Grant, I may ever love, and rather woe
Those that would mischief me, than those that do!]
[W: rather too/...that woo] In defiance of this criticism, I have
ventured to replace the former reading, as more suitable to the general
spirit of these scenes, and as free from the absurdities charged upon
it. It is plain, that in this whole speech _friends_ and _enemies_ are
taken only for those who _profess friendship_ and _profess enmity_; for
the _friend_ is supposed not to be more kind, but more dangerous than
the _enemy_. In the amendation, _those that would mischief_ are placed
in opposition to _those that woo_, but in the speaker's intention _those
that woo_ are _those that mischief_ most. The sense is, _Let me rather
woo or caress those that_ would _mischief, that_ profess to mean me
mischief, _than those_ that really _do_ me _mischief under false
professions of kindness_. The Spaniards, I think, have this proverb;
_Defend me from my friends, and from my enemies I will defend myself_.
This proverb is a sufficient comment on the passage.
IV.iii.484 (379,9) all/I kept were knaves, to serve in meat to villains]
_Knave_ is here in the compounded sense of a _servant_ and a _rascal_.
IV.iii.492 (379,1) Pity's sleeping] I do not know that any correction is
necessary, but I think we might read,
--_eyes do never give
But thorough lust and laughter, pity sleeping_.
_Eyes never flow_ (to _give_ is to dissolve as saline bodies in moist
weather) _but by lust_ or _laughter_, undisturbed _by_ emotions of
_pity_.
IV.iii.499 (380,2) It almost turns my dangerous nature wild] [W: mild]
This emendation is specious, but even this may be controverted. To _turn
wild_ is _to distract_. An appearance so unexpected, says Timon, _almost
turns my savageness_ to distraction. Accordingly he examines with nicety
lest his phrenzy, should deceive him,
_Let me behold thy face. Surely this man
Was born of woman_.
And to this suspected disorder of mind he alludes,
_Perpetual, sober, Gods_!--
Ye powers whose intellects are out of the reach of perturbation.
IV.iii.533 (381,3) thou shalt build from men] Away from human
habitations.
V.i (382,5) _Enter Poet and Painter_] The poet and the painter were
within view when Apemantus parted from Timon, and might then have seen
Timon, since Apemantus, standing by him could not see them: But the
scenes of the thieves and steward have passed before their arrival, and
yet passed, as the drama is now conducted within their view. It might be
suspected that some scenes are transposed, for all these difficulties
would be removed by introducing the poet and painter first, and the
thieves in this place. Yet I am afraid the scenes must keep their
present order; for the painter alludes to the thieves when he says, _he
likewise enriched poor straggling soldiers with great quantity_. This
impropriety is now heightened by placing the thieves in one act, and the
poet and painter in another: but it must be remembered, that in the
original edition this play is not divided into separate acts, so that
the present distribution is arbitrary, and may be changed if any
convenience can be gained, or impropriety obviated by alteration.
V.i.47 (384,6) While the day serves, before black-corner'd night] [W:
black-cornette] _Black-corner'd night_ is probably corrupt, but
_black-cornette_ can hardly be right, for it should be _black-cornetted
night_. I cannot propose any thing, but must leave the place in its
present state. (1773)
V.i.101 (386,8) a made-up villain] That is a villain that adopts
qualities and characters not properly belonging to him; a hypocrite.
V.i.105 (386,9) drown them in a draught] That is, _in the_ jakes.