By that one spell he lives, eats, drinks, arrays Himself: his whole revenueis, god pays. The quarter-day is come; the hostess says, She must have money: he returns, god pays. The tailor brings a suit home; he it 'ssays, Looks o'er the bill, likes it: and says, god pays. He steals to ordinaries; there he plays At dice his borrowed money: which, god pays. Then takes up fresh commodity for days; Signs to new bond; forfeits; and cries, god pays. That lost, he keeps his chamber, reads essays, Takes physic, tears the papers: still, god They gave a cock to Esculape.] The last request which Socrates made to his friends was that they would offer this popular sacrifice for him. This has led some to imagine that the poison had begun to take effect, and that he was becoming light-headed. He was quite as rational as his critics; and, in perfect consistency with his creed, viewed his death as a recovery to life. 2 Camden, most reverend head, to whom I owe All that I am in arts, all that I know.] Camden was our poet's master at Westminster School; and gratitude has led him to make a proper acknowledgment for his care and pains in teaching him, both by this epigram, and the dedication of Every Man in his Humour to him.-WHAL. These are not the only places in which Camden is mentioned with respect. In the King's So in short time, th' art in arrearage If thou'dst but use thy faith as thou didst grown then, Some hundred quarrels, yet dost thou fight | When thou wert wont t' admire, not cennone; sure men. or little purse in which civet and other perfumes were kept in the poet's days. In the Woman's Prize Livia says to her lover, "Hold this certain Selling, which is a sin unpardonable, finds me Davis and Weever.] Davis was the author of a collection of epigrams called The Scourge of Folly: he was by profession a writing-master, and chiefly taught in the University of Oxford. Than that drawn fox Moroso.”—Act i. sc. 2. He was a contemporary of Jonson, and has an Upon which Mr. Weber observes: "In some epigram addressed to him. Weever was the author of a work in folio, which is called Fune- cod is explained, a pillow, a belly. I am afraid MS. notes which have been procured for me, ral Monuments, and is a miscellany of epitaphs the allusion is not so delicate." The writer's and inscriptions, collected from ancient monu-fears are about as ideal as those of Mr. Steevens, ments in various parts of the kingdom.-WHAL. He wooes with an ill sprite.] A play on the double meaning of the last word, an evil genius or spirit, and a stinking breath. To this last sense of sprite young Knowell alludes in the inflated panegyric with which he puzzles and plays upon Master Stephen: "A wight that hitherto, his every step hath left the stamp of a great foot behind him, as every word the savour of a strong spirit." The name of the person to whom this epigram is addressed is borrowed from the cod | from whom this miserable cant is adopted; his ignorance, however, here, as well as everywhere else, is sufficiently real: what did he suppose Livia to mean? Counterfeit cods are spurious or adulterate civet-bags, and nothing more. His hair close cut, &c.] These are the characteristic marks of a Puritan, which Gamester was now become. The word was the cant phrase for the Scripture, which was profanely applied to every incident of life. This is an epigram of all times. XXII. ON MY FIRST DAUGHTER. Here lies, to each her parents ruth, Yet all heaven's gifts being heaven's due, At six months end she parted hence With safety of her innocence; XXV. ON SIR VOLUPTUOUS BEAST. While BEAST instructs his fair and inno cent wife, In the past pleasures of his sensual life, Whose soul heaven's Queen, whose name And now her hourly her own cucquean she bears,1 1 Whose soul heaven's Queen, whose name she bears.] i.e., the Virgin Mary; this seems to have been written when our poet was a convert to the church of Rome. WHAL. There is both pathos and beauty in this little piece: Jonson appears to have been a most kind and affectionate parent; and if, as Fuller says, he did not always meet with an equal return of duty and love, those who denied it to him have the greater sin. It is here the proper place to observe that our poet is by far the best writer of epitaphs that this country ever possessed. John Donne.] The celebrated Dean of St. Paul's. His character is excellently given in this affectionate memorial of his virtues; indeed no one knew him better, or valued him more justly than Jonson. The domestic life of this eminent man is admirably written by Izaac Walton; and a severe, though not unjust esti makes, In varied shapes, which for his lust she takes: What doth he else, but say Leave to be mate of his poetical merits will be found in Dr. Johnson's Life of Cowley. [Jonson told Drummond that he esteemed Donne "the first poet in the world in some things." He had written his best pieces ere he was twenty-five years old."