The Project Gutenberg EBook of Shakspere And Montaigne, by Jacob Feis Tite!

Shakspere And
Montaigne Author! Jacob Feis "eease #ate! May, $%%& 'EBook ()*+,- 'This fie .as first posted on
June *), $%%+- Edition! *% /anguage! Engish 0haracter set encoding! 1S2AS033 E2te4t prepared by Bi
Boerst, Juiet Sutherand, and Tonya Aen Editoria note! 5Shakspere5 is the speing used by the author
and therefore .as not changed6
SHAKSPERE AND MONTAIGNE
An Endeavour to Explain the Tendency o !Ha"let! ro" Allu#ion# in $onte"porary %or&#
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3t has a.ays been a daring @enture to atteApt finding out Shakspere<s indi@iduaity, and the range of his
phiosophica and poitica ideas, froA his poetica productions6 >e coAe nearest to his feeings in his
<SonnetsB< but ony a fe. hea@y sighs, as it .ere, froA a tiAe of anguish in his ife can be heard
therefroA6 A the rest of those yrica effusions, in spite of the Ceaous e4ertions of coAAentators fu of
deicate sentiAent and of deep thought, reAain an unso@ed secret6
3n his historica draAas, a poitica creed has been pointed out, .hich, .ith soAe degree of certainty, Aay
be hed to ha@e been his6 FroA his other draAas, the Aost @aried e@idence has been dra.n6 A perfect
AaCe of contradictions has been read out of theAB so Auch so that, on this ground, .e Aight aAost
despair of trust.orthy resuts froA further inDuiry6
The .idest and Aost incongruous theories ha@e been founded upon <9aAet< 22the draAa richest in
phiosophica contents6 7@er and o@er again Aen ha@e hoped to be abe to ascertain, froA this tragedy, the
great Aaster<s ideas about reigion6 3t is .e2nigh iApossibe to say ho. often such atteApts ha@e been
Aade, but the re.ard of the e4ertions has a.ays reAained unsatisfactory6 7n the feeings .hich this
Aaster.ork of draAatic art sti e4cites to2day22neary three hundred years after its conception22thousands
ha@e based the Aost different concusionsB e@ery one being con@inced of the correctness of his o.n
iApressions6 There is a specia iterature, coAposed of such rendering of persona iApressions .hich that
Aost enigAatica of a draAas has Aade upon Aen of @arious disposition6 E@ery hypothesis finds its
adherents aAong a sAa group, .hist those .ho fee differenty sAie at the infatuation of their
antagonists6 8othing that coud gi@e true and fina satisfaction has yet been reached in this direction6
3t is our intention to regard <9aAet< froA a ne. point of @ie., .hich seeAs to proAise Aore success than
the critica endea@ours hitherto Aade6 >e propose to enter upon a cose in@estigation of a series of
circuAstances, e@ents, and persona reations of the poet, as .e as of certain indications contained in
other draAatic .orks22a of the period in .hich <9aAet< .as .ritten and brought into pubicity6 This
@auabe Aateria, propery arranged and put in its true connection, .i, .e beie@e, furnish us .ith such
firA and soid stepping2stones as to ao. us, on a perfecty trust.orthy path, to approach the rea
intentions of this phiosophica tragedy6 3t has ong ago been fet that, in it, Shakspere has aid do.n his
reigious @ie.s6 By the Aeans auded to .e .i no. e4pain that EcredoE6
>e beie@e .e can successfuy sho. that the tendency of <9aAet< is of a contro@ersia nature6 3n cosey
e4aAining the inno@ations by .hich the augAented second Duarto edition '*-F*G%HI distinguishes itsef
froA the first Duarto, pubished the year before F*G%+I, .e find that aAost e@ery one of these inno@ations
is directed against the principes of a ne. phiosophica .ork22EThe Essays of Miche MontaigneE22
.hich had appeared at that tiAe in Engand, and .hich .as brought out under the high auspices of the
foreAost nobeAen and protectors of iterature in this country6
FroA Aany hints in conteAporary draAas, and froA soAe cear passages in <9aAet< itsef, it foo.s at
the saAe tiAe that the poeAics carried on by Shakspere in <9aAet< are in Aost intiAate connection .ith
a contro@ersy in .hich the pubic took a great interest, and .hich, in the first years of the se@enteenth
century, .as fought out .ith Auch bitterness on the stage6 The reAarkabe contro@ersy is kno.n, in the
iterature of that age, under the designation of the dispute bet.een Ben Jonson and #ekker6 A thorough
e4aAination of the draAas referring to it sho.s that Shakspere .as e@en Aore iApicated in this theatrica
.arfare than #ekker hiAsef6
The atter .rote a satire entited <SatiroAasti4,< in .hich he repies to Ben Jonson<s coarse persona
in@ecti@es .ith yet coarser abuse6 <9aAet< .as Shakspere<s ans.er to the nagging hostiities of the
DuarresoAe ad@ersary, Ben Jonson, .ho beonged to the party .hich had brought the phiosophica .ork
in Duestion into pubicity6 And the e@ident tendency of the inno@ations in the second Duarto of <9aAet,<
.e Aake bod to say, con@inces us that it Aust ha@e been far Aore Shakspere<s object to oppose, in that
Aastery production of his, the pernicious infuence .hich the phiosophy of the .ork auded to
threatened to e4ercise on the better Ainds of his nation, than to defend hiAsef against the persona
attacks of Ben Jonson6
The contro@ersy itsef is Aentioned in <9aAet6< 3t is a discosure of the poet, .hich sheds a itte ray of
ight into the darkness in .hich his earthy .ak is en@eoped6 The Aaster, .ho other.ise is so sparing
.ith ausions as to his sphere of action, speaks '$- bitter .ords against an <aery of chidren< .ho .ere
then <in fashion,< and .ere <Aost tyrannicay capped for it6< >e are further tod that these itte eyases cry
out on the top of the Duestion and so beratte the coAAon stages Fso they ca theAI, that Aany, .earing
rapiers, are afraid of goose2Duis, and dare scarce coAe thither6< The <goose2Duis< are, of course, the
.riters of the draAas payed by the <itte eyases6< >e then earn <that there .as for a .hie no Aoney bid
for arguAent< FShakspere, .e see, .as not ashaAed of honest gainI <uness the poet and the payer .ent to
cuffs in the Duestion6< /asty, the reproach is Aade to the nation that it <hods it no sin to tarre theA Fthe
chidrenI to contro@ersy6< This satire is undoubtedy22a coAAentators agree upon this point22directed
against the perforAances of the chidren .ho at that tiAe fourished6 The Aost popuar of these ju@enie
actors .ere the 0hidren of Pau<s, the 0hidren of the "e@es, the 0hidren of the 0hape "oya6
Shakspere<s reAarks, directed against these for.ard youngsters, Aay appear to us to2day as of @ery
secondary iAportance in the great draAa6 To the poet, no doubt, it .as not so6 The .ords by .hich he
audes to this episode in his ife coAe froA his @ery heart, and .ere .ritten for the purpose of repro@ing
the conduct of the pubic in regard to hiAsef6
<9aAet< .as coAposed in the atAosphere of this iterary feud, froA .hich .e dra. confirAatory proof
that our theory stands on the soid ground of historica fact6
E@en shoud our endea@our to finay so@e the great probeA of <9aAet< be Aade in @ain, .e beie@e .e
sha at east ha@e pointed out a .ay on .hich others Aight be Aore successfu6 3n contradistinction to the
Aanner hitherto in use of dra.ing concusions froA iApressions ony, our o.n Aatter2of2fact atteApt .i
ha@e this ad@antage, that the tiAe spent in it .i not be .hoy .astedB for, in ooking round on the scene
of that e@entfu century, .e sha becoAe Aore intiAate .ith its iterature and the characters of
Shakspere<s conteAporaries6
Before entering upon the theAe itsef, it is necessary to cast a rapid gance at the condition of the draAatic
art of that period6
*! <Enarged to aAost as Auch2againe as it .as6<
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/ong before Shakspere, perhaps .ith farde on his back, tra@eed to /ondon, the stage, not ony in the
capita, but in the .hoe country, had begun to e4ercise its attracti@e po.er upon the peope<s iAagination6
3n the year *&)G, a Protestant Ceaot, a sodier, '*- .rites!22<>hen the bees toe to the /ectorer, the
truApetts sound to the Stages, .hareat the .icked faction of "oAe a.geth for joy, .hie the gody
.eepe for sorro.e6 >oe is AeJ the pay houses are pestered .hen the churches are naked6 At the one it is
not possibe to gett a paceB at the other @oyde seates are pentie6666 =t is a .ofu sight to see t.o hundred
proude payers jett in their siks .here fi@e hundred pore peope ster@e in the streets6<
Aready in the reign of 9enry :3336 a <Master of the "e@es< .as reDuired, .hose task it .as to contro the
pubic representations and aAuseAents6 Kueen EiCabeth had to issue se@era specia ordinances to define
Aore cosey the functions, and pro@ide .ith fresh po.er this office, .hich had been created by her
father6
/ike a other great achie@eAents of the Engish nation, the draAa, too, de@eoped itsef in this country
unhaApered by foreign infuence6 3ts rapid gro.th .as o.ing to the free and energetic spirit of
EngishAen, to their o@e for pubic ife6 E@ery e@ent .hich in soAe .ay attracted pubic attention,
furnished the Aateria for a ne. baad, or a ne. draAa6
AAong the draAatists of that tiAe, there .as a speciay acti@e group of Aacontents22Aen of cuture,
.ho had been at the coeges and uni@ersitiesB such as Pee, Greene, Maro.e, 0hapAan, Marston, Ben
Jonson, and others6 3f .e ask ourse@es ho. it caAe about that these discipes of erudition turned o@er to a
caing so despised in their days Ffor the draAatist, .ith fe. e4ceptions, .as then Aosty hed in as o. a
repute as the payerI, the cause .i be found in the pecuiar circuAstances of that epoch6
The re@i@a of cassica studies, and the art of printing, .ere, in the hands of the peace2o@ing citiCen,
fresh Aeans for strengthening his position in the State6 The handicraftsAan or the Aerchant, .ho had
gained a sAa fortune, .as no onger satisfied .ith the Aodest prospects .hich he coud offer to his
taented son in an ordinary .orkshop, or in his narro. store2rooAs6 Since "oAe no onger e4ercised her
once a2po.erfu infuence in e@ery .ak of ife, uni@ersity Aen, o.ing to their superior education, sa.
before theA a brighter, a Aore hopefu, future6
3n the si4teenth century the nuAber of students in coeges and at theuni@ersities increased in an
astonishing degree, especiay froA the Aidde casses6 The sons of siApe burghers entered upon the
contests of free, inteectua aspirations .ith a Cea Aosty absent in those .hose position is aready
secured by birth6 At 0ourt, no doubt, the feuda aristocracy .ere yet po.erfu indeed6 They coud
approach their so@ereign according to their peasureB infuence hiAB and procure, by artfu intrigue,
positions of dignity and usefu preferAents for theAse@es and their fa@ourites6 Against these abuses the
.ritten .ord, Autipied a thousandfod, .as a ne. .eapon6 >hoe@er coud hande it propery, gained
the esteeA of his feo.2AenB and a Aeans .as at his disposa for earning a i@eihood, ho.e@er scanty6
To.ards the Aidde and the end of the si4teenth century there .ere Aany students and schoars
possessing a great dea of erudition, but @ery itte Aeans of subsistence6 8or .ere their prospects @ery
encouraging6 They first .ent through that bitter e4perience, .hich, since then, so Aany ha@e Aade after
theA22that .hoe@er seeks a hoAe in the reaA of inteect runs the risk of osing the soid ground on
.hich the fruits for Aaintaining huAan ife gro.6 The eye directed to.ards the Parnassus is not the Aost
apt to spy out the sAa tortuous paths of daiy gain6 To get Duick returns of interest, e@en though it be
sAa, froA the capita of kno.edge and earning, has a.ays been, and sti is, a Duestion of difficut
soution6
These young schoars, gro.n to Aanhood in the 9as of >isdoA, .ere unabe, and e@en un.iing, to
return to siApe industria pursuits, or to the crafty tactics of coAAerce6 Aienated froA practica acti@ity,
and too shy to take part in the harder strugges of ife, Aany of theA rather contented theAse@es .ith a
crust of bread, in order to continue enjoying the <dainties of a book6< The Aanier and boder aAong theA,
dissatisfied .ith the prospect of such poor fare, ooked round and sa., in the hands of incapabes, fat
i@ings and ucrati@e eAouAents to .hich they, on account of their superior cuture, beie@ed they had a
better caiA6
There .ere yet Aany State institutions .hich by no Aeans corresponded to the idea gathered froA
Paton, 0icero, and other .riters of antiDuity6 Men began e4pressing these feeings of dissatisfaction in
baads and paAphets6 E@en as the Aany hoAe and foreign products of industry .ere distributed by
coAAerce, so it .as aso the case .ith these ne. products of the inteectua .orkshop, .hich .ere
carried to the Aost distant parts of the and6 At the side of his other .ares, the pedar, eager for profit,
offered the ne. and Auch2desired achie@eAents of the Muse to the d.eers in the sAaest @iage, in the
oneiest farA6
Moreo@er, the cunning stationers had their o.n Aen, to .hoA they ent <a dossen groates .orth of
baads6< 3f these hucksters22as 9enry 0hette reates22pro@ed thrifty, they .ere ad@anced to the position of
<prety FpettyI chapAan,< <abe to spred Aore paAphets by the State forbidden, then a the bookeseers in
/ondonB for ony in this 0itie is straight search, abroad sAae suspition, especiay of such petty pedars6<
'$-
0hette speaks strongy against these <intruders in the printings Aisserie, by .hoAe that e4ceent Art is
not sAay sandered, the go@ernAent of the State not a itte beAished, nor "eigion in the east Aeasure
hindred6<
Besides the profit to be deri@ed froA the Press by the Aacontent tra@eing schoars, there .as yet
another .ay of acDuiring the Aeans of sustenance and of Aaking use of Aenta cutureB and in it there
e4isted the further ad@antage of independence froA gruAbing pubishers6 This .as the Stage6 For it no
great preparations .ere necessary, nor .as any capita reDuired6 A fe. chairs, soAe boardsB in e@ery barn
there .as rooA6 >here@er one Aan .as found .ho coud read, there .ere ten eager to isten6
A Aost characteristic draAa, <The "eturn froA Parnassus,< depicts soAe poor schoars .ho turn a.ay
froA pitiess 0aAbridge, of .hich one of theA says22
For had not 0aAbridge been to Ae unkind, 3 had not turn<d to ga a Aiky Aind6 '+-
After ha@ing ong since coApeted their studies, they go to /ondon to seek for the Aost Aodest
i@eihood6 Bitter e4perience had taught these discipes of earning that the eApoyAent for .hich they
.aited coud ony be gained by briberyB and bribe they certainy coud not, o.ing to their .ant of Aeans6
SoAe of theA aready sho. a true >erther2ike yearning for soitude!22
>e .i be gone unto the do.ns of ;ent6666
ST1#37S76
So sha .e shun the coApany of Aen, That gro.s Aore hatefu as the .ord gro.s od6 >e< teach
the AurA<ring brooks in tears to fo., And seepy rocks to .ai our passed .oe6 'H-
Another utters sentiAents of grief, coAing near the .ords of despair of Faust6 There is a tone in theA of
.hat the GerAans ca E>etschAerCE!22
0urs<d be our thoughts, .hene<er they dreaA of hope, Bann<d be those haps that henceforth fatter us,
>hen Aischief dogs us sti and sti for aye, FroA our first birth unti our burying day6 '&-
3n the difficut choice of a caing .hich is to sa@e theA froA need and Aisery, these beggar2students aso
think of the stage!22
And Aust the basest trade yied us reiefL
So PhioAusus, in a .oebegone tone, asks his coArade StudiosoB and the atter ooks .ith the foo.ing
en@ious .ords upon the payers .hose prospects Aust ha@e been brighter and Aore enticing than those of
the earned poor schoars!22
Engand affords those gorious @agabonds, That carried erst their fardes on their backs, 0oursers to
ride on through the gaCing streets, S.eeping it in their garing satin suits, And pages to attend their
Aasterships! >ith Aouthing .ords that better .its ha@e fraAed, They purchase ands, and no.
esDuires are Aade6 'G-
Shakspere, as .e as Aeyn, bought and .ith the Aoney earned by their art6 For Aany, the stage .as the
port of refuge to .hich they fed froA the oney habitations of erudition, .here they22
666 sit no. iAAur<d .ithin their pri@ate ces, #rinking a ong ank .atching cande<s sAoke, Spending
the Aarro. of their fo.<ring age 3n fruitess poring on soAe .orA2eat eaf6 'M-
Many of these beggar students sought a i@eihood by joining the payers6 That .hich the poor schoar had
read and earnt in books od and ne.B a that he had heard froA bod, ad@enturous .arriors and seaAen
returning froA foreign ands or recenty disco@ered isandsB in short, e@erything cacuated to a.aken
interest and appause aAong the great Aass, .as .ith fe@erish haste put on the stage, and, in order to
render it Aore paatabe, Ai4ed .ith a goody dose of broad huAour6
The saAe irreconciabe spirit of the "eforAation, .hich .oud not toerate any saint<s iAage in the
paces of .orship, aso destroyed the iking for Mirace Pays6 The tendency of the tiAe .as to turn a.ay
froA Aysteries and abstract notions, and to dra. in art and poetry nearer to rea ife6 >here forAery
<Miraces and Moraities< .ere the deight of Aen, and Bibica utterances, put in the Aouth of prophets
and saints, ser@ed to edify the audience, there the .ordy .arfare and the fisticuffs e4changed bet.een the
Mendicant Friar and the Seer of 3ndugences ')- or Pardoner, .hose profane doings .ere satirised on the
stage, becaAe no. the subject of popuar enjoyAent and aughter6 E@ery Duestion of the day .as body
handed, and put in strong anguage, easiy understood by the Aany, before a gratefu pubic of siApe
taste6
The draAa, thus created ane., soon becaAe the Aost popuar aAuseAent in the .hoe country6 E@ery
other sport .as forgotten o@er it6 3n e@ery Aarket to.n, in e@ery barn, a cro.d of actors Aet6 3n those
days no phiosophica hair2spitting .as in @ogue on the boards6 E@erything .as dra.n froA rea ifeB a
breath of freedoA per@aded a this e4uberant geniaity6 That .hich a Aan fet to2day, toAorro. he .as
abe to coAAunicate to his pubic6 The spoken .ord .as freer than the printed one6 The atter had to pass
a kind of censorshipB the author and the pubisher coud be ascertained, and be Aade responsibe6 But .ho
.oud be so se@ere against an e4teAporised satirica hit, uttered perhaps by a co.nL >ho .oud, for that
sake, be the denouncing traitorL
=et it Aust not be thought that poets and payers coud do e4acty as they isted6 They, too, had their
eneAies6 More especiay, the austere Puritans .ere their bitter foesB they ne@er ceased bringing their
infuence to bear upon highy2paced persons, in order to check the daring and for.ard doings of the
stage, .hose iberty they on e@ery occasion .ished to see curtaied, and its e4cesses @isited by
punishAent6 The ordinary payers, if they did not possess icences froA at east t.o justices of the peace,
Aight be prosecuted, in accordance .ith an od a., as <rogues and @agabonds,< and subjected to @ery hard
sentences6 3t .as not so easy to proceed against the better cass of actors, .ho, .ith a @ie. of escaping
froA the chicanery .hich their caing rendered theA iabe to, had paced theAse@es under the
protection of the first nobeAen, caing theAse@es their <ser@ants6< An ordinance of the Pri@y 0ounci
.as reDuired in order to bring actors .ho .ere thus protected, before a court of justice6
8e@ertheess, these restess peope got into incessant conficts .ith the authorities6 Actors .oud not
ao. theAse@es to be depri@ed of the right of saying a .ord on Aatters of the State and the 0hurchB and
.hat did occupy Aen<s Ainds Aore than the @ictory of the "eforAationL
Aready, in the year *&&%, 0ardina >osey fet bound to cast an author, "oo, ',- and <a feo.2payer, a
young genteAan,< into prison, because they had put a piece on the stage, the aiA of .hich .as to sho.
that </ord Go@ernaunce FGo@ernAentI .as rued by #issipation and 8egigence, by .hose
Aisgo@ernAent and e@i order /ady Pubic2>ea .as put froA Go@ernaunceB .hich caused "uAor2
popui, 3n.ard Grudge, and #isdain of >anton So@ereigntie to rise .ith a great Autitude to e4pe
8egigence and #issipation, and to restore Pubike2.ea again to her estate22.hich .as so done6<
The reproaches Aade to the bishops about the year *&HH pro@e, that the stage had aready ong ago body
@entured upon the territory of reigion, in order to iAbue the Aasses .ith anti2eccesiastica tendencies6 3n
this connection the foo.ing .ords of an actor, addressed to the cerics, are Aost significant6 <8one,< he
says, <ea@e ye un@e4ed and untroubedB no, not so Auch as the poor Ainstres and payers of interudes6
So ong as they payed ies and sang ba.dy songs, baspheAing God, and corrupting Aen<s consciences,
ye ne@er baAed theA, but .ere @ery .e contentedB but since they persuaded the peope to .orship the
/ord aright, according to 9is hoy a.s and not yours, ye ne@er .ere peased .ith theA6< '*%-
The first Act of PariaAent for <the controu and reguation of stages and draAatic representations< .as
passed in the reign of 9enry :3336 F*&H+I6 3ts tite is, <An Act for the Ad@anceAent of True "eigion and
the PunishAent of the 0ontrary6<
3n *&&$ Ed.ard :36 issued a further procaAation both in regard to the stage and the seers of prints and
booksB this tiAe Aainy froA poitica reasons6
>hist poets and payers under 9enry :3336 and his youthfu successor coud bring out, .ithout
hindrance, that .hich proAoted their ideas of <true reigion,< they ran great risk, in the reign of Kueen
Mary, .ith any Protestant tendenciesB for, scarcey had this se@ere Dueen been a Aonth on the throne than
she issued an ordinance FAugust *G, *&&+I forbidding such draAas and interudes as .ere cacuated to
spread the principes and doctrines of the "eforAation6
1nder this so@ereign, spectaces furthering the "oAan 0athoic cause .ere of course fa@oured6 7n the
other hand, it Aay be assuAed that, during the ong and popuar reign of Kueen EiCabeth, Protestant
tendencies on the stage often passed the censorship, athough froA the first years of her go@ernAent there
is an Act prohibiting any draAa in .hich State and 0hurch affairs .ere treated, <being no Aeete Aatters to
be .ritten or treated upon but by Aen of authoritie, nor to be handed before any audience, but of gra@e
and discreete persons6<
9o.e@er, ike a pre@ious ordinances, procaAations, and Acts of PariaAent, this one aso reAained
.ithout effect6 The draAatists and the discipes of the AiAic art continued busying theAse@es, in their
custoAary bod Aanner, .ith that .hich a.akened the greatest interest aAong the pubic at argeB and one
.oud think that at a certain tiAe they had becoAe a itte po.er in the State, against .hich it .as no
onger possibe to proceed in arbitrary fashion, but .hich, on the contrary, had to be reckoned .ith6
7ny such Aeasures, it appears, .ere after.ards passed .hich .ere cacuated to harAonise the reigious
@ie.s uttered on the stage .ith the tenets of the Estabished 0hurch6 This foo.s froA a etter of /ord
Bureigh, addressed, in *&),, to the Archbishop of 0anterbury, in .hich he reDuests hiA to appoint <soAe
fytt person .e earned in di@initie6< The atter, together .ith the Master of the "e@es and a person
chosen by the /ord Mayor of the 0ity of /ondon, .ere to forA a kind of 0oAAission, .hich had to
e4aAine a pieces that .ere to be pubicy acted, and to gi@e their appro@a6
3t .oud be an error to beie@e that this threefod censorship had any greater success than the forAer
Aeasures6 The contrary .as the caseB Aatters rather becaAe .orse6 Actors .ere iAprisonedB .hereupon
they dre. up beautifu petitions to their august protectors .ho brought about their dei@erance22that is,
unti they .ere once Aore capped into prison6 Then they .ere threatened .ith ha@ing their ears and
noses cut offB '**- but sti they .oud not hod their tongues6 >e kno. froA a etter of the French
aAbassador F*G%GI22.ho hiAsef had se@era tiAes to ask at the 0ourt of JaAes 36 for the prohibition of
pieces in .hich the Kueen of France and MadeAoisee :erneui, as .e as the #uke of Biron, .ere
se@erey handed22that the bod e4pounders of the draAatic art dared to bring their o.n king on the stage6
1pon this there caAe an ordinance forbidding a further theatrica representations in /ondon6
3n the .ords of the French aAbassador!22<3 caused certain payers to be forbid froA acting the history of
the #uke of Biron6 >hen, ho.e@er, they sa. that the .hoe 0ourt had eft the to.n, they persisted in
acting itB nay, they brought upon the stage the Kueen of France and MadeAoisee de :erneui6666 9e Fthe
;ingI has upon this Aade order that no pay sha henceforth be acted in /ondonB for the repea of .hich
order they Fthe payersI ha@e offered *%%,%%% i@res6 Perhaps the perAission .i be again granted, but
upon condition that they represent no recent history, nor speak of the present tiAe6< '*$-
FroA this suA22a @ery arge one at that tiAe22the iAportance of the theatre of those days Aay be gathered6
The 0orporation of the 0ity of /ondon .as aAong those Aost hostie to a theatrica representations6 3t
e4erted itsef to the utAost in order to render theA iApossibe in the centre of the capitaB issuing, .ith
that object, the Aost .hiAsica decrees6 Trying, on their part, to escape froA the despotic restrictions, the
@arious payers< coApanies setted do.n beyond the boundary of the /ord Mayor<s jurisdiction6 The
citiCens of /ondon, .ishing to ha@e their share of an aAuseAent .hich had becoAe a nationa one,
eagery focked to Bankside, to Backfriars, to Shoreditch, or across green fieds to the Aore distant
8e.ington Butts6
0oAparati@ey speaking, @ery itte has coAe do.n to us froA the hey2day of the Engish draAa6 That
.hich .e possess is but an e4ceedingy sAa portion of the productions of that epoch6 9enso.e<s <#iary<
tes us that a singe theatre F8e.ington ButtsI in about t.o years FJune +, *&,H, to Juy *), *&,GI brought
out not ess than forty ne. piecesB and /ondon, at that tiAe, had aready Aore than a doCen pay2houses6
The draAas handed do.n to us are Aosty purged of those passages .hich threatened to gi@e offence in
print6 The draAatists did not Aean to .rite books6 >hen they .ent to the press at a, they often e4cused
theAse@es that <scenes in@ented Aerey to be spoken, shoud be inforciby pubished to be read6< They
.ere .e a.are that this coud not afford to the reader the saAe peasure he fet <.hen it .as presented
.ith the soue of i@ing action6< '*+-
The stage .as the foruA of the peope, on .hich e@erything .as e4pressed that created interest aAidst a
great nation rising to ne. ife6 The path to.ards poitica freedoA of speech .as not yet opened in
PariaAentB and of our iAportant safety2@a@e of to2day, the pubic press, there .as yet ony the first
@estige, in the shape of paAphets secrety ha.ked about6 The stage as rapidy decayed as it had gro.n,
.hen the chief interest on .hich it had thri@en for a .hie22naAey, the representation of affairs of pubic
interest22obtained Aore practica e4pression in other spheres6 3n the AeantiAe, ho.e@er, it reAained the
patforA on .hich e@erything coud be subjected to the criticisA and jurisdiction of pubic opinion6
3n 0hette<s <;ind29arte<s #reaAe< F*&,$I the proprietor of a house of e@i faAe concudes his speech .ith
reproaches against actors on account of their spoiing his tradeB <for no sooner ha@e .e a tricke of deceipt,
but they Aake it coAAon, singing jigs, and Aaking jeasts of us, that e@erie boy can point out our houses
as they passe by6< Again, in Ben Jonson<s <Poetaster,< .e read that <your courtier cannot kiss his Aistress<s
sippers in Duiet for theAB nor your .hite innocent gaant pa.n his re@eing suit to Aake his punk a
supperB< or that <an honest, decayed coAAander cannot skeder, cheat, nor be seen in a ba.dy house, but
he sha be straight in one of their .orA.ood coAedies6< '*H-
8ot ess body than socia affairs .ere poitica Aatters treatedB but in order to a@oid a prosecution, these
Duestions had to be cautiousy approached in parabe fashion6 8e@er .as greater ce@erness sho.n in this
respect than at Shakspere<s tiAe6 E@ery poet, e@ery statesAan, or other.ise highy2paced person, .as
<hecked< under an aegorica naAe22a circuAstance .hich at present Aakes it rather difficut for us to
fuy fathoA the Aeaning of certain draAatic productions6
3n order to attract the cro.d, the stage2poets had to present their dishes .ith the condiAents of actua ifeB
thus studying Aore the taste of the guests than sho.ing that of the cook6 Proogues and Epiogues a.ays
appeaed Aore to the pubic at arge as the highest judgeB its @erdict aone .as hed to be the decisi@e one6
Manuscripts22the property of coApanies .hose interest it .as not to Aake theA generay kno.n in
print22.ere continuay atered according to circuAstances6 Guided by the iApressions of the pubic,
authors struck out .hat had been bady recei@edB .hist passages that had earned appause, reAained as
the encouraging and deciding factor for the future6
At one tiAe draAas .ere .ritten aAost .ith the saAe rapidity as eading artices are to2day6 E@en as our
journaists do in the press, so the draAatists of that period carried on their debates about certain Duestions
of the day on the stage6 3n anguage the Aost passionate, authors fe upon each other22a practice for
.hich .e ha@e to thank theA, in so far as .e thereby gain Aatter2of2fact points for a correct
understanding of <9aAet6<
3n the ast but one decenniuA of the si4teenth century, the first draAatists arose .ho pursued fi4ed
iterary tendencies6 7ften their coApositions are Aere e4ercises of stye after Greek or "oAan Aodes
.hich ne@er becaAe popuar on the ThaAes6 The taste of the Engish peope does not bear .ith strange
e4otic Aanners for any ength of tiAe6 3t is ost abour to pant paA2trees .here oaks ony can thri@e6 /iy
and others endea@oured to gain the appause of the Aass by .ords of finey2distied fragrance, to .hich
no coarse grain, no breath or the nati@e atAosphere cung6 A fruitess beginning, as itte destined to
succeed as the e4ertions of those .ho tried to shine by pedantic earning and hoo. gittering .ords6
Maro.e<s po.erfu iAagination atteApts Aarshaing the .hoe .ord, in his booth of theatrica boards,
after the rhythA of druAAing decasyabon and bragging bank2@erse6 3n his draAas, great conDuerors
pass the frontiers of kingdoAs .ith the saAe ease .ith .hich one steps o@er the border of a carpet6 The
peope<s fancy .iingy foo.s the bod poet6 3n the short space of three hours he Aakes his <Faust< '*&-
i@e through four2and2t.enty years, in order <to conDuer, .ith s.eet peasure, despair6< The earth becoAes
too sAa for this draAatist6 9ea@en and 9e, God and the #e@i, ha@e to respond to his inDuiries6 /ike
soAe of his coeagues, Maro.e is a sceptic! he cas Moses a <conjurer and seducer of the peope,< and
boasts that, if he .ere to try, he .oud succeed in estabishing a better reigion than the one he sees
around hiAsef6 The aposte of these high thoughts, not yet thirty years od, breathed his ast, in
conseDuence of a due in a house of e@i repute6
Another hopefu discipe of yric and draAatic poetry and prose2.riter, "obert Greene, once fu of
siAiar free2thinking ideas, ay on his deathbed at the age of thirty2t.o, after a ife of dissipation6 Thence
he .rites to his forsaken .ife!22
<A Ay .rongs Auster theAse@es about AeB e@ery e@i at once pagues Ae6 For Ay conteApt of God, 3
aA conteAned of AenB for Ay s.earing and fors.earing, no Aan .i beie@e AeB for Ay guttony, 3
suffer hungerB for Ay drunkenesse, thirstB for Ay aduterie, ucerous sores6 Thus God has cast Ae do.ne,
that 3 Aight be huAbedB and punished Ae, for e4aApes of others< sinne6<
Greene offers his o.n .retched end to his coeagues as a .arning e4aApeB adAonishing theA to
eApoy their <rare .its in Aore profitabe coursesB< to ook repentingy on the pastB to ea@e off profane
practices, and not <to spend their .its in Aaking paies6< 9e especiay .arns theA against actors22because
these, it seeAs, had gi@en hiA up6 9is rancorous spite against theA he e4presses in the .e2kno.n
.ords!22<=es, trust theA not! for there is an upstart 0ro., beautified .ith our feathers, that E.ith his
Tygers heart .rapt in a Payers hideE, supposes he is as .e abe to buAbast out a bank @erse as the best
of youB and being an absoute EJohannes Fac2totuAE, is in his o.ne conceit the oney <S9A;E2S0E8E in
a countrie6<
This satirica point, directed, .ithout doubt, against Shakspere, is the ony thing reiabe .hich, do.n to
the year *&,$, .e kno. of his draAatic acti@ity6 9e had then been ony about four years in /ondon6 =et
he Aust aready ha@e .ieded considerabe authority, seeing that he is pubicy, though .ith sneering
arrogance, caed a coApete Johannes Fac2totuA22a Aan .ho has aid hiAsef out in e@ery direction6
3t is the di@ine Aission of a genius to bring order out of chaos, to reguate Aatters .ith the directing force
of his superior gance6 0ertainy, Shakspere, froA the @ery beginning of his acti@ity, sought, .ith a the
energy of his po.er, to rue out a ignobe, anarchica eeAents froA the stage, and thus to obtain for it
the syApathies of the best of his tiAe6 Fate so .ied it, that one of the greatest Ainds .hich 9ea@en e@er
ga@e to Aankind, entered, on this occasion, the Aodest door of a payhouse, as if Pro@idence had intended
sho.ing that a generous acti@ity can effect nobe resuts e@ery.here, and that the Aost despised caing
Fsuch, sti, .as that of the actors thenI can produce Aost e4ceent fruits6
Shakspere<s ife is a beneficia harAony bet.een .i and deedB no atteApt to dra. do.n 9ea@en to
Earth, or to raise up Earth to 9ea@en6 9is are rather the .ays and Aanners pecuiar to a peope .hich
ikes to adapt itsef to gi@en circuAstances, to Aake use of the e4isting practica good, in order to produce
froA it that .hich is better6
3t is an ascertained fact that Shakspere, .ho had recei@ed soAe training at schoo22but no 1ni@ersity
education22began, at the age of t.enty2four, to arrange the pieces of other .riters, to Aake Aodest
additions to theAB in short, to render theA fit and proper for stage purposes6 This Aay ha@e been one of
the causes .hy Greene dubbed hiA a <Johannes Fac2totuA6< 7thers, too, ha@e accused hiA, during his
ifetiAe, of <appication< FpagiarisAI, because he took his subjects Aosty froA other authors6 AAong
those .ho so charged hiA, .ere, as .e sha sho., Aore especiay Ben Jonson and Marston6
Shakspere ne@er ao.ed hiAsef to be induced by these reproaches to change his Aode of .orking6
#o.n to his death it reAained the saAe6 3s his Aerit, on that account, a esser oneL 0ertainy not! in the
Poetica Art, in the "eaA of Feeing and Thought, there are no reguar boundary2stones6 8o author has
the right to say! <Thou Aust not step into the circe dra.n by AeB thou hast to do thy .ork .hoy outside
of itJ<
An author .ho so e4presses an idea, or so describes a situation as to fi4 it Aost po.erfuy in Aen<s
iAagination, is to be ooked upon as the true o.ner or creator of the iAage! to hiA beongs the cro.n6
The Greeks reckoned it to be the highest Aerit of the Aasters of their pastic art .hen they retained the
great traits .ith .hich their predecessors had in@ested a conceptionB ony endea@ouring to better those
parts in .hich a esser success had been achie@ed22unti that section of the .ork, too, had attained the
highest degree of perfection6 Thus arose the Jupiter of Pheidias, a :enus of Mio, an Apoo of Be@edere6
Thus the nobest idea of beauty as created, and in this .ise the Greek nationa epic becaAe the Aode of
a kindred poetry6
There is a Aost characteristic fact .hich sho.s ho. greaty the draAa had risen in uni@ersa esteeA after
Shakspere had de@oted to it t.e@e years of his ife6 3t is this6 The 0orporation of the 0ity of /ondon,
once so hostie to a theatrica representations, and .hich had used e@ery possibe chicanery against the
stage, had becoAe so friendy to it to.ards the year *G%%, that, .hen it .as asked froA go@ernAenta
Duarters to enforce a certain decree .hich had been aunched against the theatre, it refused to coApy .ith
the reDuest6 7n the contrary, the /ord Mayor, as .e as the other Aagistrates, hed it to be an injustice
to.ards the actors that the Pri@y 0ounci ga@e a hearing to the charges brought for.ard by the Puritans6
Truy, the feeings of this conser@ati@e 0orporation, as .e of a arge nuAber of those .ho once ooked
do.n upon the stage .ith the greatest conteApt, Aust, in the Aean.hie, ha@e undergone a great change6
1nDuestionaby the 0oApany of the /ord 0haAberain22.hich in suAAer ga@e its Aastery
representations in the Gobe Theatre, beyond the ThaAes, and in .inter in Back2Friars22had been the
chief agency in .orking that change6 The first nobeAen, the Kueen hersef, greaty enjoyed the pieces
.hich Shakspere, in fact, .rote for that societyB but the pubic at arge .ere not ess deighted .ith theA6
>hen, the day after such a representation, con@ersation arose in the faAiy circe as to the three happy
hours passed in the theatre, an opportunity .as gi@en for discussing the Aost iAportant e@ents of the past
and the present6 The peope<s history had not yet been .ritten then6 Soitary e@ents ony had been oosey
Aarked do.n in dry foios6 The stage no. brought teing historica facts in @i@id coours before the eye6
The po.erfu speeches of high and Aighty ords, of earned bishops, and of kings .ere heard22of e4ated
persons, a different in character, but a Ao@ed, ike other Aortas, by @arious passions, and dri@en by a
series of circuAstances to definite actions6 3t .as fet that they, too, .ere subject to a certain spirit of the
tiAe, the tendency of .hich, if the poet .as attenti@ey istened to, coud be painy gathered6 3n this .ay
concusions Aight be dra.n .hich shed ight e@en upon the e@ents of the present6
True, it .as forbidden to bring Duestions of the State and of reigion upon the stage6 But has Shakspere
reay a@oided treating upon theAL
"ichard SiApson has successfuy sho.n that Shakspere, in his historica pays, carried on a poitica
discussion easiy understood by his conteAporaries6 '*G- The Aa4iAs thus enunciated by the poet ha@e
been ascertained by that penetrating critic in such a Aanner that the resuts obtained can scarcey be
subjected to doubt any Aore6
7n coAparing the oder pays and chronices of .hich the poet Aade use for his historica draAas, .ith
the creations that arose on this basis under his po.erfu hand, one sees that he suppresses certain
tendencies of the subject2Aatter before hiA, pacing others in their stead6 Taking fuy into account a the
artistic technicaities cacuated to produce a strong draAatic effect, .e sti find that he has e@identy
Aade a nuAber of changes .ith the cear and Aost persistent intention of touching upon poitica
Duestions of his tiAe6
3f, for instance, Shakspere<s <;ing John< is coApared .ith the od pay, <The TroubesoAe "aigne,< and
.ith the chronices froA .hich Fbut Aore especiay froA the forAer pieceI the poet has dra.n the pan
of his draAatic action, it .i be seen that @ery definite poitica tendencies of .hat he had before hiA
.ere suppressed6 8e. ones are put in their pace6 Shakspere Aakes his <;ing John< go through t.o
different, .hoy unhistorica strugges! Eone against a foe at hoAe, .ho contests the ;ing<s egitiAate
rightB the other against "oAanists .ho think it a sacred duty to o@erthro. the hereticE6 These .ere not the
feuds .ith .hich the ;ing John of history had to contend6
But the daughter froA the unhappy Aarriage of 9enry :3336 and the faithess Anne Boeyn22Kueen
EiCabeth22had, during her .hoe ifetiAe, to contend against rebes .ho hed Mary Stuart to be the
egitiAate successorB and it .as Kueen EiCabeth .ho had a.ays to reAain arAed against a confederacy
of eneAies .ho, encouraged by the Pope, Aade .ar upon the <heretic< on the throne of Engand6
Thus, in the Gobe Theatre, Duestions of the State .ere discussedB and poitics had their distinct pace
there6 =et .ho .oud enforce the rues of censorship upon such anguage as this!22
This Engand ne@er did, and ne@er sha, /ie at the proud feet of a 0onDueror But .hen it first did
hep to .ound itsef6 666 8ought sha Aake us rue 3f Engand to hersef do rest but trueL
Such thoughts .ere not taken froA any od chronice, but caAe froA the @ery sou of the age that had
gained the great @ictory o@er the ArAada6 They eAphasiCed a ne.y2acDuired independent position,
.hich coud ony be Aaintained by united strength against a foreign foe6
E@en as <;ing John,< so a the other historica pays contain a ceary pro@abe poitica tendency6 8ot
e@erything done by the great Dueen Aet .ith appause aAong the peope6 #issatisfaction .as fet at the
proAinence of persona fa@ourites, .ho Aade Auch abuse of coAAercia Aonopoies granted to theA6
The burdens of ta4ation had becoAe hea@ier than in forAer tiAes6 3n <"ichard the Second< a king is
produced, .ho by his Aisgo@ernAent and by his Aaintenance of sefish fa@ourites oses his cro.n6
Shakspere<s syApathies are .ith a prince .hoA 8ature has forAed into a strong ruerB and such an
aristocrat of the inteect is depicted in his <9enry the Fifth6< 3n this idea of a king, a the good nationa
Duaities attain their apotheosis6 This hero coAbines strength of character .ith justice and bra@ery6 >ith
great se@erity he e4aAines his o.n conscience before proceeding to any action, ho.e@er sAa6 >ar he
Aakes .ith a possibe huAanity, and ony for the furtherance of ci@iisation6 8othing is Aore hated by
Shakspere than a go@ernAent of .eak hands6 FroA such an unfortunate cause caAe the >ars of the T.o
"oses6 3t seeAs that, in order to bring this fact hoAe to the understanding of the peope, Shakspere put the
sanguinary strugges bet.een the 9ouses of =ork and /ancaster on the stage6 FSee Epiogue of <;ing
9enry the Fifth6<I
More strongy e@en than in his pays referring to Engish history, the deep a@ersion he fet to di@ided
doAinion pierces through his "oAan tragediesB for in Shakspere the aristocratic @ein .as not ess
de@eoped than in Goethe6 To hiA, too, the Autitude22
666This coAAon body, /ike to a @agabond fag upon the streaA, Goes to, and back, ackeying the
@arying tide To rot itsef .ith Aotion6 '*M-
As in poitics, so aso in the doAain of reigion Fof a things the Aost iAportant to his conteAporariesI,
Shakspere has Aade his profession of faith6 For its eucidation .e beie@e .e possess a Aeans not ess
sure than that .hich "ichard SiApson has Aade use of for fi4ing the poitica Aa4iAs of the great Aaster6
<9aAet< first appeared in a Duarto edition of the year *G%+6 The itte book thus announces itsef!22
<The Tragica 9istorie of 9aAet Prince of #enAarke, By >iiaA Shakespeare6 As it hath been di@erse
tiAes acted by his 9ighnesse ser@ants in the 0ittie of /ondon! as aso in the t.o :ni@ersities of
0aAbridge N 74ford, and ese.here6<
This draAa is different, in Aost essentia traits, froA the piece .e no. possess, .hich caAe out a year
ater F*G%HI, aso in Duarto edition6 The tite of the atter is!22
<The Tragica 9istorie of 9aAet, Prince of #enAark6 By >iiaA Shakespeare, 8e.y iAprinted and
enarged to aAost as Auch2againe as it .as, according to the true N perfect coppie6<
The Aost di@erse hypotheses ha@e been started as to the reation bet.een the oder <9aAet< and the ater
one6 '*)- >e share the @ie. of those .ho Aaintain that the first Duarto edition .as a rough2draught,
ad@anced to a certain degree, and for .hich the poet, as is the case .ith so Aany of his other pays, had
used an oder pay as a kind of Aode6 A <rough2draught ad@anced to a certain degree< Aay be e4pained as
a piece aready produced on the stage6 The pubic, a.ays eager to see no@eties, ao.ed the draAatists
itte tiAe for fuy .orking out their conceptions6 The pays Aatured, as it .ere, on the stage itsefB there
they recei@ed their fina shape and coApetion6 As Aentioned before, that .hich had dispeased .as
struck out, .hist the passages that had obtained appause .ere often augAented, in order to confer upon
the pay the attraction of no@ety6 <Enarged to aAost as Auch2againe as it .as< is an e4pression .hich
sho.s that <9aAet< had dra.n froA the @ery beginning6 The poet, thereby encouraged, then .orked out
this draAa into the po.erfu, coAprehensi@e tragedy .hich .e no. possess6
8o., in cosey e4aAining the changes and additions Aade in the second <9aAet,< .e find that Aost of
the freshy added phiosophica thoughts, and Aany characteristic pecuiarities, ha@e cear reference to the
phiosophy of a certain book and the character of its author22naAey, to Miche Montaigne and his
<Essais6< This .ork first appeared in an Engish transation in *G%+, after it had aready been entered at
Stationers< 9a for pubication in *&,,6 The cause .hich Aay ha@e induced Shakspere to confer upon his
<9aAet< the thoughts and the pecuiarities of Montaigne, and to gi@e that pay the shape in .hich .e no.
