Title page
TIMON of ATHENS, A TRAGEDY, by SHAKESPEARE, AS PERFORMED AT THE THEATRE-ROYAL, DRURY-LANE,
Regulated from the PROMPT-BOOK, With PERMISSION of the MANAGERS, By Mr. HOPKINS, Prompter.
An INTRODUCTION, and NOTES Critical and Illustrative, ARE ADDED, BY THE AUTHORS of the DRAMATIC CENSOR.
LONDON:
Printed for JOHN BELL, near Exeter-Exchange, in the Strand; and C. ETHERINGTON, at York.MDCCLXXIII.
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INTRODUCTION.
TIMON of ATHENS.
This piece can never be interesting on the stage; notwithstanding
many passages which relish highly of its great
author; one excellent piece of instruction it undoubtedly
affords, the miserable effects of prodigal benevolence,
scattered among servile interested followers; the picture
of Timon himself is highly finished; and Apemantus
is a well conceived, well drawn contrast; but
most of the other characters are insipid or trifling, many
of the scenes flimzy, and the catastrophe not so striking,
as it might be; we give the piece to perusal, greatly and
properly reduced from the original.
We have seen three alterations of this play; the last,
Mr. Cumberland's, is much the best, but we think
Shakespeare, properly pared, better than any of them;
though, if the merit of this dramatic genius had rested
upon Timon for fame, it must have fallen very short
of what it is; yet as the moral, shewing how misapplied
bounty may become a destructive vice, must be
considered as a very useful lesson, we could wish this
piece to be oftner in public view; but lighter matters
than instruction, seem to be too much the prevalent taste.
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DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.
TIMON,LUCIUS,LUCULLUS,APEMANTUS,SEMPRONIUS,ALCIBIADES,FLAVIUS,FLAMINIUS,LUCILIUS,SERVILIUS,CAPHIS,VARRO,PHILO [Philotus],CUPID and Masters.
PHRYNIA, Mistress to Alcibiades.
TIMANDRA, Mistress to Alcibiades.
Thieves, Senators, Poet, Painter, Jeweller, Mercer,
and Merchant; with divers servants and attendants.SCENE, Athens; and the woods not far from it.
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