Why, humour, as 'tis ens, we thus define it, And in itself holds these two properties, As when some one peculiar quality 1 As 'tis ens, we thus define it.] Ens is a term of the schools, and signifies a substance, or existence. WHAL. 2 This may be truly said to be a humour.] What was usually called the manners in a play or poem, began now to be called the humours. The word was new; the use, or rather abuse of it was excessive. It was applied upon all occasions, with as little judgment as wit. Every coxcomb had it always in his mouth; and every particularity he affected was denominated by the name of humour. To redress this extravagance, Jonson is exact in describing the true meaning, and proper application of the term. It hath been observed that the word, in the sense which he assigns it, is peculiar to our English language; but the quality intended by it is not peculiar to the people. Our poet's great excellence was the lively copying of these humorous characters. WHAL. The abuse of this word is well ridiculed by Shakspeare, in that amusing creature of whimsey, Nym. Merry Wives of Windsor. Steevens quotes a long epigram by way of illustrating the subject, without remarking that it is a mere copy, and, indeed, a very feeble But that a rook, by wearing a pyed feather, Cor. He speaks pure truth; now if an ideot Asp. Well, I will scourge those apes, You might as well have told me, yond' is heaven, Yes, Mitis, and their souls; and who they be Good men, and virtuous spirits, that loath their vices, Make my brain fruitful, to bring forth more objects, But why enforce I this? as fainting? no. one, of this acute and pertinent disquisition. But Steevens knew little of Jonson. 3 Do I not know the time's condition,] i. e. the temper, quality, or disposition of the times. In this sense the word is used by Shakspeare and all our old writers. If any here chance to behold himself, Cor. Why, this is right furor poeticus! Who, to be thought one of the judicious, Sits with his arms thus wreath'd, his hat pull'd here, Cries mew, and nods, then shakes his empty head, 4 Sits with his arms, &c.] These "marks of the judicious" were very prevalent, and are noticed as such by all the writers of Jonson's time. Thus Shakspeare: "Your hat, pent-house likę, o'er the shop of your eyes; with your arms crossed on your thin belly doublet, like a rabbit on a spit." Love's Labour Lost. And Shirley: "I do not despair, gentlemen; you see I do not wear my hat in my eyes, crucify my arms," &c. Bird in a Cage. With respect to crying mew, it appears to have been an old and approved method of expressing dislike at the first representation of a play. Decker has many allusions to the practice; and, what appears somewhat strange, in his Satiromastix, charges Jonson with mewing at the fate of his own works. "When your plays are misliked at court, you shall not cry mew, like a puss, and say you are glad you write out of the courtiers' element." A. v. Our gallery critics, perhaps, will be pleased, and proud, to hear that their formidable cat-calls have so remote an origin. Will shew more several motions in his face Cor. Why, will that Make it be sooner swallow'd? Asp. O, assure you. Or, if it did not, yet, as Horace sings, Mean cates are welcome still to hungry guests. Cor. 'Tis true; but why should we observe them, Asper? Asp. Ó, I would know 'em; for in such assemblies They are more infectious than the pestilence: And therefore I would give them pills to purge, And make them fit for fair societies. How monstrous and detested is't, to see A fellow, that has neither art nor brain, Sit like an Aristarchus, or stark ass," Taking men's lines, with a tobacco face, In snuff, still spitting, using his wry'd looks, In nature of a vice, to wrest and turn The good aspect of those that shall sit near him, From what they do behold! O, 'tis most vile. Mit. Nay, Asper. Asp. Peace, Mitis, I do know your thought; You'll say, your guests here will except at this: Pish! you are too timorous, and full of doubt. Then he, a patient, shall reject all physick, 5 Than the new London, Rome, or Niniveh.] Puppet-shews, or, as they were then styled, motions, at that time in great vogue. WHAL. 6 • Jejunus rarò stomachus vulgaria temnit. Jonson. "Sit like an Aristarchus or stark ass, &c.] This string of "clenches" Dryden flings in Jonson's face with somewhat more justice than the false grammar just above. Very little, indeed, can be said in their favour, and yet it might be wished that Dryden had found a more legitimate cause than spite for producing them. 'Cause the physician tells him, you are sick: You will not hear of virtue. Come, you are fond. That happy judgments, and composed spirits, Cor. Nay, but good, pardon us; We must not bear this peremptory sail, Asp. Why, therein I commend your careful thoughts, And I will mix with you in industry To please: but whom? attentive auditors, Such as will join their profit with their pleasure, And speak away my spirit into air; 9 For these I'll melt my brain into invention, 8 Come, you are fond.] You are foolish, simple, injudicious. In this sense fond is used by our earliest writers. "The riche man ful fond is, iwis, That weneth that he loved is." Thus Chaucer : Rom. of the Rose, v. 5367. And so it is found in Spenser, Shakspeare, and almost every dramatist and poet of this age. WHAL. As polish'd jewels in their bounteous ears.] The comparison alludes to the custom then in vogue, of men wearing rings and jewels in their ears. So Marston: "Give me those jewels of your ears, to receive my inforced duty." Malecontent, A. i. S. 6. And Beaumont and Fletcher: Where hadst thou that same jewel in thine ear." King and no King, A. i. WHAL. |