ha@e it, .i becoAe apparent .hen .e ha@e to e4pain the contro@ersy bet.een Jonson and #ekker6 >e
ha@e thus the ad@antage o@er SiApson<s Aethod, that our theory .i be confirAed froA other sources6
Montaigne<s <Essais< .ere a .ork .hich Aade a strong Aark, and created a deep sensation, in his o.n
country6 There, it had aready gone through t.e@e editions before it .as introduced in Engand22ee@en
years after the death of its author22by Aeans of a transation6 9ere it found its first adAirers aAong the
highest aristocracy and the patrons of iterature and art6 1nder such august auspices it penetrated into the
Engish pubic at arge6 The transator .as a .e2kno.n teacher of the 3taian anguage, John Forio6
FroA the preface of the first book of the <Essais< .e earn that, at the reDuest of Sir Ed.ard >otton, Forio
had first Engished one chapter, doing it in the house of /ady Bedford, a great o@er of art6 3n that preface,
Forio, in Aost e4tra@agant and euphuistic stye, describes ho. this nobe.oAan, after ha@ing <dayned to
read it Fthe first chapterI .ithout pitty of Ay fasting, Ay fainting, Ay aboring, Ay angishing, Ay gasping
for soAe breath 666 yet coAAaunded Ae on<22naAey, to turn the .hoe .ork into Engish6 3t .as a hea@y
task for the poor schooAaster6 9e says!22<3 s.eat, 3 .ept, and 3 .ent on sea2tosst, .eather2beaten 666
shippe2.rackt22aAost dro.ned6< <3 say not,< the poite Aaestro adds, <you took peasure at shore< Fas those
in this author, iii6 *I6 8oB Ay ady .as <unAercifu, but not so crueB< she e@er and anon uphed his
courage, bringing <to Ay succour the forces of t.o deare friends6< 7ne of theA .as Theodore #iodati,
tutor of /ady Bedford<s brother, the edest son of /ady 9arrington .hose husband aso .as a poet6
The gratefu Forio cas this .orthy coeague, <#iodati as in naAe, so indeed God<s gift to Ae,< and a
<guide2fish< .ho in this <rockie2rough ocean< heped hiA to capture the <>hae<22that is, Montaigne6 9e
aso coApares hiA to a <bonus genius sent to Ae, as the good ange to "aiAond in 5Tasso,5 for Ay
assistant to coAbat this great Argante6<
The other .ecoAe feo.2.orker .as <Maister #octor GuinneB< according to Forio, <in this perious,
crook<t passage a Aonster2Dueing Theseus or 9erkuesB< aye, in his eyes the best orator, poet,
phiosopher, and Aedica Aan FEnon so se Aegior oratore e poeta, o phiosopho e AedicoEI, and .e
@ersed in Greek, /atin, 3taian, and French poetry6 3t .as he .ho succeeded in tracing the Aany passages
froA cassic and Aodern .riters .hich are stre.n a o@er Montaigne<s Essays to the di@ers authors, and
the se@era paces .here they occur, so as to propery cassify theA6
SaAue #anie, a .e2kno.n and Auch respected poet of that tiAe, and a brother2in2a. of Forio, aso
Aade his contribution6 9e opens this po.erfu, highy iAportant .ork .ith a euogistic poeA6 Forio, in
his boAbastic stye, says!22<3, in this, ser@e but as :ucan to hatchet this Miner@a froA that Jupiter<s bigge
braine6< 9e cas hiAsef <a fonding foster2father, ha@ing transported it froA France to Engand, put it in
Engish cothes, taught it to take our tongue, though Aany tiAes .ith a jerke of French jargon6<
The <Essais< consist of three different books6 Each of theA is dedicated to t.o nobe.oAen, the foreAost
of this country6 The first book isdedicated to /ucy, 0ountess of Bedford, and her Aother, /ady Anne
9arrington6 The second to EiCabeth, 0ountess of "utand, daughter of the faAous poet Sir Phiip Sidney,
therefore a near reation of Shakspere<s youthfu friend, >iiaA 9erbert, the ater Ear of PeAbroke F<the
ony begetter< of the <Sonnets<I, .hose Aother aso .as a daughter of that Auch2adAired poet6
The second book is dedicated to the reno.ned as .e as e@iy notorious /ady Peneope "ich, sister of
the unfortunate Ear of Esse46 She shone by her e4traordinary beauty as .e as by her inteectua gifts6
7f her Sir Phiip Sidney .as Aady enaAoured, but she Aarried a 0roesus, /ord "ich6 This union .as a
Aost unhappy one6 9er husband, a Aan far beo. her in strength of Aind, did not kno. ho. to @aue the
je.e that had coAe into his possession6 A cro.d of adAirers focked around her, aAong .hoA .as
>iiaA 9erbert, Auch younger in years than hersef6 3t is suspected that Shakspere<s ast sonnets F*$M2
*&$I touch upon this connection, .ith the object of .arning the friend against the true character of that
sinfu .oAan6
The ast book is dedicated to /ady EiCabeth Grey, the .ife of 9enry Grey, daughter of the Ear of
Shre.sbury, and to /ady Mary 8e@i, the atter being the daughter of the 0hanceor of the E4cheDuer,
and .ife of Sir 9enry 8e@i of Aberga@enny6
Each of the nobe.oAen Aentioned is praised in a sonnet6 8o book of that period had such a nuAber of
aristocratic sponsors6 =et it .as of foreign origin, and for the first tiAe a French phiosopher had
appeared in an Engish @ersion on this side of the 0hanne6 9is easy, chatty tone Aust ha@e created no
sAa sensation6 The .ecoAe gi@en to hiA by a great nuAber of Aen is pro@ed by the fact of the <Essais<
soon reaching their third edition, a rare occurrence .ith a book so e4pensi@e as this6 '*,-
>e .i endea@our to sketch the character of Miche Montaigne and his .ritings6 9is indi@iduaity, o.ing
to the Ainute descriptions he gi@es of his o.n sef in the Essays, coAes out .ith rare distinctness froA
the dark en@irons of his tiAe22Aore ceary so than the personaity of any other author, e@en of that
se@enteenth century .hich is so Auch nearer to us6
This French nobeAan de@oted the ast thirty years of his ife to phiosophica specuations, if that
e4pression is ao.abeB for fancifu incination and changing sentiAent, far Aore than strict ogic and
sound coAAon sense, decided the direction of his thoughts6 The book in .hich he tries to render his ideas
is Aeant to be the fesh and bood of his o.n sef6 The .ork and the author22so he says22are to be one6 <9e
.ho touches one of theA, attacks both6< 3n the .ords of Forio<s transation, he obser@es!22<Authors
coAAunicate theAse@es unto the .ord by soAe specia and strange Aarke, 3 the first by Ay genera
disposition as Michae MontaigneB not as a GraAAarian, or a Poet, or a /a.yer6<
Fe. .riters ha@e been considered froA such different points of @ie. as Montaigne6 The Aost passionate
contro@ersies ha@e arisen about hiA6 Theoogians ha@e endea@oured to Aake hiA one of their o.nB but
the Aore far seeing ones soon percei@ed that there .as too Auch scepticisA in his .ork6 SoAe sceptics
.oud fain attach hiA to their o.n ranksB but the Aore consistent aAong theA decined the
coApanionship of one .ho .as too bigoted for theA6 The great Aass of Aen, as usua, pucked, according
to each one<s taste and fancy, soAe bossoA or eaf froA his <nosegay of strange fo.ers,< '$%- and then
cassified hiA froA that casua seection6
Montaigne, a friend of truth, adAonishes posterity, if it .oud judge hiA, to do so truthfuy and justy6
>ith gadsoAe heart, he says, he .oud coAe back froA the other .ord in order to gi@e the ie to those
.ho describe hiA different froA .hat he is, <e@en if it .ere done to his honour6<
>e sha stri@e to coApy .ith his .ish by dra.ing the picture of this Aost interesting, and in his
inteectua features thoroughy Aodern, Aan, froA the contours furnished by his o.n hand6 >e sha
e4ert ourse@es to ay stress on those characteristics by .hich he Aust ha@e created Aost surprise aAong
his ogicay Aore consistent conteAporaries on the other side of the 0hanne6
3n taking up Montaigne<s <Essais< for perusa .e are presenty under the spe of a feeing as though .e
.ere istening to the .ords of a Aost @ersatie Aan of the .ord, in .hoA .e becoAe Aore and Aore
interested6 >e find in hiA not ony an aAiabe representati@e of the upper casses, but aso a Aan .ho has
deepy entered into the spirit of cassic antiDuity6 Soon he con@inces us that he is honesty searching after
truthB that he pursues the nobe aiA of pacing hiAsef in harAony .ith God and the .ord6 #oes he
succeed in thisL #oes he arri@e at a cear concusionL >hat are the fruits of his thoughtsL .hat his
teachingsL 3n .hat reation did he stand to his centuryL
As in no other epoch, Aen had, especiay those .ho caAe out into the fierce ight of pubicity, to take
sides in party .arfare during the Auch2agitated tiAe of the "eforAation6 To .hich party did Montaigne
beongL >as he one of the 9uAanists, .ho, a@erse to a antiDuated dogAas, preached a ne. doctrine,
.hich .as to bring Aankind once Aore into unison .ith the ong despised a.s of 8atureL
>e hope to sho. successfuy that Shakspere .rote his <9aAet< for the great and nobe object of .arning
his conteAporaries against the disturbing inconsistencies of the phiosophy of Montaigne .ho preached
the rights of 8ature, .hist yet cinging to dogAatic tenets .hich cannot be reconcied .ith those rights6
>e hope to pro@e that Shakspere .ho Aade it his task <to hod the Airror up to 8ature,< and .ho, ike
none before hiA, caught up her innerAost secrets, rendering theA .ith the chastest e4pressionB that
Shakspere, .ho denied in fe. but iApressi@e .ords the @itaity of any art or cuture .hich uses Aeans
not consistent .ith the intentions of 8ature!
=et 8ature is Aade better by no Aean, But 8ature Aakes that AeanB so o<er that art >hich, you say,
adds to 8ature, is an art That 8ature AakesB '$*-22
.e hope to pro@e successfuy that Shakspere, this true aposte of 8ature, hed it to be sufficient, ay, Aost
gody, to be a chaApion of <natura thingsB< that he ad@ocated a true and siApe obedience to her a.s, and
a renunciation of a transcendenta dogAas, Aiscaed <hoy and re@erent,< .hich doAineer o@er huAan
nature, and hinder the free de@eopAent of its nober facuties6
/et us then iApartiay e4aAine the character and the .ork of Montaigne6 3f .e disco@er contradictions in
both, .e sha not endea@our to argue theA a.ay, but present theA .ith Aatter2of2fact fideityB for it is on
those @ery contradictions that the enigAatic, as yet une4pained, character of 9aAet reposes6
*! 0oier<s E#raAaE, i6 $G&6
$! E;ind2hartes #reaAeE, *&,$6
+! Act @6 sc6 H6
H! Act @ sc6 H6
&! Act iii sc6 &6
G! EThe "eturn froA ParnassusE, act @6 sc6 36
M! E3bid6E, act i@6 sc6 +6
)! EThe Pardoner and the FriarE! *&++6
,! 0oier<s E#raAaE, i6 *%H6
*%! EThe Poitica 1se of the Stage in Shakspere<s TiAeE6 8e. Shakspere Society! *)MH, ii6 p6 +M*6
9enry Stabrydge, EEpiste E4hortatoryE, Nc6! *&HH6
**! This threat .as uttered against 0hapAan, Ben Jonson, and Marston on account of EEast.ard 9oeE6
*$! :on "auAer, ii6 p6 $*,6
*+! Marston<s EMacontentE! #edication6
*H! Act i6 sc6 36
*&! 3t is @ery characteristic that, in this serious piece aso, o. huAour .as sti argey eApoyed6 3n
printing22the pubisher reAarks22the passages in Duestion .ere eft out, as derogatory <to so honourabe
and statey a history6<
*G! EThe Poitics of Shakspere<s 9istorica PaysE6 8e. Shakspere Society, ii6 *)MH6
*M! EAntonius and 0eopatraE, act i6 sc6 H6
*)! >e Aean the usuay recei@ed te4t, seeing that the foio edition of *G$+ contains soAe passages
.hich are .anting in the Duarto edition, and E@ice @ersaE6
*,! Montaigne<s EEssaysE, .hich .ere pubished in foio, Aay ha@e had the saAe price as Shakspere<s
foio of *G$+6 The atter .as ony re2issued in *G+$ and *GGH, .hist the forAer caAe out in ne.
editions in *G*+ and *G+$6
$%! <3cy un aAas de feur estrangieres, n<y ayant fourny du Aien Due e fiet a es ier< Fiii6 *$I6
$*! E>inter<s TaeE, act i@6 sc6 +6
3336
M78TA3G8E6
Miche Montaigne .as fa@oured by birth as fe. .riters ha@e been6 9e .as the son of a .orthy nobeAan
.ho ga@e hiA, froA eary chidhood, a Aost carefuy conducted education6 9e ne@er tires in praising the
good Duaities of his father, .ho had foo.ed Francis 36 to his 3taian caApaigns, and, ike that Aonarch,
had concei@ed a preference for those cassica studies .hich .ere then again re@i@ing6 E@en as his king,
he, too, .ished to proAote the ne. kno.edge, and .as bent upon so initiating young Miche into it as to
Aake hiA in the fuest Aanner con@ersant .ith the conDuests of Greece and "oAe in the reaA of
inteect6
3n this, as a practica Aan .ho fet the greatest respect for erudition .ithout personay possessing a
proper share of it, he ao.ed hiAsef to be thoroughy guided by <Aen of earning and judgAent6< 9e had
been tod that the ony reason .hy .e do not <attain to the greatness of sou and inteect of the ancient
Greeks and "oAans .as the ength of tiAe .e gi@e to earning these anguages .hich cost theA nothing6<
3n bringing up the boy, to .hoA the best Aasters .ere gi@en, the procedures chosen .ere therefore such
that young Miche, in his si4th year, spoke /atin thoroughy before he .as abe to con@erse in his o.n
Aother2tongue6
Montaigne reates '*- that he .as Auch Aore at hoAe on the banks of the Tiber than on the Seine6 Before
he kne. the /ou@re, his Aind<s eye rested on the ForuA and the 0apito6 9e boasts of ha@ing a.ays been
Aore occupied .ith the ife and the Duaities of /ucuus, of Meteus, and Scipio, than .ith the fate of
any of his o.n countryAen6 7f the hey2day of cassic "oAe he, .ho other.ise uses such Aeasured terAs,
speaks .ith a go.ing enthusiasA6 9e often a@ers that he beongs to no specia schoo of thoughtB that he
ad@ocates no theoryB that he is not the adherent of any party or sect6 To hiA22so he asserts22an
unprejudiced e4aAination of a kno.edge is sufficient6 9is endea@our .as, to pro@e the de@ise of his
escutcheon! <Kue scais2jeL<
9a@e the huAanistic studies not gi@en to hiA, as to so Aany of his conteAporaries, a distincti@e Aenta
bentL 9a@e Greek and "oAan phiosophy and poetry reAained .ithout any infuence upon hiAL 9as his
character not been forAed by theAL #oes he not once reckon hiAsef aAong <nous autres naturaistesL<
'$-
7nce ony, it is true, he does thisB but e@en if he .ho .oud not beong to any specia schoo of thought,
and .ho .oud rather be <a good eDuerry than a ogician,< '+- had not ascribed to hiAsef this designation,
a hundred passages of his .ork .oud bear .itness to the fact of his ha@ing been one of the 9uAanists,
on .hose banner <8ature< .as .ritten as the paroe6 E@er and anon he says F3 here direct attention Aore
speciay to his ast EssaysI that .e ought .iingy to foo. her prescriptionsB and incessanty he asserts
that, in doing so, .e cannot err6 9e designates her as a guide as Aid as she is just, .hose footprints,
burred o@er as they are by artificia ones, .e ought e@ery.here to trace ane.6 <3s it not foy,< he asks
.ith Seneca, 'H- <to bend the body this .ay, and the Aind that .ay, and thus to stand distorted bet.een
t.o Ao@eAents uttery at @ariance .ith each otherL<
To bring up and to guide Aan in accordance .ith his capacities, is .ith hiA a supreAe a.6 </e gorieu4
chef2d<oeu@re de <hoAAe, c<est de @i@re a propos6< 9e, the sage, is aready so Auch in ad@ance of his
century that he yearns for a.s and reigions .hich are not arbitrariy founded, but dra.n froA the roots
and the buds of a uni@ersa "eason, contained in e@ery person not degenerate or di@orced froA nature
EdesnatureE6 A Aass of passages in the Essays strengthen the opinion that Montaigne .as an upright,
nobe2Ainded 9uAanist, a discipe of free thought, .ho .ished to fathoA huAan nature, and .as an4ious
to hep in dei@ering Aankind froA the fetters of Aanifod superstitions6 "ead his Essay on EducationB
and the con@iction .i force itsef upon you that in Aany things he .as far in ad@ance of his tiAe6
But no. to the re@erse of the Aeda22to Montaigne as the adherent of "oAanist dogAasJ
<The bond,< he says22and here .e Duote Forio<s transation, '&- ony sighty changed into Aodern
orthography22<.hich shoud bind our judgAent, tie our .i, enforce and join our sous to our 0reator,
shoud be a bond taking his doubings and forces, not froA our considerations, reasons, and passions, but
froA a di@ine and supernatura coApusion, ha@ing but one forAB one countenance, and one graceB .hich
is the authority and grace of God6< The atter, be it .e understood, are to Montaigne identica .ith the
0hurch of "oAe, to .hich he thinks it best bindy to subAit6
Men22he obser@es22.ho Aake bod to sit in judgAent upon their judges, are ne@er faithfu and obedient to
theA6 As a .arning e4aApe he points to Engand, .hich, since his birth, had aready three or four tiAes
changed its a.s, not ony in Aatters poitica, in .hich constancy is not insisted upon, but in the Aost
iAportant Aatter iAaginabe22naAey, in reigion6 9e decares hiAsef a the Aore ashaAed of, and @e4ed
by, this, as his o.n faAiy .ere aied by cose pri@ate ties .ith the Engish nation6
An atteApt has been Aade to sho. 'G- that in Montaigne<s <Apoogie de "ayAond Sebond,< in .hich he
e4pounds his theoogica opinions in the Aost e4picit Aanner, a hidden attack is contained upon the
0hurch6 But it bespeaks an utter Aisconception of the character of this .riter to hod hiA capabe of such
perfidious craftinessB for he cas it <a co.ardy and ser@ie huAour if a Aan disguises and hides his
thoughts under a Aask, not daring to et hiAsef be seen under his true aspect6< 'M-
>e kno. of not a fe., especiay 3taian, 9uAanists .ho pubicy Aade a deep bo. before the atar,
.hist behind it they cynicay aughed, in coApany .ith their friendsB Aaking sport of the siy cro.d
that knet do.n in profound re@erence6 Montaigne .as no such doube2deaer6 >e can fuy beie@e hiA
.hen he states that it is to hiA no sAa satisfaction and peasure to <ha@e been preser@ed froA the
contagion of so corrupt an ageB to ha@e ne@er brought affiction and ruin upon any personB not to ha@e fet
a desire for @engeance, or any en@yB nor to ha@e becoAe a defauter to his .ord6< ')-
9is .ord, his honour, .ere to hiA the Aost sacred treasure6 9e ne@er .oud ha@e descended so o. as to
fing theA to the .inds6 /et us, therefore, not endea@our to deny any ogica inconsistencies in his
.ritings22inconsistencies .hich Aany other Aen since his tiAe ha@e eDuay sho.n6 /et us rather institute
a strict and cose inDuiry into these t.o Aodes of thought of his, .hich, contradictory as they are, yet
Aake up his @ery character and indi@iduaity6
>e can fuy beie@e in Montaigne<s sincerity .hen ese.here he asserts that .e Aust not tra@e a.ay
froA the paths Aarked do.n by the "oAan 0athoic 0hurch, est .e shoud be dri@en about hepessy
and aiAessy on the unbounded sea of huAan opinions6 9e tes us ',- that <he, too, had negected the
obser@ance of certain cereAonies of the 0hurch, .hich seeAed to hiA soAe.hat @ain and strangeB but
that, .hen he coAAunicated on that subject .ith earned Aen, he found that these things had a @ery
Aassi@e and soid foundation, and that it is ony siiness and ignorance .hich Aake us recei@e theA .ith
ess re@erence than the other doctrines of reigion6< 9ence he concudes that .e Aust put ourse@es .hoy
under the protection of eccesiastica authority, or coApetey break .ith it6
9e ne@er Aade a singe step to .ithdra. hiAsef froA that authority6 9e rather prides hiAsef on ha@ing
ne@er ao.ed hiAsef, by any phiosophy, to be turned a.ay froA his first and natura sic opinions, and
froA the condition in .hich God had paced hiAB being .e a.are of his o.n @ariabiity E@oubiiteE6
<Thus 3 ha@e, by the grace of God, reAained .hoy attached, .ithout interna agitation and troubes of
conscience, to the ancient beiefs of our reigion, during the confict of so Aany sects and party di@isions
.hich our century has produced6< '*%-
"ecei@ing the hoy 9ost, he breathed his ast6
3n the <Apoogie de "ayAond Sebond,< Montaigne defends the <Theoogia 8aturais< of the atter22a book
in .hich the author, .ho .as a Aedica Aan, a phiosopher, and a theoogian, endea@ours to pro@e that
the "oAan 0athoic dogAas are in harAony .ith the a.s of nature6 That .hich is to be recei@ed in fu
faith, Sebond e4erts hiAsef to Aake coAprehensibe by arguAents of the reason6 This book22so
Montaigne reates22had been gi@en to his father, at the tiAe .hen /uther<s ne. doctrines began to be
popuar, by a Aan of great reputation for earning, Pierre Bune, .ho <.e foresa., by his penetration,
'**- that this budding disease .oud easiy degenerate into an e4ecrabe atheisA6< 7d Pierre Montaigne, a
@ery pious Aan, esteeAed this .ork @ery highyB and a fe. days before his death, ha@ing fortunatey
found it aAong a ot of negected papers, coAAanded his son to transate it froA <that kind of Spanish
jargon .ith /atin endings,< in .hich it .as .ritten6
Miche, .ith fiia piety, fufied his task6 9e transated the .ork, and in the abo@e2Aentioned Essay22the
argest of the series22he ad@ocates its phiosophy6 The essence of this panegyric of the 0hurch Ffor ogic
.oud in @ain be sought for in that EssayI is! that kno.edge and curiosity are siApy pagues of
Aankind, and that the "oAan 0athoic reigion, therefore, .ith great .isdoA, recoAAends ignorance6
Man .oud be Aost ikey to attain happiness if, ike the aniAa, he .ere to ao. hiAsef to be guided by
his siApe instinct6 A phiosophising is decared to be of no use6 Faith ony is said to afford security to
the .eakest of a beings, to Aan, .ho Aore than any other creature is e4posed to the Aost Aanifod
dangers6 8o eephant, no .hae, or crocodie, .as reDuired to o@ercoAe hiA .ho proudy cas hiAsef
the <ord of creation6< </itte ice are sufficient to Aake Sya gi@e up his dictatorship6 The heart and the ife
of a Aighty and triuAphant eAperor forA but the breakfast of a itte .orA6< '*$- F0oApare <9aAet,< i@6
+I6
Montaigne, .ho, in his thirty2eighth year, <ong .eary of the bondage of 0ourt and of pubic eApoyAent,
.hie yet in the @igour of ife, hath .ithdra.n hiAsef into the bosoA of the /earned :irgins F#octaruA
:irginuAI,< '*+- so as to be abe to spend the rest of his days in his ancestra hoAe, in peacefu,
undisturbed de@otion to ennobing studies, and to present the .ord .ith a ne. book, in .hich he Aeans
to gi@e e4pression to his innerAost thoughts22Montaigne, in his Essay <7n Prayers,< cas his .ritings
<rhapsodies,< .hich he subAits to the judgAent of the 0hurch, so that it Aay dea .ith anything he, <either
ignoranty or unad@isedy, Aay ha@e set do.n contrary to the sacred decrees, and repugnant to the hoy
prescriptions of the 0athoic, Apostoic, and "oAan 0hurch, .herein 3 die, and in .hich 3 .as born6<
/et us not d.e too ong on the contradictions of a Aan .ho professes to think independenty, and .ho
yet is content .ith ha@ing a Aind2craAping dogAatic creed iAposed upon hiA6 /et us ook at a fe. other,
not ess irreconciabe, inconsistencies of his ogic6
Montaigne, the 9uAanist, ad@ocates toeration6 Justice, he says, is to be done to e@ery party, to e@ery
opinion6 <Men are different in feeing and in strengthB they Aust be directed to their good, according to
theAse@es, and by di@erse .ays6< '*H- 9e bears no grudge to anyone of heterodo4 faithB he fees no
indignation against those .ho differ froA hiA in ideas6 The ties of uni@ersa huAanity he @aues Aore
than those of nationa connection6 9e has soAe good .ords for the Me4icans, so cruey persecuted by the
Spaniards6 <3 hod a Aen to be Ay coApatriotsB 3 fee the saAe o@e for a Poe as for a FrenchAan6< '*&-
But .hen .e read .hat the "oAan 0athoic Montaigne .rites, there is a different tone!22
<8o. that .hich, Aethinks, brings so Auch disorder into our consciences22naAey, in these troubes of
reigion in .hich .e are22is the easy .ay .ith .hich 0athoics treat their faith6 They suppose they sho.
theAse@es propery Aoderate and skifu .hen they yied to their ad@ersaries soAe of the artices that are
under debate6 But22besides that they do not see .hat an ad@antage it is to your antagonist if you once
begin Aaking a concession, thus encouraging hiA to foo. up his point22it Aay further be said that the
artices .hich they choose as apparenty the ightest, are soAetiAes Aost iAportant indeed6< '*G-
Again, the huAane nobeAan .ho ooks .ith pity and kindiness upon <the poor, toiing .ith heads bent,
in their hard .orkB< he .ho cas the appication of the torture <a tria of patience rather than of truth<22he
Aaintains that <the pubic .ea reDuires that one shoud coAAit treachery, use fasehoods, and perforA
Aassacres6< '*M- Personay, he shrinks froA such a Aission6 9is softer heart is not strong enough for
these deeds6 9e reates '*)- that he <ne@er coud see .ithout dispeasure an innocent and defenceess beast
pursued and kied, froA .hich .e ha@e recei@ed no offence at a6< 9e is Ao@ed by the aspect of <the hart
.hen it is eAbossed and out of breath, and, finding its strength gone, has no other resource eft but to
yied itsef up to us .ho pursue it, asking for Aercy froA us by its tears6 9e cas this <a deporabe
spectace6<
=et, this sentiAenta nobeAan ad@ocates the coAAission of treachery and cruety, in the interest of the
State, by certain Aore energetic, ess tiAorous Aen6 8or does he define their functions so as to raise a bar
against a second St6 BarthooAe. Aassacre6 A deed of this kind he .oud subAissi@ey take to be an act
of 9ea@en, shirking a responsibiity for, or discussion of, anything that <begins to Aoest hiA6< 9e Aerey
says!22</ike those ancients .ho sacrificed their i@es for the .efare of their country, so they Fthe
guardians of the StateI Aust be ready to sacrifice their honour and their conscience6 >e .ho are .eaker,
take easier, ess risky parts6< '*,-
3n Montaigne, the 9uAanist, .e read that beautifu passage Fin his ast Essay '$%-I .here he says that
<those .ho .oud go beyond huAan nature, trying to transforA theAse@es into anges, ony Aake beasts
of theAse@es6< '$*- =et, ese.here '$$- he .rites that he sha be e4ated, .ho, renouncing his o.n
natura Aeans, ao.s hiAsef to be guided by Aeans purey ceestia22by .hich he ceary understands
the dogAas of "oAan 0athoicisA6
As a huAanistic thinker, Montaigne fears nothing Aore than any stri@ings after transcendentaisA6 Such
yearnings terrify hiA ike inaccessibe heights6 3n the ife of Sokrates, of that sage for .hoA he fet a
specia preference, the <ecstasies and daiAons< greaty repe hiA6 8e@ertheess, Montaigne, the Aystic,
attributes a great Aagic po.er to such daiAonsB for he says! <3, too, ha@e soAetiAes fet .ithin Aysef an
iAage of such interna agitations, as .eak in the ight of reason as they .ere @ioent in instincti@e
persuasion or dissuasion Fa state of Aind Aore ordinary to SokratesI, by .hich 3 ha@e so profitaby, and
so happiy, suffered Aysef to be dra.n on, that these Aenta agitations Aight perhaps be thought to
contain soAething of di@ine inspiration6< '$+-
Montaigne, the adAirer of cassic antiDuity, says that ser@ing the 0oAAon.eath is the Aost honourabe
caing6 '$H- Acts .ithout soAe spendour of freedoA ha@e, in his eyes, neither grace, nor do they Aerit
being honoured6 '$&- But ese.here '$G- .e coAe upon his other @ie., ess iAbued .ith the spirit of
antiDuity22naAey, that <Aan aone, .ithout other hep, arAed ony .ith his o.n .eapons, and unpro@ided
.ith the grace and kno.edge of God, in .hich a his honour, his strength, and the .hoe ground of his
being are contained,< is a sorry speciAen of force indeed6 9is o.n reason gi@es hiA no ad@antage o@er
other creaturesB the 0hurch aone confers this pri@iege upon hiAJ
#uring se@era years, Montaigne .as Mayor of Bordeau46 >ith great Aodesty, he reates '$M- that in his
Aere passi@e conduct ay .hate@er itte Aerit he Aay ha@e had in ser@ing his to.n6 This fuy
harAonises .ith the @ie. e4pressed in his ast but one Essay, in .hich he decares that .e are to be
baAed for not sufficienty trusting in 9ea@enB e4pecting froA ourse@es Aore than beho@es us!
<Therefore do our designs so often Aiscarry6 9ea@en is en@ious of the arge e4tent .hich .e attribute to
the rights of huAan .isdoA, to the prejudice of its o.n rightsB and it curtais ours a the Aore that .e
endea@our to enarge theA6< '$)-
Montaigne by no Aeans ignores the troubous character of the tiAes in .hich he i@ed6 9e often audes to
it6 9e thinks astroogers cannot ha@e any great difficuty in presaging changes and re@outions near at
hand!22<Their prophetic indications are practicay in our @ery Aidst, and Aost papabeB one need not
search the 9ea@ens for that6<
<0ast .e our eyes about us< Fhere again .e foo. Forio<s transationI, <and in a genera sur@ay consider
a the .ord! a is tottringB Ea is out of fraAeE6 Take a perfect @ie. of a great states, both in
0hristendoAe and .here e@er ese .e ha@e kno.edge of, and in a paces you sha finde a Aost e@ident
threatning of change and ruine 666 Astroogers Aay spout theAse@es, .ith .arning us, as they doe of
iAinent aterations and succeeding re@outions! their di@inations are present and papabe, .e need not
prie into the hea@ens to find theA out6< '$,-
But Montaigne, a.ays resigned to the .i of God, inacti@ey stands by6 8ot e@en a Aany counse coAes
froA his ips6 9e beie@es he has fufied his 0hristian duty by trusting in 9ea@en for the conduct of
huAan affairs, and trying to coAfort his feo.2Aen by the hoo. .ords that he <sees no cause for
despair6 Perchance .e ha@e not yet arri@ed at the ast stage6 The Aaintenance of states is Aost probaby
soAething that goes beyond our po.ers of understanding6< '+%-
Montaigne, the 9uAanist, says that <it is an absoute perfection, and, as it .ere, a di@ine accoApishAent
for a Aan to kno. ho. to oyay enjoy his e4istence6< The Aost coAAendabe ife for hiA is <that .hich
adapts itsef, in an ordery .ay, to a coAAon huAan Aode, .ithout Airace, and .ithout e4tra@agance6<
'+*-
But Montaigne, the 0hristian, reates that he has <ne@er occupied hiAsef .ith anything Aore than .ith
ideas of death, e@en at the Aost icentious tiAe of his youth6< >ith touching ingenuousness he confesses
his .eaknesses and his @anities, of .hich he scarcey dares to think any onger6 The descriptions he often
gi@es of hiAsef22such as, <a dreaAer< FEsonge2creu4EI, <soft< FEAoeEI, <hea@y< FEpoisanteEI, <pensi@e,<
and so forth '+$-22pro@e that he cannot ha@e arri@ed at a pure enjoyAent of ife6 9e Duestions the
happiness of being a husband and father6 >e sha touch upon his @ie.s as regards .oAan, and Aany
other pecuiarities of his, in the passages of <9aAet< referring to theA6
3n nothing does Montaigne arri@e at any cear concusion .ithin hiAsef6 Though he kno.s ho. to speak
Auch and .e about e@erything, it is a Aere Ebe espritE, a dispay of gittering .ords, hoo. @erbiage,
.hich ony ands us in a abyrinth of contradictions, froA .hich .e seek an issue as @ainy as the author
hiAsef6 Stri@ing, through a his ife, to arri@e at a kno.edge of hiAsef, he at ast ays do.n his arAs,
considering the atteApt a fruitess and iApossibe task, and, in his ast Essay, '++- he Aakes this a@o.a!22
<That .hich in Perseus, the ;ing of Macedon, .as reAarked as a rare thing22@iC6 that his Aind, not
setting do.n into any kind of condition, .ent .andering through e@ery Aanner of ife, thus sho.ing
such fighty and erratic conduct that neither he nor others kne. .hat sort of Aan he .as! this seeAs to Ae
to appy neary to the .hoe .ord, and Aore especiay to one of that ik .hoA this description .oud
eAinenty fit6 This, indeed, is .hat 3 beie@e of hiA Fhe speaks of hiAsefI!2258o a@erage attitudeB being
a.ays dri@en froA one e4treAe to the other by indi@inabe chancesB no Aanner of course .ithout cross2
runnings and Aar@eous contro@ersiesB no cear and pain facuty, so that the ikeiest idea that coud one
day be put forth about hiA .i be this! that he affected and aboured to Aake hiAsef kno.n by the
iApossibiity of reay kno.ing hiA5 F<Du<i affectoit et estudioit de se rendre cogneu par estre
Aecognoissabe<I6< This is Montaigne a o@er6
3n the British MuseuA there is a copy of the Essays of Montaigne, in Forio<s transation, .ith Shakspere<s
naAe, it is aeged, .ritten in it by his o.n hand, and .ith notes .hich possiby Aay in part ha@e been
jotted do.n by hiA6 Sir Frederick Madden, one of the greatest authorities in autographs, has recognised
Shakspere<s autograph as genuine6 '+H- >hate@er disputes Aay be carried on on this particuar point, .e
think .e sha be abe to pro@e that Shakspere about the year *G%% Aust ha@e been .e acDuainted .ith
Montaigne6 >e sha sho. that in the first te4t of <9aAet,< .hich, it is assuAed, .as represented on the
stage bet.een *G%* and *G%$, there are aready to be found soAe ausions to Montaigne, especiay as far
as the Aidde of the second and to.ards the end of the fifth act6 3n a ikeihood, Shakspere kne. the
<Essais< e@en in the origina French te4t or perhaps froA the Aanuscript of the transation .hich, as abo@e
stated, had been begun to.ards the year *&,,B for Shakspere, it is to be supposed, had access to the
houses of, at east, t.o of the nobe adies to .hoA the 3taian teacher dedicated his transation6
3n the <TeApest,< assuAed to be of ater date than <9aAet,< there is a passage unAistakaby taken froA
Forio<s @ersion of Montaigne6 '+&-
Ben Jonson, the Aost DuarresoAe and the chief ad@ersary of Shakspere, .as an intiAate friend of Forio6
>hen Montaigne, in <9aAet<22as Jonson says22becaAe the target of <raiing rhetoric,< the atter took sides
.ith Forio and his coeaguesB aunching out against Shakspere in his coAedy, <:opone6< This pay, as
.e as an 3ntroduction in .hich it is dedicated to the t.o 1ni@ersities, gi@es us a cue to a great Aany
things other.ise difficut to understand6
A ne. book, especiay a phiosophica .ork ike that of Miche Montaigne, .as then sti a reAarkabe
e@ent6 '+G- To counteract the pernicious infuence .hich the fri@oous, foreign taker threatened to
e4ercise, in arge circes, through an Engish transation22this, in our opinion, .as the object .hich
Shakspere had .hen touching upon ground interdicted, as a rue, to the stage22naAey, upon Duestions of
reigion6 >e sha find that it .as not through any preference for ghost and Aurder scenes that, a year
after the second Duarto, in *G%&, <9aAet< .as reprinted22a circuAstance occurring .ith but one other
draAa of ShakspereB .hich testifies that this particuar pay attained great popuarity froA its first
appearance6 '+M-
A @ery instructi@e insight into the inteectua Ao@eAent of the great "eforAation epoch here opens itsef
to us6 3n this case, aso, .e sha gain the con@iction that a true genius takes the i@eiest interest in the fate
of his o.n nation, and does not occupy hiAsef .ith distant, abstruse probeAs Fsuch as fussy
Aetaphysicians .oud fain phiosophise into <9aAet<I, .hist the tiAes are going out of joint6 The
greatest EngishAan reAained, in the Aost po.erfu draAa of his, .ithin the sphere of the Duestions that
agitated his tiAe6 3n <9aAet< he identifies Montaigne<s phiosophy .ith AadnessB branding it as a
pernicious one, as contrary to the inteectua conDuests his o.n Engish nation has Aade, .hen breaking
.ith the "oAanist dogAas6
>hat sense of duty do Montaigne<s Essays proAoteL >hat nobe deed can ripen in the ight of the
disordered and discordant ideas they containL A they can do is, to disturb the Aind, not to cear itB to
gi@e rise to doubts, not to so@e theAB to nip the buds froA .hich great actions Aay spring, not to de@eop
theA6 3nstead of furthering the o@e for Aankind, they can ony produce despair as to a higher aiAs and
ideas6
3n <9aAet,< Shakspere personified Aany Duaities of the coApe4 character of Montaigne6 Before a, he
Aeant to dra. this concusion! that .hoe@er approaches a high task of ife .ith such .a@ering thoughts
and such ogica inconsistencies, Aust needs suffer ship.reck6 9aAet<s character has ony reAained an
enigAa to us for so ong a tiAe because he is fesh of our fesh, bood of our boodB <but, to kne. a Aan
.e, .ere to kno. hiAsef6<
*! Essay 3336 ,6
$! Essay 3336 *$, $+&6
+! E3bidE6 ,6
H! Essay 3336 *+ FEEdition :arioruAE, par 0hares /ouandre, ParisB .hich .e a.ays refer toI6
&! The EEssayes, or Mora, Poitike, and Miitarie #iscoursesE of /o6 Michae de Montaigne,
/ondon, *G%+, p6 $&G6
G! Sainte2Beu@e6
M! Essay 336 *M, p6 M*6
)! 3336 $, ++%6
,! Essay 36 $G, $&M6
*%! 336 *$, H)M2)6
**! Montaigne, E#iscours de "aisonE F#iscourse of "easonI6 Forio, $&$6
*$! Essay 336 *$, $,M6 Forio, $GG6
*+! Part of an inscription sti egibe in Montaigne<s caste6
*H! Essay 336 *$6
*&! 3336 ,6
*G! 36 $G6
*M! Essay 3336 *
*)! 336 **6
*,! 3336 *6
$%! 3336 *+6
$*! Essay 3336 *+6
$$! 336 *$6
$+! 36 **6
$H! 3336 ,6
$&! E3bidE6
$G! 336 *$6
$M! Essay 3336 *%6
$)! E3bidE6 *$6
$,6 Forio, &M&6
+%! Essay 3336 ,6
+*! 3336 *+6
+$! Essay 336 *$6
++! 3336 *+6
+H! E7bser@ations on an Autograph of ShakspereE6 /ondon, *)+)6
+&! This is the passage, .hich occurs in the ETeApestE, act ii6 sc6 3!
