berus.-He does not hear me, I hope-And then, when his belly is well ballaced, and his brain rigged a little, he sails away withal, as though he would work wonders when he comes home. He has made a play here, and he calls it, Every Man out of his Humour: but an he get me out of the humour he has put me in, I'll trust none of his tribe again while I live. Gentles, all I can say for him is, you are welcome. I could wish my bottle here amongst you; but there's an old rule, No pledging your own health. Marry, if any here be thirsty for it, their best way (that I know) is, sit still, seal up their lips, and drink so much of the play in at their ears. [Exit.

Mit. What may this fellow be, Cordatus?

Cor. Faith, if the time will suffer his description, I'll give it you. He is one, the author calls him Carlo Buffone, an impudent common jester, a violent railer, and an incomprehensible epicure; one whose company is desired of all men, but beloved of none; he will sooner lose his soul than a jest, and profane even the most holy things, to excite laughter: no honourable or reverend personage whatsoever can come within the reach of his eye, but is turned into all manner of variety, by his adulterate similes.

Mit. You paint forth a monster.

Cor. He will prefer all countries before his native, and thinks he can never sufficiently, or with admiration

7 Cor. Faith, if the time will suffer his description, I'll give it you. He is one, &c.] Jonson seems unwilling to part with Carlo Buffone: he had already described him with great strength of colouring, and he now delays the opening of the drama, already too long protracted, while he darkens his character with additional shades. Whalley says that he should almost incline to think, notwithstanding the poet's asseverations, that he had some particular person in view, especially as Decker, in his Satiromastix, makes Jonson forswear "flinging epigrams about in taverns, under pain of being placed at the upper end of the table, at the left hand of Carlo Buffone." See A. v.

enough, deliver his affectionate conceit of foreign atheistical policies. But stay

Enter MACILENTE.

Observe these: he'll appear himself anon.

Mit. O, this is your envious man, Macilente, I think.

Cor. The same, sir.

IRI est, fortunæ cæcitatem facilè ferre.
'Tis true; but, Stoic, where, in the vast

world,

Doth that man breathe, that can so much command

His blood and his affection?

Well, I see

I strive in vain to cure my wounded soul;
For every cordial that my thoughts apply
Turns to a corsive, and doth eat it farther.
There is no taste in this philosophy;
'Tis like a potion that a man should drink,
But turns his stomach with the sight of it.
I am no such pill'd Cynick to believe,
That beggary is the only happiness;
Or, with a number of these patient fools,

8

To sing: My mind to me a kingdom is,
When the lank hungry belly barks for food.
I look into the world, and there I meet
With objects, that do strike my blood-shot eyes
Into my brain: where, when I view myself,
Having before observ'd this man is great,

Mighty, and fear'd; that loved, and highly favour'd;
A third thought wise and learned; a fourth rich,
And therefore honour'd; a fifth rarely featured;
A sixth admired for his nuptial fortunes:
When I see these, I say, and view myself,
I wish the organs of my sight were crack'd;
And that the engine of my grief could cast
Mine eyeballs, like two globes of wildfire, forth,
To melt this unproportion'd frame of nature.

Oh, they are thoughts that have transfix'd my heart,
And often, in the strength of apprehension,
Made my cold passion stand upon my face,
Like drops of dew on a stiff cake of ice.

Cor. This alludes well to that of the poet,
Invidus suspirat, gemit, incutitque dentes,
Sudat frigidus, intuens quod odit.

Mit. O, peace, you break the scene.

Enter SOGLIARDO, and CARLO Buffone.

Maci. Soft, who be these?

I'll lay me down awhile till they be past. [Lies down. Cor. Signior, note this gallant, I pray you.

Mit. What is he?

Cor. A tame rook, you'll take him presently; list.

Sog. Nay, look you, Carlo; this is my humour now! I have land and money, my friends left me well, and I will be a gentleman whatsoever it cost me.

8 My mind to me a kingdom is.] Words of an old ballad, the thought from Seneca. WHAL.

Whalley alludes, I suppose, to this verse in the Thyestes,

Mens regnum bona possidet.

Car. A most gentlemanlike resolution.

Sog. Tut! an I take an humour of a thing once, I am like your tailor's needle, I go through: but, for my name, signior, how think you? will it not serve for a gentleman's name, when the signior is put to it, ha?

Car. Let me hear; how is it?

9

Sog. Signior Insulso Sogliardo: methinks it sounds well.

Car. O excellent! tut! an all fitted to your name, you might very well stand for a gentleman: I know many Sogliardos gentlemen.

Sog. Why, and for my wealth I might be a justice of peace.

Car. Ay, and a constable for your wit.

Sog. All this is my lordship you see here, and those farms you came by.

Car. Good steps to gentility too, marry: but, Sogliardo, if you affect to be a gentleman indeed, you must observe all the rare qualities, humours, and compliments' of a gentleman.

Sog. I know it, signior, and if you please to instruct, I am not too good to learn, I'll assure you.

Car. Enough, sir.—I'll make admirable use in the projection of my medicine upon this lump of copper here. [Aside] I'll bethink me for you, sir.

Sog. Signior, I will both pay you, and pray you, and thank you, and think on you.

9

Sog. Signior Insulso Sogliardo.] There are several allusions, in the instructions which Carlo gives Sogliardo for becoming a gentleman, to one of the Colloquies of Erasmus. The following is pointed out by Whalley: Restat cognomen. Hic illud imprimis cavendum, ne plebeio more te patiaris vocari Harpalum Comensem : sed Harpalum à Como: hoc enim nobilium est. 'Iπñevs aviñños, sive Ementita Nobilitas.

1 Compliments of a gentleman.] This word, in Jonson's age, had the sense which we now give to accomplishments. Thus, in Sir Giles Goosecap, 1606: "Adorned with the exactest complements belonging to nobleness."

Cor. Is this not purely good?

Maci. S'blood, why should such a prick-ear'd hind as this

Be rich, ha? a fool! such a transparent gull

That may be seen through! wherefore should he have land,

Houses, and lordships? O, I could eat my entrails, And sink my soul into the earth with sorrow.

Car. First, to be an accomplished gentleman, that is, a gentleman of the time, you must give over housekeeping in the country,' and live altogether in the city amongst gallants; where, at your first appearance, 'twere good you turn'd four or five hundred acres of your best land into two or three trunks of apparel-you may do it without going to a conjurer

and be sure you mix yourself still with such as flourish in the spring of the fashion, and are least popular: study their carriage and behaviour in all; learn to play at primero and passage, and ever (when

2 You must give over housekeeping in the country, &c.] Primum fac procul te abducas a patria-Ingere te in convictum juvenum vere

nobilium. Eras. 'Iππ. avɩTT.

3 Least popular.] Least vulgar; most removed from the common people. WHAL.

Much of what follows may be found, in fuller detail, in that most curious pamphlet of Decker, the Gul's Horn-book, printed a few years after this play. All the advantages of precision, vigour, and elegance, are on the side of Jonson; his old antagonist, however, is extremely interesting and amusing.

▲ Learn to play at primero and passage.] Primero was a game on the cards, once very fashionable. It is not, however, described in the Compleat Gamester, and the explanation of it, in Minshew's Dictionary (like many others of his) explains nothing. From a very long epigram in Dodsley's Old Plays, vol. i. p. 168, it may be collected that it was a very complicated amusement. Passage is a game at dice, which some perhaps may comprehend by the following description: "It is played at but by two, and it is performed with three dice. The caster throws continually till he hath thrown doublets under ten, and then he is out and loseth; or doublets above ten, and then he passeth, and wins." Comp. Game. p. 167.