2 reason long since is fled to animals, you know, or indeed for the more modelizing, or enamelling or rather diamondizing of your subject, you shall perceive the hypothesis, or galaxia, (whereof the meteors long since had their initial inceptions and notions) to be merely Pythagorical, mathematical, and aristocratical-For, look you, sir, there is ever a kind of concinnity and species-Let us turn to our former discourse, for they mark us not. Fast. Mass, yonder's the knight Puntarvolo. Deli. And my cousin Sogliardo, methinks. Maci. Ay, and his familiar that haunts him, the devil with the shining face. Deli. Let 'em alone, observe 'em not. [Sogliardo, Puntarvolo, and Carlo walk together. Sog. Nay, I will have him, I am resolute for that. By this parchment, gentlemen, I have been so toiled among the harrots yonder,' you will not believe! they do speak in the strangest language, and give a man the hardest terms for his money, that ever you knew. 7-19 2 As reason long since is fled to animals,] Designed as a sneer on those philosophers, who, from the tractable and imitative qualities in brutes, maintained that they were reasonable creatures. WHAL. This is very gravely said: but I wonder the commentators have not rather pointed out this passage as designed to sneer at Shakspeare, "O judgment, thou art fled to brutish beasts, "And men have lost their reason!" Julius Cæsar. It is true that Every Man out of his Humour was published several years before Julius Cæsar, but that, I find, is no conclusive argument in favour of Jonson, for-" he might have seen the lines in manuscript;" or, as the manuscript was certainly not in existence at this time, he might have known that Shakspeare intended to make use of such an expression. 3 I have been so toiled among the harrots yonder,] See Vol. I. p. 28. Car. But have you arms, have you arms? Sog. I'faith, I thank them; I can write myself gentleman now; here's my patent, it cost me thirty pound, by this breath. Punt. A very fair coat,* well charged, and full of armory. Sog. Nay, it has as much variety of colours. in it, as you have seen a coat have; how like you the crest, sir? Punt. I understand it not well, what is't? Sog. Marry, sir, it is your boar without a head, rampant. A boar without a head, that's very rare! Car. Ay, and rampant too! troth, I commend the herald's wit, he has decyphered him well: a swine without a head, without brain, wit, any thing indeed, ramping to gentility. You can blazon the rest, signior, can you not? Sog. O, ay, I have it in writing here of pose; it cost me two shillings the tricking." Car. Let's hear, let's hear. pur Punt. It is the most vile, foolish, absurd, palpable, and ridiculous escutcheon that ever this eye survised. Save you, good monsieur Fastidious. [They salute as they meet in the walk. Car. Silence, good knight; on, on. Sog. [reads.] Gyrony of eight pieces; azure and A very fair coat, &c.] In this and what follows, Jonson had evidently the Ementita Nobilitas again in view: Adde clypeum cum insignibus. Ha. Quænam mihi suades deligam? Ne. Duo mulctra, si velis, et cantharum cerevisiarium. Ha. Ludis: age dic serio. Ne. Nunquam fuisti in bello? Ha. Ne vidi quidem. Ne. At interim, opinor, decollasti anseres et capos rusticorum? Ha. Persape, et quidem fortiter. Ne. Pone machæram argenteam, tria anserum capita aurea. Ha. In quo solo? Ne. Quo nisi sanguinolento, monumentum fortiter effusi cruoris.-In vertice quid eminebit? Ha. Expecto. Ne. Caput canis demissis auribus. 5 It cost me two shillings the tricking.] The drawing of it out with pen and ink; it is an heraldic term. gules; between three plates, a chevron engrailed checquy, or, vert, and ermins; on a chief argent, between two ann'lets sable, a boar's head, proper. Car. How's that! on a chief argent? Sog. [reads] On a chief argent, a boar's head proper, between two ann'lets sable. Car. 