<EGonCaoE6223< the coAAon.eath 3 .oud by contraries E4ecute a things! for no kind of traffic
>oud 3 adAitB no naAe of Aagistrate! /etters shoud not be kno.nB riches, po@erty, And use of
ser@ice, noneB contract, succession, Bourn, bound of and, tith, @ineyard, noneB 8o use of Aeta,
corn, or .ine, or oiB 8o occupation! a Aen ide, aB And .oAen too6<
This passage is aAost iteray taken froA Essay 36 +%, <7n 0annibas6< >e sha ater on sho.
Shakspere<s reason for gi@ing us this fancifu description of such an 1topian coAAon.eath6
+G! Forio, after enuAerating the difficuties he encountered in the transation of the EEssaysE,
concudes his preface to the courteous reader .ith the foo.ing .ords!22
<3n suAAe, if any think he coud do better, et hiA trie, then .i he better think of .hat is done6 Se@en
or eight of great .it and .orth ha@e assayed, but found those Essais no atteApt for French apprentises
or /ittetonians6 3f thus done it Aay pease you, as 3 .ish it Aay and 3 hope it sha, and 3 .ith you sha
be peased! though not, yet sti 3 aA6<
>e earn, froA this reAark, of .hat great iAportance the EEssaisE Aust ha@e been considered in
iterary circes, and it is not iAprobabe that a fe. atteApts <of the se@en or eight of great .it and
.orth< Aay ha@e appeared in print ong before Forio<s transation6 >e Aay .e ask! 3s it ikey that the
greatest iterary genius of his age shoud ha@e been una.are of the e4istence of a .ork .hich .as
considered of such iAportance that <se@en or eight of great .it and .orth< thought it .orth .hie to
atteApt to transate itL Shakspere, .ho in E;ing 9enry the FifthE F*&,,I .rote soAe scenes in French,
Aust surey ha@e had sufficient kno.edge of this anguage to read it6
+M! Besides the Duartos of *G%+ and *G%H, thee .ere reprints of the atter in *G%& and *G**B aso another
edition .ithout date6
3:6
9AM/ET6
3n the foregoing sketch of Montaigne our especia object .as to point out the inconsistency of the French
.riter in ad@ising us to foo. 8ature as our guide, yet at the saAe tiAe Aaintaining a strict adherence to
tenets and dogAas .hich Duaify the iApuses and incinations of nature as sinfu, and .hich e@en decare
.ar against theA6
/et us see ho. Shakspere incarnates these contrasts in the character of 9aAet6
9e Aakes the #anish Prince coAe back froA the 1ni@ersity of >ittenberg6 There, .e certainy Aay
assuAe, he has becoAe iAbued .ith the ne. spirit that then shook the .ord6 >e refrain froA Aentioning
it by naAe, because the designation .e no. confer upon it has becoAe a ifeess .ord, coAprising no
onger those free thoughts of the 9uAanist, for .hich Shakspere, in this po.erfu tragedy, body enters
the ists6
9aAet ongs to be back to >ittenberg6 This desire represents his incination to.ards free, huAanistic
studies6 7n the other hand, his adherence to od dogAatic @ie.s can be deduced froA the fact of his being
so terriby iApressed by the circuAstance of his father ha@ing had to die
1nhouse<d, disappointed, unaneedB
a fact recorded .ith a threefod outcry!22
7h, horribeJ 7h, horribeJ Aost horribeJ
Again, .e Aust direct the reader<s attention to this @ery note.orthy point, that the first Duarto edition of
<9aAet< .as aready .orked out toeraby .e as far as the Aidde of the second act6 For the coApetion
of this part, ony a fe. detais .ere necessary6 FroA theA, .e Aust a the Aore be enabed to gather
Shakspere<s intention6
3n the speech of the Ghost in the second Duarto22other.ise of .e2nigh identica contents .ith the one in
the first edition22there is ony one ne. ine, but one .hich deser@es the cosest consideration6 3t is that
.hich .e ha@e Duoted22
1nhouse<d, disappointed, unaneed6
The effect this stateAent has on the course of the draAatic action .e sha e4pain ater on6 3n act iii6 sc6 +,
.here 9aAet<s energy is paraysed by this discosure of the Ghost, .e after.ards again coAe upon a
short inno@ation, and a Aost characteristic one, though but consisting of t.o ines6
3n the first Duarto .e see 9aAet, in the beginning of the pay, seiCed .ith an unAany grief .hich Aakes
hiA .ish that hea@en and earth .oud change back into chaos6 But a ne. addition to this .eariness of ife
is the conteApt of a earthy aspirations! the a@ersion to 8ature as the begetter of sin6 The foo.ing
passages are not to be found in the first Duarto!22
7r that the E@erasting had not fi4<d 9is canon <gainst sef2saughterJ 7 GodJ GodJ 9o. .eary, stae,
fat, and unprofitabe SeeA to Ae a the uses of this .ordJ Fie on<tJ Ah fieJ <t is an un.eeded garden,
That gro.s to seedB things rank and gross in nature Possess it Aerey6
The scene bet.een 9aAet and 9oratio Fact i6 sc6 HI, .hich in both te4ts is about the saAe, contains an
inno@ation in .hich the Prince<s Aistrust of nature is e@en Aore sharpy e4pressed6 These ines are ne.!22
This hea@y2headed re@e east and .est Makes us traduced and ta4<d of other nations22
as far as22
666 The draA of eae Fe@iI #oth Fdra.thI a the substance of a doubt To his o.n scanda6
The contents of this interpoated speech Aay concisey be thus gi@en! that the @irtues of Aan, ho.e@er
pure and nuAerous they Aay be, are often infected by <soAe @icious Aoe of 8ature,< .herein he hiAsef
is guitessB and that froA such a faut in the chance of birth a staAp of defect is iApressed upon his
character, and thus contaAinates the .hoe6
These inno@ations are e@identy introduced for the purpose of Aaking us understand .hy 9aAet does not
trust to the e4citeAents of his o.n reason and his o.n bood, in order to find out by natura Aeans
.hether it be true .hat his <prophetic sou< anticipates22naAey, that his unce Aay <sAie and sAie, and
yet be a @iain6<
Man, says Montaigne, has no hod2fast, no firA and fi4ed point, .ithin hiAsef, in spite of his apparenty
spendid outfit6 '*-
Man can do nothing .ith his o.n .eapons aone .ithout hep froA outside6 3n the Essay <7n the Foy of
"eferring the True and the Fase to the Trust.orthiness of our JudgAent,< '$- he Aaintains that <it is a siy
presuAption to go about despising and condeAning as fase that .hich does not seeA probabe to usB
.hich is a coAAon faut of those .ho think they ha@e Aore sef2sufficiency than the @ugar6 So .as 3
forAery AindedB and if 3 heard anybody speak either of ghosts coAing back, or of the prophecy of
coAing things, of spes, of .itchcraft, or of any other tae 3 coud not digest22
SoAnia, terrores Aagicos, Airacua, sagas, 8octurnos eAures, portentaDue Thessaa22
3 fet a kind of coApassion for the poor peope .ho .ere Aade the @ictiAs of such foies6 And no. 3 find
that 3 .as, at east, to be as Auch pitied Aysef6666 "eason has taught Ae that, so resoutey to condeAn a
thing as fase and iApossibe, is to body assuAe that .e ha@e in our head the bounds and iAits of the
.i of God and of our coAAon Aother, 8atureB and 3 no. see that there is no Aore notabe foy in the
.ord than to reduce theA to the Aeasure of our capacity and of our sef2sufficient judgAent6< '+-
8ot ess .eak than Montaigne<s trust in huAan reason is that of 9aAet .hen he fears <the paes and forts
of reason< Aay be broken do.n22
by the o<ergro.th of soAe coApe4ion6
>ith such a Aode of thought it is not to be .ondered at that he shoud .ecoAe the first occasion .hen
the task of his ife Aay be re@eaed to hiA by a hea@eny Aessenger6 9oping that <the Duestionabe shape<
.oud not et hiA <burst in ignorance,< but te hiA .hy <.e foos of 8ature so horridy shake our
disposition .ith thoughts beyond the reaches of our sous,< he foo.s the spectra apparition6 Good
9oratio does his best to restrain his friend, .ho has .a4ed <desperate .ith iAagination,< froA approaching
the <reAo@ed ground,< that Aight depri@e hiA of the <so@ereignity of reason,< and .hither the Ghost
beckons hiA6
9ere there are se@era ne. ines!22
7r to the dreadfu suAAit of the ciff6666 The @ery pace puts toys of desperation, >ithout Aore
Aoti@e, into e@ery brain That ooks so Aany fathoAs to the sea, And hears it roar beneath6
9ere .e ha@e one of those incipient ecstasies of .hich Montaigne says that <such transcending huAours
affright Ae as Auch as Esteep, high, and inaccessibe pacesE6< 'H-
3n the foo.ing scene bet.een 9aAet and the Ghost the introduction is ne.!22
EGhostE6 My hour is aAost coAe, >hen 3 to suphurous and torAenting faAes Must render up
Aysef6 E9aAetE6 Aas, poor ghostJ EGhostE6 Pity Ae not, but end thy serious hearing To .hat 3
sha unfod6 E9aAetE6 SpeakB 3 aA bound to hear6 EGhostE6 So art thou to re@enge, .hen thou sha
hear6
This picturing of the torAents of he22ho. @ery characteristicJ 3t is forbidden to the Ghost to
coAAunicate to <ears of fesh and bood< the secrets of its fiery prison2house6 =et it kno.s ho. to te
enough of the horrors of that gruesoAe pace to Aake the hair of a stronger Aorta than 9aAet is, stand
on end, <ike Duis upon the fretfu porcupine6<
>ith Aastery hand, the poet depicts the distance .hich henceforth separates 9aAet<s course of thought
froA that of his friends .ho ha@e reAained on the firA ground of huAan reason6 9aAet cannot say Aore
than22
that there<s ne<er a @iain d.eing in a #enAark But he<s an arrant kna@e6
>hen 9oratio ans.ers that <there needs no ghost, Ay ord, coAe froA the gra@e to te us this,< '&- 9aAet
asks his friends to shake hands .ith hiA and part, gi@ing theA to understand that e@ery Aan has his o.n
business and desire, and that22
for Ay o.n poor part, /ook you, 3< go pray6
9oratio cas this <.id and .hiring .ords6< The Prince .ho at this AoAent, no doubt, e4presses his o.n
true incination, says!22<3 aA sorry they offend you22heartiyB yes, <faith, heartiy6< 3t is difficut for hiA to
justify his o.n procedure6 9e fees unabe to e4pain his thoughts and sentiAents to the cear, un.arped
reason of a 9oratio, to .hoA the Ghost did not repy, and to .hoA no ghost .oud6
9aAet assures his friend, for .hose syApathy he greaty cares, that the apparition is a true one, an honest
ghost6 9e ad@ises 9oratio to gi@e the <.ondrous strange< a .ecoAe e@en as to <a strangerB< and, est he
Aight endea@our to test the apparition by huAan reason, he speaks the beautifu .ords!22
There are Aore things in hea@en and earth, 9oratio, Than are dreaAt of in your phiosophy
9aAet tes his friends that in future he .i put on <an antic disposition6< To.ards theA he has, in fact,
aready done so6 9is desire for a threefod oathB his repeated shifting of groundB his s.earing by the s.ord
on .hich the hands are aid Fa custoA referabe to the tiAe of the 0rusades, and considered tantaAount to
s.earing by the cross, but .hich, at the saAe tiAe, is an oder GerAanic, and hence #anish, custoAIB his
use of a /atin forAua, E9ic et ubiDueE22a these procedures ha@e the e@ident object of thro.ing his
coArades into a Aystic fraAe of Aind, and to Aake theA keep sience F<so hep you AercyJ<I as to .hat
they ha@e seen6 These are the Aysterious Aeans .hich those ha@e to use that .oud Aake theAse@es the
AediuA of a Aessage supernaturay re@eaed6 '&-
A perusa of the fifty2si4th chapter of the first Essay of Montaigne .i sho. .ith .hat great re@erence he
treated cereAonia custoAs and hoo. forAuasB for instance, the sign of the cross, of .hich he
<continuay Aade use, e@en if he be but ya.ning< FEsicEI6 3t is not a Aere coincidence, but a .e2
cacuated trait in the character of 9aAet, that in his speech he goes through a scae of e4caAations and
asse@erations such as Shakspere eApoys in no other of his poetica creations6 9aAet incessanty
Aentions God, 9ea@en, 9e, and the #e@i, the 9ea@eny 9osts, and the Saints6 9e caiAs protection
froA the atter at the appearance of the Ghost6 9e s.ears <by St6 Patrick,< by his faith, by God<s .ounds,
by 9is bood, by 9is body, by the 0ross, and so forth6 'G-
Stubbs, in his <AnatoAy of Abuses< F*&)+I, 'M- ays stress, aAong other characteristics of the Papists,
upon their terribe incination to s.earing! <in so Auche, as if they speake but three or fo.er .ords, yet
Aust thei needes be interaced .ith a boudie othe or t.o, to the great dishonour of God and offence of
the hearers6<
An o@er.heAing grief and Aistrust in his o.n nature fied 9aAet<s bod iAagination .ith the desire of
recei@ing a coApete Aandate for his Aission froA the hands of superior po.ers6 So he enters the reaA
of AysticisA, .here Aind .ieds no authority, and .here no sound fruit of huAan reason can ripen6
Bet.een the first and the second act there is an inter@a of a fe. Aonths6 The poet gi@es us no other cue
to the condition and the doings of his hero than that, in the .ords of Poonius, ')- he <fe into sadnessB
then into a fastB thence to a .atchB thence into a .eakness,< and so forth6 >e Aay therefore assuAe that he
has foo.ed his incination to go to prayB that he tries by fasting, .atching, and chastising, as so Aany
before hiA, to find his .ay in the dreaAand .hich he has entered foo.ing the GhostB sincerey stri@ing
to reAain true to his resoution to <.ipe froA the tabe of his AeAory a pressures past6<
A ne. passage in the Aonoogue of 9aAet, after the Ghost has eft hiA, is this!22
And thy coAAandAent a aone sha i@e >ithin the book and @ouAe of Ay brain, 1nAi4<d .ith
baser AatterB yes, by 9ea@enJ 7 Aost pernicious .oAanJ
>e ne4t hear about the Prince froA 7pheia after the inter@a .hich, as Aentioned abo@e, ies bet.een
the first and the second act6 ',- 3n the od pay she reates that, .hen <.aking in the gaery a aone,< he,
the o@er, caAe to.ards her, atogether <bereft of his .its6< 3n the scene of the ater pay he coAes to her
coset .ith a purpose, appearing before her in a state of Aenta strugge6 8o doubt, he then approaches her
.ith the intention, .hich after.ards he carries out, of renouncing .oAan, the begetter of a e@i in the
.ord, .hich Aakes such Aonsters of .ise Aen6 The sight of his true o@e has shaken hiA6 9e stands
before her! '*%-
666 .ith a ook so piteous in purport As if he had been oosed out of he To speak of horrors666 And
thrice his head thus .a@ing up and do.n, 9e raised a sigh so piteous and profound As it did seeA to
shatter a his buk And end his being6
Thus he ea@es her, not daring to speak the .ord .hich is to separate hiA froA her6
3n the foo.ing scene bet.een 9aAet and Poonius Fact ii6 sc6 $ '**-I there is again a ne. passage .hich
eDuay pro@es that 9aAet<s thoughts ony d.e upon one theAeB that is, the sinfuness of our huAan
nature!22
E9aAetE6 For if the sun breed Aaggots in a dead dog, being a god, kissing carrion229a@e you a
daughterL EPooniusE6 3 ha@e, Ay ord6 E9aAetE6 /et her not .ak i< the sun6 0onception is a
bessingB but not as your daughter Aay concei@e!22friend, ook to<t6
9aAet said before, that <To be honest, is to be one Aan picked out of ten thousand6< There is Aethod in
9aAet<s Aadness6 >ith correct ogic he dra.s froA dogAas .hich pronounce 8ature to be sinfu, the
concusion that .e need not .onder at the abounding of e@i in this .ord, seeing that a God hiAsef
assists in creating it6 9e, therefore, .arns Poonius against his daughter, too, becoAing <a breeder of
sinners6<
Before .e foo. 9aAet no. to the scene .ith 7pheia, .here, <in an ecstasy of di@ine inspiration,
eDuay .eak in reason, and @ioent in persuasion and dissuasion,< '*$- he cas upon her to go to a
nunnery, .e Aust direct attention to the concuding part of an Essay '*+- of Montaigne6 3t is ony
surprising that nobody shoud as yet ha@e pointed out ho. unAistakeaby, in that faAous scene, the
inconsistencies of the .hiAsica French .riter are scourged6 3n that Essay the foo.ing thought occurs,
.hich one .oud gady accept as a correct one! <Fasey do .e judge the EhonestyE and the EbeautyE of
an action froA its usefuness6 EDuay .rong it is to concude that e@eryone is bound to do the saAe, and
that it is an honest action for e@erybody, if it be a usefu one6<
8o., Montaigne endea@ours to appy this thought to the institution of AarriageB and he descends, in
doing so, to the foo.ing irrationa arguAent!22</et us seect the Aost necessary and Aost usefu
institution of huAan society! Eit is AarriageE6 =et the counse of the saints deeAs the contrary side to be
Aore EhonestEB thus e4cuding the Aost @enerabe @ocation of Aen6<
The satire of that faAous scene in <9aAet< is here apparent6 3t .i no. be understood .hy the #anish
Prince coAes .ith a .arning to his beo@ed, <not to adAit EhonestyE in discourse .ith EbeautyE,< and .hy
his resoution is that <.e .i ha@e no Aore EAarriageE6< Those .ords of 9aAet, too, <Ethis .as soAetiAe
a parado4, but no. the tiAe gi@es it proofE,< are easy of e4panation6 3t .as not yet so ong ago that
ceibacy had been aboished in Engand6 The <tiAe< no. confirAs ceibacy once Aore in this French book6
Most characteristic is the foo.ing passage! in this scene the ony ne. one6 3t goes far to sho. the
intention .ith .hich the poet party re2.rought the pay6 3 Aean the .ords in .hich 9aAet confesses to
7pheia that he has decei@ed her6 The repentant sinner says! <E=ou shoud not ha@e beie@ed Ae! for
@irtue cannot so inocuate our od stock but .e sha reish of itE6<
0an a poet .ho .i not con@ert the stage into a theoogica 9a of 0ontro@ersy, Aake the sou2strugge
of his hero Aore coAprehensibeL 9aAet has honesty tried F.e ha@e seen .ith .hat AeansI to inocuate
and iApro@e the sinfu <od stock6< But ho. far a.ay he sti fees hiAsef froA his aiAJ 9e cas hiAsef
<proud, re@engefu, aAbitious6< These are the three sins of .hich he Aust accuse hiAsef, .hen istening to
the @oice of 8ature .hich adAonishes hiA to fufi the duty of his ife22the deed of bood22that inner
@oice of his nober nature .hich iApes hiA to seiCe the cro.n in order to guide the destinies of his
countryB gi@en o@er, as the atter is, to the Aischie@ous .hiAs of a @iain6
=et he cries out against 7pheia, <>e are arrant kna@es aB beie@e none of usJ< 9e reproaches this
daughter of E@e .ith her o.n .eaknesses and the great nuAber of her sins in .ords reAinding us of
3saiah, '*H- .here the .antonness of the daughters of Oion is repro@ed6 9e, the ascetic, cas out to his
Aistress! <Go thy .ays to a nunneryJ666 >hy .oudst thou be a breeder of sinnersL<
/et us hear .hat his Aistress says about hiA6 This passage aso, e4paining 9aAet<s Aadness, is ne.!22
8o. see that nobe and Aost so@ereign reason, /ike s.eet bes janged, out of tune and harshB That
unAatched forA and feature of bo.n youth, Basted .ith ecstasy6 '*&-
>ith .hat other .ord can 9aAet<s passionate utterances be designated than that of reigious ecstasyL
FroA the first AoAent .hen he sees 7pheia, and prays her to reAeAber his sins in her <orisons,< do.n to
the ast AoAent .hen he ea@es her, bidding her to go to a nunnery, there is Aethod in his Aadness22the
Aethod of those dogAas .hich brand nature and huAanity as sinfu, .hose iApuses they do not
endea@our to ead to higher aiAs, but .hich, by certain Aysteries and forAuas, they pretend to be abe to
o@ercoAe6 The sou2strugge of 9aAet arises froA his di@ided AindB an inner @oice of 8ature caing, on
the one hand!22
/et not the roya bed of #enAark be A couch for u4ury and daAned incestB
.hist another @oice cas out that, ho.soe@er he pursues his act, he shoud not <taint his Aind6<
3n the Engish transation of the <9ystorie of 9aAbet,< froA .hich Shakspere took his subject, the art of
disseAbing is e4toed, in Aost nai@e anguage, as one speciay usefu to.ards great personages not
easiy accessibe to re@enge6 9e .ho .oud e4ercise the arts of disseAbing Fit is said thereI Aust be abe
to <kisse his hand .hoAe in hearte hee coud .ishe an hundredfoot depth under the earth, so hee Aighte
ne@er see hiA Aore, if it .ere not a thing E.hoy to bee disiked in a 0hristian, .ho by no Aeanes ought
to ha@e a bitter ga, or desires infected .ith re@engeE6<
>e sha find ater on that 9aAet<s ga aso caiAs its rightsB a the Aore so as he endea@ours, by an
unnatura and superstitious use of dogAatisA, to suppress and to dri@e a.ay the <e4citeAents of the
reason and of the bood6< >e ha@e heard froA Poonius that the Prince, after his <sadness,< fe into a <fast6<
And e@erything he says to his schoofeo.s "osencrantC and Guidenstern '*G- about his fraAe of Aind,
confirAs us in the beief that he has reAained faithfu to the intention decared in the first act22</ook you,
3 .i go pray<22so as to prepare hiAsef, ike Aany others, to conteApate passi@ey a .ord sinfu froA its
@ery nature, and therefore not to be changed and bettered6
This scene is, in the first Duarto, a Aere hasty sketch, but fainty indicated6 3n the second Duarto it is, so to
say, a ne. oneB and a coAparison bet.een the t.o need, therefore, not be instituted6
Before his friends "osencrantC and Guidenstern, 9aAet, for a fe. AoAents, gi@es up his brain2racking
thoughts of penitenceB he e@en endea@ours to phiosophise, as he Aay ha@e done at the 1ni@ersity of
>ittenberg before he ao.ed hiAsef to be ured into dreaAand6 9e utters a thought22<There is nothing
either good or bad, but thinking Aakes it so<22.hich occurs in an Essay of Montaigne, and is thus gi@en by
Forio F*$MI!22
<3f that .hat .e ca e@i and torAent be neither torAent nor e@i, but that our fancy ony gi@es it that
Duaity, is it in us to change itL< '*M-
9aAet then pictures his Aenta condition in .ords of deepest sincerity6 3n order to fuy understand this
description, .e ha@e once Aore to refer to an Essay of Montaigne, '*)- in .hich he asserts that Aan is not
furthered by his reason, his specuations, his passionsB that they gi@e hiA no ad@antage o@er other
creatures6 A di@iney appointed authority22the 0hurch22confers upon hiA <those great ad@antages and odds
he supposes to ha@e o@er other creatures6< 3t is she that seas to hiA the patent and pri@iege .hich
authorises hiA to <keep account both of the receipts and ayings2out of the .ord6< Ay, it is she .ho
con@inces hiA that <Ethis adAirabe s.inging2round of the hea@eny @auts, the eterna ight of those
consteations roing so noby o@er our headsE, the terribe coAAotions of this infinite ocean, .ere
estabished, and ha@e continued for so Aany ages, for his ad@antage and his ser@ice6< To her authority he
Aust .hoy surrender hiAsefB by her he Aust ao. hiAsef to be guided6 And in doing so, it is <better
for us to ha@e a .eak judgAent than a strong oneB better to be sAitten .ith bindness than to ha@e one<s
eyes open and cear2sighted6<
Stri@ing to i@e up to siAiar @ie.s, 9aAet <ost a his Airth6< This is the cause of his hea@y dispositionB
of his ha@ing <foregone a custoA of e4ercise<22so <that this goody fraAe, the earth,< seeAs to hiA <a
sterie proAontory,< a Aere pace of preparation for gaining the ne4t .ord through penance and prayer6
:eriy, <Ethis bra@e o<erhanging firAaAent, this Aajestica roof fretted .ith goden fireE,< appears to hiA
no better <than a fou and pestient congregation of @apours6< Kuite in accordance .ith such tenets .hich
.e need not Duaify by naAe, Man, to hiA, is but a <Duintessence of dust6<
Both Aan, and sti Aore sinfu .oAan, dispease 9aAet6 =et he has not succeeded in so .hoy
subjugating 8ature .ithin hiAsef as to be fuy secured against her iAportunate caiAs6 8o. .e .oud
point out here that Montaigne '*,- Aentions a tyrant of antiDuity .ho <coud not bear seeing tragedies
acted in the theatre, froA fear that his subjects shoud see hiA sob at the Aisfortunes of 9ecuba and
AndroAache22hiA .ho, .ithout pity, caused daiy so Aany peope to be cruey kied6< Again, Montaigne
'$%- speaks of actors, Aentioned by Kuinctiian, .ho .ere <so deepy engaged in a sorro.fu part that
they .ept e@en after ha@ing returned to their odgingsB< .hist Kuinctiian reports of hiAsef that, <ha@ing
undertaken to Ao@e a certain passion in others, he had entered so far into his part as to find hiAsef
surprised, not ony .ith the shedding of tears, but aso .ith a paeness of countenance and the beha@iour
of a Aan truy .eighed do.n .ith grief6<
9aAet has istened to the payer6 3n the concuding Aonoogue of the second act22.hich is t.ice as ong
in the ne. Duarto22.e are tod of the effect produced upon his Aind .hen seeing that an actor, .ho
Aerey hods a Airror up to 8ature22
666 but in a fiction, in a dreaA of passion, 0oud force his sou so to his o.n conceit That froA her
.orking a his @isage .ann<d6666 666 And a for nothingJ22For 9ecubaL
.hist he F9aAetI, <a du and Auddy2Aetted rasca,< '$*- ike John2a2dreaAs, in spite of his strong
<Aoti@e and the cue for passion,< Aistrusts theA and is afraid of being guided by theA6
A at once, 9aAet fees the .eight and pressure of a Aode of thought .hich decares .ar against the
iApuses of 8ature, caing Aan a born sinner6
>ho cas Ae @iainL 666 666 Gi@es Ae the ie i< the throat, As deep as to the ungsL >ho does Ae thisL
9aJ <S .ounds,'*- 3 shoud take it! for it cannot be6 But 3 aA pigeon2i@er<d, and ack ga To Aake
oppression bitterB or ere this 3 shoud ha@e fatted a the region kites >ith this sa@e<s offa6 '$$-
The feeings of 9aAet, unti then forciby kept do.n, no. get the Aastery o@er hiA6 9e gi@es @ent to
theA in oaths of .hich he is hiAsef at ast ashaAed, .hen he coApares hiAsef to <a @ery drab, a
scuion,< .ho <Aust fa a2cursing6<
9e no. .i set to .ork and get Aore natura e@idence of the ;ing<s guit6 9e begins to entertain doubts
as to those Aystic @ie.s by .hich he Aeant to be guided6 9e Aistrusts the apparition .hich he had caed
an honest ghost F<true2penny<I!22
The spirit that 3 ha@e seen May be the #e@i! and the #e@i hath po.er To assuAe a peasing shape6
=ea, perhaps 7ut of Ay .eakness and Ay Aeanchoy, As he is @ery potent .ith such spirits, Abuses
Ae to daAn Ae! 3< ha@e grounds More reati@e than this6 '$+-
7@er .eakness the #e@i is potentB a fesh is .eak6 >hat Aode of thought is thisL >hat phiosophy
taught this doctrineL 9aAet<s .eakness, if .e Aay beie@e Poonius, '$H- has been brought on by fasting
and .atching6
7@er Aeanchoy, too, the #e@i is po.erfu6 Are .e not here in the soAbre atAosphere of those .ho turn
a.ay their reason froA idea aspirationsB .ho denounce the iApuses of nature as sinfu e4citeAentsB .ho
.oud fain ook upon the earth as <a sterie proAontory<22ha@ing dark death Aore before their Aind<s eye
than beautifu ifeL Are such thoughts not the forerunners of AeanchoyL
9aAet<s incessant thoughts of death are the saAe as those of his Aode, Montaigne6 3n an Essay, '$&-
entited <That to Phiosophise is to /earn ho. to #ie,< the atter e4pains that the 0hristian reigion has no
surer basis than the conteApt for the present ife, and that .e are in this .ord ony to prepare ourse@es
for death6 9is iAagination, he says, has occupied itsef .ith these thoughts of death Aore than .ith
anything ese6 "eferring to a saying of /ykurgos, he appro@es of gra@eyards being aid out cose to
churches and in the Aost freDuented paces of a city, so as to accustoA the coAAon peope, .oAen, and
chidren not to be scared at the sight of a dead person, and to fore.arn e@eryone, by this continua
spectace of bones, toAbs, and funeras, as to our rea condition6
Montaigne aso, ike 9aAet, ponders o@er suicide6 9e de@otes a .hoe Essay '$G- to it6 /ife, he obser@es,
.oud be a tyranny if the iberty to die .ere .anting6 For this iberty, he thinks, .e ha@e to thank 8ature,
as for the Aost fa@ourabe gift .hich, indeed, depri@es us of a right to coApain of our condition6 3f22as
Boioca, the GerAan chieftain, '$M- said22earth is .anting to us .hereon to i@e, earth is ne@er .anting to
us for death6 '$)-
That is the .isdoA of Montaigne, the adAirer of antiDuity6 But Montaigne, the Aodern Aan, introduces
the Essay in .hich he dares to utter such bod thoughts .ith the foo.ing restriction!22
<3f, as it is said, to phiosophise be to doubt, .ith Auch Aore reason to pay pranks FEniaiserEI and to ra@e,
as 3 do, Aust be to doubt6 For, to inDuire and to discuss, beho@es the discipes6 The decision beongs to the
chairAan FEcathedrantEI6 My chairAan is the authority of the di@ine .i .hich reguates us .ithout
contradiction, and .hich occupies its rank abo@e those huAan and @ain disputes6< This chairAan, as often
obser@ed, by .hich Montaigne<s thoughts are to be guided, is an eccesiastic authority6
3n <9aAet,< aso, it is a <canon< '$,- fi4ed against sef2saughter, .hich restrains hiA froA ea@ing, out of
his o.n iApuse, this .hioA paradise, this <un.eeded garden< of ife6
Montaigne, .hose phiosophy aiAs at Aaking us con@ersant .ith death as .ith a friend, is yet terrified by
it6 Atogether, he says, he .oud fain pass his ife at his easeB and if he coud escape froA bo.s, e@en by
taking refuge under a caf<s skin, '+%- he .oud not be the Aan .ho .oud shrink froA it6
3n a fe. graphic .ords Shakspere brands this co.ardy cinging to ife6 3n the scene .here 9aAet gi@es
to Poonius nothing Aore .iingy than his ea@e, the ne. Duarto Fin e@ery other respect the concusion
of this scene is identica in both editionsI contains these additiona .ords!22<E4cept Ay ife, e4cept Ay
ife, e4cept Ay ife6< 7f the <caf<s skin< .e hear in the first scene of act @6, .here those are caed sheep
and ca@es, .ho seek out assurance in parchAents .hich are Aade of sheep2skins and of ca@es2skins too6
Montaigne, .ho does not cease pondering o@er the pae feo., #eath, ooks for consoation froA the
ancients6 9e takes Sokrates as the Aode of a great DuaitiesB and he reproduces, in his o.n Aanner, the
speech this sage, .ho .as fearess of death, Aade before his judges6 First of a, he Aakes hiA say that
the Duaities of death are unkno.n to hiA, as he has ne@er seen anybody .ho coud instruct hiA in theA6
<Those .ho fear death, presuppose that they kno. it6666 Perhaps death Aay be an indifferent thingB perhaps
a desirabe one6 9o.e@er, one Aay beie@e that, if it be a transAigration froA one pace to another, it .i
be an aAeioration 666 and free us froA ha@ing any Aore to do .ith .icked and corrupt judges6 3f it be a
consuAAation FEaneantisseAentEI '+*- of our being, it is aso an aAeioration to enter into a ong and
Duiet night6 >e find nothing so s.eet in ife as a Duiet rest22a tranDui and profound seep .ithout
dreaAs6<
8o. coApare the Aonoogue, <To be or not to be,< of the first Duarto .ith the one contained in the second6
3t .i then be seen that those Sokratic ideas, rendered by Montaigne in his o.n Aanner, ha@e been
.orked into the first Duarto6 3n the atter .e hear nothing at a about the end of our being Fa coApete
destruction or EconsuAAationEI producing an aAeioration6 '+$- Shakspere e4presses this thought by the
.ords that if .e coud say that, by a seep, .e <end the heartache and the thousand natura shocks that
fesh is heir to22<tis a consuAAation de@outy to be .ished6< '++-
;een coAAentators ha@e pointed out the contradiction in 9aAet<s Aonoogue, .here he speaks of22
The undisco@ered country froA .hose bourn 8o tra@eer returns,
.hist he sa. such a tra@eer in his father<s ghost6 0ertainy there .ere then, e@en as there are no.,
besides the ogica thinkers, aso a considerabe nuAber of inconsistent persons .ho beie@ed in
supernaturay re@eaed Aessages, and .ho, ne@ertheess, no. and then, fet contradictory thoughts rising
.ithin theAse@es6 >hy shoud the great Aaster, .ho e4hausted in his draAatic personages aAost a
types of huAan nature, not ha@e put such a character aso on the stageL
To the poet, .hose object it .as to sho. <to the @ery age and body of tiAe his forA and pressure< Fthis
passage is .anting in the first DuartoI, the presentation of such a psychoogica probeA of contradictory
thoughts Aust ha@e been of far greater attraction than an anticipatory description of a Aetaphysician
aching under the hea@y burden of his phiosophic specuations6 The atter is the character attributed, by
soAe, to 9aAet6 But .e think that such an uttery strange Aodern creature .oud ha@e been atogether
incoAprehensibe to the energetic Engish Aind of this period6
3n the course of the draAa, Shakspere Aakes it sufficienty cear that the thoughts by .hich 9aAet<s
<nati@e hue of resoution is sickied o<er,< ha@e coAe froA the narro. ces of a superstitious 0hristianity,
not froA the free use of his reason6 According to Montaigne, ho.e@er, .e ought to <use our reason ony
for strengthening our beief6<
9aAet, .ith Purgatory and 9e, into .hich he has cast a gance, before his eyes, .oud fain fy, ike
Montaigne, froA theA6 3n his Essay 36 *, '+H- the atter says that our sou Aust be steeed against the
po.ers of deathB <for, as ong as #eath frightens us, ho. is it possibe to Aake a singe step .ithout
fe@erish agitationL<
9aAet as itte attains this condition of Duiet eDuaniAity as the pensi@e and pondering Montaigne6 The
atter, ho.e@er, speaks of sous that kno. no fear6 3t is true, he has to go to the ancients in order to Aeet
.ith this fraAe of Aind6 Kuoting 9orace '+&-22
8on @utus instantis tyranni Mente Duatit soida, neDue Auster, #u4 inDuieti turbidus Adriae, 8ec
fuAinantis Aagna Jo@is Aanus22
he describes such a sou as being Aade <EAistress o@er her passions and concupiscenceB ha@ing becoAe
proof against po@erty and disgrace, and a the other injuries of fortuneE6 /et those .ho can, gain this
ad@antage6 9erein ies true and so@ereign freedoA that ao.s us to scorn force and injustice, and to
deride prisons and fetters6<
To a friend .ith such a sou, to a i@ing 9orace or 9oratio, 9aAet addresses hiAsef6 9oratio aso is his
feo.2student and friend froA the 1ni@ersity days at >ittenberg, and he has Aade the @ie.s of the ne.
