to lend money; efpecially upon bare friendship, without fecurity. Here's three folidares for thee; good boy, wink at me, and fay, thou faw'ft 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 money away.
LUCUL. Ha! Now I fee, thou art a fool, and fit for thy
mafter.
[Exit LUCULLUS.
FLAM. May thefe add to the number that may fcald
Let molten coin be thy damnation,

Thou disease of a friend, and not himself!
Has friendship fuch a faint and milky heart,
It turns in less than two nights? O ye gods,
I feel my master's paffion! This flave
Unto his honour, has my lord's meat in him:
Why should it thrive, and turn to nutriment,
When he is turn'd to poifon ?

O, may diseases only work upon't!
And, when he is fick to death, let not that
Which my lord paid for, be of any power
To expel fickness, but prolong his hour!

part

SCENE II. The fame. A publick Place.

Enter LUCIUS, with three STRANGERS.

[thee!

of nature

[Exit.

Luc. Who, the lord Timon? he is my very good friend, and an honourable gentleman.

I STRAN. We know him for no lefs, though we are but strangers 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 past, and his eftate fhrinks from him.

Luc. Fye, no, do not believe it; he cannot want for money.

VOL. V.

C

2 STRAN. But believe you this, my lord, that, not long ago, one of his men was with the lord Lucullus, to borrow fo many talents; nay, urged extremely for't, and fhow'd what neceffity belong'd to't, and yet was denied. Luc. How?

2 STRAN. I tell you, denied, my lord.

Luc. What a strange cafe was that? now, before the gods, I am afham'd on't. Denied that honourable man? there was very little honour show'd in't. For my own part, I must needs confefs, I have received fome fmall kindnesses from him, as money, plate, jewels, and such like trifles, nothing comparing to his; yet, had he mistook him, and fent to me, I fhould ne'er have denied his occafion fo many talents.

Enter SERVILIUS.

SER. See, by good hap, yonder's my lord; I have sweat to see his honour.-My honour'd lord, [To LUCIUS. Luc. Servilius! you are kindly met, fir. Fare thee well :-Commend me to thy honourable-virtuous lord, my very exquifite friend.

SER. May it please your honour, my lord hath sent Luc. Ha! what has he fent? I am fo much endear'd to that lord; he's ever fending: How fhall I thank him, think'ft thou? And what has he fent now?

SER. He has only fent his present occasion now, my lord; requesting your lordship to fupply his inftant use with fo 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 lefs, my lord.

If his occafion were not virtuous,

I should not urge it half so faithfully.

Luc. Doft thou fpeak feriously, Servilius?

SER. Upon my foul, 'tis true, fir.

Luc. What a wicked beast was I, to disfurnish myself against such a good time, when I might have shown myfelf honourable? how unluckily it happen'd, 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 fending to use lord Timon myself, these gentlemen can witness; but I would not, for the wealth of Athens, I had done it now. Commend me bountifully to his good lordship; and I hope, his honour will conceive the faireft of me, because I have no power to be kind :—And tell him this from me, I count it one of my greatest afflictions, fay, that I cannot pleasure fuch an honourable gentleman. Good Servilius, will you befriend me fo far, as to use mine own words to him?

SER. Yes, fir, I fhall.

Luc. I will look you out a good turn, Servilius.-
[Exit SERVILIUS.

True, as you faid, Timon is fhrunk, indeed;
And he, that's once denied, will hardly speed.

I STRAN. Do you obferve this, Hoftilius? 2 STRAN. Ay, too well.

I STRAN. Why this

[Exit LUCIUS.

Is the world's foul; and just of the fame piece
Is every flatterer's fpirit. Who can call him
His friend, that dips in the fame dish? for, in
My knowing, Timon has been this lord's father,
And kept his credit with his purse;

Supported his eftate; nay, Timon's money
Has paid his men their wages: He ne'er drinks,
But Timon's filver treads upon his lip;

And yet, (O, see the monftrousness of man
When he looks out in an ungrateful fhape!)
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 tafted Timon in my life,

Nor came any of his bounties over me,

To mark me for his friend; yet, I protest,

For his right noble mind, illustrious 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 dispense;
For policy fits above confcience.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III. The fame. 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;

And now Ventidius is wealthy too,

Whom he redeem'd from prifon : All these three

Owe their eftates unto him.

SERV. O my lord,

They have all been touch'd, and found bafe metal; for They have all deny'd him?

SEM. How! have they deny'd him?

Has Ventidius and Lucullus deny'd him?
And does he fend to me? Three? humph!-
It shows but little love or judgement in him.

Muft I be his laft refuge? His friends, like phyficians,
Thrive, give him over; Muft I take the cure upon me?
He has much difgrac'd me in't; I am angry at him,
That might have known my place: I fee no fense for't,
But his occafions might have woo'd me first;

For, in my conscience, I was the first man
That e'er receiv'd gift from him :

And does he think fo backwardly of me now,
That I'll requite it laft? No: So it may prove
An argument of laughter to the rest,

And I amongst the lords be thought a fool.

I had rather than the worth of thrice the fum,
He had fent to me first, but for my mind's fake;
I had fuch a courage to do him good. But now return,
And with their faint reply this answer join;
Who bates mine honour, fhall not know my coin.

[Exit.

SERV. Excellent! Your lordship's a goodly villain. The devil knew not what he did, when he made man politick; he crofs'd himself by't: and I cannot think, but, in the end, the villainies of man will fet him clear. How fairly this lord ftrives to appear foul? takes virtuous copies to be wicked; like thofe that, under hot ardent zeal, would fet whole realms on fire.

Of such a nature is his politick love.

This was my lord's best hope; now all are fled,
Save the gods only: Now his friends are dead,
Doors, that were ne'er acquainted with their wards
Many a bounteous year, must be employ'd

Now to guard fure their mafter.

And this is all a liberal course allows;

Who cannot keep his wealth, must keep his house.

[Exit.