authority to read for for though; if there were any, nobody, I suppose, would feel any difficulty in supplying an s at the end of the word look.

P. 450.-109.-619.

Tim. 'Would thou wert clean enough to spit upon.
Apem. A plague on thee, thou art too bad to curse.

I think Theobald is right.

P. 453.-111.-622.

Thieves. We are not thieves, but men that much do want.
Tim. Your greatest want is, you want much of meat.

I doubt how this passage is to be understood. I think Theobald's emendation not improbable.

P. 454.-113.-624.

Tim. The sea's a thief, whose liquid surge resolves
The moon into salt tears.

That Shakespeare knew that the moon is the cause of the tides appears likewise from the First Part of Henry the Fourth, Act I. scene 2, "being govern'd as the sea is, by our noble and chaste mistress, the moon." Shakespeare seems to have been thinking of the 19th ode of Anacreon [H yn μexawa Tive] of which he had probably seen some translation, possibly that mentioned by Puttenham.

P. 460.-117.-630.

Tim. Had I a steward so true, so just, and now
So comfortable? It almost turns

My dangerous nature wild.

The emendation proposed by Warburton is certainly ingenious, and, I think, improves the sense; but Dr. Johnson's explanation of the old reading may be admitted.

(For I must ever doubt, though ne'er so sure,)
Is not thy kindness subtle, covetous,

If not a usuring kindness; and as rich men deal gifts,
Expecting in return twenty for one?

I think the words if not should be omitted.

P. 568.-123.-639.

Tim. There's ne'er a one of you but trusts a knave,
That mightily deceives you.

Both.

Do we, my lord?

Tim. Ay, and you hear him cog, see him dissemble,
Know his gross patchery, love him, feed him,

Keep in your bosom : yet remain assur❜d,

That he's a made-up villain.

I think the explanation given by Mr. Malone and Mr. M. Mason is the true one.

P. 471.-126.-644.

2 Sen. And send forth us, to make their sorrowed render, Together with a recompense more fruitful

Than their offence can weigh down by the dram.

I think Mr. M. Mason's is the right explanation.

Tim.

P. 473.-128.-646.

So I leave you

To the protection of the prosperous gods,

As thieves to keepers.

I am of Mr. Steevens's mind.

P. 474.-129.-649.

Tim. Come not to me again: but say to Athens,
Timon hath made his everlasting mansion
Upon the beached verge of the salt flood:
Which once a day with his embossed froth
The turbulent surge shall cover.

I think Mr. Steevens is right.

S

P. 475.-130.-650.

Mess. I met a courier, one mine ancient friend ;-
Whom, though in general part we were oppos'd,
Yet our old love made a particular force,

And made us speak like friends.

I incline to adopt the reading once, proposed by Mr. Upton.

P. 476.-131.-652.

Sold. Who's here? speak, ho!-No answer? What is this?
Timon is dead, who hath outstretch'd his span:

Some beast rear'd this; there does not live a man.

I think Warburton's emendation is right.

2 Sen.

P. 478.-132.-655.

So did we woo

Transformed Timon to our city's love,

By humble message, and by promis'd means.

I agree with Mr. Malone.

2 Sen.

P. 479.-133.-656.

Nor are they living,

Who were the motives that you first went out;
Shame, that they wanted cunning, in excess
Hath broke their hearts.

I perfectly concur with Mr. M. Mason.

Alcib.

P. 480.-134.-658.

and,― to atone your fears
With my more noble meaning,-not a man
Shall pass his quarter, or offend the stream
Of regular justice in your city's bounds,
But shall be remedied, to your publick laws
At heaviest answer.

I have thought that we should read

But shall be render'd to your publick laws, &c. but in this conjecture I have not great confidence.

2 Cit. Would you proceed especially against Caius Marcius? Cit. Against him first; he's a very dog to the commonalty.

I think Mr. Malone is right.

P. 342.-147.-8.

1 Cit. Our business is not unknown to the senate.

I can see no reason to doubt of Malone's being right.

Men.

P. 342.-148.-9.

I shall tell you

A pretty tale; it may be, you have heard it;
But, since it serves my purpose, I will venture
To scale 't a little more.

I think we should adopt Theobald's emendation, stale't. A story is not more dispersed by being repeated to those who had heard it before. Why are we to understand you (in, it may be you have heard it) to mean some of you? Had that been the poet's meaning, he might easily have written, some of you may have heard it." Stale't differs from scale't but in a single letter, and the variation might be occasioned by a c getting into the box of t, a sort of accident

66

which those who are acquainted with printing know frequently happens. In the first Act of Julius Caesar, Shakespeare has

To stale with ordinary oaths my love.

Again in Antony and Cleopatra, Act II.

Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale
Her infinite variety.

P. 345.-150.— 12.

Men. True is it, my incorporate friends, quoth he,
That I receive the general food at first,

Which you do live

Because I am the store-house and the shop

Of the whole body: but if you do remember,

I send it through the rivers of your blood,

Even to the court, the heart,-to the seat o'the brain.

I think with Malone that the old reading is right; but I cannot agree with him that the seat o'the brain is put in opposition with the heart, and is descriptive of it. That the brain is very commonly used in its secondary and figurative sense for the reason or understanding, no one will dispute; but if it be so used here, when the heart, &c. are used in their primary sense, it is extremely harsh. The belly is here instancing the different parts to which he sends the food through the rivers of the blood, and by the seat o'the brain, is meant, I think, the place where the brain is seated, viz. the head.

P. 346.-152.-14.

1 Cit. I the great toe? Why the great toe?

Men. For that being one of the lowest, basest, poorest,
Of this most wise rebellion, thou go'st foremost :

Thou rascal, that art worst in blood, to run

Lead'st first, to win some vantage.

I think the emendation proposed by Dr. Johnson is unnecessary.