can fink. 9 And nature, as it grows again toward earth, Is fashion'd for the journey, dull, and heavy.] The same thought occurs in The Wife for a Month of Beaumont and Fletcher : 2-ingeniously-) Ingenious was anciently used instead of ingenuous. So, in The Taming of a Shrew: "A course of learning and ingenious studies." REED. 3 Bid him fuppofe, some good neceffity Touches his friend,] Good, as it may afford Ventidius an opportunity of exercising his bounty, and relieving his friend, in return for his former kindness:-or, some honeft neceffity, not the consequence of a villainous and ignoble bounty. I rather think this latter is the meaning. MALONE. So afterwards: "If his occafion were not virtuous, " I should not urge it half so faithfully." STEEVENS. FLAV. I would, I could not think it;4 That thought is bounty's foe; Being free itself, it thinks all others so. [Exeunt. The fame. A Room in Lucullus's House. FLAMINIUS waiting. Enter a Servant to him. SERV. I have told my lord of you, he is coming down to you. FLAM. I thank you, fir. Enter LUCULLUS. SERV. Here's my lord. LUCUL. [Afide.] One of lord Timon's men? a gift, I warrant. Why, this hits right; I dreamt of a filver bason and ewer to-night. Flaminius, + I would, I could not think it; &c.] I concur in opinion with fome former editors, that the words think it, should be omitted. Every reader will mentally infert them from the speech of Timon, though they are not expressed in that of Flavius. The laws of metre, in my judgement, should supersede the authority of the players, who appear in many instances to have taken a designed ellipfis for an error of omiffion, to the repeated injury of our author's verfification. I would read: I would, I could not : That thought's bounty's foe. STEEVENS. 5-free-] is liberal, not parsimonious. JOHNSON. 6 a filver bafon and ewer-] These utenfils of filver being much in request in Shakspeare's time, he has, as usual, not scrupled I honest Flaminius; you are very respectively welcome, fir.'-Fill me some wine. [Exit Servant.] And how does that honourable, complete, freehearted gentleman of Athens, thy very bountiful good lord and master? FLAM. His health is well, fir. LucUL. I am right glad that his health is well, fir: And what haft thou there under thy cloak, pretty Flaminius? FLAM. 'Faith, nothing but an empty box, fir; which, in my lord's behalf, I come to entreat your honour to fupply; who, having great and inftant occafion to use fifty talents, hath fent to your lordship to furnish him; nothing doubting your present assistance therein. LucUL. La, la, la, la,-nothing doubting, says he? alas, good lord! a noble gentleman 'tis, if he would not keep fo good a house. Many a time and often I have dined with him, and told him on't; and come again to fupper to him, of purpose to have him spend less: and yet he would embrace no counsel, take no warning by my coming. Every to place them in the house of an Athenian nobleman. So again, in The Taming of the Shrew: my house within the city " Is richly furnished with plate and gold; Bafons and ewers to lave her dainty hands," See Vol. VI. p. 499, n. 8. MALONE. Our author, I believe, has introduced bafons and ewers where they would certainly have been found. The Romans appear to have had them; and the forms of their utenfils were generally copied from those of Greece. STEEVENS. 7 very respectively welcome, fir.] i. e. respectfully. So, in King John: "Tis too respective," &c. See Vol. VIII. p. 19, n. 5. STEEVENS. man has his fault, and honesty is his; I have told him on't, but I could never get him from it. Re-enter Servant, with wine. SERV. Please your lordship, here is the wine. LUCUL. Flaminius, I have noted thee always wife. Here's to thee. FLA. Your lordship speaks your pleasure. Lucul. I have observed thee always for a towardly prompt fpirit,-give thee thy due, and one that knows what belongs to reason; and canst use the time well, if the time use thee well: good parts in thee. Get you gone, firrah. [To the Servant, who goes out.]-Draw nearer, honest Flaminius. Thy lord's a bountiful gentleman: but thou art wife; and thou know'st well enough, although thou comest to me, that this is no time to lend money; especially upon bare friendship, without security. Here's three folidares for thee; good boy, wink at me, and say, thou faw'st me not. Fare thee well. FLAM. Is't possible, the world should so much differ; And we alive, that liv'd? Fly, damned baseness, To him that worships thee. [Throwing the money away. LUCUL. Ha! Now I fee, thou art a fool, and fit for thy master. [Exit LUCULLUS. * Every man has his fault, and honesty is his ;) Honesty does not here mean probity, but liberality. M. MASON. 9 - three folidares-) I believe this coin is from the mint of the poet. STEEVENS. And we alive, that liv'd?] i. e. And we who were alive then, alive now. As much as to say, in so short a time. WARBURTON. |