phiosophica schoo Duite his o.n6 9e does not treAbe before the fire of Purgatory and 9e6 #espising
death, he .ishes, in the ast scene, to eApty the cup of poison froA .hich his friend 9aAet has drunk, in
order to foo. hiA6 >hen the atter keeps hiA back, 9oratio Aakes ans.er22
3 aA Aore an antiDue "oAan than a #ane6
9aAet, trusting Aore to this firAer and truy antiDue character than to his o.n, reDuests 9oratio to aid
hiA during the pay2scene in .atching the ;ing, so as to procure Aore natura e@idence of his guit6 This
schoo2friend22ho. often Aay he ha@e phiosophised .ith hiAJ22is to hiA
as just a Aan As e<er Ay con@ersation coped .itha6
The foo.ing passage, '+G- in .hich 9oratio<s character is described by 9aAet, is .anting in the first
Duarto!22
Since Ay dear sou .as Aistress of her choice, And coud of Aen distinguish, her eection 9ath sea<d
thee for hersefB for thou hast been As one, in suffering a, that suffers nothingB A Aan that fortune<s
buffets and re.ards 9ath ta<en .ith eDua thanks! and best are those >hose bood and judgAent are so
.e coAAinged That they are not a pipe for Fortune<s finger To sound .hat stop she pease6 Gi@e Ae
that Aan That is not passion<s sa@e, and 3 .i .ear hiA 3n Ay heart<s core, ay, in Ay heart of heart,
As 3 do thee6
9o. near these .ords of Shakspere coAe to those .ith .hich Montaigne describes an intrepid Aan after
the poeA of 9oraceJ
But, in spite of subte reasoning, the French phiosopher cannot fathoA the cause .hy he hiAsef does not
attain any Aind<s ease, and .hy he has no pain and straightfor.ard facuty FEnue facute siApeEI
.ithin hiAsef6 9e once '+M- uses the e4pression, <>e troube death .ith the care of ife, and ife .ith the
care of deathB< but he does not succeed in firAy attaching hiAsef to ife .ith a the fibres of his nature,
and gathering strength froA the Aother2earth, ike Antaeus6 9e osciates bet.een t.o antagonistic @ie.s,
and fees unabe to decide for either the one or the other6
>e ha@e e4pained the eeAents of .hich 9aAet<s coApe4 character is Aade up6 9e is an adherent of
od superstitions and dogAasB he beie@es in Purgatory, a 9e, and a #e@i, and in the Airacuous po.ers
of confession, hoy coAAunion, and the e4treAe unction6 =et, to soAe degree, he is a 9uAanist, and
.oud fain grant to 8ature certain rights6 Scarcey has he yieded to the iApuses of his bood, than doubts
begin to rise in hiA, and he begins to fear the #e@i, .ho Aight ure hiA into perdition6 This inner
discord, creating, as it does, a Aistrust in his o.n sef, induces hiA, in the Aost iAportant task of his ife,
to appea to 9oratio6 To hiA he says that, if the ;ing<s occuted guit does not coAe out F<unkenne itsef<I,
he F9aAetI .i ook upon the apparition as a daAned ghost, and Fthis is ne.I .i think that his
<iAaginations are as fou as :ucan<s stithy6< '+)-
By the interude, 9aAet22and in this he is confirAed by 9oratio22becoAes con@inced of the ;ing<s guit6
A that he thereupon does is22to recite a itte dittyJ
>e ha@e aready Aade the acDuaintance of Montaigne the soft2hearted, .ho, as abo@e Aentioned, a.ays
.as touched .hen seeing innocent aniAas hunted to death, and .ho fet Auch eAotion Eat the tears of
the hart asking us for AercyE6 At the saAe tiAe .e ha@e directed the reader<s attention to the fact of his
ha@ing said that the <coAAon .ea reDuires soAe to betray, soAe to ie, and soAe to Aassacre,< '+,- and
that this task Aust be eft to those .ho are ready to sacrifice their honour and their conscience, and that
Aen .ho do not fee up to such deeds Aust ea@e their coAAission to the stronger ones6 This French
nobeAan nai@ey a@o.s that he has reso@ed upon .ithdra.ing into pri@ate ife, not because he is a@erse
to pubic ife22for the atter, he says, .oud <perhaps eDuay suit hiA<22but because, by doing so, he hopes
to ser@e his Prince a the Aore joyfuy and a the Aore sincerey, thus foo.ing the free choice of his
o.n judgAent and reason, and not subAitting to any restraint FEobigation particuiereEI, .hich he hates
in e@ery shape6 And he adds the foo.ing curious Aora doctrine!22<This is the .ay of the .ord6 >e et
the a.s and precepts foo. their .ay, but .e keep another course6< 'H%-
>ho coud Aistake Shakspere<s satire against this sentiAenta nobeAan, .ho fights shy of action, in
Aaking 9aAet recite a itte ditty at a AoAent .hen he has becoAe con@inced of the ;ing<s guit!22
>hy, et the stricken deer go .eep, The hart ungaed payB For soAe Aust .atch, .hie soAe Aust
seep! Thus runs the .ord a.ay6
This gifted FrenchAan, Montaigne, .as a ne., a strange, phenoAenon in the eyes of Shakspere and his
acti@e and energetic countryAen6 A Aan, a nobeAan too, .ho i@es for no higher aiAB .ho ao.s
hiAsef to be dri@en about, rudderess, by his feeings and incinationsB .ho e@en boasts of this Aenta
disposition of his, and sends a @ain book about it into the .ordJ >hat is it to teachL >hat good is it to
doL 3t gi@es Aere .ords, behind .hich there is no Aany character6 Are there yet Aore Ebeau4 espritsE to
arise .ho, in Epicurean fashion, enjoy the beautifu thoughts of others, .hist they theAse@es reAain
incapabe for action, etting the tiAe go out of jointL
/et us further study the character of 9aAet, and .e sha find that the satire against Montaigne becoAes
Aore and Aore striking22a @eritabe hit6
The Kueen asks for her son6 Before he fufis her .ish and coAes to her, he utters a uaby of superstition
Fthese ines are ne.I, .here.ith to tide o@er the e4citeAent of his nature!22
<Tis no. the @ery .itching tiAe of night, >hen churchyards ya.n and he itsef breathes out
0ontagion to this .ord! no. coud 3 drink hot bood, And do such bitter business as the day >oud
Duake to ook on6
9aAet, a.ays shrinking back froA the iApuses of his bood, fears that the #e@i Aight once Aore gain
po.er o@er hiA!22
SoftJ no. to Ay AotherJ 7 heart, ose not thy natureJ
This nature of his, incining to Aidness and genteness, he .ishes to preser@e, and he reso@es upon being
<crue, not unnatura6< 3n @ain one seeks here for ogic, and for the boundary bet.een t.o .ords .hich to
ordinary coAAon sense appear synonyAous6 3n Montaigne, ho.e@er, .e disco@er the cue of such a
senseess arguAentation6 3n one of his Essays, 'H*- .hich contains a confusion of ideas that Aight .e
Aake the huAane Shakspere shudder, he .rites!22
<7ur condition, both pubic and pri@ate, is fu of iAperfectionsB yet there is nothing useess in 8ature, not
e@en useessness itsef6666 7ur being is ceAented .ith sicky Duaities! aAbition, jeaousy, en@y,
@engeance, superstition, despair d.e in us, and hod there so natura a possession that their counterfeit is
aso recognised in beastsB for instance, cruety22so unnatura a @ice6 =et he .ho .oud root out the seed of
these Duaities froA the huAan breast .oud destroy the fundaAenta conditions of our ife6<
8o., 9aAet<s resoution to be <crue, but not unnatura,< is but a fresh satire against Montaigne<s train of
thoughts, .ho .oud fain be a 9uAanist, but .ho does not break .ith the reasoning of /oyoa and of the
0hurch, by .hich he perAits hiAsef to be guided as by the coApetent authority, and .hich toerates
cruety22nay, orders its being eApoyed for the furtherance of .hat it cas the <good aiA6<
The idea that cruety is a necessary but usefu e@i, no doubt induced Montaigne 'H$- to decare that to ki
a Aan froA a feeing of re@enge is tantaAount to our protecting hiA, for .e thus <.ithdra. hiA froA our
attacks6< FurtherAore, this 9uAanist argues that re@enge is to be regretted if its object does not fee its
intentionB for, e@en as he .ho takes re@enge intends to deri@e peasure froA it, so he upon .hoA re@enge
is taken Aust percei@e that intention, in order to be harro.ed .ith feeings of pain and repentance6 <To ki
hiA, is to render further attacks against hiA iApossibeB not to re@enge .hat he has done6<
Shakspere aready gi@es 9aAet an opportunity in the foo.ing scene to pro@e to us that there is no
boundary bet.een crue and unnatura conductB and that one cannot be crue and yet reAain natura6 3n
the Aost teing .ords, the cause of 9aAet<s .ant of energy is substantiated6 Fate gi@es the criAina, the
;ing, into the hands of 9aAet6 3t is the Aost iAportant AoAent of the draAa6 A stroke of the s.ord
.oud be enough to do the deed of re@enge6 The cause .hich Aakes 9aAet hesitate is, that the criAina
is engaged in prayer, and that22
9e took Ay father grossy, fu of bread, >ith a his criAes broad2bo.n, as fush as MayB And
ho. his audit stands, .ho kno.s sa@e 9ea@enL
#oes 9aAet, then, EnotE act .ith refined cruetyL
9ere, a ne. thought is inserted, .hich .e Aentioned aready in the beginning, and .hich turns the
baance at the decisi@e AoAent!22
But in our circuAstance and course of thought 3t is hea@y .ith hiA6 'H+-
A Shaksperean hero, .ith dra.n s.ord, ao.s hiAsef to be restrained froA action by the thought that,
because <it is hea@y< .ith his o.n Aurdered father, .ho is suffering in Purgatory, he F9aAetI ought not
to ki the criAina no., but ater on, .hen the atter is deepy .ading in sin22
>hen he is drunk aseep, or in his rage, 666 And that his sou Aay be as daAn<d and back As 9e,
.hereto it goes6
9aAet has been caed a phiosopher .hose energy has been paraysed by too great a range of thought6
For the so@ereignty of huAan reason this is a Aost dangerous preAiss6 #o .e not o.e to the fu and free
use of that reason e@erything great .hich Aankind has createdL 9istory speaks of a thousand heroes Fony
think of Ae4ander, of Juius 0aesar, of Frederick the GreatJI .hose doings con@ince us that a strong
po.er of thought and action can go hand in hand, nay, that the atter cannot be successfu .ithout the
forAer6
But, on the other hand, there is a .ay of thinking .ith preconcei@ed supernatura concusions22or rather,
.e Aust ca it an absence of thinking22.hen Aen ao. theAse@es to be Ao@ed by the circuAstances of
a traditiona course of thought6 Against such inteectua sa@ery the great century of the "eforAation
rose6 And the greatest 9uAanist, Shakspere, scourges that sa@ery in the catharsis of his po.erfu draAa6
Kuestions of reigion .ere not perAitted to be treated on the stage6 But not Aerey the one deepy
inteigent person for .hoA Shakspere asks the payers to act, and for .hoA the great Aaster certainy
endea@oured to .rite22no, the pubic at arge, too, .i ha@e understood that the <course of thought< .hich
induced 9aAet to forego action froA a subte refineAent of cruety, .as not the course of thought
pre@aent on this side of the 0hanne, and hed up, in this iAportant scene, as that of a hero to be adAired6
9aAet reso@ed upon keeping out the sou of 8ero froA his <firA bosoA6< F>hat a satire there is in this
adjecti@e <firA<JI 9e Aeans to be crue, but not unnaturaB he .i <speak daggers, but use none6< A Aan
.ho ets hiAsef be Ao@ed by e4traneous circuAstances is not his o.n Aaster6 3n crue, unnatura
Aanner, for no object .hate@er, he Aurders poor Poonius6 Then he begins to speak daggers in such a
Aanner as to get into a perfect ecstasy6 8or need any priest ha@e been ashaAed of the serAon he preaches
to his o.n Aother6
3n the first edition of <9aAet,< the scene bet.een Aother and son is rather ike a sketch in .hich Aost
things are Aerey indicated, not .orked out6 7ny the part of the Ghost, .ith the e4ception of the ine!22
0onceit in .eakest bodies strongest .orks,
.hich is .anting in the first edition, and 9aAet<s address to the Ghost, are in both Duartos the saAe6
E@en as in the first act, so this tiAe aso, 9aAet, on seeing the Ghost, cas upon the saints!22
Sa@e Ae, and ho@er o<er Ae .ith your .ings, =ou hea@eny guardsJ
This .as the usua course on the occasion of such doubtfu apparitions, of .hich one did not kno.
.hether they .ere <airs of hea@en< or <basts froA he6<
A ne. intercaation is Fin the first Duarto there is no @estige of itI, that 9aAet reproaches his Aother .ith
ha@ing degraded <s.eet reigion< to <a rhapsody of .ordsB< that he says <the #e@i hath conDuered her at
hoodAan bind B< that she shoud confess hersef to 9ea@en, and <assuAe a @irtue if she ha@e it notB< that
<@irtue itsef of @ice Aust pardon beg in the fatness of these pursy tiAes, yea, curb and .oo, for ea@e to
do hiA good6< So aso is the Kueen<s Duestion ne.!22
Ay Ae, .hat act, That roars so oud, and thunders in the Einde4EL 'HH-
There is no trace, in the first Duarto, of the foo.ing Aost characteristic thoughts!22
For, use aAost can change the staAp of 8ature 'H&- And either curb FLI the #e@i, or thro. hiA out
>ith .ondrous potency6666 And .hen you are desirous to be best, 3< bessing beg of you6
/et us figure to ourse@es before .hat pubic 9aAet first sa. the .anderer froA PurgatoryB before .hat
youth he bade 7pheia go to a nunneryB before .hat Aen he reAained inacti@e at the critica AoAent
siApy because the criAina is engaged in his prayers, .hist his o.n Aurdered father died .ithout 9oy
0oAAunion, .ithout ha@ing confessed and recei@ed the E4treAe 1nction6 /et us reAeAber before .hat
audience he purposey Aade the thunders of the 3nde4 roar so oudB at .hat pace he gets into ecstasyB and
.here he first preaches to his Aother that the #e@i Aay be Aastered and thro.n out6
9ere, certainy, .e ha@e Duestions of reigionJ
Shakspere<s genius has kno.n ho. to transport these Aost iAportant Duestions of his tiAe, a.ay froA the
shri contact .ith conteAporary disputes, into the harAonious doAain of the Muses6 9e, and his friends
and patrons, did not ook upon the subjects discussed in this tragedy .ith the passioness, indifferent eyes
of our century6 Many Aen, no doubt, .ere fied .ith the thought, to .hich Bacon soon ga@e a scientific
forA, that the huAan Aind can ony Aake true progress if it turns to.ards the inDuiry into 8ature,
keeping far a.ay froA the haApering infuence of transcendenta dogAas6 The ibera, inteectua
tendencies of the "eforAation .ere not yet fettered in Engand .ith the ne. dogAatic strait .aistcoat of
a narro.2Ainded, Aeanchoy sect6 And Shakspere<s @ie.s, .hich he has eAbodied in <9aAet,< .ere not
in di@inatory ad@ance of his ageB they .ere easiy coAprehensibe to the best of his tiAe6
7ur chief arguAent .i be contained in the chapter in .hich .e sha hear Shakspere<s ad@ersaries aunch
out furiousy against the tendency of this draAa6 Mean.hie, .e .i e4haust the course of its action6
9aAet has aready coAe @ery near to that point of @ie. .here "eason at ast ceases to guide his conduct,
and .here he becoAes con@inced that indiscretion often is of better ser@ice than deep panning6
8o. in Montaigne<s Essay 'HG- aready Aentioned .e read!22<>hen an urgent circuAstance, or any
@ioent or une4pected accident of State necessity, induces a Prince to break his .ord and faith, or
other.ise forces hiA out of his ordinary duty, he is to ascribe that coApusion to a ash of God<s rod6<
The passage in .hich 9aAet consoes hiAsef in regard to the Aurder coAAitted against Poonius is
ne.!22
3 do repent! but hea@en hath peased it so, To punish Ae .ith this, and this .ith Ae, That 3 Aust be
their scourge and Ainister6
9aAet, behoding the @ictiA of his indiscretion, e4cuses hiAsef thus!22
3 Aust be crue, ony to be kind6
The crue deed he has done, he paiates .ith the reAark that o@ingkindness has forced hiA to it6 /o@e of
her God aso forced 0atherine of Medicis to the Aassacre of St6 BarthooAe.6
Thus bad begins, and .orse reAains behind6
=esB .orse is coAingJ 9aAet kno.s that he is to be sent to EngandB that the etters are seaedB that his
t.o schoofeo.s .hoA he trusts as he .i adders, bear the Aandate6 >hat does he do to pre@ent further
AisfortuneL
9e rejoices that22
they Aust s.eep Ay .ay, And Aarsha Ae to kna@ery6 'HM-
9e enjoys, in ad@ance, the s.eet presentiAent of re@enge .hich he intends taking upon theA6 9e ets
things go .ithout hindrance!22
/et it .orkJ For <tis sport to ha@e the engineer 9oist .ith his o.n petard6
9e enjoys his o.n crafty poicy .hich sha bo. his schoo2friends, "osencrantC and Guidenstern F.ho
yet, so far as he kno.s, ha@e not been guity in any .ay to.ards hiAJI <at the Aoon!<22
7, <tis Aost s.eet >hen in one ine t.o crafts directy Aeet6
Because 9aAet gi@es utterance to high2sounding thoughts, to sentiAenta dreaAs, and Aeanchoy
subteties, it has been assuAed that his character is one nourished .ith the poet<s o.n heart<s bood6 A
thousand tiAes the nobe sentiAent of duty has been d.et upon, .hich it is aeged he is inspired .ithB
and on account of his fine .ords he has been Aore taken a fancy to than any other Shaksperian figure6
But that .as not the poet<s object6 Great deeds .ere Aore to hiA than the finest .ords6 9is
conteAporaries understood hiAB for Montaigne22as .e sha pro@e22.as gi@en o@er to the o.est scorn of
the age through <9aAet,< because the .hoe reasoning of 9aAet not ony .as a fruitess, but a pernicious
one6
3n the fourth scene of the fourth act, the poet describes the fraAe of Aind of the hero before he steps on
board ship6 <E4citeAents of his reason and his bood< once Aore ca hiA to re@enge6 This Aonoogue, in
.hich 9aAet gi@es e4pression to his feeings and thoughts, is ony in the Duarto of *G%H6 The foio of
*G$+ does not contain it6 Shakspere, in ater years, Aay ha@e thought that the sou2strugge of his hero had
been endedB and so he Aay ha@e regarded the passage as a superfuous one, in .hich 9aAet<s better sef
once Aore asks hiA to seiCe the reins of destiny .ith his o.n hands6
9e sees ho. young Fortinbras, the deicate and tender prince, <puff<d .ith di@ine aAbition, Aouthes the
in@isibe e@ent for a piece of and not arge enough to hide the sain6< 9aAet phiosophises that the Aan
.ho uses not his god2ike reason is but a beastB for22
229e that Aade us .ith such arge discourse /ooking before and after, ga@e us not That capabiity and
god2ike reason, To fust in us unused6
>e further hear ho. 9aAet reasons about the Duestion as to ho. <to be righty great6< A the thoughts he
produces, seeA to fo. froA the pen of the French phiosopher6 3n Essay 3336 F*+I of Montaigne .e read
the beautifu .ords that <the nobest Aaster2.ork of Aan is to i@e for a purpose Fyi@re d froposI,<
and!22<The greatness of the sou does not consist so Auch in dra.ing up.ards, and haing for.ards, than
in kno.ing ho. to range and to circuAscribe itsef6 3t hods e@erything to be great, .hich is sufficient in
itsef6 3t sho.s its superiority in Aore o@ing huAbe things than eAinent ones6<
To the Aajesty of the huAan reason aso, Montaigne, in spite of his so often condeAning it, kno.s ho. to
render justice6 3n Essay 36 FH%I he reAarks! <Sha .e then dare to say that this ad@antage of reason at
.hich .e rejoice so @ery Auch, and out of respect for .hich .e hod ourse@es to be ords and eAperors
of a other creatures, has been put into us for our torAentL >hy stri@e for the kno.edge of things if .e
becoAe Aore co.ardy therebyL if .e ose, through it, the rest and the tranDuiity in .hich .e shoud be
.ithout itL 666 Sha .e use the inteect that has been gi@en to us for our greatest good, to effect our ruinB
coAbating the designs of 8ature and the genera order of things .hich iApies that e@eryone shoud use
his toos and Aeans for his o.n con@enienceL<
8obe thoughtsJ But it is not enough to pay an aesthetic gaAe .ith theA6 The energetic Engish genius
.ishes that they shoud reguate our ifeB that .e shoud act in accordance .ith theA, so that no tragic
coApication shoud forA itsef, .hich coud ony be so@ed by the ruin and death of the innocent
together .ith the guity6 The Aonoogue concudes thus!22
7, froA this tiAe forth, My thoughts be boody, or be nothing .orthJ
8e@ertheess, 9aAet continues his @oyage6
The reader .i reAeAber that Montaigne spoke of an instincti@e iApuse of the .i22a daiAon22by .hich
he often, and to his fina ad@antage, had ao.ed hiAsef to be guided, so Auch so that such strong
iApuses Aight be attributed to di@ine inspiration6 A daiAon of this kind, under .hose infuence 9aAet
acts, is described in the second scene of the fifth act6 The passage is .anting in the first Duarto6 'H)-
9aAet tes 9oratio ho. he ay in the ship, and ho. in his heart there .as a kind of fighting .hich
.oud not et hiA seep6 This harassing condition, the resut of his unAany indecision, he depicts in these
.ords!22
Methought 3 ay >orse than the Autines in the biboes6
Then a at once Fho. coud an iApusi@e Aanner of action be better describedLI, before he coud <Aake a
proogue to his brains,< 9aAet ets hiAsef be o@ercoAe by such a daiAonic infuence6 9e breaks open
the grand coAAission of others, forges a sea .ith a signet in his possession, becoAes a Aurderer of t.o
innocent Aen, and dra.s the e@i concusion therefroA!22
/et us kno., 7ur indiscretion soAetiAes ser@es us .e, >hen our deep pots do paB and that shoud
earn us, There<s a di@inity that shapes our ends, "ough2he. theA ho. .e .i6
This @ie. .e ha@e aready Duoted froA Essay 3336 F*$I6 3n Forio<s transation FG+$I!22<Therefore do our
dessigns so often Aiscarry6666 The hea@ens are angry, and 3 Aay say en@ious of the e4tension and arge
pri@iege .e ascribe to huAan .isdoAe, to the prejudice of theirs! and abridge theA so Aore unto us, by
so Auch Aore .e endea@our to aApifie theA6<
9aAet takes the t.ofod Aurder coAAitted against "osencrantC and Guidenstern as itte to heart as the
<indiscreet< deed by .hich Poonius .as kied6 Then the consoation .as sufficient for hiA that
o@ingkindness had forced hiA to be crue6 This tiAe, his conscience is not touched, because22
<t is dangerous .hen the baser nature coAes Bet.een the pass and fe incensed points 7f Aighty
opposites6
>ith such arguAentation e@ery tyranny Aay be paiated, especiay by those .ho, ike 9aAet, think
that22
A Aan<s ife <s no Aore than to say <7ne6<
=et another pecuiarity of Montaigne<s coApe4 being is depicted by Shakspere in the gra@eyard scene6
9e sho.s us e@ery side of this .hiAsica character .ho says of hiAsef that he has no staying po.er for
any standpoint, but that he is dri@en about by incacuabe eAergencies6
/et us read a passage in Essay 33 F*$I, and coApare it .ith 9aAet<s enigAatic conduct to.ards /aertes6
Montaigne describes hiAsef in these sentences!22<Being of a soft and soAe.hat hea@y teAperaAent, 3
ha@e no great e4perience of those @ioent agitations .hich Aosty coAe ike a surprise upon our Aind
.ithout ao.ing it eisure to coect itsef6< 3n spite of the resistance22he further says22.hich he
endea@oured to offer, e@en he, ho.e@er, .as occasionay thus seiCed6 9e fet these agitations rising and
gro.ing in, and becoAing Aaster o@er, hiAsef6 As in drunkenness, things then appeared to hiA
other.ise than he usuay sa. theA6 <3 Aanifesty sa. the ad@antages of the object .hich 3 sought after,
augAenting and gro.ingB and 3 fet theA becoAing greater and s.eing by the .ind of Ay iAagination6 3
fet the difficuties of Ay enterprise becoAing easier and siAper, Ay reasoning and Ay conscience
dra.ing back6 But, that fire being gone, a of a sudden, as .ith the fash of ightning, Ay Aind resuAed
another @ie., another condition, another judgAent6<
3n this Aanner 9aAet conducts hiAsef to.ards /aertes6 A great grief takes possession of hiA .hen he
hears of the death of 7pheia! he eaps, ike /aertes, into her gra@eB he grappes .ith hiAB he .arns hiA
that, though <not speneti@e and rash,< he F9aAetI yet has <soAething dangerous< in hiA6 F9e Aeans the
daiAon .hich so fatay iApeed hiA against "osencrantC and Guidenstern6I 9aAet and /aertes
.reste, but they are parted by the attendants6 9aAet begins boasting, in high2fo.n anguage, of .hat
great things he .oud be abe to do6
The Kueen describes 9aAet<s rage in these .ords!22
And thus a.hie the fit .i .ork on hiAB Anon, as patient as the feAae do@e, >hen that her goden
coupets are discosed, 9is sience .i sit drooping6 'H,-
3n the AeantiAe, the fire .ith .hich 9aAet<s sou had been seiCed, is gone, ike a fash of ightning6 9e
changes to another point of @ie.22probaby that one according to .hich e@erything goes its .ay in
coApiance .ith a hea@eny decree6 The itte @erse he recites in parting!22
/et 9ercues hiAsef do .hat he Aay, The cat .i Ae. and dog .i ha@e his day,
Duite corresponds to such a passi@e phiosophy .hich has gained the Aastery o@er hiA, and to .hich he
soon fas a @ictiA6
>e are approaching the concusion of the great draAa6 9ere, again, in order to e4pain 9aAet<s action, or
rather his yieding to infuences around hiA, .e ha@e to direct the attention of the reader to Essay F3336
*%I, in .hich Montaigne tes ho. easiy he protects hiAsef against the dangers of in.ard agitation by
dropping the subject .hich threatens to becoAe troubesoAe to hiA before he is dra.n on and carried
aong by it6 The doughty nobeAan says that he has escaped froA Aany difficuties by not staking
fri@oousy, ike others, happiness and honour, ife and e@erything, on his <rapier and his dagger6< '&%-
There Aay be soAe truth in Montaigne<s charge that the cause of not a fe. strugges he has seen, .as
often of truy pitifu origin, and that such strugges .ere ony carried on froA a Aistaken feeing of sef2
respect6 3t Aay be true aso that it is a bad habit22as he Aaintains22to proceed sti further in affairs of this
kind siApy because one is iApicated6 But ho. strange a confession of a nobeAan froA .hoA .e at a
tiAes e4pect bra@ery! <For .ant of judgeAent our hearte fais us6< '&*-
9aAet is engaged in such a strugge .ith /aertes through the gra@eyard scene6 The ;ing, .ho has had
good cause to study 9aAet<s character Aore deepy than anyone ese, reckons upon his @anity in order to
decide hiA to the fencing2Aatch6 <"apier and dagger< are forced upon .eak2.ied 9aAet by 7sric6 '&$-
9o. subte is this satireJ For appearance< sake, in order to outshine /aertes, the Prince accepts the
chaenge6 '&+- 9appiness and ife, .hich he ought ong ago to ha@e risked for the purpose of a@enging
his father and his honour, are no. staked froA sheer @anity6 The <.ant of prudence< 9aAet dispays in
accepting a chaenge .hich he Aust <carry out froA a FAistakenI feeing of sef2respect,< has the
<intoerabe< conseDuence that, shorty before he crosses s.ords .ith /aertes, he confesses to
9oratio!22<But thou .oud<st not think ho. i a<s here about Ay heart6<
Again, Shakspere, @ery briefy, but not ess pointedy, depicts the .ay in .hich 9aAet ao.s hiAsef to
be infuenced and dri@en to a decision6 This tiAe the poet does so by bringing in a ceary e4pressed
dogAatic tenet .hereby 9aAet<s fate is seaed6 3t is <i a about his heart6< 9e .oud prefer not going to
Aeet /aertes6 '&H-
E9oratioE6 3f your Aind disike anything, obey it6 3 .i foresta their repair hither, and say you are not
fit6
The fataist 9aAet, .hoA .e ha@e seen coAing e@er coser to the doctrine of Predestination, ans.ers as
foo.s!22
<8ot a .hitB .e defy auguryB there is specia pro@idence in the fa of a sparro.6 '&&- 3f it be no., <tis
not to coAeB if it be not to coAe, it .i be no.B if it be not no., yet it .i coAeB the readiness is a6
Since no Aan has aught of .hat he ea@es, .hat is<t to ea@e betiAesL /et be6<
This tiAe it is a </et beJ<22e@en as it .as a </et it go< .hen he .as sent to Engand6
8o. et us read Montaigne<s Essay, '&G- <To Phiosophise is to /earn ho. to #ie!<22
<7ur reigion has had no surer huAan foundation than the conteApt of ife6 8ot ony does the course of
our reason ead us that .ayB for, .hy shoud .e fear to ose a thing .hich, .hen ost, cannot be
regrettedL22but aso, seeing that .e are threatened by so Aany kinds of death, is it not a greater
incon@enience to fear theA a than to endure oneL >hat does it Aatter .hen #eath coAes, since it is
ine@itabeL666 Moreo@er, nobody dies before his hour6 The tiAe you ea@e behind .as no Aore yours than
that .hich .as before your birth, and concerns you no Aore6<
8o further coAAent is needed to pro@e that 9aAet<s and Montaigne<s thoughts are in so cose a
connection that it cannot be a Aere accident6 And the nearer .e coAe to the concusion of the draAa, the
Aore striking becoAe Shakspere<s satirica hits6
9aAet ao.s his hand to be put into that of /aertes by the ;ing6 9e does not think of the .rong he has
done to /aertes22of the Aurder of the atter<s father, or the unhappiness he has criAinay brought upon
/aertes< sister6 3n Aost co.ardy Aanner, hoping that /aertes .oud desist froA the coAbat, 9aAet
endea@ours to e4cuse his conduct at the gra@e of 7pheia, by peading his o.n Aadness6 /aertes insists on
the coAbatB adding that he .oud stand aoof <ti by soAe eder Aasters of kno.n honour< the decision
.ere gi@en6
9aAet a@enges the death of his fatherB he kis the criAina, the eneAy, .hen his .rath is up and afaAe,
and e@ery Ausce of his is s.eed .ith indignation22but it is Etoo ateE6 Together .ith hiAsef, he has
dragged theA a into the gra@e6 3t is bind passion, unbrided by reason, .hich does the deed! a subiAe
satire upon the .ords of Montaigne in Essay 336 F*$I, <that the Aost beautifu actions of the sou proceed
froA, and ha@e need of, this iApuse of passionB @aour, they say, cannot becoAe perfect .ithout the hep
of .rathB and that nobody pursues the .icked and the eneAies .ith sufficient energy, e4cept he be
thoroughy in anger6<
E@en the kind of death by .hich Shakspere Aakes 9aAet ose his ife, ooks ike a satire against
Montaigne6 The atter, a.ays a co.ard in regard to death, and continuay pondering o@er it, says!