'Slud, it's a hog's cheek and puddings in a pewter field, this. [Here they shift. Fastidious mixes with Puntarvolo; Carlo, and Sogliardo; Deliro and Macilente; Clove and Orange; four couple. Sog. How like you them, signior? Punt. Let the word' be, Not without mustard: your crest is very rare, sir. Car. A frying-pan to the crest, had had no fellow. Fast. Intreat your poor friend to walk off a little, signior, I will salute the knight. Car. Come, lap it up, lap it up. Fast. You are right well encounter'd, sir; how does your fair dog? Punt. In reasonable state, sir; what citizen is that you were consorted with? A merchant of any worth? Fast. "Tis signior Deliro, sir. Punt. Is it he?-Save you sir! [They salute. Maci. O what copy of fool' would this place Punt. Let the word be, &c.] The motto. Thus in Albion's England: Non marens moriar for the mot. And, in Webster's White Devil, The word, Inopem me copia fecit. WHAL. O what copy of fool, &c.] What abundance. Thus Gosson (forgetting himself, poor man!) observes, that "carpers doe nowe long for copie of abuses." We had this vile expression before. See p. 63. minister, to one endued with patience to observe it! Car. Nay, look you, sir, now you are a gentleman, you must carry a more exalted presence, change your mood and habit to a more austere form; be exceeding proud, stand upon your gentility, and scorn every man; speak nothing humbly, never discourse under a nobleman, though you never saw him but riding to the star-chamber, it's all one. Love no man: trust no man speak ill of no man to his face; nor well of any man behind his back. Salute fairly on the front, and wish them hanged upon the turn. Spread yourself upon his bosom publicly, whose heart you would eat in private. These be principles, think on them; I'll come to you again presently. [Exit. Punt. [to his servant.] Sirrah, keep close; yet not so close: thy breath will thaw my ruff. Sog. O, good cousin, I am a little busy, how does my niece? I am to walk with a knight, here. Enter FUNGOSO with his Tailor. Fung. O, he is here; look you sir, that's the gentleman. Tai. What, he in the blush-coloured satin? Fung. Ay, he, sir; though his suit blush, he blushes not, look you, that's the suit, sir: I would have mine such a suit without difference, such stuff, such a wing,' such a sleeve, such a 8 Thy breath will thaw my ruff.] The expression is humorous, for the ruffs then worn were made extremely stiff with starch. WHAL. 9 Such a wing,] A lateral prominency, extending from each shoulder, which, as appears from the portraits of the age, was a fashionable part of the dress. WHAL. skirt, belly and all; therefore, pray you observe it. Have you a pair of tables? 2 Fast. Why, do you see, sir, they say I am fantastical; why, true, I know it, and I pursue my humour still, in contempt of this censorious age. 'Slight, an a man should do nothing but what a sort of stale judgments about this town will approve in him, he were a sweet ass: I'd beg him, i'faith. I ne'er knew any more find fault with a fashion, than they that knew not how to put themselves into it. For mine own part, so I please mine own appetite, I am careless what the fusty world speaks of me. Puh! Fung. Do you mark, how it hangs at the knee there? Tai. I warrant you, sir. Fung. For God's sake do, note all; do you see the collar, sir? Tai. Fear nothing, it shall not differ in a stitch, sir. Fung. Pray heaven it do not! you'll make these linings serve, and help me to a chapman for the outside, will you? Tai. I'll do my best, sir; you'll put it off presently. Fung. Ay, go with me to my chamber you shall have it--but make haste of it, for the love of a customer; for I'll sit in my old suit, or else lie a bed, and read the Arcadia till you have done. [Exit with his Tailor. Have you a pair of tables?] i. e. a pocket-book, for taking memorandums. See p. 90. 2 I'd beg him, faith.] Alluding to the common expression of begging a man for a fool. Great interest was formerly made with the Crown, to obtain the custody of a wealthy idiot, and the profit of his lands: probably, too, some cajolery was used to the poor innocent himself. Thus in Drum's Entertainment, "Be my ward, John. Faith, I'll give thee two coats a year, an thou'lt be my fool." |