So did we woo
Transformed Timon to our city's love,
By humble message, and by promis'd means]
[T: promis'd mends] Dr. Warburton agrees with Mr. Theobald, but the old
reading may well stand.
V.iv.28 (395,8) Shame, that they wanted cunning, in excess/Hath broke
their hearts] [Theobald had emended the punctuation] I have no wish to
disturb the means of Theobald, yet think some emendation nay be offered
that will make the construction less harsh, and the sentence more
serious. I read,
_Shape that they wanted, coming in excess,
Hath broke their hearts._
_Shame which they_ had so long _wanted at last_ coming in _its utmost_
excess.
V.iv.36 (396,8) not square] Not regular, not equitable.
V.iv.35 (397,9) uncharged ports] That is, _unguarded gates_.
V.iv.59 (397,1) not a man/Shall pass his quarter] Not a soldier shall
quit his station, or be let loose upon you; and, if any commits
violence, he shall answer it regularly to the law.
V.iv.76 (308.,3) our brain's flow; Hanmer and Dr. Warburton read,
--brine's flow,--
Our brain's flow is our tears; but we any read our brine's flow, our
salt tears. Either will serve. (see 1765, VI, 276, 6)
(399) General Observation. The play of _Timon_ is a domestic tragedy,
and therefore strongly fastens on the attention of the reader. In the
plan there is not much art, but the incidents are natural, and the
characters various and exact. The catastrophe affords a very powerful
warning against that ostentations liberality, which scatters bounty, but
confers no benefits, and buys flattery, but not friendship.
In this tragedy are many passages perplexed, obscure, and probably
corrupt, which I have endeavoured to rectify, or explain, with due
diligence; but having only one copy, cannot promise myself that my
endeavours shall be much applauded.