'&M-22<3 .oud rather ha@e chosen to drink the potion of Sokrates than .ound Aysef as 0ato did6< Their
<@irtuous deeds< he cas '&)- <@ain and fruitess ones, because they .ere done froA no o@e of, or
obedience to, the true 0reator of a things6<
9aAet dies .ounded and poisoned, as if Shakspere had intended e4pressing his abhorrence of so
@aciating and .eak2.ied a character, .ho paces the treacherous e4cesses of passion abo@e the po.er
of that huAan reason in .hose free ser@ice aone Greeks and "oAans did their Aost e4ated deeds of
@irtue6 '&,-
The subtety of the best psychoogists has endea@oured to fi4 the iAits of 9aAet<s Aadness, and to find
the proper naAe for it6 8o agreeAent has been arri@ed at6 >e think .e ha@e so@ed the probeA as to the
nature of 9aAet<s Aadness, and to ha@e sho.n .hy thought and action, in hiA, cannot be brought into a
satisfactory harAony6 E@ery fibre in Shakspere<s artistic Aind .oud ha@e rebeed against the idea of
Aaking a unatic the chief figure of his greatest draAa6 9e .ished to .arn his conteAporaries that the
atteApt of reconciing t.o opposite circes of ideas22naAey, on the one hand, the doctrine that .e are to
be guided by the a.s of 8atureB and on the other, the yieding ourse@es up to superstitious dogAas
.hich decare huAan nature to be sinfu22Aust ine@itaby produce deeds of Aadness6
The Aain traits of Montaigne<s character Shakspere confers upon the #anish Prince, and paces hiA
before a difficut task of ife6 9e is to a@enge his father<s death6 FMontaigne .as attached to his father .ith
a his sou, and speaks of hiA aAost in the saAe .ords as 9aAet does of his o.n6I 9e is to preser@e the
State .hose egitiAate so@ereign he is6 The Aaterias for a satire are coApete6 And it is .ritten in such a
Aanner as to reAain the nobest, the Aost subiAe poetica production as ong as Aen sha i@e6
The t.o circes of ideas .hich in the century of the "eforAation began a strugge that is not yet brought
to an end, are, in that draAa, represented on the stage6 The poet sho.s, by Aaking the gifted Prince
perish, on .hich side e@ery serious thinker ought to pace hiAsef6 That these intentions of Shakspere
.ere understood by his Aore inteigent conteAporaries and friends, .e sha pro@e .hen .e coAe to the
caAp of his ad@ersaries, at .hose head a "oAan 0athoic stood, .ho aunches out in @ery Aarked
anguage against the derision of Montaigne as contained in the character of 9aAet6
The nobeAen .ho .ent to the theatre for the sake of the inteectua attractions Fthe fairer se4 being sti
e4cuded froA acting on the stage and therefore not forAing a point of attractionI .ere initiated into the
innerAost secret of .hat authors Aeant by their productions6 #ekker, in his <Gus 9orn Book< Fc6 GI,
reports that <after the pay .as o@er, poets adjourned to supper .ith knights, .here they, in pri@ate,
unfoded the secret parts of their draAa to theA6<
As in no other of his pays, there is in Shakspere<s <9aAet<22the draAa richest in phiosophy22a perfect
.eath of ife6 ArguAent is pitted against arguAentB e@ery turn of a phrase is a Aissie, sharp, and hitting
the Aark6 3n not a fe. cases, the aiA and object is no onger recognisabe6 9ere and there .e beie@e .e
sha be abe to shed the ight of day upon soAe dark passages of the past6
To the doughty friends of Shakspere, this French ;night of the 7rder of St6 Michae, .ho says 'G%- that,
if his freedoA .ere in the east encroached upon, or <if the a.s under .hich he i@es threatened Aerey
the tip of his finger, he .oud at once betake hiAsef to any other pace to find better onesB< but .ho yet
ets e@erything around hiA go out of joint .ithout offering a heping hand for repair, because <the
Aaintenance of States is probaby soAething beyond our po.ers of understanding< 'G*-22@eriy, to
Shakspere<s doughty friends, such a speciAen of huAanity as Montaigne Aust ha@e been Duite a ne. and
strange phenoAenon6 They .ere chidren of an age .hich achie@ed great things because its nober natures
.iingy suffered death .hen the ideas of their ife .ere to be reaised6 3n theA, the fire of enthusiasA of
the first "eforAation, of the gorious tiAe of EiCabeth, .as sti go.ing6 They energeticay chaApioned
the cause of 9uAanisA6 The subiAe conceptions of their epoch .ere not yet Aarred by that dark and
gooAy set of Aen .hose Aischie@ous AeAbers .ere just beginning to hatch their hidden pans in the
Aost reAote Aanors of Engand6
The friends of Shakspere .e understood the true Aeaning of 9aAet<s .ords! 'G$-22<>hat shoud such
feo.s as 3 do cra.ing bet.een earth and hea@enL< 'G+- They easiy seiCed the gist and point of the
ans.er gi@en to the ;ing<s Duestion! 'GH-22<9o. fares our cousin 9aAetL< .hen 9aAet repies!22
E4ceent, i< faithB of the chaAeeon<s dishJ
Surey, soAe of theA had read the Essay <7n the 3nconsistency of our Actions,< and had sAied at the
passage!22
<7ur ordinary Aanner is, to foo. the incination of our appetite22this .ay, that .ayB up.ards,
do.n.ardsB e@en as the .ind of the occasion dri@es us6 >e ne@er think of .hat E.e .oud ha@eE, but at
the AoAent .e E.oud ha@e itEB and E.e change ike that aniAaE Fthe chaAeeonI of .hich it is said
that it takes the coour of the pace .here it is aid do.n6< 'G&-
Shakspere<s teaching is, that if the nober2gifted Aan .ho stands at the head of the coAAon.eath, ao.s
hiAsef to be dri@en about by e@ery .ind of the occasion, instead of furthering his better aiAs .ith a his
strength and energy of .i, the .icked, on their part, .i a the Aore easiy carry out their o.n ends6 9e
therefore Aakes the ;ing say! 'GG-22
That .e .oud do, >e shoud do .hen .e .oudB for this <.oud< changes666
Shakspere<s friends understood the ausion contained in the first act, after the apparition of the Ghost,
.hen 9aAet cas for his <tabets6< They kne. that the Auch2scribbing Montaigne .as Aeant, .ho, as he
a@o.s, had so bad a AeAory that he coud not recei@e any coAAission .ithout .riting it do.n in his
<tabets< FEtabettesEI6 This defect of his, Montaigne Aentions o@er and o@er again, and Aay ha@e been the
cause of his Aany Aost udicrous contradictions6 'GM-
After 9aAet has .ritten do.n the iAportant fact that <one Aay sAie, and sAie, and be a @iain22at east,
3 aA sure it Aay be so in #enAark,< he e4caiAs!22<8o. to Ay .ordJ< That <.ord< undoubtedy consists of
the adAonition addressed to hiA by the Ghost, that 9aAet, after ha@ing heard his duty, aso shoud fufi
it22that is!22
<So art thou to re@enge, .hen thou shat hear6<
But he ony recoects the ast .ords of the GhostB and 9aAet<s paroe, therefore, is ony this!22
Adieu, adieu, adieuJ "eAeAber AeJ
The @aue of Montaigne<s book is harshy treated in the second scene of the second act6 To the Duestion of
Poonius as to .hat he is reading, 9aAet repies!22<>ords, .ords, .ordsJ< 3ndeed, Shakspere did not
think it fair that <the satirica rogue< shoud fi the paper .ith such reAarks F.hoe Essays of Montaigne
consist of siAiar useess pratteI as <that od Aen ha@e grey beardsB that their faces are .rinkedB their
eyes purging thick aAber and puA2tree guAB and that they ha@e a pentifu ack of .it, together .ith
Aost .eak haAs6< 'G)-
The ideas of Shakspere as to the duties of a .riter .ere different, indeed, froA the contents of the book
.hich 9aAet characterises by his e4caAation6
As to Poonius< ans.er! <Though this be Aadness, yet there<s Aethod in it,< the pubic had no difficuty in
finding out .hat .as Aeant by that <Aadness,< and to .hoA it appied6
>hat Aay the great Aaster ha@e thought of an author .ho, as Montaigne does, jots do.n e@erything in
kaeidoscopic Aanner, just as changefu accident brings it into his headL 3n Essay 3336 F$I .e read!22
<3 cannot get a fi4ed hod of Ay object6 3t Ao@es and rees as if .ith a natura drunkenness6 3 just seiCe
it at soAe point, such as 3 find it at the AoAent, .hen 3 aAuse Aysef .ith it6 3 do not describe its
essence, but its @oatie passage 666 froA one Ainute to the other6<
Ese.here he prides hiAsef on his Aethod of being abe to .rite as ong as there is paper and ink6
9aAet says to the payers! <>e< e<en to it ike French faconers! fy at anything .e see6< Montaigne<s
Aanner of spying out and pouncing upon things cannot be better depicted than by coAparing it .ith a
French faconer<s Aanner6 3n the first act aready, 9aAet, after the ghost2scene, ans.ers the friends .ho
approach, .ith the hoa2ca of a faconer!22
9io, ho, ho, boyB coAe, bird, coAeJ
FurtherAore, 9aAet says in act ii6 sc6 $!22<3 aA but Aad north2north2.est6 >hen the .ind is southery, 3
kno. a ha.k froA a handsha. Fheronsha.JI6< 8o., the north2.est .ind .oud dri@e Montaigne back
into his nati@e pro@ince, Perigord, .here, @ery ikey according to Shakspere<s @ie., he ought to ha@e
reAained .ith his shaA ogic6 The south .ind, on the contrary, brings the abe faconer to Engand6 The
atter possesses such a penetrating gance for the nature of things as to be abe to distinguish the bird Fthe
heronsha.I that is to be pursued froA the ha.k that has been unhooded and cast6
3n the second scene of the fifth act, bet.een 9aAet and 9oratio Fto the .eak2Ainded 7srick the .ords
spoken there are incoAprehensibeI, the e4ceent Duaities of /aertes are apparenty judged6 'G,- This
.hoe discussion is Aeant against MontaigneB and in the first Duarto the chief points are .anting6 Forio
cas Montaigne<s Essays <Mora, Poitica, and Miitary #iscourses6< 'M%- 7srick praises the Duaities of
the ca@aier .ho has returned froA FranceB and 9aAet repies that <to di@ide hiA in@entoriy .oud diCCy
the arithAetic of AeAory6<
The further, hitherto uttery une4pained, .ords F<and yet but ya. neither in respect of his Duick sai<I
seeA to ha@e reference to the sonnet 'M*- by .hich the third book of the Essays is dedicated by Forio to
/ady Grey6 Montaigne is praised therein under the guise of Tabot<s naAe, .ho, <in peace or .ar, at sea or
and, for princes< ser@ice, countries< good, s.eety sais before the .ind6< 3n act ii6 sc6 $, the north2north2
.est and the south .ind .ere aready auded to, .hich are said to infuence 9aAet<s Aadness6
The transators and adAirers of Montaigne are Aeant .hen 9aAet says that <to Aake true diction of hiA,
his seAbabe< Aust be <his AirrorB and, .ho ese .oud trace hiA, his uAbrage22nothing Aore6< That is,
one Aust be Montaigne, or becoAe his absoute adAirer, <his uAbrage,< <his seAbabe,< in order to do
justice to hiA6 The .hoe scene is fu of ausions, easiy e4painabe froA the point of @ie. .e ha@e
indicated6 So aso, the reference to sef2kno.edge F<to kno. hiAsefI 22an art .hich Montaigne ne@er
earnt and the <t.o .eapons< .ith .hich he fights, are fu of deep Aeaning6
3t .as probaby no sAa nuAber of Aen that took deight in the French essayist6 8o doubt, the jest of the
gra@edigger is directed against theA, .hen he says that if the Aad 9aAet does not reco@er his .its in
Engand, it is no great Aatter there, because there the Aen are as Aad as he6
Montaigne, especiay in Essay 3336 F$I and 3336 F&I, brings for.ard indecencies of the Aost shaAeess
kind6 >e Duite bear in Aind .hat period it .as .hen he .rote6 7ur Aanners and ideas are totay
different froA those of the si4teenth century6 But .hat indignation Aust Shakspere ha@e fet22he .ho had
aready created his nobest feAae characters, 9eena and 7i@iaB and .ho had sung his paean of o@e,
<"oAeo and Juiet<22.hen he read the ideas of the French nobeAan about o@e and .oAenJ 8o.here, and
on no occasion, does Shakspere in his draAas, in spite of phrases .hich to2day .e Duaify as obscene
ones, o.er the idea of the .oAany character22of the Ee.ig >eibicheE6
But et us read Montaigne<s @ie.! 'M$-22
<3 find that o@e is nothing ese than a thirst of enjoying a desired subjectB nor that :enus is anything ese
but the peasure of eAptying one<s seAinary @esses, siAiar to the peasure .hich 8ature has gi@en us in
discharging other parts6<
8o., this significant Duaity aso, of saying indecencies .ithout shaAe, 9aAet has in coAAon .ith
Montaigne6 8o character in Shakspere<s draAas uses such anguage as 9aAetB and in this case, et it be
obser@ed, it is not used bet.een Aen, but to.ards the beo@ed oneJ >e sha reAark upon his reations
.ith 7pheia ater on6
The fri@oous Montaigne speaks of o@e as one Aight do of a good dish to be enjoyed at e@ery degree of
age, according to taste and incination6 3n Essay 3336FHI .e earn ho., in his youth, <standing in need of a
@eheAent di@ersion for the sake of distraction, he Aade hiAsef aAorous by art and study6< Ese.here he
tes .hat great things he .as abe, as a young Aan, to achie@e in this ine6 'M+- 9e, therefore, does not
agree .ith the sage .ho praises age because it frees us froA @ouptuousness6 'MH-
9e, on the contrary, says!22<3 sha ne@er take kindy to iApotence, .hate@er good it Aay do Ae6<
Montaigne, the od and young o@er, is ashed in act @6 sc6 3, in disfigured @erses of a song sung by the
gra@e2digger, .hich dates about froA the year *&&M, and at Shakspere<s tiAe probaby .as @ery popuar6
3n the origina, .here the iAage of death is Aeant to be represented, an od Aan ooks back in repentance,
and .ith great a@ersion, upon his youthfu days .hen he found peasure in o@e6 The origina @erse stood
thus!22
3 othe that 3 did o@e, 3n youth that 3 thought s.ete, As tiAe reDuires for Ay beho@e, Methinks they
are not Aete6
1nti no., no sense coud be Aade of the first @erse .hich the gra@edigger sings6 3t runs thus!22
3n youth, .hen 3 did o@e, did o@e, Methought it .as @ery s.eet, To contract, 79J the tiAe, for, A9J
Ay beho@e, 7, Aethought, there .as nothing Aeet6
/et it be obser@ed .hat stress is aid on the <7hJ<22the proper tiAe, and the <AhJ<22the deight fet at the
AoAent of enjoyAent6 The Aeaning of the od @erse is changed in such a Aanner as to sho. that od
Montaigne ooks back .ith peasure upon the tiAe of his dissoute youth, .hist the author of the origina
te4t shrinks back froA it6
The second @erse 'M&- is a further persifage of the od song6 3ts reading, too, is changed6 3t is said there
that age, .ith his steaing steps, as ca.ed the o@er in his cutch 'MG- and shipped hiA into the and as if
he <ne@er had been such6<
By none has the reation bet.een 7pheia and 9aAet been better fet and described than by Goethe6 9e
cas her <the good chid in .hose sou, secrety, a @oice of @ouptuousness resounds6< 9aAet .ho22dri@en
rudderess by his iApuse, his passion, his daiAon, froA one e4treAe to the other22drags e@erything that
surrounds hiA into the abyss, aso destroys the future of the .oAan that Aight truy Aake hiA happy6 9e
diso.ns and rejects her .hoA 8ature has forAed for o@e6 At a AoAent .hen fanatica thoughts ha@e
Aastered his reason, he bids her go to a nunnery6
7nce Aore .e Aust point to the Essay in .hich Montaigne ays do.n his ideas about .oAan and o@e6
French adies, he says, study Boccaccio and such2ike .riters, in order to becoAe skifu FEhabiesEI6 <But
there is no .ord, no e4aApe, no singe step in that Aatter .hich they do not kno. better than our books
do6 That is a kno.edge bred in their @ery @eins 666 9ad not this natura @ioence of their desires been
soAe.hat brided by the fear and a feeing of honour .here.ith they ha@e been pro@ided, .e .oud be
dishonoured FEdiffaAeCEI6< Montaigne says he kno.s adies .ho .oud rather end their honour than their
<EcoachE6< 'MM-
<At ast, .hen 7pheia has no onger any po.er o@er her o.n Aind,< says Goethe, <her heart being on her
tongue, that tongue becoAes a traitor against her6< 'M)-
3n the scene of 7pheia<s Aadness, .e hear songs, thoughts, and phrases probaby caught up by her froA
9aAet6 The idea .hich Aan forAs of .oAan, is the Aora atitude on .hich she stands6 8o., et the
anguage be caed to Aind, .hich 9aAet, before the payers< scene, uses to.ards his beo@edJ
7pheia<s .ords! <0oAe, Ay EcoachE 'M,-< .i be understood froA the passage in Montaigne abo@e
Duoted6 The Aeaning of! <7h, ho. the E.heeE becoAes itJ< has reference to a thought de@eoped by
Montaigne in Essay 3336 F**I, ')%- .hich .e cannot render here, as it is opposed to e@ery feeing of
decency6
A coAAentators agree in thinking that the character of /aertes is in direct contrast to that of 9aAet6 3n
the first Duarto, the figure of /aertes is but rapidy indicated6 7ny that scene is .orked out .here he cries
out against the priest .ho .i not foo. his sister to the gra@e!22
A Ainistering ange sha Ay sister be6 >hen thou iest ho.ing6
3n the second Duarto ony, .e Aeet .ith the Aost characteristic speeches in .hich the strong2.ied
/aertes, ')*- unAindfu of any future .ord, cas for re@enge .ith e@ery drop of his indignant bood!22
To 9e, aegianceJ :o.s, to the backest de@isJ 0onscience and grace, to the profoundest pitJ 3 dare
daAnation6666 666 Both the .ords 3 gi@e to negigence, /et coAe .hat coAes 666 666 to cut his throat i< the
church6
That passage, too, is ne., in .hich 7pheia<s Aadness is e4pained as the conseDuence of bighted o@e!22
8ature is fine in o@e, and .here <t is fine, 3t sends soAe precious instance of itsef After the thing it
o@es6
9er o.n reason, .hich succuAbs to her o@e, is the precious token6
3n the saAe .ay, those .ords are not in the first Duarto, in .hich /aertes gi@es @ent to the oppressed
feeings of his heart, on hearing of the death of his sister!22
8ature her custoA hods, /et shaAe say .hat it .i6 >hen these Fthe tearsI are gone, The .oAan .i
be out6
A those beautifu precepts, aso, .hich /aertes gi@es to his sister, are .anting in the Duarto of *G%+6 ')$-
9aAet is the Aost po.erfu phiosophica production, in the doAain of poetry, .ritten at the Aost critica
epoch of Aankind22the tiAe of the "eforAation6 The greatest Engish genius recognised that it .as
e@eryone<s duty to set a tiAe out of joint to right6 Shakspere sho.ed to his nobe friends a gifted and
nobe Aan .hose ife becoAes a scourge for hiA and his surroundings, because he is not guided by Aany
courage and conscience, but by superstitious notions and forAuas6
This coossa draAa ranges froA the thorny, far2stretching fieds .hich Aan, ony trusting in hiAsef, has
to .ork .ith the s.eat of his bro., to that .onder2and of Aystery22
>here these good tidings of great joy are heard6 ')+-
3f the principes that are fought out in this draAa, in tragic confict, .ere to be described by catch.ords,
.e Aight say! "eason stands against #ogAaB 8ature against TraditionB Sef2"eiance against SubAission6
The great eeAentary forces are here at issue, .hich the "eforAation had unchained, and .ith .hich .e
a ha@e to reckon6
Shakspere<s o@ing, nobe heart beautifuy does justice to the defeated 9aAet by Aaking hiA be borne to
his gra@e <ike a sodier,< .ith a the honouring <rites of .ar6< The poet .ho kne. the huAan heart so .e,
no doubt had seen Aany bra@e and gifted Aen .ho, after ha@ing been to >ittenberg<s 9as of 3nteectua
FreedoA, and becoAe discipes of 9uAanisA, once Aore .ere turned into sa@es of dogAas .hich, under
a ne. guise, not ess restricted the free use of reason than the tenets of the od faith had done!22
Sure, he that Aade us .ith such arge discourse, /ooking before and after, ga@e us not The capabiity
and god2ike reason To fust in us unused6
The ife of the Aost gifted reAains fruitess if, through fear of .hat Aay befa us in a future .ord, .e
cra@eny shrink back froA foo.ing the dictates of our reason and our conscience6 FroA theA .e Aust
take the Aandate and coAAission for the task of our ifeB not froA any Aysterious Aessenger, nor froA
any ghost out of Purgatory6 7n the .ay to action, no <gobin daAned< Aust be ao.ed to cross our path
.ith his assuAed terrors6 That .hich .e fee to be right .e Aust do, e@en if <it be the @ery .itching tiAe
of night, and he breathes contagion into the .ord6<
Shakspere broke .ith a antiDuated doctrines6 9e .as one of the foreAost 9uAanists in the fuest and
nobest Aeaning of the .ord6 ')H-
*! Essay 336 *$6
$! Essay 36 $G6
+! The .hoe contents of this chapter Aay be said to be condensed into t.o ines of Shakspere!22
<There are Aore things in hea@en and earth, 9oratio, Than are dreaAt of in your phiosophy6<
H! Essay 3336 *+6
&! See Bacon<s Essay <7f SiAuation and #issiAuation,< .here he says that <dissiAuation foo.eth
Aany tiAes upon secrecy by a necessity! so that he that .i be secret Aust be a disseAber in soAe
degree,< Nc6
G! The foo.ing are 9aAet<s Aodes of asse@eration!22 <Anges and Ainisters of grace,< <A you host of
9ea@en,< <God<s o@e,< <God and Aercy,< <God<s .iing,< <9ep and Aercy,< <God<s o@e,< <By St6 Patrick,<
<God2a2Aercy,< <By Ay fay FEAa foiEI,< <S< bood FGod<s boodI,< <S< .ounds,< <God<s bodykins,< <By<r
/ady,< <Perdy FEPardieuEI,< <By the rood F0rossI,< <9ea@eny guards,< <For o@e and grace,< <By the
/ord,< <Pray God,< Nc6
M! 8e. Shakspere Society FStubbs, EAbuses in EngandEI, *)M,, p6 *+*6
)! Act ii6 sc6 $6
,! Act ii6 sc6 i6
*%! This description is .anting in the first Duarto6 The passages there are essentiay differentB there is
no ausion to 9aAet<s Aenta strugge6
**! About @arious ausions and satirica hints in this scene ater on6
*$! Forio, $*B Montaigne, 36 ii6
*+! Essay 3336 i6
*H! 3saiah, ch6 iii6 @6 *G6
*&! The .ord <ecstasy,< .hich is often used in the ne. Duarto, is .anting in the first edition .here ony
Aadness, unacy, frenCy22the highest degrees of Aadness22are spoken of6
*G! 3n the od pay their naAes are <"osencroft< and <Guiderstone6< E"eynadoE, in the first Duarto, is
caed <EMontanoE6< This change of naAe in a EdraAatis personaE of Ainor iAportance indicates, in
ho.e@er a trifing Aanner, that the interest e4cited by the naAe of Montaigne Fto .hich <Montano<
coAes reAarkaby near in Engish pronunciationI .as no. to be concentrated on another point6
*M! Essay 36 H%6
*)! 336 *$6
*,! Essay 336 $M, p6 *H$6
$%! Essay 3336 H, p6 +)H6
$*! "ather sharp transations of Esonge2creu4E, as Montaigne cas hiAsef FForio, i6 *,, p6 +HI6 <3 aA
gi@en rather to dreaAing and suggishness6<
$$! <<S .ounds< FGod<s .oundsI22a Aost characteristic e4pressionB used by Shakspere ony in E9aAetE,
in this scene, and again in act @6 sc6 $6
$+! As yet, 9aAet has but one ground of action22naAey, the one .hich, after the apparition of the
Ghost, he set do.n in his tabets! <that one Aay sAie, and sAie, and be a @iainB at east, 3 aA sure, it
Aay be so in #enAark6<
$H! Act ii6 sc6 $6
$&! Essay 36 *,6
$G! 336 +6
$M! Tacitus, EannaE6 4iii6 &G6
$)! Essay 36 *,6
$,! Act6 i6 sc6 $6
+%! Shakspere aready uses this e4pression in E;ing JohnE F*&,&I for purposes of Airthfu Aockery6 9e
Aakes the Bastard say to the Archduke of Austria Fact iii6 sc6 iI!22<9ang a caf<s skin on those recreant
iAbsJ<22a circuAstance .hich con@inces us that Shakspere kne. the Essays of Montaigne froA the
origina at an eary tiAe6 >e think it a fact iAportant enough to point out that Forio transates Epeau
d<un @eauE by <o4e2hide< Ffo6 +HI6 >e cannot think of any other e4panation than that the phrase in
Duestion had becoAe so popuar through E;ing JohnE as to render it ad@isabe for Forio to steer cear
of this rock6 Jonson, in his E:oponeE Fact6 i6 sc6 iI, Aakes Mosca the parasite say in regard to his
Aaster! <0o@ered .ith hide, instead of skin6<
+*! Forio<s transation! <3f it be a EconsuAAationE of one<s being< Fp6 G$MI6 Shakspere! <a
EconsuAAationE de@outy to be .ished6< This .ord is ony once used by Shakspere in such a sense6 3t
occurs in another sense in E;ing /earE Fi@6 GI and E0yAbeineE Fi@6 $I, but no.here ese in his
.orks6
+$! Monoogue of the first Duarto!22
<To be, or not to be, 3 there<s the point, To #ie, to seepe, is that aL 3 a! 8o, to seepe, to
dreaAe, 3, Aary there it goes, For in that dreaAe of death, .hen .ee a.ake, And borne before an
e@erasting judge, FroA .hence no passenger e@er returned, The undisco@ered country, at .hose
sight The happy sAie, and the accursed daAned6 But for this, the joyfu hope of this, >ho<d
beare the scornes of fattery of the .ord, Scorned by the right rich, the rich curssed of the pooreL
The .ido. being oppress<d, the orphan .ronged, The taste of hunger, or a tyrants raigne, And
thousand Aore caaAities besides, To grunte and s.eate under the .eary ife, >hen that he Aay
his fu Duietus Aake, >ith a bare bodkin, .ho .oud this indure, But for a hope of soAething
after deathL >hich pushes the brain and doth connfound the sence, >hich Aakes us rather beare
those e@ies .e ha@e, Than fie to others that .e kno. not of6 3 that, 7 this conscience Aakes
co.ardes of us a6 /ady in thy oriCons, be a Ay sinnes reAeAbered6
++! 7n cosey e4aAining the copy of Montaigne<s Essays in the British MuseuA, .hich bears
Shakspere<s autograph on the tite2page, .e found22ong after our treatise had been coApeted22that on
the fy2eaf at the end of the @ouAe is .ritten! EMors incrtaE, F>ritten soAe.hat indistincty,
Aeaning probaby EincertaE6 3t Aight aso be an abbre@iation of <incertaA horaA< 'Eincr6 hoE6-, as
contained in the /atin @erse on p6 G$G!22
3ncertaA frustra, Aortaes, funeris horaA Kuaeritis, et Dua sit Aors aditura @ia6I
G$G, G$M6 These t.o nuAbers, apparenty, refer to the corresponding pages of Montaigne<s .ork,
.hich contain nothing but thoughts about the uncertainty of the hour of death and the hereafter6 7n p6
G$M there is the speech of Sokrates, .hich in Forio<s transation, as sho.n abo@e, bears such striking
reseAbance to 9aAet<s Aonoogue6 There are other /atin sentences on the saAe fy2eaf, pronounced
by Sir Frederic Madden to be .ritten by a ater pen than Shakspere<s6 To us, at any rate, the abo@e
.ords and nuAbers appear to proceed froA a different hand than the other sentences6 JudgAents
thereon froA persons .e @ersed in the .ritings of that tiAe .oud be of great interest6
+H! P6 *%+6
+&! 36 *,6
+G! Act iii6 sc6 $6
+M! 3336 *$ FForio, G$GI6
+)! >e do not doubt that this is a sy thrust at Forio, .ho, in the preface to his transation, cas hiAsef
<Montaigne<s :ucan,< .ho hatches out Miner@a froA that <Jupiter<s bigge brain<6
+,! Forio, HMG6
H%! Forio, &,$! <Thus goe the .ord, and so goe Aen6<
H*! 3336 *6
H$! 336 $M6
H+! 0arendon! <0ircuAstance of thought< Aeans here the detais o@er .hich thought ranges, and froA
.hich its concusions are forAed6
HH! <E3nde4E,< in our opinion, does not signify here either the tite, or proogue, or the indication of the
contents of a book, but is an ausion to the 3nde4 of the 9oy See and its thunders6
H&! Montaigne, 3336 *%B Forio, G%H! <0ustoAe is a second nature, and no ess po.erfu6666 To concude, 3
aA ready to finish this Aan, not to Aake another6 By onge custoAe this forAe is changed into
substance, Fortune into 8ature6<
HG! 3336 *6
HM! This is .anting in the first Duarto, ike the .hoe concusion of this scene6
H)! This .hoe scene bet.een 9oratio and 9aAet consists of the foo.ing four ines in the od
Duarto!22
E9aAetE6 Beeeu@e Ae, it greeu@es Ae Auch, 9oratio, That to /aertes 3 forgot Aysefe! For by
Aysefe Aethinkes 3 fee his greefe, Though there<s a difference in each other<s .ay6
#oes this not ook ike a draught destined to be the kerne of a sceneL The end of the scene .here
7srick coAes in, is aso Auch shorter in the oder pay6
H,! Forio, ++%! <>e aAend ourse@es by pri@ation of reason and by her drooping6< 9aAet<s conduct is
ony to be e4pained by his Duiety sitting do.n unti his reason shoud droop622336 *$6
&%! Forio, G%)6
&*! Forio, G%,6
&$! This .hoe scene is neary ne. Fin the first Duarto it is a Aere sketchI6 There are in it se@era direct
ausions to Montaigne<s book, on .hich .e sha touch ater on6
&+! 9ere the draAatist, in order to paint a trait of @anity in 9aAet<s character, uses a de@ice6 9e Aakes
the atter say that, since /aertes .ent into France, he F9aAetI has been in continua practice6 =et .e
kno. Fact ii6 sc6 $I that he had gi@en up his accustoAed e4ercise6 3n that scene the poet .ishes to
describe 9aAet<s AeanchoyB in the other, his @anity6 9e chooses the coours .hich are apt to
produce Duickest iApressions aAong the audience6
&H! Act @6 sc6 $6
&&! See St6 Matthe. 46$,6
&G! 36 *,6
&M! 3336 ,6
&)! 336 *$6
&,! The Kueen describes 9aAet as <fat, and scant of breath6< 9ere is Montaigne<s description of hiAsef
FEssai 336 $MI!22<J<ay, au deAourant, a taie forte et raAasseeB e @isage non pas gras, Aais pein, a
coApe4ion entre e jo@ia et e AeanchoiDue, AoyenneAent sanguine et chaude6< Forio<s transation,
p6 +M$!22<As for Ae, 3 aA of a strong and .e coApact stature, Ay face is not fat, but fu, Ay
coApe4ion bet.eene jo@ia and Aeanchoy, indifferenty sanguine and hote22F<Enot speneti@e and
rashE<I6
G%! 3336 *+
G*! 3336 ,6
G$! Act iii6 sc6 *6
G+! >e sha no. oftener touch upon satirica passages uttered by the character hiAsef against .hoA
they are directed6 The true draAatist gi@es the pubic no tiAe to think o@er an incident in fu eisure6
E@ery Aeans22as .e ha@e aready sho.n before22is .ecoAe to hiA, .hich aids in rapidy bringing out
the teing traits of his figures6 8o surprise need therefore be fet that 9aAet, though representing
Montaigne, sneers at, and Aoray fageates, hiAsef6
GH! Act iii6 sc6 $6
G&! 336 *6
GG! Act i@6 sc6 M6
GM! 36 ,, $&B 336 *%, Nc6 3f an attenti@e reader .i take the troube to cosey e4aAine that part of the
scene in Shakspere<s ETeApestE Fact ii6 sc6 *I .herein the passage occurs, .hich he borro.ed froA
Essay 36 +%22<7n 0annibas<22and coApare it .ith this Aost <strange Essay,< he .i ceary con@ince
hiAsef that Shakspere can ony ha@e Aade use of it as a satire on Montaigne<s defecti@e AeAory,
.hich entanges this author in the Aost udicrous contradictions6 GonCaa decares that, if he .ere king
of the ise on .hich he and his coApanion .ere .recked, he .oud found a coAAon.eath as
described in the abo@e passage6 9e concudes this description, saying he .oud ha@e <no so@ereignty6<
Sebastian justy reAarks! <=et he .oud be king on<tB< and Antonio continues by saying! <The atter end
of his coAAon.eath forgets the beginning6<
E@en such is the contradiction in Montaigne<s fancifu Essay <7n 0annibas,< .here, to.ards the end,
he speaks of a captain .ho hods authority o@er these sa@ages, not ony in .ar, but aso in peace, <that
.hen he .ent to @isit the @iage of his dependence, they cut hiA paths through the thick of their .oods,
through .hich he Aight pass at ease6< The beginning of this Essay described the coAAon.eath of
these cannibas as toerating no poitic superiority, no use of ser@ice, no occupation, Nc6 <>hat short
AeAoryJ Auch .anting tabetsJ<
3n the abo@e2Aentioned scene of the ETeApestE Sebastian Aakes the reAark! <8o Aarrying <Aong his
subjects,< .hich e@identy is aso Aeant as a hit against Montaigne<s anti2AatriAonia ideas, .hich .e
d.et upon in the scene bet.een 9aAet and 7pheia6
G)! Jonson, ong after.ards, had not forgotten this hit against Montaigne6 3n EEpicoeneE F*G%,I he
Aakes 0ereAont say!22<>hen .e coAe to ha@e grey heads and .eak haAs, Aoist eyes and shrunk
AeAbers 666 then .e< pray and fast6<
G,! This .hoe passage of act @6 sc6 $ F*%G2*+)I is again ony to be found in the Duarto of *G%H, not in
the foio edition of *G$+6 3n ater years the poet Aay ha@e struck it out, as being ony coAprehensibe
to a sAaer circe of his friends6 3n the saAe .ay that passage of act i@6 sc6 H, .hich ony contains
thoughts of Montaigne, .as not recei@ed into the foio of *G$+6
M%! This is their tite in Forio<s transation! EMora, Poitike, Miitarie #iscourses of /o6 Michae de
Montaigne, ;night of the nobe order of Saint Michae, and one of the GenteAen in ordinary of the
French ;ing 9enry 3336 his 0haAberE6
M*! The sonnet runs thus!22
ETo the "ight 9onourabe /adie EiCabeth GreyE6 FShe .as a daughter of 0ount Shre.sbury, a
Tabot6I 7f honorabe TA/B7T honored farre, The forecast and the fortune, by his >7"#
EMontaigneE here descri@esB .hat by his S.ord, >hat by his .itB this, as the guiding starreB That,
as th< Aetoian bast, in peace or .arre, At sea, or and, as cause did use afforde, EA@ant e @entE,
to tacke his sais aboarde, So as his course no oreth.art crosse Aight barre, But he .oud s.eety
sai Ebefore the .indEB For Princes ser@ice, 0ountries good, his faAe6 9eire2#aughter of that
prudent, constant kinde, Joyning thereto of G"E= as great a naAe, 7f both chief gories shrining
in your Ainde, 9onour hiA that your 9onor doth procaiAe6<
>e ha@e aready earned froA the preface of the first book of the EEssaisE ho. Forio .as <sea2tosst,
.eather2beaten,< <ship2.rackt,< <aAost dro.ned,< .hen e4erting hiAsef to capture the .hae22
Montaigne22and drag hiA through <the rocke2rough 7cean< .ith the assistance of his coeague #iodati,
.hoA he coApares to <a guide2fish6< 9aAet cas Poonius a fish2Aonger6 The atter foos 9aAet by
pretending that yonder coud is in the shape of a .hae, .hich just before appeared to hiA ike the back
of a .ease6 E@ery .ord aAost in this .onderfu draAa is a .e2directed hit6
M$! Essay 3336 &6
M+! E3bidE6 *+6
MH! E3bidE6 $6
M&! The Duarto of *G$+ has ony the third @erse6
MG! The od song has the .ord <crouch6<
MM! Essay 3336 &, p6 HG%6 Forio, p6 &$,6
M)! >e think it is .orth .hie to Duote the foo.ing @erse Montaigne F3336 &I Aentions .hen speaking
of that nature of .oAan, .hich he thinks suggests to her e@ery possibe act of ibidinousness!22
8ec tantuA ni@eo ga@isa est ua couAbo 0oApar, @e si Duid dicitur iAprobius, 7scua
Aordenti seAper decerpere rostro, KuantuA praecipue Auti@oa est Auier6
Forio transates F&*HI!22
8o Pigeons hen, or paire, or .hat .orse naAe =ou ist, Aakes .ith hir Sno.2.hite cock such
gaAe, >ith biting bi to catch .hen she is kist, As Aany2Ainded .oAen .hen they ist6
3s not this the character of 7pheia, as described by Shakspere22the @irgin incining to @ouptuousness
in Goethe<s @ie.L
M,! 9aAet, act i@6 sc6 &6 3n EEast.ard 9oeE, Marston, 0hapAan, and Jonson Aake capita out of this
.ord, and use it as a sneer against 9aAet and 7pheia6 >e sha return to this point ater on6
)%! Forio, G*M6
)*! Act i@6 sc6 &6
)$! /aertes, act i6 sc6 +!22
For nature crescent does not gro. aone 3n the.s and buk, but, as this teApe .a4es, The
in.ard ser@ice of the Aind and sou Gro.s .ide .itha6
Montaigne, 336 *$B Forio, +*,!
The Aind is .ith the body bred .e do behod, 3t jointy gro.es .ith it, it .a4eth od622/ucr6 4iii6
H&%6
)+! Goethe<s EFaustE6
)H! >e Aust Aention that John Stering, in an essay on Montaigne FE>estAinster "e@ie.E, *)+)I,
Aakes the foo.ing introductory reAarks!22<7n the .hoe, the ceebrated soioDuy in E9aAetE
presents a Aore characteristic and e4pressi@e reseAbance to Auch of Montaigne<s .ritings than any
other portion of the pays of the great draAatist .hich .e at present reAeAber, though it .oud
doubtess be easy to trace Aany apparent transferences froA the FrenchAan into the EngishAan<s
.orks, as both .ere keen and Aany2sided obser@ers in the saAe age and neighbouring countries6 But
9aAet .as in those days no popuar type of characterB nor .ere Montaigne<s @ie.s and tone faAiiar
to Aen ti he hiAsef had Aade theA so6 8o., the Prince of #enAark is @ery neary a Montaigne, ifted
to a higher eAinence, and agitated by Aore striking circuAstances and se@erer destiny, and atogether
a soAe.hat Aore passionate structure of Aan6 3t is not, ho.e@er, @ery .onderfu that 9aAet, .ho .as
but a part of Shakspere, shoud e4hibit to us Aore than the .hoe of Montaigne, and the e4terna facts
appear to contradict any notion of a French ancestry for the #ane, as the pay is said to ha@e been
produced in *G%%, and the transation of the Engish not for three years ater6<
#uring our ong search through the 0oAAentaries .ritten on E9aAetE, .e aso Aet .ith the
foo.ing treatise! <9AM/ETB Eein TendenCdraAa Sheakspeare<sE FsicJJI Egegen die skeptische und
kosAopoitische >etanschauung des Michae de Montaigne, @on G6 F6 Stedefed, ;reisgerichtsrathE6
Berin, *)M*6<
The author of the atter2Aentioned itte book hods it to be probabe that Shakspere .rote his
E9aAetE for the object of freeing hiAsef froA the iApressions of the faAous French sceptic6 9e
regards this Aaster.ork as <the #raAa of the #oubterB< as <the apotheosis of a practica 0hristianity6<
9aAet, he says, is .anting in 0hristian piety6 9e has no faith, no o@e, no hope6 9is ast .ords, <The
rest is sience,< sho. that he has no e4pectation of a future ife6 9e Aust perish because he has gi@en up
the beief in a di@ine go@ernAent of the .ord and in a Aora order of things6
>e beie@e .e ha@e read the Essays of Miche Montaigne .ith great attention6 >e not ony do not
regard hiA as a <sceptic< in the sense Aeant by Mr6 Stedefed, but .e hod hiA, as .e as 9aAet, to
be an adherent of the so2caed <practica 0hristianity< 22at east, of .hat both Montaigne and 9aAet
reckon to be such6 This <practica 0hristianity,< ho.e@er, is a notion soAe.hat difficut to define6
:6
T9E 078T"7:E"S= BET>EE8 BE8 J78S78 A8# #E;;E"6
ME8T378 7F A #3SP1TE BET>EE8 BE8 J78S78 A8# S9A;SPE"E 38 <T9E "ET1"8 F"7M
PA"8ASS1S6<
09A"A0TE"3ST30 7F BE8 J78S786
BE8 J78S78<S 97ST3/E ATT3T1#E T7>A"#S S9A;SPE"E6
#"AMAT30 S;3"M3S9 BET>EE8 BE8 J78S78 A8# S9A;SPE"E6
BE8 J78S78<S <P7ETASTE"6<
#E;;E"<S <SAT3"7MAST3?6<
>e no. proceed to an inDuiry into the <contro@ersy bet.een Jonson and #ekker,< .hich has been
repeatedy Aentioned before6
Shakspere, .e sha find, .as iApicated in it in a @ery arge degree6 3nstead of indicating, ho.e@er, that
contro@ersy by the designation under .hich it is kno.n in iterature, it .oud be Aore correct to put
S9A;SPE"E<S naAe in the pace of that of #ekker6 Many a reader .ho perhaps does not fuy trust yet
our bod assertion that 9aAet is a counterfeit of Montaigne<s indi@iduaity, .i no., .e hope, be
con@inced by @ouchers dra.n froA draAas pubished in *G%H and *G%&, and .hich are in the cosest
connection .ith that contro@ersy6 >e intend party Aaking a thorough e4aAination of, party consuting
in a cursory Aanner, the foo.ing pieces!22
*6 <Poetaster< F*G%*I, by Ben Jonson6 $6 <SatiroAasti4< F*G%$I, by ThoAas #ekker6 +6 <Macontent< F*G%HI,
by John Marston6 H6 <:opone< F*G%&I, by Ben Jonson6 &6 <East.ard 9oe< F*G%&I, by Ben Jonson,
0hapAan, and Marston6
3n <The Poetaster< Ben Jonson Aakes his chief attack upon #ekker and Shakspere6 3n <SatiroAasti4,<
#ekker defends hiAsef against that attack6 3n doing so, he sides .ith ShakspereB and .e thereby gain an
insight into the nobe conduct of the atter6 Bet.een Jonson and Shakspere there had aready been
draAatic skirAishes during se@era years before the appearance of <The Poetaster6< >e sha ony be abe
to touch rapidy upon their Aeaning, considering that .e confine ourse@es, in the Aain, to a stateAent of
that .hich concerns <9aAet6<
After Jonson, in his <Poetaster,< had e4ceeded a bounds of decent beha@iour .ith Aost intoerabe
arrogance, Shakspere seeAs to ha@e becoAe .eary of these Aaicious persona onsaughtsB a the Aore
so because they .ere apparenty put into the Aouth of innocent chidren6 So he .rote his <9aAet,<
sho.ing up, therein, the oose and perpe4ing ideas of his chief antagonist, .ho beonged to the party of
Forio2Montaigne6
9aAet, as .e sha pro@e beyond the possibiity of ca@i, is the hitherto une4pained <purge< in <The
"eturn froA Parnassus,< .hich <our feo. Shakspere< adAinistered to Ben Jonson in return for the <pi<
destined for hiAsef in <The Poetaster6< After the pubication of <9aAet,< Jonson .rote his <:opone< as a
counterbast to this draAa6 8o. <:opone,< and the Preface in .hich the author dedicates it to the t.o
1ni@ersities, furnish us .ith the e@idence that our theory Aust be a factB for Jonson therein defended both
the party of Forio2Montaigne and hiAsef6
Moreo@er, .e sha adduce a series of proofs froA <The Macontent< and froA <East.ard 9oe6<
A draAa, .ritten by an unkno.n author, and printed in *G%G, offers us a @auabe Aateria .here.ith to
Aake it cear that, at that tiAe, a @ery bitter feud Aust ha@e raged bet.een Jonson and ShakspereB for it is
scarcey to be beie@ed that it .oud ha@e been brought on the stage had a arger pubic not been deepy
interested in the contro@ersy6 <The "eturn froA Parnassus, or the Scourge of SiAony,< '*- is the tite of the
pay, Aentioned se@era tiAes before, in .hich this contro@ersy is referred to in cear .ords6 PhioAusus
and Studioso, t.o poor schoars .ho in @ain had sought to pursue their caing as Aedica Aen, reso@e
upon going to the Aore profitabe stage6 They are to be prepared for it by t.o of the Aost faAous actors
froA the Gobe Theatre FShakspere<s coApanyI, Burbage and ;eAp6 >hist these are .aiting for their
ne. pupis, '$- they con@erse about the capabiities of the students for the histrionic art6 ;eAp, in .ords
.hich sho. that the author Aust ha@e had great kno.edge of the stage, condeAns their .ays and
Aanners, Aocking the siy kind of acting .hich he had once seen in a perforAance of the students at
0aAbridge6 Burbage thinks they Aight aAend their fauts in course of tiAe, and that, at east, ad@antage
coud be taken of theA in so far as to Aake theA .rite a part no. and thenB .hich certainy they coud
do6 To this ;eAp repies!22
<Fe. of the 1ni@ersity pen paies .eB they sAe too Auch of that .riter E7@idE and that .riter
EMetaAorphosisE, and tak too Auch of EProserpinaE and EJupiterE6 >hy, here<s our feo.
