scolds? Such purulent spittle argues exulcerated lungs. Why should there be so much railing about the body of Christ, when there was none about the body of Moses in the act kept betwixt the devil and Michael, the Archangel?" On schoolmasters he wrote, "That schoolmaster deserves to be beaten himself, who beats Nature in a boy for a fault. And I question whether all the whipping in the world can make their parts, that are naturally sluggish, rise one minute before the hour Nature hath appointed." The following are some good sayings that have been selected from his works by an eminent humorist : Virtue in a short person. "His soul had but a short diocese to visit, and therefore might the better attend the effectual informing thereof." "Oft times such, who are Intellect in a very tall one. built four storeys high, are observed to have little in their cock-loft." 66 Mr. Perkins, the Divine. He would pronounce the word Damn with such an emphasis, as left a doleful echo in his auditor's ears a good while after." Memory. Philosophers place it in the rear of the head; and it seems the mine of memory lies there, because men there naturally dig for it, scratching it when they are at a loss." To this we may add something from his "Holy State,"-a pleasant and profitable work, in which Fuller is happy in making his humour subserve the best ends :- Of "The Good Wife," he says, "She never crosseth her husband in the spring-tide of his The Good Wife. 249 anger, but stays till it be ebbing-water. And then mildly she argues the matter, not so much to condemn him as to acquit herself. Surely men, contrary to iron, are worst to be wrought upon when they are hot, and are far more tractable in cold blood. It is an observation of seamen, That if a single meteor or fire-ball falls on their mast, it portends ill-luck; but if two come together (which they count Castor and Pollux) they presage good success.' But sure in a family it bodeth most bad when two fire balls (husband's and wife's anger) both come together." In speaking of good parents, he says, “A father that whipt his son for swearing, and swore at him while he whipt him, did more harm by his example than good by his correction." 250 CHAPTER VI. Shakespeare-Ben Jonson-Beaumont and Fletcher-The Wise Men of Gatham. G REENE, in his admonition to his brother sinners of the stage, tells them that "there is an vpstart crow beautified with our feathers an absolute Johannes factotum, in his own conceyt the onely Shake-scene in a countrey," and in truth these olden writers are principally interesting as having laid the foundations upon which Shakespeare built some of his earliest plays. The genius of our great dramatist was essentially poetic, and some of his plays, which we now call comedies, were orginally entitled "histories." How seldom do we hear any of his humorous passages quoted, or find them reckoned among our household words! From some of his observations we might think he was altogether averse from jocosity. Henry V. says "How ill gray hairs become a fool-a jester! In "Much ado about Nothing," Beatrice speaks as follows "Why, he is the Prince's jester; a very dull fool, only his gift is in devising unprofitable slanders; none but libertines delight in him, and the commendation is not in his wit, but in his villany, for he both pleases men and angers them, and then they laugh at him and beat him." But notwithstanding all this condemnation Beatrice is herself the liveliest character in Shakespeare, and her lady's wit is some of the best he shows Beatrice. For hear me, Hero; wooing, wedding, and repenting is as a Scotch jig, a measure and a cinque-pace; the first suit is hot and hasty, like a Scotch jig, and full as fantastical; the wedding mannerly-modest, as a measure full of state and ancientry; and then comes repentance, and with his bad legs, falls into the cinque-pace faster and faster, till he sinks into his grave. Leonato. Cousin, you apprehend shrewdly. Beat. I have a good eye, uncle; I can see a church by daylight. In the "Merchant of Venice" Lorenzo thus answers Launcelot "How every fool can play upon the word. I think the best grace of wit will shortly turn into silence, and discourse grow commendable in none but parrots." Again Lorenzo 66 Oh, dear discretion, how his words are suited, An army of good words: And I do know Comedians from Aristophanes downwards have been wont to complain in one place of that which they adopt in another—their object not being to adopt fixed principles so much. as to show the varying shades of human thought. Shakespeare required something light to bring his deep reflections into bolder relief, and therefore frequently had recourse to humour. We are not surprised that he had no very high estimate of it, when we find him so much dependant upon "the alms-basket of words." There is so much of this in his plays, that it is almost superfluous to quote, but a few instances. be taken at random. Falstaff to Poins may 'You are straight enough in the shoulders; you care not who sees your back-call you that backing your friends? A plague upon such backing; give me a man who will face me." Falstaff to Prince Henry. Act 1. Scene II. I prythee, sweet wag, when thou art king, as God save thy grace-majesty, I should say, for grace thou wilt have none P. Hen. What! none? Fal. No, by my troth; not so much as will serve to be prologue to an egg and butter. In Love's Labour Lost. Armado. Comfort me, boy. in love? Inoth. Hercules, master. Act I. Scene II. What great men have been Arm. Most sweet Hercules! More authority, dear boy, name more; and, sweet my child, let them be men of good repute and carriage. Inoth. Samson, master; he was a man of good carriage, for he raised the town gates on his back like a porter, and he was in love. In the musicians scene, in Romeo and Juliet, Act IV. Scene V. we find Musician. Pray you put up your dagger, and put out your wit. Peter. Then have at you w th my wit. I will dry beat you with my iron wit, and put up my iron dagger. Answer me like : |