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right; and it is had for lawful | These distinctions (whereof the first is
whatsoever is lustful; and commo- commonly neglected), as they best agree
tioners are better than commis- with nature, so come they nearest to the
sioners; and common woe is named
commonwealth?

Chaucer, 2nd book of Fame :

Loe, is it not a great mischance,
To let a fool have governance
Of things that he cannot demain ?
Lidgate, lib. 1:

For, if wives be found variable,
Where shall husbands find other stable?
If it be pronounced with an admiration,
then thus (!)

Sir Thomas More:

G Lord God, the blindness of our mortal nature!

Chaucer, Ist book of Fame :

Alas! what harm doth apparence,
When it is false in existence!

ancient stays of sentences among the Romans and the Grecians. An example of all four, to make the matter plain, let us take out of that excellent oration of Sir John Cheek against the rebels, whereof before we have made so often mention :

When common order of the law can take no place in unruly and disobedient subjects; and all men will of wilfulness resist with rage, and think their own violence to be the best justice: then be wise magistrates compelled by necessity to seek an extreme remedy, where mean salves help not, and bring in the martial law where none other law serveth.

GIFFORD has taken innumerable liberties with the text of this Grammar. In the very few cases where the change, or removal, or insertion, of a word or two, was absolutely necessary, I have allowed his reading to remain in all others I have silently restored Jonson's own words. To justify my departure in this instance from the intention with which I commenced the printing of these volumes, viz., the reproduction verbatim et literatim of Gifford's text, I subjoin in parallel columns two specimens taken from p. 435, ante, which will speak for themselves.

FOLIO, 1640.

Is a letter often heard amongst us, but seldom seen; borrowed of the Greeks at first, being the same with ; and soundeth a double ss. With us it hath obtained another sound, but in the end of words;

as

muse, maze, nose,
hose, gaze, as.

GIFFORD, 1816.

Is a letter often heard among us, but seldom seen; borrowed of the Greeks at first, being the same with ; and soundeth in the middle as double ss, though in the end of many English words (where 'tis only properly used) it seems to sound as s; as in maze, gaze.

And on the contrary, words writ with s

Never in the beginning, save with rustic sound like z; as muse, nose, hose, as. people, that have

zed, zay, zit, zo, zome,

and the like, for

said, say, sit, so, some.

H

An aspirate merely, and in request only before vowels in the beginning of words,

Never in the beginning, save in the West country people, that have zed, say, zit, zo, zome, and the like; for said, say, sit, so,

some.

H

An aspirate merely, and in request only before vowels in the beginning of words.

...

and after x, where it added a strong spirit which the Welsh retain after many consosants. And though I dare not say she is (as I have heard one call her) the queen mother of consonants, yet she is the life and quickening of them.

The Welsh retain it still after many consonants. And though I dare not say

she is (as I have heard one call her) the queen mother of consonants, yet she is the life and quickening of c, g, p, s, t, w; as also r when derived from the aspirate Greek ; as cheat, ghost, alphabet, shape, that, what, rhapsody.

Of which more hereafter.

So also with the paragraphs (p. 456 8) about commas and subdistinctions, where, as will be seen below, the practice of the present time was substituted by Gifford for Jonson's peculiar ideas, according to which the comma is what is now called the semicolon, and a subdistinction what is now called a comma. This is quite in accord with the other half of this system of marking. As a dot over a period (:) denotes a lesser distinction than the period itself, so a dot over a comma (;) denoted a lesser distinction than the comma itself. When the commentators were burying Shakspeare under their notes, it is curious that this passage of Jonson should have escaped them as an illustration of the line in Hamlet

"And stand a comma 'tween their amities."

FOLIO, 1640.

These distinctions are either of a perfect or imperfect sentence. The distinctions of an imperfect sentence are two, a comma, and a semicolon.

A comma is a mean breathing, when the j word serveth indifferently, both to the parts of the sentence going before and following after, and is marked thus (,).

A semicolon is a distinction of an imperfect sentence, wherein with somewhat a longer breath, the sentence following is included; and is noted thus (;).

Hither pertaineth a parenthesis, wherein two commas include a sentence:

GIFFORD, 1816.

These distinctions are either of a perfect or imperfect sentence. The distinctions of an imperfect sentence are two, a subdistinction and a comma.

A subdistinction is a mean breathing, when the word serveth indifferently, both to the parts of the sentence going before and following after, and is marked thus (;).

A comma is a distinction of an imperfect sentence, wherein with somewhat a longer breath, the sentence following is included; and is noted this shorter semicircle (,).

Hither pertaineth a parenthesis, wherein two commas include a sentence;

Miscellaneous Pieces.

[By the time that Gifford arrived at the end of the eighth volume of his edition of Jonson (p. 338 of vol. iii. of this reprint) he seems to have got tired of the work, and in many instances made a most capricious use of his materials. This is particularly manifest with regard to the MS, volume, containing the "monumental verses," alluded to in his note (1) p. 354 a. He had evidently at first intended to include these gatherings among the Underwoods, as at this particular point there is the greatest confusion in the numbering. There are two pieces numbered xcii.; two xciii.; and a jump all at once from xcv. to cvi. At last, by omitting some of the best pieces, and altering and curtailing others, he managed to cram the rest into a note, extending over ten pages. I have ventured to rescue them from this ignominious position, and to add the pieces which Gifford left out, as also three or four more, which have crept to light since his time.-F. C.]