EShakespeareE puts theA a do.n223, and EBen JonsonE too6 7 that EBen JonsonE is a pestient feo.B
he brought up 9orace gi@ing the poets a piB '+- but our feo. Shakespeare hath gi@en hiA spurge that
Aade hiA be.ray his credit6<
Burbage ans.ers!22<3t<s a shre.d feo. indeed6<
For the better understanding of this Aost interesting contro@ersy, the centre of .hich 9aAet forAs, it is
necessary that .e shoud gi@e a characteristic of Shakspere<s ad@ersary, Ben Jonson, .hose indi@iduaity
and Aode of action are too itte kno.n aAong the genera reading pubic6
Ben Jonson, born in *&M+, in the neighbourhood of >estAinster, .as the posthuAous chid of a Scot .ho
had occupied a Aodest position at the 0ourt of 9enry :3336, but .ho, under Kueen Mary, had to suffer
ong iAprisonAent, probaby on account of his reigious opinions6 9is estates .ere confiscated by the
0ro.n6 After ha@ing obtained his iberation, he becaAe a priest of the "eforAed 0hurch of Engand6 T.o
years after his death, his .ido., the Aother of Ben, again Aarried! this tiAe her husband .as a Aaster
brickayer6 The education of the boy froA the first Aarriage, .ho at an eary age sho.ed taent for
earning, .as not negected6 3t is assuAed that friends of his father, seeing Ben<s abiity, rendered it
possibe for hiA to enter >estAinster Schoo, and after.ards to study at the 1ni@ersity of 0aAbridge6 3n
his se@enteenth or eighteenth year, probaby froA a .ant of Aeans, he had to gi@e up the career of
earning, in order to foo. the siApe caing of his stepfather6 3t Aay be easiy understood that Ben .as
itte peased .ith the use of the tro.eB he fed to the 8etherands, becaAe a sodier, and took part in a
caApaign6 After a year, the youthfu ad@enturer, then ony nineteen years od, caAe back to /ondon6 9e
taks of a heroic deedB but the truthfuness of his account Aay .e be doubted6 9e pretends ha@ing kied
an eneAy, in the face of both caAps, and coAe back to the ranks, aden .ith his spois6
After his return to /ondon, Jonson first tried to earn his i@eihood as an actor6 9is figure 'H- and his
scorbutic face .ere, ho.e@er, sad hindrances to his success6 Soon he ga@e up the histrionic atteApts and
began to .rite additions to e4isting pays, at the order of a theatrica specuator, of the naAe of Phiip
9enso.e6 The ony further detai .e ha@e of Jonson<s doings, do.n to *&,), '&- is, that he fe out .ith
one of his coeagues, an actor FJonson<s DuarresoAe disposition as regards his coArades coAAenced
@ery earyI, and that finay he kied his antagonist6 >e then find hiA in prison .here a 0athoic priest
induced hiA to becoAe a con@ert to the "oAan 0hurch .hich, after the apse of about t.e@e years, he
again eft, returning to the Estabished Protestant 0hurch of Engand6 Jonson hiAsef after.ards said once
that <he .as for any reigion, as being @ersed in both6< 'G- 3t is, therefore, not to be assuAed that he once
Aore changed froA con@iction6 9is recon@ersion appears rather to ha@e been a prudentia act on his part,
in order to conforA to the reigious @ie.s of the pedantic JaAes 36, and thus to obtain access at 0ourt,
.hich aiA he indeed after.ards reachedB .hereas he had not been abe to obtain that fa@our under
EiCabeth6 'M-
3t is not kno.n by .hat, or by .hoA, Ben Jonson .as sa@ed froA the near prospect of the gao.s6 3n
*&,) his naAe is Aentioned as one of the better2kno.n .riters of coAedies, by Francis Meres, in his
<Paadis TaAia6< 9is first successfu coAedy .as, <E@ery Man in his 9uAour6< FaAa says that the
Aanuscript .hich the author had sent in to the /ord 0haAberain<s 0oApany, .as on the point of being
rejected .hen Shakspere reDuested to ha@e the pay gi@en to hiA, read it, and caused its being acted on
the stage6 This anecdote beongs, ho.e@er, to the cass of traditiona taes of that age, .hose @aue for
fi4ing facts is a Aost doubtfu one6 3t is Aore certain that Ben, at the age of t.enty, took a .ifeB .hich
contributed @ery itte to the essening of his chronic po@erty .ith .hich he constanty had to strugge6 3t
does not appear that the union .as a @ery happy oneB for he reates that he once eft his .ife for fi@e
years6
A diary .ritten by an unkno.n barrister inforAs us, February *$, *G%$! <Ben Jonson, the poet, no.e i@es
upon one To.nesend and scornes the .ord6< ')- 3n the society of gaants and ords, the young poet fet
hiAsef Aost at hoAe6 A kinds of Aendicant epistes, sonnets, dedications, petitions, and so forth, .hich
he addressed to high personages, and .hich ha@e been preser@ed, con@ince us that Jonson negected
nothing that coud gi@e an opportunity to the generosity of ibera nobeAen to pro@e theAse@es patrons
of art in regard to hiA6 9e boasts on the stage of being Aore in the enjoyAent of the fa@our of the great
ones than any of his iterary conteAporaries6 ',- Modesty .as certainy not a Aitigating trait in the
character of hot2teApered Jonson, .hose .rath .as easiy roused6
0on@inced of the po.er of his o.n genius, he Aost eagery .anted to see the @aue of his .ork
ackno.edged6 8ot satisfied .ith the so. judgAent his conteAporaries Aight coAe to, or the niggardy
re.ard they Aight conferB nor content .ith the prospects of a aure .reath .hich gratefu Posterity ays
on the Aarbe heads of departed eAinent Aen, this pretentious discipe of the Muse iAportunatey
caiAed his fu recoApense during his o.n ife6 For the appause of the great Aass, the draAatist, after
a, has to contend6 Jonson stro@e hard for itB but in @ain6 A Aore to.ering genius .as the fa@ourite of the
age6 Ben, ho.e@er, aid the fattering unction to his sou that he .as abo@e Shakspere, '*%- e@en as abo@e
a other conteAporary authorsB and he eft nothing unatteApted to gain the fa@our of the great pubic6 A
his endea@ours reAained fruitess6 7n e@ery occasion he freey dispays the rancour he fet at his i2
successB for he certainy .as not Aaster of his teAper6 3n poeAs, epistes, and epigraAs, as .e as in his
draAas, and in the dedications, proogues, and epiogues attached thereto, he sho.s his anger against the
<so2caed stage poets6< >e sha pro@e that his fuest indignation is Aainy directed against one22the @ery
greatest! need .e naAe hiAL
Jonson, reso@ed upon Aaking the Aost of his Muse in a reAunerati@e sense, .e kne. ho. to obtain the
patronage of the highest persons of the countryB and his aAbition seeAs to ha@e found satisfaction .hen,
after.ards, a ca .as Aade upon hiA, on the part of the 0ourt, to coApose <MasDues< for T.efth28ight
and siAiar e4traordinary occasions6 9e produced a theatrica piece in consonance .ith the barbaric taste
pre@aiing in >hiteha, .hich ga@e penty to do to the Aachinists, the decorators, and the pay2dresser of
the stage6 >ith such a di@ision of abour in the doAain of art, it is not easy, to2day, to decide to .hoA the
greater Aerit beongs, aAong those concerned, of ha@ing afforded entertainAent to the courtiers6
#raAatic or poetica @aue is .anting in those productions of Jonson6
FroA his poeAs, as .e as froA the <0on@ersations .ith #ruAAond,< .e kno. that aAong the
patronesses of Jonson there .ere /ucie 0ountess of Bedford and EiCabeth 0ountess of "utand22t.o
adies to .hoA Forio dedicated a transation of Montaigne6 /ady "utand<s Aarriage .as a Aost unhappy
one6 3n the iterary intercourse .ith proAinent Aen of her tiAe she appears to ha@e sought consoation
and distraction6
Jonson<s reations .ith this ady Aust ha@e been rather friendy ones, for <Ben one day being at tabe .ith
Ay /ady "utand, her husband coAing in, accused her that she keept tabe to poets, of .hich she .rott a
etter to hiA FJonsonI, .hich he ans.ered6 My ord intercepted the etter, but ne@er chaenged hiA6< '**-
FroA the saAe source .hich Aakes this stateAent .e take the foo.ing trait in Jonson<s character, .hich
is as itte cacuated as his passionate DuarresoAeness to endear hiA to us6 Sir ThoAas 7@erbury had
becoAe enaAoured of unhappy /ady "utand6 Jonson .as asked by this nobeAan, .ho at the saAe tiAe
.as a poet, to read to the adored one a yrica effusion of hisB e@identy for the purpose of foAenting her
incinations to.ards the friend .ho .as anguishing for her6 Ben Jonson reates that he fufied
7@erbury<s .ish <.ith e4ceent grace,< at the saAe tiAe praising the author6 8e4t Aorning he fe out .ith
7@erbury, .ho .oud ha@e hiA to Aake an una.fu proposa to /ady "utand6
But ho., .e Aay ask, .as it possibe that Jonson<s nobe friend coud at a think of trying to use hiA as a
go2bet.een in this shaAefu AannerL Are .e not reAinded here of the position of thirsty Toby Bech
to.ards the siApe Aguecheek, if not e@en of honest '*$- 3ago in his deaings .ith the ibera "odrigoL
8either in 7i@ia<s unce, nor in 7theo<s Ancient is it reckoned a Aerit to ha@e oAitted doing piAp
ser@ice to friends6 Their poicy of taking ad@antage of aAorous incinations, athough they did not e@en
try to proAote theA by the reading of poetica productions, reAains not the ess conteAptibe6
As to Jonson<s passion for the cup that does Aore than cheer, neither he hiAsef conceas it, nor is
e@idence to the saAe effect .anting on the part of his conteAporaries6 #rayton says that he .as in the
habit of <.earing a oose coachAan<s coat, freDuenting the MerAaid Ta@ern, .here he drank seas of
0anaryB then reeing hoAe to bed, and, after a profuse perspiration, arising to his draAatic studies6< '*+-
At a certain tiAe, Jonson accoApanied a son of Sir >ater "aeigh as tutor during a @oyage to France6
The young hopefu pupi, <being kna@ishy incined,< and not ess Duick in the e4ecution of practica jokes
than in spying out huAan .eaknesses, had no difficuty in understanding his tutor<s bent, and succeeded
in Aaking Jonson <dead drunk6< 9e then <aid hiA on a carr, .hich he Aade to be dra.en by pioners
through the streets, at e@ery corner sho.ing his go@ernour stretched out, and teing theA, that .as a Aore
i@ey iAage of the 0rucifi4 than any they had6< The Aother of young "aeigh greaty reished this sport6 3t
reAinded her of siAiar tricks her husband had been addicted to in his boyish days, <though the father
abhorred it6<
>ith habits of the kind described, Jonson had a hard but fruitess strugge against oppressing po@erty and
do.nright Aisery during his .hoe ife6 >hen age .as approaching, he addressed hiAsef to his highborn
patrons .ith petitions in .e2set stye6 9is needy condition .as, ho.e@er, itte bettered, e@en .hen
0hares 36, in *G+%, conferred upon hiA, se@en years before his death, an annua pension of *%% pounds,
.ith a terse of Spanish .ine yeary out of his Majesty<s store at >hiteha6
A etter of Sir ThoAas 9a.kins describes one of the ast circuAstances of Jonson<s ife6 At <a soeAn
supper gi@en by the poet, .hen good coApany, e4ceent cheer, choice .ine, and jo@ia .ecoAe had
opened his heart and oosened his tongue, he began to raise hiAsef at the e4pense of others6<
>ine, jo@iaity, good coApany, and bitter satire22these .ere the eeAents of Ben Jonson<s happiness6
<7 rare Ben JonsonJ< Sir John =oung, '*H- .ho, .aking through >estAinster Abbey, sa. the bare stone
on the poet<s gra@e, ga@e one of the .orkAen eighteenpence to cut the .ords in Duestion, and posterity is
sti in doubt .hether the .ord <rare< .as Aeant for the @auabe Duaities of the poet or for those of the
boon2coApanion6
>e .i gi@e a short abstract of Jonson<s character froA the notes of a conteAporary .hose guest he had
been during fuy a Aonth in *G*,6 7ne Aight doubt the sincerity of this judgAent if Sir >iiaA
#ruAAond, his ibera host, had Aade it pubic for the purpose of harAing Jonson6 There .as, ho.e@er,
no such intention, for it reAained in Aanuscript for fuy t.o hundred years6
7ny then, a copy of this incisi@e characteristic caAe before the .ord at arge6 The Scottish nobeAan
and poet had .ritten it do.n, together .ith Aany utterances of Jonson, after his guest .ho Aost freey
and se@erey criticised his conteAporaries had eft6 The perspicacity of #ruAAond, and the truthfu
rendering of his iApressions, are fuy confirAed by Jonson<s Aanner of ife and the contents of his
iterary productions6 '*&- #ruAAond concudes his notes thus!22
<9e< FJonsonI <is a great o@er and praiser of hiAsefB a conteAner and scorner of othersB gi@en rather to
oose a friend than a jestB jeaous of e@ery .ord and action of those about hiA Fespeciay after drink,
.hich is one of the eeAents in .hich he i@ethI! a disseAber of i parts .hich reigne in hiAB a bragger
of soAe good that he .antethB thinking nothing .e but .hat either hiAsef or soAe of his friends and
countryAen ha@e said or done6 9e is passionatey kind and angryB careess either to gain or keepB
@indicati@e, but, if he be .e ans.ered, at hiAsef6 For any reigion, as being @ersed in bothB interpreteth
best sayings and deeds often to the .orst6 7ppressed .ith fantasie, .hich has e@er Aastered his reason! a
genera disease in Aany poets6<
3t .i easiy be understood that bet.een t.o natures of so opposite a bent as that of the DuarresoAe
Jonson and <gente Shakspere,< friendship for any ength of tiAe coud scarcey be possibe6 '*G-
The creations of the draAatist obtain their rea @aue by the poet<s o.n character6 9e .ho breathes a sou
into so Aany figures destined for action Aust hiAsef be gifted .ith a greatness of sou that encoApasses
a .ord6 3n the draAatic art, such actions ony charA .hich are e@o@ed out of ceary defined passionsB
and such characters ony a.ake interest .hich bear huAan features strongy Aarked6 3f, ho.e@er, .e cast
a gance at the draAatic productions of Ben Jonson, .e in @ain ook aAong the Aany figures that cro.d
his stage for one .hich coud inspire us .ith syApathy6 TiAe has pronounced its @erdict against his
creations! they are ying in the archi@e of Aere curiosities6 E@en the inDuirer fees i at ease .hen going
for theA to their hiding2pace6 Jonson<s characters do not speak .ith the e@er unAistakeabe and touching
@oice of huAan passions6 3n his coAedies he produces the strangest .hiAs, caprices, and crotchets, by
.hich he probaby points to definite persons6 The cue to these often Aaignant diaectics is @ery difficut
to find6
The action of his pays22if incidenta Duarres, fu of sneering ausions, are eft aside22is generay of
such diAinuti@e proportions that one Aay .e ask, after the perusa of soAe of his draAas, .hether they
contain any action at a6 8o doubt the satirist, too, has his egitiAate pace in the draAatic artB but he
Aust kno. ho. to hit the .eaknesses of huAan nature in certain striking types6 Jonson, ho.e@er, is far
froA being abe to ay a caiA to such draAaturgic Aerit6 At <haphaCard he took certain indi@iduaities
froA the idy gossiping cro.d that congregated in the centra na@e of St6 Pau<s 0hurch, and put theA on
the stage6 >hoe@er had been strutting about there to2day in his siken stockings, proudy dispaying the
nodding feathers in his hat, his rich .aist2coat and Aante, and boasting a itte too oud before soAe other
gaant of his o@e ad@entures, ran great danger22ike a those .hose deAeanour in St6 Pau<s ga@e rise to
backbiting gossip22of being pourtrayed in the <"ose,< in the <0urtain,< or in the theatres of the <itte eyases,<
in such a Aanner that peope .ere abe, in the streets, to point theA out .ith their fingers6
/ike so Aany other no@eties, this kind of coAedy, too, Aay for a .hie ha@e found its adAirers6 Soon,
ho.e@er, this degradation of the Muse brought up such a storA that Jonson had to take refuge in another
doAain of the draAatic art F*G%*I6 9e hiAsef confesses!22
And since the 0oAic Muse 9ath pro@ed so oAinous to Ae, 3 .i try 3f Tragedy ha@e a Aore kind
aspect6 '*M-
But he is nothing if not satirica6 The persons that are to eni@en his tragedies are not fied .ith the true
breath of ife6 They are Aere phantoAs or puppets of schoocraft, aboriousy put together by a earning
dra.n froA od foios6 3n his tragedies, <Sejanus< and <0ataine,< he seeks to describe "oAans .hose .hoe
bearing .as to be in pedanticay cose harAony .ith the tiAe in .hich the draAatic action occurs6 7ny a
citiCen froA a certain period of ancient "oAe .oud be abe to decide .hether this difficut but thankess
probeA had been so@ed6 These cod acadeAic treatises22for such .e Aust, practicay, take theA to be22
.ere not reished by the pubic6 There is no @estige of huAan passion in the bookish heroes thus put on
the stage6 For their sorro.s the audience has no feeing of fear or anguish and no tear of coApassion6
Jonson, indignant at the sAa estiAate in .hich his arduousy coAposed .orks .ere recei@ed, i2
huAoured by their .ant of success, ooked en@iousy upon Shakspere, .ho had not been acadeAicay
schooedB .ho audaciousy o@erthre. the custoAs of the antiDue draAaB .ho Aade his o.n rues, or
rather, .ho Aade hiAsef a rue to othersB .ho created Aetrics that .ere pecuiary hisB .ho chose theAes
hitherto considered non2perAissibe, and unusua .ith Greeks and "oAansB .ho fung the <three unities<
to the .indsB and .ho, ne@ertheess, had an unheard2of successJ
This fa@ourite of the pubic, Jonson seeAs to ha@e ooked upon as the Aain obstace barring the .ay to
his o.n genius6 Against this to.ering ri@a, Jonson directed a hai of satirica arro.s6 7ny take, for
instance, the proogue to <E@ery Man in his 9uAour6< '*)- There, Jonson, .ith the Aost arrogant conceit,
tries to Aake short .ork of @arious draAas of Shakspere<s22for instance, of his historica pays, in .hich
he dared22
666 .ith three rusty s.ords, And hep of soAe fe. foot and haf2foot .ords, Fight o@er =ork and
/ancaster<s ong jars, And in the tyring2house bring .ounds to scars6
3n <The Poetaster,< .hich in *G%* .as acted by the chidren of the Kueen<s 0hape, Jonson Aade an attack
upon three poets6 >e hope to be abe to pro@e that the one Aost bittery abused, and .ho is bidden to
s.ao. the <pi,< is no other than Shakspere, .hist the t.o reAaining ones are John Marston and
ThoAas #ekker6 FroA the <Apoogetica #iaogue< .hich Jonson .rote after <The Poetaster< had aready
passed o@er the stage, .e see that this satire had e4cited the greatest indignation and sensation in the
draAatic .ord6 3t .as a ne. Aanner of faing out .ith a coeague before the pubic6 The conceited
presuAption of the author, .ho in the pay itsef assuAes the part of 9orace, seriousy procaiAing
hiAsef as the poet of poets, as the .orthiest of the .orthy, is not ess enorAous and repusi@e than the
.ay in .hich he proceeds against his ri@as6
Kuite innocenty, Jonson asks in that diaogue F.hich .as spoken on the stage after <The Poetaster< had
gi@en rise to a genera sDuabbeI, ho. it caAe about that such a hubbub .as Aade of that pay, seeing that
it .as free froA insuts, ony containing <soAe sat< but <neither tooth, nor ga,< .hist his antagonists,
after a, had been the cause of .hate@er reAarks he hiAsef had Aade!22
666 But sure 3 aA, three years They did pro@oke Ae .ith their petuant styes, 7n e@ery stage6 And 3 at
ast, un.iing, But .eary, 3 confess, of so Auch troube, Thought 3 .oud try if shaAe coud .in upon
<eA6
3n soAe coAedies of Shakspere, .hich appeared bet.een the years *&,) and *G%*, there are characters
Aarkedy staAped .ith Jonsonian pecuiarities6 >e Aay be con@inced that <gente Shakspere< had
recei@ed Aany a pro@ocation '*,- before he took notice of the obscure draAatist .ho .as younger by ten
years than hiAsef, and pubicy ga@e hiA a strong esson6 <A<s >e that Ends >e< contains a figure,
Paroes, .hose pecuiarities are too cosey akin to those of Ben Jonson to be regarded as a Aere
fortuitous accidentB especiay .hen .e find that Jonson, in <The Poetaster,< again tries to ridicue this hit
by a characteristic e4pression6 '$%-
Paroes is a foo.er of 0ount "ousion6 9is position is not further defined than that he foo.s BertraAB
he is a cross bet.een a genteAan and a ser@ant6 >e hear the od /ord /afeu reproaching hiA in act ii6 sc6
+!22
<>hy dost thou garter up thy arAs o< this fashionL dost Aake hose of thy see@esL #o other ser@ants do
soL<
Again he cas hiA22<a @agabond, no true tra@eer! you are Aore saucy .ith ords and honourabe
personages than the heradry of your birth and @irtue gi@es you coAAission6< '$*-
Paroes boasts of being born under the sign of Mars, and up to e@ery heroic deedB and it is certainy an
ausion to Jonson<s bra@ado of ha@ing in the /o. 0ountries, in the face of both caAps, kied an eneAy
and taken EopiAa spoiaE froA hiA, that Shakspere ets this character Aake the atteApt to retake, singe2
handed, froA the eneAy, a druA that had been ost in the batte6 7f course, Paroes finay coAes out a
co.ard and a traitor6 Paroes aso Aentions that he understands </o. #utch6<
3n the character of Ma@oio F<T.efth 8ightB or >hat =ou >i,< *G%%2*G%*I, the DuarresoAe Ben has
ong ago been suspected, .ho, puffed up .ith braggart pride, conteAptuousy ooks do.n upon his
coeagues, and iApudenty e4erts hiAsef to gain access to high socia circesB thus assuAing, ike
Paroes, a position that does not propery beong to hiA6 E@en as /ord /afeu takes Paroes a peg o.er,
so Sir Toby Fact6 ii6 sc6 +I reAinds the haughty Ma@oio that he is nothing Aore than a ste.ard6 The
reigion of Ma@oio aso is se@era tiAes discussed6 Merry Maria reates that he is a <Puritan or anything
constanty but a tiAe2peaser6< 8or is the priest .anting .ho is to dri@e out the hyperboica fiend froA the
capti@e Ma@oio! an unAistakeabe ausion to Ben Jonson<s con@ersion in prison6 The Foo .ho
represents the Priest, puts a Duestion referring to Pythagoras to Ma@oio .ho is groaning <in darkness< and
yearning for freedoA6 9e recei@es an e@asi@e ans.er froA the prisoner6 3n <:opone,< as .e sha see,
Jonson ans.ers it @ery fuy6 '$$-
Atogether, there are ausions in <The Poetaster,< and in <:opone,< to <A<s >e that Ends >e,< and to
<>hat =ou >i,< .hich .e sha ha@e to touch upon in speaking of those pays6
The scene of <The Poetaster< is aid at the court of Augustus 0aesar6 Jonson therein describes hiAsef
under the character of 9orace6 The .hoe drift of the pay is, to take the Aany eneAies of the atter to task
for their cauAnies and ibes against hiA6 "oAe is the pace of action, and the persons of the draAa bear
cassic naAes6 There are, besides Augustus and 9orace, Mecaenas FEsicEI, :irgi, Propertius, Trebatius,
7@id, #eAetrius Fannius, E"ufus /aberius 0rispinusE, and so forth6 The characters .hoA they are to
represent are Aosty authors of the draAatic .ord around Ben Jonson6 They are depicted .ith traits so
easiy recognisabe that22as #ekker says in his <SatiroAasti4<22of fi@e hundred peope four hundred coud
<a point .ith their fingers in one instant at one and the saAe Aan6<
More especiay against t.o discipes of the Muse is Jonson<s <gay ink< directed6 /et us gi@e a fe.
instances of the aApoons and cauAnious sDuibs by .hich 9orace pretends ha@ing been insuted on the
part of en@ious coeagues .ho, he Aaintains, ook askance at hiA because <he keeps Aore .orthy
gaants< coApany< than they can get into6 3n act i@6 sc6 3, #eAetrius tes Tucca!22
<Aas, Sir, 9oraceJ he is a Aere spongeB nothing but huAours and obser@ationB he goes up and do.n,
sucking froA e@ery society, and .hen he coAes hoAe, sDueeCes hiAsef dry again6<
Tucca adds!22<9e .i sooner ose his best friend than his east jest6<
0rispinus is found guity of ha@ing coAposed a ibe against 9orace, of .hich the foo.ing Aay ser@e as
a speciAen!22
"aAp up Ay genius, be not retrogradeB But body noAinate a spade a spade6 >hat, sha thy ubrica
and gibbery Ause /i@e, as she .ere defunct, ike punk in ste.sL AasJ that .ere no Aodern
conseDuence, To ha@e cothurna buskins frighted hence6 8o, teach thy 3ncubus to poetiCeB And thro.
abroad thy spurious snotteries6666 7 poets a and soAeJ for no. .e ist 7f strenuous @engeance to
cutch the fist6
Such .as the anguage the conteAporaries of Shakspere used6 Are .e to .onder, then, if here and there
.e find in his .orks an offensi@e e4pressionL
The t.o persons .ho are speciay taken to task, and Aost harshy treated, are #eAetrius Fannius, <pay2
dresser and pagiarius,< and "1F1S /ABE"31S 0"3SP381S, <Epoetaster and pagiariusE6< 3n
<SatiroAasti4,< #eAetrius ceary coAes out as #ekker6 0rispinus is the chief character of the pay!22<the
poetaster6< Against hiA the satire is Aainy directed, and for his sake it seeAs to ha@e been .ritten, for the
tite runs thus! <The Poetaster, or 9is ArraignAent6< FroA a the characteristic Duaities of 0rispinus .e
dra. the concusion that this figure represented S9A;SPE"E6
FroA the abo@e2Aentioned passage in <The "eturn froA Parnassus< it .oud seeA as if a <EpiE< had been
adAinistered in the pay to se@era poets6 That is, ho.e@er, not so6 Then, as no., the pura forA .as a
fa@ourite one .ith .riters afraid to attack openy6 9orace adAinisters a pi ony to one poet22to
0rispinus6 And as ;eAp says that Shakspere, thereupon, ga@e a <EpurgeE,< the concusion is ob@ious that
he .ho took re@enge by adAinistering the purge, Aust ha@e been the one to .hoA the pi had been
gi@en6 <:opone,< a pay directed against the <purge<22that is, <9aAet<22.i con@ince us that the chief
contro@ersy ay bet.een Jonson and Shakspere, and not bet.een Jonson and #ekker6
The foo.ing points .i, .e think, Aake it sti cearer that .e are .arranted in beie@ing that the figure
of 0rispinus .as intended by Jonson for Shakspere6
>hen, in presence of Augustus, as .e as of the high jurors Maecenas, Tibuus, and :irgi, the t.o
poetasters ha@e been heardB .hen 9orace has forgi@en #eAetrius, '$+- and 0rispinus, under the sharp
effects of the pi, has thro.n up, aAidst great pain, '$H- the disgracefu .ords .hich he had used against
9orace, he is disAissed by the atter .ith the adAonition to obser@e, in future, a strict and .hoesoAe
dietB to take each Aorning soAething of 0ato<s principesB then taste a piece of Terence and suck his
phraseB to shun Pautus and Ennius as Aeats too harsh for his .eak stoAach, and to read the best Greeks,
<but not .ithout a tutor6<
This fits in .ith Shakspere<s <sAa /atin and ess Greek<22a circuAstance of .hich Jonson hiAsef, in his
poeA in AeAory of Shakspere F*G$+I, thought he shoud reAind the coAing generations6
3t is, no doubt, a itte re@enge for the <dark chaAber< in .hich Ma@oio '$&- is iAprisoned, that, after
9orace has concuded his speech in .hich the study of /atin and Greek is recoAAended to 0rispinus as
soAething @ery necessary for hiA, :irgi shoud add the further ad@ice!22
And for a .eek or t.o see hiA ocked up 3n soAe dark pace, reAo@ed froA coApanyB 9e .i tak
idy ese after his physic6
The fu naAe gi@en by Jonson to 0rispinus is22"1F1S /ABE"31S 0"3SP381S6 John Marston aready,
in *&,), designates Shakspere .ith the nicknaAe <E"ufusE6< E@eryone can con@ince hiAsef of this by
first reading Shakspere<s <:enus and Adonis,< and iAAediatey after.ards John Marston<s
<MetaAorphosis of PigAaion<s 3Aage6< '$G- >e do not kno. .hether it has struck anyone as yet that this
poeA of Marston is a Aost e@ident satire, .ritten e@en in the saAe Aetre as Shakspere<s first, and at that
tiAe Aost popuar, poeA6 '$M- 3n his si4th satire of <The Scourge of :ianie,< Marston e4pains .hy he
had coAposed his <PigAaion<s 3Aage!<22
=et deeA<st that in sad seriousnesse 3 .rite such nasty stuff as in PigAaionL Such Aaggot2tainted,
e.d corruptionJ 666 9ence, thou Aisjudging censor! kno. 3 .rot Those ide riAes to note the odious
spot and beAish that deforAes the ineaAents of Aodern poesies habiiAents6
At the end of his satire F<PigAaion<s 3Aage<I, Marston sef2coApacenty tacks on a concuding piece!
<The Author in Praise of his Precedent PoeA6< >hoA ese does he address there than hiA .hose poetica
Aanner he .ished to Aock22naAey, Shakspere<s22.hen he begins .ith these .ords!22
8o., "ufusJ by od Gebron<s fearfu Aace, 9ath not Ay Muse deser@<d a .orthy paceL 666 3s not Ay
pen coApeateL Are not Ay ines "ight in the s.aggering huAour of these tiAesL
The naAe of <"ufus< has t.o pecuiarities .hich Aay ha@e induced Marston to confer it upon Shakspere6
First of a, ike the Engish king of that naAe, Shakspere<s pre2naAe .as >iiaA6 Secondy, the best2
preser@ed portrait of Shakspere sho.s hiA .ith hair @erging upon a reddish hue6
But not ony the coour of the hair, but aso its thinness Faccording to a pictures and busts .e ha@e of
Shakspere, he .as bad2headedI, seeAs to ha@e been satirised by Jonson in his <Poetaster6< 3n act ii6 sc6 *,
0hoe asks 0rispinus, .ho, e4cited by her o@e and her beauty, pretends becoAing a poet, .hether, as a
poet, he .oud aso change his hairL To .hich 0rispinus repies, <>hy, a Aan Aay be a poet, and yet not
change his hair6<
8o. #ekker, in his <SatiroAasti4, in .hich a persona insuts are to be a@enged '$)-Ffor .hich reason
the chief personages of <The Poetaster< are introduced under the saAe naAeI, Aakes 9orace gi@e forth a
ong song in praise of <heades thicke of hair,< .hist 0rispinus gi@es another in honour of <bade headsB<
froA .hich .e concude that 0hoe<s reAark on 0rispinus< hair has reference to a bad pate, but the naAe
of <"ufus< to the coour of .hate@er hair there is6
<"ufus /aberius 0rispinus< Aight truy be thus rendered! <The red2haired S9A;2erius, .ith the crisp2head,
.ho cribs ike St6 0rispin6< The .ord "ufus, as aready e4pained, reAinds us both of Shakspere<s red hair
and his pre2naAe <>iiaA6< /aberius FfroA EabareE, to shakeB hence Shak2erius, a siAiar nicknaAe as
Greene<s S9A;E2EsceneEI is ceary an indication of the poet<s faAiy naAe6 The "oAan custoA of
pacing the naAe of the EgensE, or faAiy, in the Aidde of a person<s naAe, ea@es no doubt as to
Jonson<s intention6 /aberius .as a draAatic poet, e@en as Shakspere6 /aberius .as an actor FSuet6 c6i6 +,I6
So .as Shakspere6 /aberius payed in his o.n draAas6 Shakspere did the saAe6 /aberius< naAe
corresponds etyAoogicay, as regards Aeaning, to the root2syabe in Shakspere<s naAe6 0oud Jonson,
.ho .as so .e @ersed in cassics, ha@e Aade his satirica ausion painer or Aore poignantL 3n
0rispinus, both Shakspere<s cury hair and the offence of appication, pagiarisA, or iterary theft, .ith
.hich he is charged by his antagonist, are Aanifesty AarkedB St6 0rispin being noted aAong the saints
for his fiching habits6 9e Aade shoes for the poor froA Aaterias stoen froA the rich6
0rispinus approaches 9orace Duite as a <Johannes FactotuA,< as Greene had designated Shakspere in
*&,$6 Jonson Aakes hiA assert that he, too, is a schoar, a .riter con@ersant .ith e@ery kind of poetry,
and a Stoic6 9e aso decares that he is studying architecture, and that, if he buids a house, '$,- it Aust be
siAiar to one before .hich they are standing6
3n #ekker<s <SatiroAasti4,< 0rispinus is described as being of a Aost gente nature6 This is in harAony
.ith the .e2kno.n Duaity generay attributed to Shakspere6 3n the beginning of <SatiroAasti4,<
0rispinus approaches 9orace for the object of peace and reconciiation6 The atter e4cuses hiAsef, in
.ords siAiar to those of the <Apoogetica #iaogue,< that e@en if he shoud <dip his pen in distide "oses,<
or stro@e to drain out of his ink a ga, '+%- yet his eneAies .oud ook at his .ritings <.ith sharpe and
searching eyes6< 8ay22
>hen Ay ines are Aeasur<d out as straight As e@en paraes, <tis strange that sti, Sti soAe iAagine
they are dra.ne a.ry6 The error is not Aine, but in their eyeB That cannot take proportions6
E0rispinusE6 9orrace, 9orraceJ To stand .ithin the shot of gaing tongues, Pro@es not your git, for
coud .e .rite on paper, Made of these turning ea@es of hea@en, the coudes, 7r speak .ith Anges
tongues! yet .ise Aen kno., That soAe .oud shake the head, tho< saints shoud sing, SoAe snakes
Aust hisse, because they<re borne .ith stings6
E9oraceE6 <T is true6
E0rispinusE6 #oe .e not see fooes augh at hea@enL and Aocke The Makers .orkAanshipL
0rispinus goes on teing 9orace that none are safe froA such cauAniesB but that, if his <dastard .it< .i
<strike at Aen in corners,< if he .i <in riddes fode the @ices< of his best friends, then he Aust e4pect aso
that they .i <take off a giding froA their pies,< and offer hiA <the bitter coare< FcoreI6 '+*- >ith great
eAphasis, 0rispinus adAonishes 9orace not to s.ear that he did not intend .hipping the pri@ate @ices of
his friends .hie his <Eashing jestes Aake a Aen beedE6< 0rispinus concudes his Aid, conciiatory
speech .ith the .ords!22
>e coAe ike your phisitions FphysiciansI to purge =our sicke and daungerous Ainde of her disease6
A peace is then concuded, .hich 9orace FJonsonI again breaks, for .hich he recei@es his punishAent
to.ards the end of <SatiroAasti46< #ekker, .ho brings in the chief personages of <The Poetaster< under the
saAe naAe, Aakes, in this counter2piece, t.o parts of the figure of "ufus /aberius 0rispinus22naAey,
that of >iiaA "ufus, the king, at .hose court he ays the scene FJonson<s draAa has the court of
AugustusI, and that of 0rispinus, the poet6 The part of the king is a @ery uniAportant oneB and it Aay be
assuAed that #ekker intended the king and the poet to be ooked upon as the saAe person6 The object of
the pay2dresser #eAetrius F#ekkerI .as, no doubt, to do hoAage in this .ay to his chief 0rispinus22that
is, Shakspere6 >hen the accused 9orace is to be judged, the ;ing says to 0rispinus!22
8ot under us, but ne4t us take thy seateB Artes nourished by ;ings Aake ;ings Aore great6
0rispinus decares 9orace guity of ha@ing <rebeed against the sacred a.s of di@ine Poesie,< not out of
o@e of @irtue, but22
Thy pride and scorn Aade her turne saterist6
9orace, on account of his criAes against the sacred a.s of di@ine poesy, is not <a.refyed,< but
<nettefyed!< not cro.ned .ith aures, but .ith a .reath of nettes, and after.ards, in Sancho PanCa
Aanner, tossed in a banket6 9e then is tod!22<=ou sha not sit in a Gaery .hen your 0oAedies and
Enterudes ha@e entred their Actions, and there Aake @ie faces at e@erie yne, to Aake GenteAen ha@e
an eye to you, and to Aake Payers afraide to take your part6< FurtherAore, he <Aust fors.eare to @enter on
the stage .hen your Pay is ended, and to e4change courteCies and coApeAents .ith Gaants in the
/ordes rooAes, to Aake a the house rise up in ArAes, and to cry that<s 9orace, that<s he, that<s he, that<s
he, that pennes and purges 9uAours and diseases6< 9e Aust proAise <not to brag in Bookebinders shops
that your :iCe2royes or Tributorie ;ings ha@e done hoAage to you, or paide Kuarterage6< And22<.hen
your Payes are Aisse2ikt at 0ourt, you sha not 0rye Me. ike a Pusse20at, and say you are gad you
.rite out of the 0ourtiers EeAents6< '+$-
3n his Preface to <SatiroAasti4< F<To the >ord <I, #ekker says that in this pay he did <Eony .hip hisE
F9orace<sI Efortunes and condition of ife, .here the Aore nobeE "EP"E9E8S378 Ehad bin of hisE
M38#ES #EF7"M3T3E6< '++-
This nober reprehension, as .e ha@e sufficienty sho.n, .as undertaken by Shakspere in his <9aAet6<
'+H- #ekker, in his Epiogue to <SatiroAasti4< Fhe there speaks of the <9eretica /ibertine 9orace<I, asks
the pubic for its appauseB for 9orace .oud thereby be induced to .rite a counter2pay! .hich, if they
hissed his o.n <SatiroAasti4,< .oud not be the case6 By appauding, they .oud thus, in fact, get Aore
sportB for .e <.i untrusse hiA agen, and agen, and agen6<
Shakspere Aay ha@e been tired of this fruitess pastiAe, of those pitifu sDuabbes, as appears aso froA
the reproach he Aakes in <9aAet<to his peope6 By the <EAore nobeE "EP"E9E8S378< .hich he
adAinistered to Jonson and his party, he becaAe absorbed in the profounder probeAs concerning
Aankind6 The tiAe of the ighter coAedies is no. past for hiA6 There foo. no. his grandest Aaster2
.orks6 9enceforth the poet stands in a reation created by hiAsef to his God and to the .ord6
>e proceed to an e4aAination of <:opone,< of that pay .hich Jonson sent as a counter2thrust after
<9aAet,< and froA .hich, as regards our 9aAet2Montaigne theory, .e hope to con@ince our readers in
the cearest Aanner possibe6
*! Arber<s EEngish Schoars /ibraryE, *)M,, sho.s that this highy interesting draAa .as for the first
tiAe gi@en at 0aAbridge in *G%$6 3f so, the Aanuscript has unDuestionaby recei@ed additions during
the four years before its appearance in print6 The fact is, .e find in the pay certain e@ident ausions
.hich coud not possiby ha@e been added before the years *G%+2HB for instance, references to the
transators of Montaigne22John Forio, and the friends .ho aided hiAB22references .hich Aust ha@e
been Aade after the EEssaisE .ere pubished6
3n act i6 sc6 $, Judicio speaks of the Engish <Fores PoetaruA, against .hoA can2Duaffing hucksters
shoot their peets6< These <EForesE PoetaruA< are EForioE and his feo.2.orkers, aAong .hoA Ben
Jonson is aso to be reckonedB and .e sha see farther on that the atter abuses these offensi@e hucksters
as <@ernacuous orators,< because they Aake Montaigne the target of their sneers6 Again, in act i@6 sc6
$, Furor Poeticus, 3ngenioso, and PhantasAa induge in e4pressions .hich can ony appy to the
#edications and the Sonnets of Forio<s transation6 PhantasAa, for instance, addresses an 7de of
9orace to hiAsef!22
<Maecenas, ata@is edite regibus, 7 et praesidiuA et duce decus AeuA #ii faciant @otis @ea
secunda tuis6<
The atter ine ought to run!22
Sunt, Duos curricuo pu@ereA 7yApicuA,
and if .e take into consideration that Juror says in the saAe scene!22
And .hen thy s.eing @ents aAain, Then Pisces be thy sporting chaAberain,
it is not asserting too Auch that these are Aanifest hits at Forio, .ho, to pease his Maecenas, tries
.ith #r6 #iodati, his <guide2fish< to capture the <.hae< in the <rocke rough ocean6<
Forio<s .ay of transating the /atin cassic .riters into indifferent Engish rhyAes is aso repeatedy
ridicued6 The atter FForio, p6 &MH6I once gi@es a passage froA Pautus FEThe 0apti@esE, Proogue, @6
$$I correcty enough! <The Gods, perdye FEpardieuEI, doe reckon and racket us Aen as their tennis
bas6< Furor Poeticus, in one of his fits of fine frenCy, accuses Phoebus!22
The hea@ens< proAoter that doth peep and prey 3nto the acts of Aorta tennis bas6
This he says after ha@ing, in the saAe highy coAic speech, tra@estied Forio<s #edication of the third
book, in .hich that gaant coApares hiAsef to <Mercury bet.een the radiant orbs of :enus and the
Moon<22that is, the t.o adies to .hoA he dedicates the book in Duestion, and before .hoA he aeges
he <eads a dance6< A further sneer is directed by Furor Poeticus against the aCy Aanner .ith .hich
Forio<s Muse rises froA her nest6
Additiona ausions to draAatic pubications froA the years *G%+2H .i be found on pp6 $%*, $%$6
Another proof that the pay FEThe "eturn froA ParnassusEI cannot be of a uniforA cast, is this! 3n act
i6 sc6 $ a ist of the poets is gi@en, that are to be criticised6 The ist is kept up in proper succession as far
as <John #a@is6< Then there are @ariations, and naAes not contained in that ist6 These additions Aosty
refer to draAatic authors, .hist the pre@ious naAes, as far as <John #a@is,< ony refer to yric poets6
>e beie@e the intention of the first .riter of EThe "eturn froA ParnassusE .as ony to criticise yric
