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 ostentatious 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.

JOHNSON.

CORIOLANUS.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

Caius Marcius Coriolanus, a noble Roman.

Titus Lartius,

Cominius,

generals against the Volscians.

Menenius Agrippa, friend to Coriolanus.
Sicinius Velutus, tribunes of the people.
Junius Brutus,

Young Marcius, son to Coriolanus.
A Roman Herald.

Tullus Aufidius, general of the Volscians.
Lieutenant to Aufidius.
Conspirators with Aufidius.

A Citizen of Antium.
Two Volscian guards.

Volumnia, mother to Coriolanus.

Virgilia, wife to Coriolanus.

Valeria, friend to Virgilia.

Gentlewoman attending Virgilia.

Roman and Volscian Senators,

Patricians, Ediles, Lictors, Soldiers, Citizens, Messengers, Servants to Aufidius, and other Attendants.

Scene, partly in Rome; and partly in the terri tories of the Volscians and Antiates.

CORIOLANUS.

ACT I.

SCENE 1-Rome. A street.

Enter a company of mutinous Citizens, with staves, clubs, and other weapons.

1 Citizen.

BEFORE we proceed any further, hear me speak.

Cit. Speak, speak. [Several speaking at once. 1 Cit. You are all resolved rather to die, than to famish?

Cit. Resolved, resolved.

1 Cit. First you know, Caius Marcius is chief enemy to the people.

Cit. We know't, we know't.

1 Cit. Let us kill him, and we'll have corn at our own price. Is't a verdict?

Cit. No more talking on't; let it be done: away,

away.

2 Cit. One word, good citizens.

1 Cit. We are accounted poor citizens: the patricians, good: What authority surfeits on, would relieve us; If they would yield us but the superfluity, while it were wholesome, we might guess, they relieved us humanely; but they think, we are too dear: the leanness that afflicts us, the object of our misery, is as an inventory to particularize their abundance; our sufferance is a gain to them.-(1) Rich.