-F. C.) 3 On Sir John Roe.] Probably the son of Sir Thomas Roe, knt., an eminent merchant of London, who after passing with distinguished credit through every municipal honour, died full of years and good works about 1570. worthy citizen, whose charity was directed by his piety to the most useful purposes, left four sons, who appear to have trod in the footsteps of their father. This [Jonson said emphatically to Drummond that "Sir John Roe loved him." "He died in his arms of the pest."-F. C.] parallel passage follows: He speaks to men with a rhinocerote's nose,]" they cry hem! and bid you play it off." The i.e., I believe, with a nose elate, or curled up into a kind of sneer, scornfully, contemptuously. This at least is the meaning of the expression in Martial's lively address to his book: Nescis, heu nescis domine fastidia Roma, Crede mihi, nimium Martia turba sapit ; Majores nusquam ronchi, juvenesque senesque, Et pueri nasum Rhinocerotis habent! Lib. i. iv. "Fill Will his beaker, he will never flinch S. Rowland, Sat. vi. 2 That breathes in his dog's way.] "Breathes (Whalley says) is intended to express what Shakspeare means when he describes such as "breathe in their watering." There is no end to this nonsense, since Steevens first set it abroach. I have already relieved Shakspeare from the obloquy of so filthy a meaning (vol. i. p. 73 6,) and to take away every possible plea for its being charged upon him again, I will now add the following decisive passage. The words of Among Whalley's loose papers I find another Shakspeare are: "They call drinking deep memorial of our author's regard for him. It is dying scarlet, and when you breathe in your taken from the blank leaf of Casaubon's Comwatering," (stop to take breath in your draught,)mentary on Persius, with which Jonson pre The cold of Mosco, and fat Irish air, His often change of clime, (though not of mind,) What could not work; at home, in his repair, Was his blest fate, but our hard lot to find. Which shews, wherever death doth please t' appear, Seas, sérenes, swords, shot, sickness, all are there.1 XXXIII. TO THE SAME. I'll not offend thee with a vain tear more, Glad-mentioned ROE; thou art but gone before, Whither the world must follow: and I, now, Breathe to expect my When, and make my How. Which if most gracious heaven grant like thine, Who wets my grave2 can be no friend of mine. XXXIV. OF DEATH. He that fears death, or mourns it, in the just, Shews of the Resurrection little trust. XXXV. TO KING JAMES. Who would not be thy subject, JAMES, t' obey A prince that rules by' example more than | GUILTY, because I bade you late be wise, sway? And to conceal your ulcers, did advise quis of Bievre on this word. Mad. d'Angivilliers had a favourite serin (a canary-bird), and the Marquis, on coming into her drawing-room, gravely put on his hat, with this notable piece of wit: I beg your ladyship's pardon-but I am afraid of the serein!" The Marquis was a great reader of Joe Miller-so were not the French in general: his second-hand wit therefore was in high request. 2 Who wets my grave, &c.] This is a beautiful little valediction; there is a simple grandeur of thought, a high moral dignity in all the addresses of Jonson (for there are more to come) to this distinguished family, which does no less honour to them than to the poet. 8 And since the whole land was preserved for thee.] This epigram was probably written in 1604, as the last allusion is to the plague, which broke out in London soon after the death of Elizabeth. The "treasons" spoken of just above are probably those of the Gowrie and Sir Walter Raleigh. * GUILTY, because I bade you late be wise.] See Epig. XXX. This is an excellent epigram; replete with strong sense and keen observation of mankind. |