poets6 Moreo@er, Monius says in the Proogue!22<>hat is presented here, is an od Austy sho., that
has ain this t.e@eAonth in the bottoA of a coa2house aAongst brooAs and od shoes6< 7ur opinion is
that EThe "eturn froA ParnassusE, after ha@ing been acted before a earned pubic at 0aAbridge,
caAe into the hands of payers .ho appied the Aanner in .hich yric poets had been criticised in it,
to draAatic .riters6 The authors of the additions Aust ha@e been friends of ShakspereB for, as .e sha
find, the eneAies of the atter are aso theirs6
$! Act i@6 sc6 +6
+! 3n EThe PoetasterE, of .hich .e sha speak farther on6
H! According to certain indications in ESatiroAasti4E, he had an <aAbing< .ak, or dancing kind of
step6 FSee EnoteE $)6I
&! 0oier<s EMeAoirs of AeynE, pp6 &% and &*6
G! E0on@ersations .ith #ruAAondE6
M! ESatiroAasti4E, *G%$6
)! 0oier<s E#raAaE, i6 ++H6
,! EPoetasterE6
*%! 0oApare his #edication in E:oponeE, of .hich .e sha ha@e Aore to say6
**! E#ruAAond<s 0on@ersationsE6
*$! 7f a styes, Jonson iked best to be naAed <9onestB< and he <hath ane hundred etters so naAing
hiA6<22E0on@ersations .ith #ruAAondE6
*+! E/ife of #rydenE, p6 $G&6
*H! By Aubrey caed <Jack =oung6<
*&! As if the .hoe .ord had Aade it a point to conspire against Jonson, Gifford aboriousy e4erts
hiAsef to defend hiA against the nuAberess attacks of a the pre@ious coAAentators, critics, and
biographers6 The endea@our of Gifford to .hite.ash hiA seeAs to Ae as fruitess a beginning as that of
the itte innocent represented in a picture as trying to change, .ith sponge and soap, the African
coour of her nurse<s face6
*G! Jonson<s EEuogy of ShakspereE .as coAposed se@en years after the death of the atter6 9a@ing
Aost probaby been reDuested by 9eAinge and 0onde not to .ithhod his tribute froA the departed,
to .hoA both his conteAporaries as .e as posterity had done hoAage, Jonson Aay readiy ha@e seiCed
the occasion to do aAends for the .rong he had inficted upon the great poet during his ifetiAe6 A
ater opinion of Jonson in regard to Shakspere FETiAberB or #isco@eries Aade upon Men and MatterE,
*G+%2+MI is of a Aore Aoderate tone, and on soAe points in contradiction to the .ords of praise
contained in the pubished poeA6
*M! EPoetasterE, Apo6 #iaogue6
*)! This Proogue is not contained in the first edition F*&,)I, but ony in the second F*G*GI6 3t Aay,
therefore, ha@e been .ritten in the AeantiAe6 3t is supposed that it .as so in *G%G6 FSee EShakspere<s
0entury of PraiseE, *)M,, pp6 **), **,6I
*,! 7ny a fe. of the eariest productions of Jonson ha@e coAe do.n to us6 SoAe of theA are! EE@ery
Man in 9is 9uAourE F*&,)IB EE@ery Man out of 9is 9uAourE F*&,,IB and E0ynthia<s "e@esE
F*G%%I, a of theA fu of persona ausions6 Many of these are Aeant against Shakspere6 >e cannot,
ho.e@er, enter Aore fuy upon that, as .e ha@e to confine ourse@es to the chief contro@ersy out of
.hich E9aAetE arose6 8either on Jonson<s nor on Shakspere<s part did the contro@ersy cease after the
appearance of E9aAetE6 3t .as sti carried on through se@era draAas, .hich, ho.e@er, .e ea@e
untouched, as not beonging to our theAe6
$%! See EnoteE $&6
$*! 3n ESatiroAasti4E this reproach is Aade to Ben Jonson!22<9orace did not scre. and .rigge hiAsefe
into great Mens faAyiarity, iApudentie as thou doost6<
$$! Gifford, in his ner@ous an4iety to parry e@ery reproach against his Auch2adAired, and, in his eyes,
baAeess Jonson .hose DuarresoAeness had froA so Aany parts been propery charged, and
particuary desirous of shieding hiA against the accusation of ha@ing taken up an attitude hostie to
Shakspere, decares, in contradiction to the opinion of a pre@ious coAAentators, that E0rispinusE is
to represent John Marston6 Since then, Gifford<s assertion has been taken for granted, .ithout deeper
inDuiry6 The authority of this fond editor of Jonson has, ho.e@er, pro@ed an untrust.orthy one in
Aany things, especiay in Aatters reating to Shakspere6 Thanks to the e4ertions of Aore recent
inDuirers, not a a fe. things are no. seen in a better perspecti@e than Gifford .as abe to offer6 >e
adAit the difficuty of reconstructing facts froA productions ike EThe PoetasterE, .hich had been
dictated by the o@er.rought feeings of the AoAent6 But in a satire .hich bred so Auch <tuAut,<
.hich <coud so deepy offend,< and <stir so Aany hornets< Ffour hundred persons out of fi@e hundred
being abe to point .ith their fingers, in one instant, at one and the saAe AanI, the characters Aust
ha@e been @ery broady dra.n for genera recognition6 By such broad traits .e Aust sti be guided in
our judgAent to2day6 A the characteristic Duaities of 0rispinus, .hich .e sha e4pain farther on,
pro@e that Gifford<s idea about 0rispinus being John Marston is not tenabe6
This atter poet .as @ery .e @ersed in Greek and /atin, and had a coApete cassic education6 The
adAonition of 9orace to perfect hiAsef in both anguages, is therefore not appicabe to hiA6
FurtherAore, Marston, at the tiAe The Poetaster .as coAposed Fthis Aay ha@e been to.ards the end of
the year *G%%, or the beginning of *G%*I, had scarcey yet .ritten anything for the stage6 7ny his
EMetaAorphosis of PigAaion<s 3Aage and 0ertaine SatyresE F*&,)I, and his EScourge of :ianieE
F*&,,I had been pubished6 9is first tragedy caAe out in print in *G%$B it Aay just ha@e been in course
of becoAing kno.n on the stage6 >e ha@e no Aeans of ascertaining .hether it had aready been acted
.hen EThe PoetasterE appeared6 This Auch is ho.e@er certain, that .hen this atter satire obtained
pubicity, Marston<s reations to the draAa and the stage Aust yet ha@e been of the Aost insignificant
kindB for Phiip 9enso.e, in his #iary Fpp6 *&G, *&MI, e4pressy speaks of hiA, e@en in *&,,, as a
<ne.< poet to .hoA he had ent, through an interAediary, the suA of forty shiings <in earneste of a
Boocke,< the tite of .hich is not Aentioned6 3s it, then, concei@abe that such a draAatist .ho in *G%*
certainy .as yet @ery insignificant, shoud ha@e been Aade the subject, in *G%*, in Jonson<s
EPoetasterE, of the foo.ing @ery characteristic reAark22assuAing 0rispinus to ha@e been intended
for MarstonL
Tucca says, in regard to the forAer, to a poor payer Fact iii6 sc6 iI!22<3f he pen for thee once, thou shat
not need to tra@e .ith thy puAps fu of gra@e any Aore, after a bind jade and a haAper, and stak
upon boards and barre2heads to an od cracked truApet6<
#oes this not Duite fit Shakspere<s popuarity and draAatic successL
Jonson, it is true, tes #ruAAond that he had .ritten his EPoetasterE against Marston6 FAccording to
his decaration in the <Apoogetica #iaogue,< there is nothing persona in the .hoe EPoetasterJE <3
can profess 3 ne@er .ritt that piece Aore innocent or eApty of offence6<I 9o.e@er, .e forA our
judgAent in this Aatter froA the cear, .e2Aarked, and indubitaby characteristic traits of the pay,
as .e as froA the resuts of Aodern criticisA, .hich are fuy in harAony .ith those traits6 E@erything
points to the figure of 7@id being a Aask for Marston6 Jonson perhaps chose the naAe of 7@id for
hiA because he, too, had .ritten EMetaAorphosesE6 Besides the before2Aentioned EMetaAorphosis
of PigAaion<s 3AageE, it is not iAprobabe that Marston is the author of the Aanuscript preser@ed in the
British MuseuA!22EThe 8e. MetaAorphosisB or, A Feaste or Fancie of Poetica /egendes6 The first
parte di@ided into t.e@e books6 >ritten by 36 M6, gent6E, *G%%6 7@id22Marston22in the EPoetasterE, is
described as the younger son of a genteAan of considerabe position6 9e is dependent on a stipend
ao.ed to hiA by his father6 After ha@ing abso@ed his studies, he is to becoAe an ad@ocate, but
secrety he de@otes his tiAe to poetry6 The father .arns hiA that po@erty .i be his ot if he does not
renounce poetry6 7@id senior Aakes the foo.ing reproach to his son F.hich probaby has reference to
Marston<s first tragedy, EAntonio and MeidaEI!22<3 hear of a tragedy of yours coAing forth for the
coAAon payers there, caed EMedeaE6 By Ay househod gods, if 3 coAe to the acting of it, 3< add
one tragic part Aore than is yet e4pected to it6666 >hatL sha 3 ha@e Ay son a stager no.L an enghe for
payersL666 Pubius, 3 .i set thee on the funera pie firstJ<
A this harAonises .ith the fe. facts .e kno. of Marston<s career, .ho is said to ha@e been the son
of a counseor of the Midde TeApe, .ho .as at 0orpus 0hristi 0oege at 74ford, and .ho .as
Aade a EbaccaaureusE there on February $+, *&,$6 3n coAparison .ith 0rispinus and #eAetrius, 7@id
is but Aidy chaffedB and this, again, is in accord .ith the reations .hich soon after arose, in a @ery
friendy Aanner, bet.een Jonson and Marston6 3t is scarcey to be thought that, if Marston had been
derided as 0rispinus, he .oud aready ha@e coAposed, as eary as *G%+, his euogistic poeA on
Jonson<s ESejanusE, and dedicated to hiA in *G%H, in such hearty .ords, his o.n EMacontentE6
FroA soAe pointed .ords in the ibe coAposed by 0rispinus against 9orace, Gifford concudes that
the forAer Aust be Marston, because .e Aeet .ith these pointed .ords in soAe satires and draAas of
Marston6 >e, on our part, go, in these contro@ersia pays, by the Aain and Aost proAinent
characteristicsB and these sho. that 0rispinus is Shakspere, and 7@id Marston6
The atter e@en once says FEScourge of :ianieE, sat6 @i6I that Aany a one, in reading his
EPigAaionE, has coApared hiA to 7@id6 3n order to Aake out 0rispinus to be guity before Augustus,
strong anguage is reDuired6 For this purpose, Jonson Aay ha@e used the .ay and Aanners of Marston,
and appied soAe of his ne.y coined graphic .ords6 But this pro@es nothing for the identity of
characters6 The ibe aso contains a pointed .ord of Shakspere22<retrograde<22an e4pression itte
eApoyed by the atter, and .hich is hured as a reproach against Paroes, the figure .hich in a
ikeihood is to represent JonsonB 9eena Fact i6 sc6 $I says to hiA, that he .as born under Mars, <.hen
he .as retrograde6<
The reAark in EThe "eturn froA ParnassusE that fe. of the 1ni@ersity can pen pays .e, sAeing
too Auch of that .riter 7@id and that .riter EMetaAorphosisE, has, in our opinion, aso reference to
John Marston .hose first draAatic atteApts22athough he, ike Jonson, Aay be caed a <1ni@ersity
Aan<22do not adAit of any coAparison .ith those of Shakspere6
$+! #eAetrius repentingy adAits that it .as froA en@y he had i2treated 9orace, because <he kept
better coApany for the Aost part than 3, better Aen o@ed hiA than o@ed AeB and his .ritings thri@ed
better than Aine, and .ere better iked and graced6<
$H! The itte .ord <cutcht< for a ong tiAe <sticks strangey< in 0rispinus< throatB it is ony thro.n up
.ith the greatest difficuty6 3n E9aAetE Fact @6 sc6 i, in the second @erse of the gra@e2digger<s songI
.e hear, <9ath ca.<d Ae in his EcutchE6 3n the origina song, .hich is here tra@estied, the .ords are,
<9ath ca.<d Ae .ith his crouch<6
$&! The foo.ing ausion in EThe PoetasterE Fact i@6 sc6 +I aso has reference to ET.efth 8ightE!22<3
ha@e read in a book that to pay the foo .isey is high .isdoA6< For :ioa Fact iii6 sc6 iI says!22
This feo. <s .ise enough to pay the fooB And, to do that .e, cra@es a kind of .it666 As fu of
abour as a .ise Aan<s art6
There are se@era indications in EThe PoetasterE pointing to Shakspere<s EJuius 0aesarE .hich had
appeared in the saAe year F*G%*I6 8ot ony does 9orace say to Trebatius that <great 0aesar<s .ars
cannot be fought .ith .ords,< but he aso corrects Shakspere, .ho Aakes Antony Fact iii6 sc6 $I speak of
0aesar<s gardens on this side of the Tiber, by putting into the Aouth of 9orace Fact iii6 sc6 iI the
.ords!22< 7n the far side of a Tyber yonder6< 3n this scene, .here the t.o Pyrgi are e4aAined, there are
soAe Aore ausions to EJuius 0aesarE6 E@en the boy, .hose instruAent Brutus takes a.ay .hen he
is aseep, is not .anting6 3n EThe PoetasterE it is a druA, instead of a yre Fthe druA in EA<s >e that
Ends >eEI6 And are the foo.ing .ords of the saAe scene no satire upon act i6 sc6 + of EJuius
0aesarE, .here 0asca and 0icero Aeet aAidst thunder and ightningL
$ EPyrgiE6 >here art thou, boyL .here is 0aipoisL Fight earthDuakes in the entrais of the earth,
And eastern .hir.inds in the heish shadesB SoAe fou contagion of the infected hea@ens Bast a
the trees, and in their cursed tops The disAa night2ra@en and tragic o. Breed and becoAe
forerunners of Ay faJ
0asca d.es especiay on the <bird of night6<
$G! The y, in PygAaion, seeAs to us not .ithout cause to be changed by Marston into an i6
$M! The nuAber of Aetaphors used by Shakspere in <:enus and Adonis,< .hich Marston tra@esties, is
strikingy arge6
$)! A fe. instances Aay here be gi@en of the coarseness .ith .hich #ekker pays back Jonson for his
persona ausions6 3n EThe PoetasterE, 0rispinus is tod that his <satin2see@e begins to fret at the rug
that is underneath it6< 3n ESatiroAasti4E, Tucca cries out against 9orace FJonsonI!22<Thou ne@er yet fe<st
into the hands of sattin6< And again!22<Thou borro.edst a go.ne of "oscius the stager, and sentest it
hoAe ousie6< 0rispinus, in EThe PoetasterE, is derided on account of his short egs6 3n ESatiroAasti4E,
9orace is aughed at for his <aAbing< .akB .herefore he had so bady payed Aad JeroniAo<s part6
Jonson is reproached .ith a his sins! that he had kied a payerB that he had not thought it necessary to
keep his .ord to those .hoA he hed to be EhereticsE and EinfidesE, and so forth6 9is face, .hich, as
abo@e Aentioned, had scorbutic Aarks, is stated to be <ike a rotten russet appe .hen it is bruiC<d<B or,
ike the co@er of a .arAing2pan, <fu of oyet2hoes6< 9e is caed an <ugie Pope BonifaciusB< aso a
<brickayerB< and he is asked .hy, instead of buiding chiAneys and aying do.n bricks, he Aakes
<nothing but raies<22<fithy rotten raies<22upon .hich aone his Muse eans6 F<"aies< has a doube
Aeaning here! rais for fencing in a houseB and gibes6I 9e is tod that his feet staAp as if he had Aortar
under theA22an ausion to his Aetrics, as .e as to his aAbing .ak6
$,! Shakspere .as aready then the proprietor of a house228e. Pace, in Stratford6 3n this scene 9orace
aso asks 0rispinus!22<=ou ha@e Auch of the Aother in you, sirL =our father is deadL< John Shakspere,
the father, died in the year .hen EThe PoetasterE .as first perforAed22in SepteAber, *G%*6
+%! ET.efth 8ightE, act iii6 sc6 $6 ESir TobyE!22</et there be ga in thy ink, though thou .rite .ith a
goose2pen6<
+*! 9ere 0rispinus threatens 9orace .ith the <purge< Fa .ord that Aay be used as a noun or a @erbI,
.hich, in EThe "eturn froA ParnassusE, is Aentioned as ha@ing been adAinistered by Shakspere to
Jonson6 3t is highy probabe that the reconciiation bet.een 0rispinus and 9orace, .hich is described
in the beginning of ESatiroAasti4E, had taken pace bet.een Shakspere and Ben Jonson, and that,
during this period of peace, the perforAance of ESejanusE occurred, in .hich Shakspere acti@ey co2
operated6 After that, traces of hostiity ony are to be disco@ered bet.een the t.o poets6
E@en .hen 9orace, in the <SatiroAasti4,< has again broken the peace, the gente 0rispinus says to
hiA!22
>ere thy .arpt soue put in a ne. Aode, 3<d .eare thee as a je.e set in gode6
+$! The ESatiroAasti4E .as perforAed in *G%$, probaby in the beginning of the year, as the Epiogue
speaks of cod .eather, and #ekker scarcey .oud ha@e .aited a year .ith his ans.er to EThe
PoetasterE6 Kueen EiCabeth died in *G%+6 Another decenniuA had to pass FShakspere had ong since
.ithdra.n to his StratfordI before the taste of >hiteha had been so Auch o.ered that Jonson coud
becoAe a fa@ourite of the courty eeAent6
++! 3n such type it is printed in the origina6
+H! 3n ESatiroAasti4E, 0aptain Tucca once ba.s out against 9orace, <My naAe<s 9aAet "e@engeJ< as
if it had becoAe kno.n aready then in the draAatic .ord that Shakspere .as preparing his repy to
EThe PoetasterE6 3n the atter pay Fact iii6 sc6 3I .hich .as probaby added after EThe PoetasterE had
aready been acted, and Jonson had heard that #ekker .as .riting his ESatiroAasti4EI, Jonson Aakes
a payer froA the other side of the Tiber say!22<>e ha@e hired hiA to abuse 9orace, and bring hiA in, in
a pay, .ith a his gaants, as Tibuus, Mecaenas, 0orneius Gaus, and the rest66667, it .i get us a
huge dea of Aoney, 0aptain, and .e ha@e need on<tB for this .inter has Aade us a poorer than so
Aany star@ed snakes6 8obody coAes at us, not a genteAan, nor a22<
3n the saAe scene Tucca utters curses, before that payer, against the theatres on the other side of the
Tiber6 The actor he addresses beongs to one of theA6 Tucca Aentions t.o theatres by naAe22<your
Gobes, and your TriuAphs6< 9e says to the actor!22<0oAAend Ae to se@en shares and a haf6<
Shakespere and his coeagues had certain fi4ed shares in the <GobeB< and the .ords of the actor, as
regards the poor .inter they had, confirA that .hich Shakspere gi@es to understand in E9aAetE, that
<there .as, for a .hie, no Aoney bid for arguAent, uness the poet and the payer .ent to cuffs in the
Duestion6<
:36
<:7/P78E,< by Ben Jonson6
<EAST>A"# 97E,< by 0hapAan, Ben Jonson, and Marston6
<T9E MA/078TE8T,< by John Marston6
Ben Jonson<s <:opone< .as first acted in *G%&B and on February **, *G%M, it appeared in print6 '*- 3t is
preceded by a #edication, in .hich the author dedicates <both it and hiAsef< to <the Aost nobe and Aost
eDua sisters, the t.o faAous 1ni@ersities,< in gratefu ackno.edgAent <for their o@e and acceptance
sho.n to this PoeA in the presentation6<
3n this #edication the Aost passionate anguage is used against a conteAporary poets22especiay against
those .ho no., he says, practise <in draAatic, as they terA it! stage2poetry, nothing but ribadry,
profanation,< and <a icence of offence to God and Aan6< Their petuancy, he continues, <hath not ony rapt
Ae to present indignation, but Aade Ae studious heretoforeB< for by theA <the fith of the tiAe is uttered,
and .ith such iApropriety of phrase, such penty of soecisAs, such dearth of sense, so bod proepses, so
racked Aetaphors, .ith brothery abe to @ioate the ear of a pagan, and baspheAy to turn the bood of a
0hristian to .ater6<
Jonson e4presses his purpose of standing off froA theA Fthe stage2poetsI <by a his actions6< SoeAny he
utters this @o.!22<3 sha raise the despised head of poetry again, and, stripping her out of those rotten and
base rags .here.ith the tiAes ha@e aduterated her forA, restore her to her priAiti@e habit, feature, and
Aajesty, and render her .orthy to be eAbraced and kist of a the great and Aaster2spirits of our .ord6<
This object of his22he adds22<Aay Aost appear in this Ay atest .ork F<:opone<I, .hich you, Aost earned
Arbitresses, ha@e seen, judged, and, to Ay cro.n, appro@edB .herein 3 ha@e aboured for their instruction
and aAendAent, to reduce, not ony the ancient forAs, but Aanners of the scene, the easiness, the
propriety, the innocence, and ast, the doctrine, .hich is the principa end of poesie, to inforA Aen in the
best reason of i@ing6<
A conteAporary draAatists are Aost pitiessy condeAned by Ben Jonson, and the cause of his present
indignation is ceary stated! <EA naAe so fu of authority, antiDuity, and a great Aark, is, through their
insoence, becoAe the o.est scorn of the ageEB< Aoreo@er, <EAyE FJonson<sI EfaAe, and the reputation of
di@ers honest and earned, are the DuestionE22that is to say, ha@e been injured6
As in <:opone,< .herein Jonson, as he states, <aboured for their Fthe conteAporary poets<I instruction and
aAendAent,< .e sha find Aost nuAerous ausions to Shakspere and <9aAet,< .e fee justified in
asserting that Jonson<s .hoe fury is, in his <present indignation,< roused against this particuar author and
against this specia draAa6 Therein, as .e ha@e sho.n, a naAe of authority, antiDuity, and a great Aark22
Montaigne22has been taApered .ith, and, through this satire, di@ers honest and earned FJohn Forio and
his coadjutors in the transation22a friends of JonsonI ha@e been injured, as .e as the atter<s o.n faAe6
3n <9aAet,< Shakspere brought his o.n idea of friendship in the figure of 9oratio on the stage, in
contrast to the 9orace of <The Poetaster6< Jonson .as not the Aan to be edified by the beautifu e4aApes
and the nober .ords of his gente ad@ersary, Shakspere, or to ater his sentiAents in accordance .ith
theA6 9e rather .ecoAed e@ery opportunity for a Duarre6 That .as the eeAent in .hich he i@edB for
thus he got the Aaterias and the spicy condiAents for his draAas6 8o. in <9aAet< there .ere Aoti@es
enough for ighting up a fire of hatred against Shakspere, and to entertain the pubic there.ith6
Jonson, a.ays ready for batte, .iingy takes up the pen in their defence6 3n doing so, the fa@our of a
nobeAan and of soAe high2born adies coud be earned, at .hose .ish and reDuest Montaigne had been
Engished6 Besides, e@ery occasion .as reished for opposing Shakspere, .ho had attacked Montaigne
.hose reigious creed .as the saAe as that of Jonson6
The British MuseuA possesses a copy of <:opone,< on .hich Jonson has, .ith his o.n hand, .ritten the
.ords!22<ETo his o@ing father and o@ing freind, Mr6 John Forio, the ayde of his Muses! Ben Jonson seas
this testeAony of freindship and o@eE6< 8ot the gift of this itte book, ho.e@er, but its contents22naAey,
the attack .hich Jonson Aade, both for the sake of his friend and for hiAsef, against the great antagonist
FShakspereI22Aust be hed to be the token or <EtesteAony of freindship and o@eE6<
3n the @ery beginning of the #edication, Jonson says that e@ery author ought to be heedfu of his
faAe!22<8e@er, Aost eDua sisters, had any Aan a .it so presenty e4ceent as that it coud raise itsef, but
there Aust coAe both Aatter, occasion, coAAenders, and fa@ourers to it6 3f this be true, and that the
fortune of a .riters doth daiy pro@e it, it beho@es the carefu to pro@ide .e to.ards these accidentsB
and, ha@ing acDuired theA, to preser@e that part of reputation Aost tendery, .herein the benefit of a
friend is aso defended6< 9e then asserts that this is an age in .hich poetry, and the professors of it, are so
i2spoken of on a sides because, in their petuancy, they ha@e yet to earn that one cannot be a good poet
.ithout first being a good Aan6
3n the foo.ing passage, curiousy enough, a certain person is e4toed as the Aode of a good Aan,
against .hoA the stage draAatists, .ho theAse@es, according to Jonson, are not good Aen F<nothing
reAaining .ith theA of the dignity of the poet<I, ha@e, as he thinks, grie@ousy sinned!22<E9e that is said
to be abe to inforA young Aen to a good discipines, infaAe gro.n Aen to a great @irtues, keep od
Aen in their best and supreAe state, or, as they decine to chidhood, reco@er theA to their first strengthBE
'$- Ethat coAes forth the interpreter and arbiter of nature, a teacher of things di@ine no ess than huAan,E
'+- Ea Aaster in AannersB and can aone, or .ith a fe., effect the business of Aankind!E 'H- Ethis, 3 take
hiA, is no subject for pride and ance to e4ercise their raiing rhetoric upon6E<
3n this description .e again see Montaigne, against .hoA <raiing rhetoric< has been used6
Ben Jonson proudy points to hiAsef as ha@ing ne@er done such Aischief! <For Ay particuar, 3 can, and
froA a Aost cear conscience, affirA that 3 ha@e e@er treAbed to think to.ard the east profaneness6<
Though22he says22he cannot .hoy escape <froA soAe the iAputation of sharpness,< he does not fee
guity of ha@ing offered insut to anyone, <e4cept to a AiAic, cheater, ba.d, or buffoon6< But22<3 .oud ask
of these superciious poitics, E.hat nation, society, or genera orderE of state 3 ha@e pro@okedL 666 >hat
pubic personLE >hether 3 ha@e not, in a these, preser@ed their dignity, as Aine o.n person, safeL 666
>here ha@e 3 been particuarL .here personaL<
>ho does not see in the foo.ing .ords a reproach aunched against Shakspere, that he has taken his
Aaterias froA other .ritersL >ho does not fee that the .arning addressed to <.ise and nobe persons<
has reference to the highy paced protectors of the great ri@a .hose fa@our Ben Jonson, in spite of his
/atin and Greek, .as not abe to obtainL 9e says!22
<Appication< Fthat is, pagiarisAI <is no. gro.n a trade .ith AanyB and there are that profess to ha@e a
key for the decyphering of e@erything! but et .ise and nobe persons take heed ho. they be too
creduous, or gi@e ea@e to these in@ading interpreters to be o@er2faAiiar .ith their faAes, .ho
cunningy, and often, utter their o.n @iruent Aaice under other Aen<s siApest Aeanings6<
Jonson then appro@es of those <se@ere and .ise patriots< .ho, in order to pro@ide against <the hurts these
icentious spirits Aay do in a State,< rather desire to see pays fu of <foos and de@is,< and <those antiDue
reics of barbarisA< Fhe Aeans <MasDues,< .hich he .rote .ith great @irtuososhipI acted on the stage, than
<behod the .ounds of pri@ate Aen, of princes and nations6<
And no. .e coAe to the passage, party aready Duoted, .hich Aore than anything ese sho.s that the
<EpurgeE< .hich <our feo. Shakspere ga@e hiA<22<9aAet<22Aust ha@e greaty daAaged, in the eyes of the
pubic, both the reputation of Jonson and of his friends6 9e confesses it in these reAarkabe .ords!22
<E3 cannot but be serious in a cause of this nature, .herein Ay faAe, and the reputation of di@ers honest
and earned are the DuestionB .hen a naAe so fu of authority, antiDuity, and a great Aark, is, through
their insoence, becoAe the o.est scorn of the ageB and those Aen subject to the petuancy of e@ery
@ernacuous orator, that .ere .ont to be the care of kings and happiest AonarchsE6< '&-
3s there a character, .e Aay ask, not ony in Shakspere<s draAas, but in any pay of that period, to .hich
the description gi@en by Jonson coud appyL22of course, 9aAet a.ays e4cepted, .ho is but a Aask for
Montaigne6 And .ho ese but Montaigne is designated by the e4pressions! <a naAe so fu of authority,
antiDuity, and a great AarkB< <the care of kings and happiest AonarchsL<
That the <raiing rhetoric< in .hich such a character .as derided, coud not be contained in a satirica
poeA, but had reference to a draAa, is pro@ed, as aready e4pained, by the fact of Jonson<s .rath being
directed against the stage2poets6 9e says e4pressy, that henceforth, by a his actions, he .i <stand off
froA theA6< To the Aost earned authorities, the t.o 1ni@ersities, he announces that, by his o.n reguar
art, he intends gi@ing these .ay.ard discipes of #raAatic Poesy proper instruction and aAendAent6 9ad
his object not been to strike the Aost popuar of the stage2poets22Shakspere22he .oud ha@e been bound to
Aake an e4ception for that naAe of .hich e@eryone Aust ha@e thought first .hen stage2poets .ere
subjected to reproof6 >e repeat! Jonson ony intended Aeasuring hiAsef against hiA .ho .as the
greatest of his tiAe6 This .as fuy in accordance .ith his disputatious incination6 'G-
The person once <E.ont to be the care of kings and happiest AonarchsE< 'M- Aust ha@e been a foreigner,
for .e do not kno. of any fa@ourite <Efu of authority and antiDuityE< .ho enjoyed such high pri@iege
froA Engish kings6 9o.e@er, if a draAatist had been bod enough to put such a fa@ourite on the stage, he
.oud ha@e Aet .ith the Aost se@ere punishAent ong before Jonson had pointed out his reprehensibe
audacity6 By the <Ehappiest AonarchsE,< 9enry 3336 and 9enry 3:6 of France are Aeant6 The atter, at that
tiAe, yet stood in the Cenith of his good fortune6 Again, the e4pression! <Eof e@ery @ernacuous oratorE,<
points to the circuAstance of the Aockery being directed against a foreignerB and the saAe Aay be said of
Jonson<s Duestion, addressed to superciious poiticians, as to .hat nation, society, or genera order of
State he had pro@okedL 0eary, another nation, a society of different Aodes of thought than the Engish
one, and foreign institutions, are here indicated6
>e no. coAe to soAe hints contained in <:opone,< .hich party consist of an endea@our to e4pose
Shakspere on account of pagiarisAs coAAitted against other .riters, party of references to irreigious
tendencies, against .hich Jonson .arns, and .hich he stri@es to ridicue6
1nder the e4isting strict a.s .hich forbade reigious Duestions being discussed on the stage, the atter
references had to be Aade in parabe Aanner, but sti not too co@erty, so that they Aight be understood
by a certain audience22naAey, the AeAbers of the 1ni@ersities of 74ford and 0aAbridge6 ')-
Aready, in the Proogue of his <:opone,< Jonson says of hiAsef that22
3n a his poeAs sti hath been this Aeasure, To Ai4 profit .ith your peasure6
9e aso despises certain decepti@e tricks of coAposition!22
8or haes he in a gu od ends reciting, To stop gaps in his oose .ritingB >ith such a dea of
Aonstrous and forced action, As Aight Aake BetheA a faction! 8or Aade he his pay for jests stoen
froA each tabe, But Aakes jests to fit his fabe6666 The a.s of tiAe, pace, persons he obser@eth, FroA
no needfu rue he s.er@eth6
3n the obser@ance of the technica rues of the cassic draAa22this Auch Jonson coud certainy pro@e to
the .ord22he .as superior to Shakspere6 The se@ere .ords! <Aonstrous and forced action,< can ony refer
to a draAa .ritten not ong beforeB for, in <:opone,< Jonson .ishes to gi@e to the stage2poets of his tiAe
his o.n idea of a draAa6 <BetheA< FBedaAI indicates Aadness round .hich a kinds of unatics Aight
gather as factionaries or adherents of the kind of draAa .hich Jonson .ishes to stigAatise6
#o .e go too far in thinking that <9aAet< is the pay .hich is Aade the target of ausions in this @ery
ProogueL
9o.e@er, .e proceed at once to the 3nterude .hich foo.s after the first scene of the first act of
<:opone6< 3n it, Shakspere hiAsef is practicay put on the stage, by being asked!
ho. of ate thou hast suffered transation, And shifted thy coat in these days of reforAation6
This 3nterude is in no connection .ith the course of the draAatic action6
Mosca, a parasite, brings in, for the entertainAent of his Aaster F:oponeI, three Aerry Jack Andre.s6
7ne of theA, Androgyno, Aust be hed to be S9A;SPE"E6
9ere .e ha@e to note that Francis Meres, a schoar of great repute, and M6A6 of both 1ni@ersities, .rote
in *&,) a book, entited <Paadis TaAia,< .hich in Engish he cas <>it<s Treasury6< 3t contains, so far as
the si4teenth century is concerned, the Aost @auabe stateAents as regards Shakspere! nay, the ony
trust.orthy ones dating froA that century6 3n that .ork, Meres cassifies and criticises the poets of his
tiAe and country by coAparing each of theA .ith soAe Greek or "oAan poet, kindred to the
corresponding Engish one in the ine of production chosen and in Duaity6 Ben Jonson is ony Aentioned
once, at a @ery Aodest paceB his naAe stands ast, after 0hapAan and #ekker6
Meres confers upon Shakspere Aost enthusiastic but just praise!22
<As the soue of Euphorbus .as thought to i@e in Pythagoras! so the s.eete, .ittie sou of 7@id i@es in
Aeifuous and hony2tongued ShakespeareB .itness his <:enus and AdonisB< his </ucreceB< his sugred
<Sonnets< aAong his pri@ate friends6666 As Pautus and Seneca are accounted the best for 0oAedy and
Tragedy aAongst the /atines! so Shakspere aAong the Engish is the Aost e4ceent in both kinds for the
stage6<
9e then Aentions t.e@e of his pays, ',- and thus concudes his euogy!22
<As Epius Stoo said that the Muses .oud speake .ith Pautus tongue, if they .oud speak /atin! so 3 say
that the Muses .oud speak .ith Shakespeare<s fine fied phrases if they .oud speake Engish6<
The en@ious Jonson .ho pedges hiAsef, in the #edication to the t.o 1ni@ersities, to gi@e back to Poesy
its forAer Aajesty, Aay ha@e considered it necessary, before a, to deride, before a earned audience, the
enthusiastic praise conferred by Francis Meres upon Shakspere, as .e as Shakspere hiAsef on account
of the free reigious tendencies he had e4pressed in <9aAet< This is done, as .e said, in the 3nterude
prepared by Mosca for the entertainAent of his Aaster6 :opone boasts of the ce@er Aanner .ith .hich
he gains riches!22
3 use no trade, no @entureB 3 .ound no earth .ith poughshares, fat no beasts To feed the shaAbesB
ha@e no Ais for iron, 7i, corn, or Aen, to grind theA into po.der! 666 e4pose no ships To
threatenings of the furro.2faced seaB 3 turn no Aonies in the pubic bank, 8or usure pri@ate6
Mosca, in order to fatter his Aaster, continues the speech of the atter in the saAe strain!22
666 8o, sir, nor de@our Soft prodigas6 =ou sha ha@e soAe .i s.ao. A Aeting heir as giby as
your #utch >i pis of butter, and ne<er purge for itB '*%- Tear forth the fathers of poor faAiies 7ut
of their beds, and coffin theA ai@e 3n soAe kind casping prison, .here their bones May be
forthcoAing, .hen the fesh is rotten! But your s.eet nature doth abhor these coursesB =ou othe the
.ido.<s or the orphan<s tears Shoud .ash your pa@eAents, or their piteous cries "ing in the roofs, and
beat the air for @engeance6
>e ha@e here an ausion to 9aAet, '**- .here he asks the Ghost .hy the sepuchre has opened its
<ponderous and Aarbe ja.s< to cast hiA up againB aso to the Kueen and .hioA .ido.B and,
furtherAore, to the orphans, 7pheia and /aertes, and to the tears shed by the atter at his sister<s death6
The cry of @engeance refers to the siAiar utterances of the Ghost, of 9aAet, and of /aertes, .ho a seek
re@enge6
Mosca, .ith a @ie. of preparing for his Aaster a peasure Aore suitabe to his taste than that .hich a pay
ike <9aAet,< .e suppose, coud afford hiA, brings in the three gaAesters!228ano, a d.arfB 0astrone, a
eunuchB and Androgyne, a herAaphrodite6 '*$- The atter is Aeant to represent ShakspereB for he is
introduced by 8ano as a sou coAing froA Apoo, .hich Aigrated through Euphorbus and Pythagoras
FMeres uses these t.o naAes in his euogy of the sou of ShakspereI6 '*+- After ha@ing recounted se@era
other stages in the Aigration of Androgyne<s sou F.e sha Aention theA further onI, the atter has to gi@e
an ans.er .hy he has <shifted his coat in these days of reforAation,< and .hy his <dogAatica sience< has
eft hiA6 9e repies that an obstreperous <Sir /a.yer< had induced hiA to do so6 FroA this it Aay be
concuded that Bacon had soAe infuence on Shakspere<s <9aAet6< Are not, in poetica Aanner, the saAe
principes ad@ocated in <9aAet,< .hich Bacon proAoted in scienceL '*H-
After the 9erAaphrodite has adAitted that he has becoAe <a good du Aue,< '*&- he a@o.s that he is no.
a @ery strange beast, an ass, an actor,a herAaphrodite, and a fooB and that he Aore especiay reishes this
atter condition of his, for in a other forAs, as Jonson Aakes hiA confess, he has <pro@ed Aost
distressed6< '*G-
/et us no. Duote froA this 3nterude soAe highy2spiced satirica passages6
8ano, the d.arf, coAing in .ith Androgyno and 0astrone, asks for rooA for the ne. gaAesters or
payers, and says to the pubic!22
They do bring you neither pay, nor uni@ersity sho.B And therefore do intreat you that .hatsoe@er they
rehearse, May not fare a .hit the .orse, for the fase pace of the @erse6 '*M- 3f you .onder at this, you
.i .onder Aore ere .e pass, For kno., here '*)- is incosed the sou of Pythagoras, '*,- That jugger
di@ine, as hereafter sha foo.B >hich sou, fast and oose, sir, caAe first froA Apoo6
3t is e4pained ho. that sou after.ards transAigrated into <the gody2ocked Euphorbus .ho .as kied,
in good fashion, at the siege of od Troy, by the cuckod of SpartaB< ho. it then passed into 9erAotiAus,
<.here no sooner it .as Aissing, but .ith one Pyrrhus of #eos '$%- it earned to go a2fishingB< '$*- ho.
thence it did enter the Sophist of Greece, Pythagoras6 After ha@ing been changed into .hoA,
she becaAe a phiosopher, 0rates the cynick, as itsef doth reate it! '$$- Since kings, knights and
beggars, kna@es, ords, and foos get it, Besides o4 and ass, caAe, Aue, goat, and brock, '$+- 3n a
.hich it has spoke, as in the cobber<s cock6 '$H-
8ano<s present intention, ho.e@er, is not to refer to such things!22
But 3 coAe not here to discourse of that Aatter, 7r his one, t.o, or three, or his great oath, B=
K1ATE", '$&- 9is Ausics,'$G- his trigon, his goden thigh, '$M- 7r his teing ho. eeAents '$)- shift!
but 3 >oud ask, ho. of ate thou hast suffered transation And shifted thy coat in these days of
"eforAation6
EAndrogynoE6 /ike one of the reforAed, a foo, as you see, 0718T38G A// 7/# #70T"38E
9E"ES3E6
E8anoE6 But not on thine o.n forbid Aeats hast thou @entured6
EAndrogynoE6 7n fish, .hen first a 0arthusian 3 entered6'$,-
E8anoE6 >hy, then thy dogAatica sience hath eft theeL
EAndrogynoE6 7f that an EobstreperousE a.yer bereft Ae6
E8anoE6 7 .onderfu change, .hen sir a.yer forsook theeJ For Pythagore<s sake, .hat body then
took theeL
EAndrogynoE6 A good du Aue6
E8anoE6 And ho.J by that Aeans Thou .ert brought to ao. of the eating of beansL
EAndrogynoE6 =es6
E8anoE6 But froA the Aue into .hoA didst thou passL
EAndrogynoE6 3nto a @ery strange beast, by soAe .riters caed an assB By others, a precise, pure,
EiuAinate brotherE, 7f those de@our fesh, and soAetiAes one anotherB And .i drop you forth a
ibe, or a sanctified ie, Bet.i4t e@ery spoonfu of a 8ati@ity '+%- pie6
8ano then adAonishes Androgyno to Duit that profane nation6 Androgyno ans.ers that he gady reAains
in the shape of a foo and a herAaphrodite6 To the Duestion of 8ano, as to .hether he ikes reAaining a
herAaphrodite in order to <@ary the deight of each se4,< Androgyno repies!22
Aas, those peasures be stae and forsakenB 8o <t is your foo .here.ith 3 aA so taken, The ony one
creature that 3 can caed bessedB For a other forAs 3 ha@e pro@ed Aost distressed6
E8anoE6 Spoke true, as thou .ert in Pythagoras sti6 This earned opinion .e ceebrate .i,666
>ith a song, praising foos, the 3nterude coses6
3n act ii6 sc6 $, after Mosca and :opone ha@e erected a stage upon the stage, :opone enters, disguised as
a Aountebank, and abuses those <ground ciaratani< Fcharatans, iApostorsI <.ho coAe in aAey, .ith
their Aoudy taes out of Boccaccio6< Then there is a Aost cear ausion to 9aAet Fact i@6 sc6 GI, .here he
inforAs his friend 9oratio, by etter, of his @oyage to Engand .hen he .as Aade prisoner by pirates, .ho
deat .ith hiA <ike thie@es of Aercy6< A further reAark of :opone on <base piferies,< and <.hoesoAe
penance done for it,< Aay be taken as a hit against 9aAet<s <fingering< the packet to <unsea their grand
coAAissionB< for .hich, in Jonson<s @ie., he .oud be forced by his father confessor, in a .e2reguated
"oAan 0athoic State, to do penance6
This is .hat :opone says!22
<8o, no, .orthy genteAenB to te you true, 3 cannot endure to see the rabbe of these ground ciaratani,
that 666 coAe in aAey, .ith their Aoudy taes out of Boccaccio, ike stae Tabarine, the fabuistB soAe of
theA discoursing their tra@esB and of their tedious capti@ity '+*- in the Turks< gaeys, .hen, indeed, .ere
the truth kno.n, they .ere the 0hristians< gaies, .here @ery teAperatey they eat bread and drunk .ater,
as a .hoesoAe penance, '+$- enjoined theA by their confessors for base piferies6<
Shakspere, as .e ha@e aready e4pained, got a <pi< in <The Poetaster,< .hereupon <our feo.
