The characters of these three great masters of English poetry are sketched by Fuller, in his "Worthies of England." It is a literary morsel that must not be passed by. The criticisms of those who lived in or near the times when authors flourished merit our observation. They sometimes elicit a ray of intelligence, which later opinions do not always give.
He observes on SPENSER--"The many _Chaucerisms_ used (for I will not say affected by him) are thought by the ignorant to be _blemishes_, known by the learned to be _beauties_, to his book; which, notwithstanding, had been more SALEABLE, if more conformed to our modern language."
On JONSON.--"His parts were not so ready _to run of themselves_, as able to answer the spur; so that it may be truly said of him, that he had an _elaborate wit_, wrought out by his own industry.--He would _sit silent_ in learned company, and suck in (_besides wine_) their several humours into his observation. What was _ore_ in _others_, he was able to _refine_ himself.
"He was paramount in the dramatic part of poetry, and taught the stage an exact conformity to the laws of comedians. His comedies were above the _Volge_ (which are only tickled with downright obscenity), and took not so well at the _first stroke_ as at the _rebound_, when beheld the second time; yea, they will endure reading so long as either ingenuity or learning are fashionable in our nation. If his latter be not so spriteful and vigorous as his first pieces, all that are old will, and all who desire to be old should, excuse him therein."
On SHAKSPEARE.--"He was an eminent instance of the truth of that rule, _poeta non fit, sed nascitur_; one is not made, but born a poet. Indeed his _learning_ was but very little; so that as _Cornish diamonds_ are not polished by any lapidary, but are pointed and smooth, even as they are taken out of the earth, so _Nature_ itself was all the _art_ which was used upon him.
"Many were the _wit-combats_ betwixt him and Ben Jonson, which two I beheld like a _Spanish great galleon_ and an _English man of war_. Master _Jonson_ (like the former) was built far higher in learning; _solid_, but _slow_ in his performances. _Shakspeare_, with an English man of war, lesser in _bulk_, but lighter in _sailing_, could _turn with all tides_, and take advantage of _all winds_, by the quickness of his wit and invention."
Had these "Wit-combats," between Shakspeare and Jonson, which Fuller notices, been chronicled by some faithful _Boswell_ of the age, our literary history would have received an interesting accession. A letter has been published by Dr. Berkenhout relating to an evening's conversation between our great rival bards, and Alleyn the actor. Peele, a dramatic poet, writes to his friend Marlow, another poet. The Doctor unfortunately in giving this copy did not recollect his authority.
"FRIEND MARLOW,
"I never longed for thy companye more than last night: we were all very merrye at the Globe, where Ned Alleyn did not scruple to affirme pleasantly to thy friend WILL, that he had stolen his speech about the qualityes of an actor's excellencye in Hamlet his Tragedye, from conversations manyfold which had passed between them, and opinyons given by Alleyn touchinge this subject. SHAKSPEARE did not take this talk in good sorte; but JONSON put an end to the strife, by wittylie remarking,--this affaire needeth no contention: you stole it from NED, no doubt, do not marvel; have you not seen him act times out of number?"
This letter is one of those ingenious forgeries which the late George Steevens practised on the literary antiquary; they were not always of this innocent cast. The present has been frequently quoted as an original document. I have preserved it as an example of _Literary Forgeries_, and the danger which literary historians incur by such nefarious practices.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 101: Marana appears to have carelessly deserted his literary offspring. It is not improbable that his English translators continued his plan, and that their volumes were translated; so that what appears the French original may be, for the greater part, of our own home manufacture. The superiority of the first part was early perceived. The history of our ancient Grub-street is enveloped in the obscurity of its members, and there are more claimants than one for the honour of this continuation. We know too little of Marana to account for his silence; Cervantes was indignant at the impudent genius who dared to continue the immortal Quixote.
The tale remains imperfectly told.
See a correspondence on this subject in the Gentleman's Magazine, 1840 and 1841.]
[The end]
Isaac D'Israeli's essay: Spenser, Jonson, And Shakspeare