Nor yet inscription like it writ but that; BEN JONSON AND WILLIAM, EARL And teach your nephews it to emulate : It will be matter loud enough to tell Not when I died, but how I lived-farewell."

OF NEWCASTLE.

Jonson's connexion with the family of this distinguished nobleman was close and of long continuance. He has monumental verses on several of its members; those which follow are extracted from the MS. volume in the British Museum.

"CHARLES CAVENDISH1 TO HIS POSTERITY,

Sons, seek not me among these polished stones,

These only hide part of my flesh and bones, Which, did they e'er so neat and proudly dwell,

Will all turn dust, and may not make me swell.

Let such as justly have outlived all praise, Trust in the tombs their careful friends do raise ;

I made my Life my monument, and yours, Than which there's no material more endures,

"EPITAPH ON LADY KATHERINE
OGLE.?

She was the light (without reflex
Upon herself) of all her sex,
The best of women !-Her whole life
Was the example of a wife,
Or of a parent, or a friend!··
All circles had their spring and end
In her, and what could perfect be
And without angles, IT WAS SHE.-

All that was solid in the name
Of virtue; precious in the frame,
Or else magnetic in the force,
Or sweet, or various, in the course;
What was proportion, or could be
By warrant called just symmetry
In number, measure, or degree
Of weight or fashion, IT WAS SHE.—
Her soul possest her flesh's state
In freehold, not as an inmate,

This lady, the second wife of Sir Charles Cavendish, and mother of the Duke of Newcastle, was the daughter and coheir of Cuthbert, Lord Ogle. She outlived her husband several years, and was declared Baroness Ogle

1 Sir Charles Cavendish, who thus addresses his children, was the third son of Sir William Cavendish, deservedly known and esteemed as the faithful and confidential servant of Cardinal Wolsey. He died in 1618, and was succeeded in his vast estates by his eldest son, William, | in 1628. the munificent friend and protector of our poet.

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EPITAPH ON THE LADY JANE.

(And bid thee, reader, bring thy weeping I could begin with that grand form Here lies

eyes

To see who 'tis-) a noble countess, great In blood, in birth, by match and by her state,

Religious, wise, chaste, loving, gracious, good,

And number attributes unto a flood;
But every table in this church can say
A list of epithets, and praise this way;
No stone in any wall here but can tell'
Such things of every body, and as well-
Nay, they will render one's descent to hit
And Christian name too with a herald's wit.
But I would have thee to know something

new,

Not usual in a lady, and yet true,

But of one husband, and since he left life, At least so great a lady-she was wife

But sorrow she desired no other friend, And her, she made her inmate, to the end. To call on sickness still to be her guest, Whom she with sorrow first did lodge,

then feast

Then entertain, and as death's harbinger, So woo'd at last that he was won to her Importune wish, and by her loved lord's

side

To lay her here, inclosed, his second bride; Where, spight of death, next life, for her

love's sake

This second marriage will eternal make.1

bury (younger brother of the Gilbert so often noticed), and died in 1625, having survived her husband about seven years.

1

AN INTERLUDE, &c.

The volume from which the foregoing were taken, contains also an Interlude, never yet noticed by the poet's biographers. It has neither title nor date; but appears to have been written by Jonson for the christening of a son of the Earl of Newcastle, to which the King or the Prince (both seem to have been present) stood godfather. It consists principally of the unrestrained and characteristic tattle of three gossips; and though the language may appear somewhat too free for the present times, yet as a matter of curiosity, I have ventured to subjoin it.

The Scene is the Earl of Newcastle's house, in the Black Friars.

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At the Banquet.

HOLDBACK enters with the child, DUGGS and KECKS.

Hold. Now heaven multiply your highness and my honourable lord too, and my good lady the countess. I have one word for you all, Welcome! which is enough to the wise, and as good as a hundred, you know. This is my day. My lords and my ladies, how like you my boy? is't not a goodly boy? I said his name would be Charles when I looked upon Charles' wain t'other night. He was born under that star-I have given measure, i'faith, he'll prove a pricker by one privy mark that I found about him. Would you had such another, my lord gossips, every one of you, and as like the father. O what a glad woman and a proud should I be to be seen at home with you upon the same occasion!

Duggs. Come, come, never push for it, woman; I know my place. It is before, and I would not have you mistake it.

Kecks. Then belike my place is behind. Duggs. Be it where it will, I'll appear. Hold. How now, what's the matter with you two?

Duggs. Why, Mistress Kecks, the dry nurse, strives to have place of me.

Kecks. Yes, Mistress Duggs, I do indeed.

courtier, like the citizen, was a most fierce de vourer of plums, and the ships, bulwarks, forests, &c., that were not eaten on the spot, were conveyed into the pockets of the guests, and carried off, without stint and without shame.

2 A short question was probably overlooked by the scribe.

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