Shakespeare,< as is Aaintained in the <"eturn froA Parnassus,< <has gi@en hiA< FJonsonI <a purge that Aade
hiA be.ray his credit< 8o. Ben, ceary enough, cas this ans.er of the great ad@ersary22a <finey .rapt2
up antiAony,< .hereby Ainds <stopped .ith earthy oppiations,< are purged into another .ord6
:opone says!22<These turdy2facy, nasty2paty, ousy2fartica rogues, .ith one poor groat<s .orth of
unprepared antiAony, finey .rapt up in se@era scartoccios Fco@ersI, '++- are abe, @ery .e, to ki their
t.enty a .eek, and payB yet these Aeagre, star@ed spirits, .ho ha@e stopt the organs of their Ainds .ith
earthy oppiations, .ant not their fa@ourers aAong your shri@eed saad2eating artiCans, '+H- .ho are
o@erjoyed that they Aay ha@e their haf2pe<rth of physicB though it purge theA into another .ord, it
Aakes no Aatter6<
Jonson then continues his satire against <9aAet< by Aaking :opone, disguised as a Aountebank, se
Aedicine .hich is to render that <purge< F<9aAet<I perfecty innocuous6 9e cas his Aedicine <7gio de
Scoto!< '+&- good for strengthening the ner@esB a so@ereign reAedy against a kinds of inessesB and, <it
stops a dysenteria, iAAediatey6<
8ano praises its Airacuous effects in a song!22
9ad od 9ippocrates, or Gaen, That to their books put Aed<cines a in, But kno.n this secret, they
had ne@er F7f .hich they .i be guity e@erI Been Aurderers of so Auch paper, 7r .asted Aany a
hurtess taperB 8o 3ndian drug had e<er been faAed, Tobacco, sassafras not naAedB 8e yet of guacuA
one sAa stick, sir, 8or "ayAund /uy<s great ei4ir6 8e had been kno.n the E#anish Gons.artE, 7r
Paracesus, .ith his ong s.ord6
3s not 9AM/ET here as good as indicated by naAeL
The #anish Prince appears on the stage in his <inky coak6< 8o doubt, Jonson picked up the .ord
<Gons.art< FEgansch2C.artE, in FeAishI aAong his FeAish, #utch, and other 8ether2GerAan coArades
of .ar in the /o. 0ountries6 Surey, the #anish Prince <A2Back< is none ese but 9aAet cad in back6
3n the saAe scene, the connection bet.een 9aAet and 7pheia aso is satiricay pued to pieces6 3n
<East.ard 9oe< F*G%&I, Jonson and his party do the saAe in the Aost indecent and Aost despicabe
Aanner6
8ano, praising the subiAe @irtues of the <7gio de Scoto,< sings!22
>oud you i@e free froA a diseasesL #o the act your Aistress peases, =et fright a aches froA your
bonesL 9ere<s a Aedicine for the nones6 '+G-
The scene of the action in <:opone< is aid in :enice6 #uring the .hoe scene abo@e2Aentioned, Sir
Poitick >oud2Be and a youthfu genteAan2tra@eer are present 7thers ha@e aready pointed out that, by
the forAer, Shakspere is Aeant6 '+M- The tra@eer, Peregrine, is a youth .hoA the jeaous /ady Poitick
once decares to be <a feAae de@i in a Aae outside,<22again an ausion to Shakspere<s <t.o o@es< .hich
he hiAsef describes in Sonnet *HH6
The .ords, aso, .ith .hich 9aAet Fact iii6 sc6 +I praises his friend 9oratio Fthe Shaksperian idea of a
9oraceI are ridicued by Jonson in this scene6 Sir Poitick >oud2Be says to Peregrine!22
>e, if 3 coud but find one Aan, one Aan, To Aine o.n heart, .hoA 3 durst trust, 3 .oud22
>hen the stage is raised on the theatre for :opone, .ho is disguised as a Duacksa@er, Sir Poitick .ishes
to enighten Peregrine as to the feo.s that <Aount the bank6< '+)- >e need not e4pain that this is
directed against the <so2caed stage2poets< and payers6 3t .i easiy be percei@ed that the Aeaning of the
subseDuent con@ersation is the saAe as in the Preface of <:opone,< .here Jonson says that <.is and nobe
persons <ought to< take heed ho. they be too creduous, or gi@e ea@e to these in@ading interpreters to be
o@er2faAiiar .ith their faAes6<
Sir Poitick Fdescribing the feo.s, one of .hich is to Aount the bankI says!22
They are the ony kno.ing Aen of EuropeJ Great genera schoars, e4ceent physicians, '+,- Most
adAired statesAen, profest fa@ourites, And 0abinet counseors to the greatest princesB The ony
anguaged Aen of a the .ordJ
EPeregrineE6 And 3 ha@e heard, they are Aost e.d 'H%- iApostors Made a of terAs and shreds, no ess
beiers 7f great Aen<s fa@ours, than their o.n @ie Aed<cines666
3n act i@6 sc6 *, Sir Poitick gi@es counses to the young Peregrine, .hich are a Aanifest satire upon
Poonius< fathery fare.e speech to /aertesB and here again, et it be obser@ed, reigious tendencies are
Aade the subject of persifage6
ESir PoitickE6 First, for your garb, it Aust be gra@e and serious :ery reser@ed and ockedB not te a
secret 7n any terAs, not to your fatherB scarce A fabe, but .ith cautionB Aake sure choice Both of
your coApany and your discourseB be.are =ou ne@er speak a truth226666 And then, for your reigion,
profess none, But .onder at the di@ersity of aB And, for your part, protest, .ere there no other But
siApy the a.s o< th< and, you coud content you6 8ic Machia@e and Monsieur Bodin, both >ere of
this Aind6
3n act iii6 sc6 $, it is openy said that Engish authors naAey, such as understand 3taian, ha@e stoen froA
Pastor Fido <aAost as Auch as froA M78TA3G83E< FMontaigneI6 3n @ain .e ha@e ooked for traces of
Montaigne<s Essays in other draAas that ha@e coAe do.n to us froA that epoch6 That Shakspere Aust
ha@e been con@ersant .ith the 3taian tongue, 0hares ArAitage Bro.n has tried to pro@e, and according
to our opinion he has done so successfuy6 'H*-
The takati@e /ady Poitick .ishes to offer soAe distraction to the apparenty sick :opone6 She
recoAAends hiA an 3taian book in these .ords!22
A our Engish .riters, 3 Aean such as are happy in the 3taian, >i deign to stea out of this
author AainyB AAost as Auch as froA EMontagnieE! 'H$- 9e has so Aodern and facie a @ein,
Fitting the tiAe, and catching the court2earJ 'H+-
>hen Sir Poitick Fact @6 sc6 $I is to be arrested Fhe is suspected of ha@ing got up a conspiracy, and
betrayed the "epubic of :enice to the TurksI, he asserts his innocenceB and .hen his papers are to be
e4aAined, he e4caiAs!22
Aas, SirJ 3 ha@e none but notes #ra.n out of pay2books22 And soAe essays6 'HH-
Mosca Fact i2@6 sc6 $I, spurring on his counse, says!22
Mercury sit upon your thundering tongue, 7r the EFrench 9ercuesE 'H&- and Aake your anguage As
conDuering as his cub, to beat aong, As .ith a teApest, fat, our ad@ersaries6
9aAet, .hen asked by the ;ing ho. he <cas the pay, ans.ers!22<EThe Mouse2trapE6< Mosca cas his
o.n cunningness .ith .hich he thinks he can o@erreach his Aaster, the <EFo42trapE6<
3f our intention .ere not to restrict this treatise to desirabe iAits, Aany Aore satirica passages Aight be
pointed out in <:opone,< .hich are Aanifesty directed against <9aAet< and Shakspere6 Those .ho take a
deeper interest in the subject, .i disco@er not a fe. passages of this kind in <:opone6<
3n *G%&22.e beie@e, a fe. Aonths before <:opone< 'HG-22<East.ard 9oe< caAe out, a coAedy .ritten by
Ben Jonson, 0hapAan, and Marston, in .hich, as aready stated, the connection bet.een 9aAet and
7pheia is derided in a o., buresDue Aanner6
Shakspere, in order to fageate Montaigne<s Aean @ie.s about .oAankind, puts into the Aouth of
7pheia, .hen she has no onger the contro of her tongue, the hideous .ords!22<0oAe, Ay coachJ< and
<7h, ho. the .hee becoAe itJ< 'HM- This is a satirica hit, rapidy indicated, but ony understood by those
.ho had carefuy read Montaigne<s book6 Ben Jonson, 0hapAan, and Marston try to Aake capita out of
these e4pressions, by deriding and denouncing theA to the cro.d, in order to defaAe Shakspere6
Girtred FGertrud, naAe of 9aAet<s Aother, the Kueen,I is the figure under .hich 7pheia is ridicued in
<East.ard 9oe6< 'H)- The first is a gir of oosest Aanners6 9er aAbition torAents her to Aarry a
nobeAan, in order to obtain a <coach6< To her Aother FMrs6 TouchstoneI she incessanty speaks .ords of
Aost shaAeess indecency, .hich cannot be repeatedB Aore especiay as regards her <coach,< for .hich
she asks e@er and anon6 A ackey, caed E9aAetE, Aust procure it to her6 >e .i gi@e soAe fragAents
of that scene6 The reAainder cannot be offered to a Aodern circe of genera readers6
EEnterE 9aAet, Ea Foote2Aan, in hasteE6
E9aAetE6 >hat coachAan22Ay adye<s coachJ for shaAeJ 9er adiship<s readie to coAe do.n6
EEnterE Potkinne, Ea Tankard2bearerE6
EPotkinneE6 <SfooteJ 9aAet, are you AaddeL >hither run you no.eL =ou shoud brushe up Ay ode
AistresseJ
Thereupon neighbours coAe together, a iApeed by the greatest curiosity <to see her take coach,< and
.ishing to congratuate her6
EGertrudE6 Thank you, good peopeJ My coach for the o@e of 9ea@en, Ay coachJ 3n good truth, 3 sha
s.oune ese6
E9aAetE6 0oach, coach, Ay adye<s coachJ 'EE4itE 9aAet6
After a itte con@ersation bet.een Aother and daughter, .hich .e Aust ea@e out, 9aAet enters again!
E9aAetE6 =our coach is coAing, AadaA6
EGertrudE6 That<s .e said6 8o. 9ea@enJ Aethinks 3 aA eene up to the knees in preferAent6666 But a
itte higher, but a itte higher, but a itte higherJ There, there, there yes 0upid<s fireJ
EMrs6 TouchstoneE6 But Aust this young Aan F9aAetI, an<t pease you, AadaA, run by your coach a
the .ay a footeL
EGertrudE6 3 by Ay faith, 3 .arrant hiAB hee gi@es no other Aike, as 3 ha@e another ser@ant does6
EMrs6 TouchstoneE6 AhasJ <tis eene pittie AeethinksB for God<s sake, AadaA, buy hiA but a hobbie
horseB et the poore youth ha@e soAething bet.i4t his egges to ease <heA6 AasJ .e Aust doe as .e
.oud be done too6
That is a .e dare to Duote froA this coAedyB but it Duite suffices to characterise the Aeanness of the
.arfare .hich Jonson<s ciDue carried on against Shakspere6
9o.e@er, the ofty ideas contained in <9aAet< coud not be o.ered by such an attackB they becaAe the
coAAon property of the best and nobest6 Those ideas .ere of too high a range, too abstract in their
nature, to be easiy Aade a sport of before the Autitude6 A fe. peasantries, used by Shakespeare in a
AoAent of easy2going stye, .ere aid hod of Aaiciousy, and caricatured Aost indecenty, by his
antagonists, in order to entertain the coAAon cro.d there .ith6 3nnocent chidren, Aoreo@er, .ere Aade
to act such satires! <itte eyases, that cry out on the top of the Duestion, and are Aost tyrannicay capped
for<t! these are no. the fashion, and so beratte the coAAon stages6<
8ot ess than in <:opone,< the tendency of <9aAet< as regards reigious Duestions is, in the Aost e@ident
Aanner, ridicued in John Marston<s <Macontent6< Athough this satire Fso the pay is caed in the preface
<To the "eader<I appeared before <:opone,< .e yet thought it Aore usefu first to speak of Jonson<s
coAedy being the .ork of Shakspere<s Aost forAidabe ad@ersary6
<The Macontent< .as printed in *G%HB and soon after.ards Fin the saAe yearI a second edition appeared,
augAented by the author, as .e as enriched by a fe. additions froA the pen of John >ebster6 'H,- The
pay is preceded by a /atin #edication to Ben Jonson, .hich sufficienty sho.s that a cose friendship
Aust ha@e e4isted, at that tiAe, bet.een the t.o6 '&%- The satire is repete .ith phrases taken froA
<9aAet< for the purpose of AockeryB and they are introduced in the oosest, Aost disconnected Aanner,
thus douby sho.ing the intention and purpose6 Marston<s stye is pointedy described in <The "eturn froA
ParnassusB< and .e do not hesitate to say that the foo.ing criticisA .as .ritten in conseDuence of his
<Macontent!<22
Methinks he is a ruffian in his stye, >ithouten bands or garters< ornaAent! 9e Duaffs a cup of
FrenchAan<s '&*- 9eicon, Then roister doister in his oiy terAs, 0uts, thrusts, and foins at
.hoAsoe@er he Aeets666 Tut, .hat cares he for Aodest cose2couch<d terAs, 0eany to gird our
ooser ibertinesL666 Ay, there is one, that backs a paper steed, And Aanageth a penknife gaanty,
Strikes his poinardo at a button<s breadth, Brings the great battering2raA of terAs to to.nsB And, at
first @oey of his cannon2shot, Batters the .as of the od fusty .ord6
>ho ese can be indicated by the <7ne< but ShakspereL To Marston<s hoo. creations, .hich drag the
oftiest ideas through the Aire to aAuse the @ugar, the subiAe and serious discourses of Shakspere are
opposed, .hich are destined to afford profoundest instruction6 3s not the .hoe tendency of <9aAet<
described in the ast t.o ines just Duoted, in .hich it is stated that under this poet<s attack the .as of the
Eod fusty .ordE are battered do.nL '&$-
The chief character in <The Macontent< is a #uke of Genoa6 Marston, in his preface <To the "eader,< ays
stress on the fact of this #uke being, not an historica personage, but a creation of fiction, so <that e@en
strangers, in .hose State 3 aid Ay scene, shoud not froA thence dra. any disgrace to any, dead or
i@ing6< After ha@ing coApained that, in spite of this endea@our of his, there are soAe .ho ha@e been
<Aost unad@isedy o@er2cunning in Aisinterpreting< hiA, and, <.ith subtetie, ha@e Aaiciousy spread i
ruAours,< he goes on decaring that he desires <to satisfie e@ery firAe spirit, .ho in a his actions
proposeth to hiAsef no Aore ends then God and @ertue do, .hose intentions are a.aies siApe6< Those
ony he Aeans to coAbat <.hose unDuiet studies abor inno@ation, conteApt of hoy poicie, re@erent
coAey superioritie and estabisht unity6< 9e fears not for the rest of his <supposed tartnesseB but unto
e@ery .orthy Ainde it .i be appro@ed so genera and honest as Aay Aodesty passe .ith the freedoAe
of a satyre6<
That this satire coud ony be directed against <9aAet,< e@ery one .i be con@inced .ho spends a short
hour in reading Marston<s <Macontent6< 9ere, too, .e Aust confine ourse@es to pointing out ony the
Aost iAportant ausionsB especiay such as refer to reigion6 3ndeed, .e .oud ha@e to copy the .hoe
pay, in order to Aake it fuy cear ho. Auch Marston, .ith his undoubted taent for tra@esty, has
succeeded in grotesDuey deriding the ofty, nobe tone of Shakspere<s draAa6
The chief character in <The Macontent< is Mae@oe, the #uke of Genoa before2Aentioned, .ho has been
.rongfuy depri@ed of the cro.n6 >ith subte dissiAuation, disguised and unkno.n, he hangs about the
0ourt6 Against the adies especiay, .hoA he a hods to be aduteresses, he entertains the greatest
Aistrust6 9e .atches e@ery oneB but Aost cosey .oAen6 9e is the iAage of Aenta disteAperB and
Pietro, the ruing #uke, describes hiA in act i6 sc6 $ by saying that <the eeAents strugge .ithin hiAB his
o.n soue is at @ariance .ithin her sefeB< he is <Aore discontent than /ucifer6< 3n short, he confers upon
hiA a the Duaities of a <9aAet< character6
>hene@er reigious Duestions are addressed to Mae@oe, .e ha@e to ook upon hiA as the @ery type of
Shakspere hiAsef, .hoA Marston takes to task for his spirit of <inno@ation< and his <conteApt of hoy
poicie and estabisht unity6< Shakspere, it ought to be reAeAbered, had scourged Ben Jonson under the
figure of Ma@oio6 Marston, .ho dedicates <The Macontent< to Jonson, no doubt .ished to pease Jonson
by caing the chief character, .hich represents Shakspere, Mae@oe6
The pay opens .ith an aboAinabe chari@ari6 F<The @iest out2of2tiAe Ausicke being heard6<I This is
party a hit against the Gobe Theatre .here22as .e see froA Shakspere<s draAas22Ausic .as often
introduced in a payB party it is to indicate the disharAony of Mae@oe<s Aind6
7ny a fe. tra@esties Aay be Aentioned here, before .e Duote the treatAent of reigious Duestions6
3n act i6 sc6 M Fhere the scene is ridicued in .hich 9aAet, .ith dra.n s.ord, stands behind the ;ingI,
Pietro enters, <his s.ord dra.ne6<
EPietroE6 A Aischiefe fi thy throate, thou fo.e2ja.<d sa@eJ Say thy praiersJ
EMendoCoE6 3 ha forgot uA6
EPietroE6 Thou sha die6
EMendoCoE6 So sha 3hou6 3 aA heart2Aad6
EPietroE6 3 aA horne2Aad6
EMendoCoE6 E4treAe Aad6
EPietro6 Monstrousy Aad6
EMendoCoE6 >hyL
EPietroE6 >hyL thou, thou hast dishonoured Ay bed6
9aAet<s .ords! '&+-22<7, Aost .icked speed, to post .ith such de4terity to incestuous sheetsJ< are so
often ridicued because Shakspere, instead of the .ord <bed,< uses the Aore unusua <sheets6<
Aureia '&H- speaks of <chaste sheets,< Mae@oe '&&- prophesies that <the #utches F#uke, #ogeI sheets
.i sAoke for<t ere it be ong6< MendoCo '&G- <hates a .oAen, .a4e2ightes, antiDue bed2postes,< Nc6B
<aso s.eete sheetes6< Aureia, parodying the .ords 9aAet addresses to his Aother, asks hersef! <7,
judgeAent, .here ha@e been Ay eyesL >hat be.itched eection Aade Ae dote on theeL .hat sorcery
Aade Ae o@e theeL<
The counse .hich 9aAet gi@es to his Aother <to thro. a.ay the .orser part of her ceft heart,< Pietro
ridicues in act i6 sc6 M!22
My bosoAe and Ay heart, >hen nothing heps, cut off the rotten part6
The spendid speech of 9aAet! <>hat a piece of .ork is AanJ< sounds froA MendoCo<s '&M- ips thus!22<3n
body ho. deicateB in soue ho. .ittieB in discourse ho. pregnantB in ife ho. .arieB in fa@ours ho.
juditiousB in day ho. sociabeB in night ho.J227 peasure unutterabeJ<
9aAet<s itte Aonoogue! '&)- <Tis no. the @ery .itching tiAe of night,< runs thus .ith MendoCo!22'&,-
<Tis no. about the iAAodest .aste of nightB The Aother of Aoist de. .ith paide ight Spreads
gooAie shades about the AuAAed earth6 Seepe, seepe, .hist .e contri@e our Aischiefes birth6
Then, parodying 9aAet as he dra.s forth the dead Poonius froA behind the arras, MendoCo says!22
This Aan 3e F3<I get inhuAde6
Thus, a kinds of Shaksperian incidents and ocutions are brought for.ard, .here@er they are apt to
produce the Aost coAic effect6 Se@era tiAes, froA the beginning, the <.ease< is Aentioned .ith .hich
9aAet raies Poonius6 >e aso hear of the <sponge .hich sucks<22a siAie used by 9aAet Fact i@6 sc6 +I
in regard to "osencrantC6 8or is the <true2penny< forgotten22a .ord used by 9aAet 'G%- to designate his
father<s ghost as a true and genuine oneB nor the <9io, ho, ho6<
3n a these ausions, of .hich an attenti@e reader Aight easiy find scores, there is no systeAatic order of
thoughts6 7ny in the reigious Duestions .e Aeet .ith a cear systeA! they are a addressed to Mae@oe,
.ho is represented as a kind of freethinker, siAiar to the one .hoA Marston, in his preface, .ishes to be
outa.ed, and of .hoA he says that he fuy Aerits the <tartness< and freedoA of his satire6 3n the @ery
beginning of <The Macontent,< Pietro asks Mae@oe!
3 .onder .hat reigion thou art ofL
EMae@oeE6 7f a soudiers reigion6 'G*-
EPietroE6 And .hat doost thinke Aakes Aost infides no.L
EMae@oeE6 Sects6 SectsJ 3 ha@e seene seeAing Pietie change her roabe so oft, that sure none but soAe
arch2di@e can shape her pitticoate6
EPietroE6 7J a reigious picie6
EMae@oeE6 But daAnation on a poitiDue reigionJ
3n act ii6 sc6 & .e find the foo.ing!22
EMae@oeE6 3 Aeane turne pure "ochechurchAan6 'G$- 322
EMendoCoE6 Thou 0hurchAanJ >hyL >hyL
EMae@oeE6 Because 9e i@e aCiy, raie upon authoritie, deny ;ings supreAacy in things indifferent,
and be a pope in Aine o.ne parish6
EMendoCoE6 >herefore doost thou thinke churches .ere AadeL
EMae@oeE6 To sco.re po.2shares6 3 ha@e seene o4en po. uppe atares! EEt nunc seges ubi Sion
fuitE6
Then there is again .hat appears to be an ausion to 9aAet, act i6 sc6 H, reseAbing that in <:opone<!22
3 ha@e seen the stoned coffins of ong2fead 0hristians burst up and Aade hogs troughs6
3n act i@6 sc6 H, MendoCo says to Mae@oe, .hoA he .ishes to use for the Aurder of a herAit!22
=ea, pro@ident6 Be.are an hypocriteJ A 0hurch2Aan once corrupted, 7h a@oideJ A feo. that Aakes
reigion his sta.king horse6 9e breeds a pague6 Thou shat poison hiA6
FroA the Aany hints in <:opone< and in <The Macontent,< it ceary foo.s that Shakspere .as to be
represented, in those draAas, before the pubic at arge, as an Atheist6 'G+- According to Jonson, he
counted <A// 7/# #70T"38E 9E"ES3E6< According to Marston, he had an a@ersion for a sects, and
<078TEMPT 7F 97/= P7/303E, "E:E"E8T 07ME/= S1PE"37"3T3E, A8# ESTAB/3S9T
183T3E6< >e hope .e ha@e con@inced our readers that Shakspere spoke in Aatters of reigion as ceary
as his <tongue2tied Ause< 'GH- perAitted hiA to do6 Abo@e a, .e think of ha@ing successfuy pro@ed that
the contro@ersy of <9aAet< is directed against doctrines .hich assert that there is nothing but e@i in
huAan nature6
Shakspere<s prophetic gance sa. the pernicious character of Montaigne<s inconsistent thoughts, .hich,
unabe to pace us in sound reation to the 1ni@erse, ony succeed in Aaking Aen pass their i@es in subte
refection and unAany, sentiAenta inaction6 Shakspere, intending to a@ert the bighting infuence of such
a phiosophy froA the best and foreAost of his country, .rote his <9aAet6< As a truy hea@en2born poet
he bound for e@er, by Thought<s enduring chain,
A that fo.s unfi4ed and undefined 3n giAAering phantasy before the Aind6
3n spite of the po.erfu iApression his Aaster2.ork, <9aAet,< has Aade upon a thinking Ainds, the
deepest and Aost serious Aeaning of Shakspere<s .arning .ords coud not ha@e been fathoAed by the
Aany6 The parabes through .hich a Prophet spoke .ere cast into the forA of a theatrica pay, not easy
to understand for the Aass of AenB for <tongue2tied< .as his Muse by earthy po.ers6 And Shakspere
deepy fet the disgrace of being coApeed to gi@e forth his utterances in so dubious a Aanner6
9is Sonnets 'G&- e4press the feeing that .eighed upon hiA on this account6 9ad he not <gor<d his o.n
thoughts,< re@eaed his innerAost souL =et, no., his narro.2Ainded feo.2draAatists22but noJ not
feo.2draAatists! Aere conteAporary pay.rights, iAAeasuraby far behind hiA in rank22eaten up, as
they .ere, .ith en@y and jeaous Aaice, Aeany derided e@erything sacred to hiAB hoding up his ideas
to ridicue before a jeering cro.d6 3t has ong ago been surAised that Sonnet 4@i6 beongs to the <9aAet<
period6 But no. it .i be better understood .hy that sonnet speaks of <a Aaiden @irtue rudey struApetedB
'GG- of <right perfection .rongfuy disgrac<d, and strength by iAping s.ay disabedB< of <siApe truth
Aisca<d siApicity6<
These are the fu .ords of this Aighty sigh of despair!22
Tir<d .ith a these, for restfu death 3 cry22 As, to behod desert a beggar born, And needy nothing
triAA<d in joity, And purest faith unhappiy fors.orn, And gided honour shaAefuy Aispac<d, And
Aaiden @irtue rudey struApeted, And right perfection .rongfuy disgrac<d, And strength by iAping
s.ay disabed, And art Aade tongue2ty<d by authority, And foy Fdoctor2ikeI controing ski, And
siApe truth Aisca<d siApicity, And capti@e Good attending captain i! Tir<d .ith a these, froA
these .oud 3 be gone, Sa@e that, to die, 3 ea@e Ay o@e aone6
<Purest faith unhappiy fors.orn< .as Shakspere<s faith in God22.ithout any <hoy poicie< and .ithout <od
doctrines<22trusting abo@e a in the Aajesty of ennobed huAan nature6 9e .as a @eritabe 9uAanist, the
truest and greatest, .ho e@er stro@e to raise the Aost essentia part of huAan nature, Aan<s sou and Aind,
yet by no Aean supernatura, but by <Aean that 8ature Aakes6<
Shakspere<s <9aAet< appears to us ike a soeAn adAonition to his distinguished friends6 9e sho.ed
theA, under the guise of that Prince, a nobeAan .ithout fi4ed idea22<@irtues .hich do not go forth< to
assert theAse@es, and to do good for the sake of others22nobe ife .asted, etting the .ord reAain <out
of joint< .ithout deterAined .i to set it right! this .as the poet<s prophetic .arning6
7ne aspiration of Shakspere ceary shines through his career, in .hate@er darkness it Aay other.ise be
en@eoped22naAey, his onging to acDuire and near the to.n he .as born in6 >hen he had reaised this
aAbition, he cheerfuy seeAs to ha@e eft the spendour of to.n ife, and to ha@e readiy renounced a
iterary faAeB for he did not e@en care to coect his o.n .orks6
9e .as contented to cuti@ate his nati@e soi! a giant Antaeus .ho, as the Ayth tes us, e@er had to touch
Mother Earth to regain his strength6
*! E:oponeE is stated to ha@e been first acted in the Gobe Theatre in *G%&6 3t is siApy iApossibe
that this draAa, in its present shape, shoud ha@e been gi@en in that theatre as ong as Shakspere .as
acti@ey connected .ith it6 >e therefore Aust assuAe that Shakspere22as #eius hods it to be probabe22
had at that tiAe aready .ithdra.n to Stratford, or that the biting ausions .hich are contained in
E:oponeE against the great Master, had been added bet.een *G%& Fthe year of its first perforAanceI
and *G%M Fthe year of its appearance in printI6 >e consider the atter opinion the ikeier one, as .e
suspect, froA ausions in EEpicoeneE, that Shakspere, .hen this pay .as pubished, sti resided in
/ondon6 9o.e@er, it is aso probabe that in *G%& he Aay for a .hie ha@e .ithdra.n froA the stage6
$! 3n this enuAeration, Jonson seeAs to ha@e the @arious Kuaities of the Essays in @ie. .hich Forio
cas <Mora, Poitike, and Miitarie6<
+! Against Montaigne, <Ethe teacher of things di@ine no ess than huAanE,< Shakspere<s .hoe
arguAentation in <9aAet< is directed6
H! 9ere .e ha@e the nobe ;night of the 7rder of St6 Michae, as .e as the courtier and Mayor of
Bordeau46
&! Montaigne .as ;night of the 7rder of St6 Michae, and 0haAberain of 9enry 3336 9e .as on terAs
of friendship .ith 9enry 3:6 Both ;ings he had as guests in his o.n house6 3n his EEssai de :anitieE,
Montaigne aso reates .ith great pride and satisfaction, that during his sojourn at "oAe he .as Aade a
burgess of that city, <the Aost nobe that e@er .as, or e@er sha be6<
G! 3n spite of Gifford<s protest .e do not hesitate to Aaintain that Jonson<s EpigraA /:36 FE7n Poet2
ApeEI is directed against Shakspere, and that the poet .hoA Jonson22in the Episte ?336 FEForestEI to
EiCabeth, 0ountess of "utand22abuses, is aso none ese than Shakspere6
M! Montaigne died in *&,$6
)! >e can ony Duote the Aost striking points, and Aust ea@e it to the reader .ho takes a deeper
interest in the subject, to gi@e his o.n coser attention to the draAas concerning the contro@ersy6
,! EGenteAen of :eronaEB E0oAedy of ErrorsEB E/o@e<s /abour /ostEB E/o@e<s /abour >onE
Fprobaby EA<s >e that Ends >eEIB EMidsuAAer 8ight<s #reaAEB EMerchant of :eniceE6 7f
Tragedies! E"ichard the SecondEB E"ichard the ThirdEB E9enry the FourthEB E;ing JohnEB ETitus
AndronicusEB E"oAeo and JuietE6
*%! As the .ords that foo. seeA to contain an ausion to Shakspere<s E9aAetE, it is to be supposed
that by the <Aeting heir< Jonson points to soAe protector of the great poet6 >hether this be >iiaA
9erbert, or the Ear of SouthaApton, .e Aust ea@e undecided6
**! Act i6 sc6 H6
*$! Jonson probaby cas Shakspere an herAaphrodite because, ha@ing a .ife, he cuti@ated an intiAate
friendship at the saAe tiAe .ith >iiaA 9erbert, the ater Ear of PeAbroke6 Jonson<s EEpicoene, or
The Sient >oAanE F*G%,I satirises this connection6 >e are not the first in Aaking this assertion6 FSee
ESonnets of Shakspere So@edE, by 9enry Bro.n! /ondon, *)MG, p6 *G6I
3n Epicoene a 0oege is described, .hich is stated to be coAposed of .oAen6 3nstead of .oAen, .e
Aay body assuAe Aen to be Aeant6 True.itt thus describes the ne. Society!22
<A ne. foundation, Sir, here in the to.n, of adies, that ca theAse@es the 0oegiates! an order
bet.een courtiers and country AadaAs that i@e froA their husbands, and gi@e entertainAent to a the
.its and bra@eries of the tiAe, as they ca theA! cry do.n, or up, .hat they ike or disike in a brain or
a fashion, .ith Aost Aascuine or rather herAaphroditica authorityB and e@ery day gain to their
0oege soAe ne. probationer6
E0eriAontE6 >ho is the presidentL ETrue.ittE6 The gra@e and youthfu Aatron, the /ady
9aughty6<
Shakspere at that tiAe .as in the <Aatrony< age of forty2fi@e6 >e ha@e seen ho. a <disike in a brain<
has been e4pressed in E9aAetE6
*+! The naAe of 7@id, ike.ise used in that euogy, Jonson assigned, in his EPoetasterE, to Marston6
FSee EnoteE $$ at end of Section :6I
*H! 3t .oud ha@e been Aost strange, indeed, if the t.o greatest geniuses of their tiAe had not e4ercised
soAe infuence on each otherB if the greatest thinker of that age had not gi@en soAe suggesti@e
thoughts to the poetB and if the poet had not aniAated the thinker to the cuti@ation of art, inducing hiA
to offer his phiosophica thoughts in beautifu garAent6 9ence Mrs6 9enry Pott Aay ha@e found
@estiges of a Aore perfected and nober stye in Bacon<s E#iariesE, on .hich she founded her .id
theory6 9ad not ;ant and Fichte great infuence on their conteAporary, SchierL #oes not Goethe
praise the infuence e4ercised by SpinoCa upon hiAL /et us assuAe that the atter t.o had been
conteAporariesB that they had i@ed in the saAe to.n6 >oud it not ha@e been e4traordinary if they
had reAained inteectua strangers to each other, instead of dra.ing Autua ad@antage froA their
intercourseL >hy shoud Bacon not ha@e been one of the nobeAen .ho, after the perforAance of a
pay, .ere initiated, in the MerAaid Ta@ern, into the Aore hidden Aeaning of a draAaL 3s it not rather
ikey that Bacon dre. Shakspere<s attention to the inconsistencies of MontaigneL
*&! The ad@ocates, in festi@e processions, Aade use of Aues6 Maybe that Jonson cas Shakspere a
<good du Aue< because in E9aAetE he chaApions the @ie.s of <Sir /a.yer< Bacon6
*G! This notion, that Shakspere has Aainy distinguished hiAsef in the coAic ine22in the representation
of Fooery22harAonises .ith Jonson<s opinion, as pri@atey e4pressed in ETiAberB or, #isco@eries
Aade upon Men and MatterE F*G+%2+MI, in a note.orthy degree6 There he says of Shakspere!22<9is .it
.as in his o.n po.er6 >oud the rue of it had been so, too6<
*M! An ausion to Shakspere<s uncassica Aetrics, and his great success aAong the pubic, athough in
Jonson<s opinion he brings neither reguar <pay nor uni@ersity sho.6<
*)! 3n Androgyno, .hoA he brings in6
*,! This is Jonson<s ans.er to the Duestion raised in ET.efth 8ightE Fact i@6 sc6 $I, .hen Ma@oio is in
prison, in regard to Pythagoras6
$%! >e can no.here find any cue to such a personage of antiDuity, and .e take it to be a reference to
Pyrrhon of Eis, the founder of the sceptic schoo6
$*! Bacon .as a friend of this sport6 Mrs6 Pott points out soAe technica e4pressions .hich .e find
both in Bacon<s .orks and in Shakspere6 Perhaps .e Aight stretch our fancy so far as to assuAe that
Bacon is Pyrrhus of #eos, and that gente Shakspere soAetiAes .ent a2fishing .ith hiA on the banks
of the ThaAes6
$$! <As itsef doth reate it6< =et the sou does not reate anything, e4cept that it is said to ha@e spoken, in
a the characters it assuAed, <as in the cobber<s cock6< >e Aust, therefore, probaby ook in pays22in
Shakspere<s draAas22for that .hich the sou has spoken in its @arious stages as a king, as a beggar, and
so forth6
$+! <Brock< FbadgerI22a .ord .hich Shakspere ony uses onceB @iC6 in ET.efth 8ightE Fact ii6 sc6 &I6 Sir
Toby<s .hoe indignation against Ma@oio cuAinates in the .ords!22<Marry, hang thee, brockJ< >e
kno. of Jonson<s unseeAy bodiy figure, his <aAbing< gait, .hich rendered hiA unfit for the stage6 The
pace of a badger .oud be a @ery graphic description of his Aanner of .aking6 8o., Jonson sneers at
the .ord <brock< in a .ay not unfreDuent .ith Shakspere hiAsef, in regard to @arious .ords used by
Jonson against hiA6 3n EThe PoetasterE, Tucca fas out against the <.orA.ood< coAedies, .hich drag
e@erything on to the stage6 >e are reAinded here of 9aAet<s e4caAation!22<>orA.ood,
.orA.oodJ< .hen the Kueen of the 3nterude speaks the t.o ines he had probaby intercaated!22
3n second husband et Ae be accurstJ 8one .ed the second but .ho ki<d the first6
$H! <0obber<s cock< refers Aost ikey to a draAa by "obert >ison, entited! E0obber<s ProphecyE6 3n
0oier<s E9istory of the Engish #raAaE Fiii6 pp6 $HM2)I it is thus described!22
<3t is a Aass of absurdity .ithout any eading purpose, but here and there e4hibiting giApses of
soAething better6 The scene of the pay is aid in Boeotia .hich is represented to be rued by a duke, but
in a state of confusion and disorganisation6666 7ne of the principa characters is a .hiAsica 0obber
.ho, by interAediation of the heathen god Mercury, obtains prophetic po.er, the chief object of
.hich is to .arn the #uke of the iApending ruin of his state uness he consents to introduce @arious
reforAs, and especiay to unite the discordant casses of his subjects6< Jonson Aay ha@e ooked upon
E9aAetE in this Aanner froA his point of @ie.6 3t is for us to adAire the prophetica spirit of Shakspere
.ho in Montaigne percei@ed the gerA of the hepessy di@ided nature of Aodern Aan6
$&! <7r his great oath, by EKuarterE6< 8o doubt, this is an ausion of Jonson to Shakspere<s <Duarter
share,< the fourth part of the receipts of his coApany6 The Backfriars Theatre had si4teen
sharehoders6 3t is pro@ed that Shakspere at that tiAe, .hen a @auation of the theatre .as Aade, had a
caiA to four parts, each of /$++ Gs6 )d6 F0hr6 ArAitage Bro.n, EShak6 Autobiographica PoeAsE,
/ondon, *)+), p6 *%*I6 3n EThe PoetasterE Fact iii6 sc6 iI, Tucca says to 0rispinus the Poetaster!22<Thou
sha ha@e a Duarter share6< 3n Episte 4ii6 FEForestEI, .hich Jonson addresses to EiCabeth, 0ountess of
"utand, and .hich, in our opinion, aso contains an ausion to Shakspere, as .e as to his protector,
>iiaA 9erbert, Ben speaks of poets .ith <their Duarter face6<
$G! Shakspere often introduced Ausic in his draAas6 Jonson ridicues thisB so did Marston, as .e sha
see6 FET.efth 8ightE, for instance, opens .ith Ausic6I
$M! <9is goden thigh6< The shape of the egs, the <yeo. cross2gartered stockings< of poor Ma@oio in
ET.efth 8ightE are here ridicued6
$)! Ma@oio says to his friends!22<3 aA not of your eeAent6< 3n the saAe pay, great sport is Aade of
this .ord, unti the Foo hiAsef at ast gets .eary of it, .hen he says Fact iii6 sc6 iI!22<=ou are out of
Ay .ekin223 Aight say EeeAentE, but the .ord is o@er.orn6<
$,! Backfriars, .here Shakspere first acted, .as a forAer coister6 <7n fish, .hen first a 0arthusian 3
entered,< no doubt Aeans that froA the beginning he had preferred keeping Aute as a fish, in regard to
forbidden Aatters of the 0hurch6
+%! 36e6, E0hristAasE2pie6 3n the Proogue of EThe "eturn froA ParnassusE, this coAedy is caed a
E0hristAas ToyE6 Shakspere is therein a@ishy praised by his brother actors, .hereas Jonson is
spoken of as <a bod .horeson, as confident no. in Aaking of a book, as he .as in tiAes past in aying
of a brick6< A @eritabe ibeJ
+*! E9aAetE Fact @6 sc6 $I!22
Methought, 3 ay >orse than the Autines in the biboes
+$! Through Jonson<s satire .e a.ays see the sanctiAonious Jesuit peering out6
++! These are the parabes in .hich 9aAet speaks6 Many a reader .i understand .hy Shakspere
coud not use Aore e4picit anguage6
+H! So the en@ious Jonson cas Shakspere<s pubic .ho are satisfied .ith <saadB< that is, .ith patchy
coApositions, pieced together froA a kinds of Aateria6
+&! Jonson had Scottish ancestry6
+G! 3n a AoAent of fanaticisA, 9aAet .ishes 7pheia to go to a nunnery6 Jonson, in Aost cynica
Aanner, Aeans to say that 9aAet had been iApotent as regards his EinnaAorataE6 Though <for the
nones< Aay be taken as <for the nonce,< it yet coAes cose enough to a Edoube2entendreE22naAey, <for
the EnunsE6<
+M! E#raAatic @ersus >it 0oAbatsE6 /ondon, *)GH6 Ed6 John "usse SAith6
+)! To Aount a bank P Aountebank6
+,! FroA one of theA poor Ben recei@ed a E@ie AedicineE! a EpurgeE6
H%! </e.d<Punearned6
H*! Shakspere<s EAutobiographica PoeAsE6
H$! ;ar ECe FEEssays on ShakespeareEB /ondon *)MHI thinks this passage is intended against
Shakespeare<s aeged theft coAAitted in the ETeApestE, the coAposition of .hich he, therefore, paces
in the year *G%H2&, .hie Aost critics assign it to a Auch ater period6 3t Aust aso be Aentioned that
;ar ECe dra.s attention to the Aore friendy .ords .ith .hich Jonson, in his o.n hand.riting,
dedicates his E:oponeE to Forio6
3n the opinion of the GerAan critic, it is not difficut to gather froA this #edication the desire of the
Aeany DuarresoAe schoar Jonson to gi@e his friend Forio to understand that, aAong other things, he
.oud read .ith considerabe satisfaction ho. he FJonsonI had Aade short .ork .ith this <Shake2scene<
and this <upstart 0ro.6<
H+! #ekker tes 9orace that his22Johnson<s22pays are Aisiked at 0ourt6 According to the abo@e2Duoted
.ords of Jonson, E9aAetE seeAs to ha@e peased at 0ourt on its first appearance6
HH! The foo.ing passage in Jonson<s EEpicoeneE is aso interesting, though in the pay itsef it is not
Aade to refer to Montaigne but apparenty to Putarch and Seneca! <Gra@e assesJ Aere essayists! a fe.
oose sentences, and that<s a6 A Aan coud tak so his .hoe age6 3 do utter as good things e@ery hour if
they .ere coected and obser@ed, as either of theA6< May not such .ords ha@e faen froA
Shakspere<s ips, in regard to Montaigne, before an intiAate circe in the MerAaid Ta@ernL
H&! This Aay point either to Montaigne or to #r6 Guinne, the feo.2.orker of Forio in the transation
of the Essays, .hoA the atter cas <a Aonster2Dueing Theseus or 9ercues6<
HG! The reasons .hich induce us to this opinion are the foo.ing! The three authors of EEast.ard 9oeE
.ere arrested on account of a satire contained in this pay against the ScotsB JaAes 36, hiAsef a Scot,
ha@ing becoAe ;ing of Engand a year before6 The audacious stage2poets .ere threatened .ith ha@ing
their noses and ears cut off6 They .ere presenty freed, ho.e@erB probaby through the inter@ention of
soAe nobeAen6 Soon after.ards, Jonson .as again in prisonB and .e suspect that this second
iAprisonAent took pace in conseDuence of E:oponeE6 >e base this @ie. on se@era incidents6 3n a
etter Jonson addressed in *G%&, froA his pace of confineAent, to /ord Saisbury FEBen JonsonE, edited
by 0unninghaA, @o6 i6 4i46I, he says that he regrets ha@ing once Aore to appy to his kindness on
account of a pay, after ha@ing scarcey repented <his first error< FAost probaby EEast.ard 9oeEI6<
Before 3 can she. Aysef gratefu in the east for forAer benefits, 3 aA enforced to pro@oke your
bounties for Aore6< 3n this etter, Jonson uses a tone siAiar to the one .hich per@ades his #edication of
E:oponeE6 >e therefore beie@e that both etter and #edication ha@e reference to one and the saAe
Aatter6 3n the etter, Jonson addresses /ord Saisbury in this .ay!22<My nobe ord, they dea not
charitaby .ho are .itty in another Aan<s .ork, and utter soAetiAes their o.n Aaicious Aeanings
under our .ords6< 9e then continues, protesting that since his first error, .hich .as punished Aore .ith
his shaAe than .ith his bondage, he has ony touched at genera @ice, sparing particuar persons6 9e
goes on!22<3 beseech your Aost honourabe /ordship, suffer not other Aen<s errors or fauts past to be
Aade Ay criAesB but et Ae be e4aAined by a Ay .orks past and this presentB and trust not to
"uAour, but Ay books Ffor she is an unjust dei@erer, both of great and of sAa actionsI, .hether 3
ha@e e@er FAany things 3 ha@e .ritten pri@ate and pubicI gi@en offence to a nation, to a pubic order
or state, or any person of honour or authorityB but ha@e eDuay aboured to keep their dignity, as Ay
o.n person, safe6<
8o., et us coApare the foo.ing @erses froA the second Proogue of EEpicoeneE Fthe pura here
becoAes the singuarI!22
3f any yet .i, .ith particuar seight 7f appication, F7ccasioned by soAe person<s iApertinent
E4ceptions6I .rest .hat he doth .riteB And that he Aeant, or hiA, or her, .i say! They Aake a
ibe, .hich he Aade a pay6
8or .i it be easy to find out .ho .as the cause of E:oponeE ha@ing been persecuted at one tiAe22
that is to say, forbidden to be acted on the stage6 FPerchance by the <obstreperous Sir /a.yer< .ho is
Aentioned in itLI
>e direct the reader<s attention to the euogistic poeAs coAposed by Jonson<s friends on E:oponeE6
FEBen JonsonE, by 0unninghaA, @o6 i6 pp6 ci@62c@6I First there are the e4traordinary praises .ritten
by those .ho sign their naAes in fu!22J6 #788E, E6 B7/T78, F"A803S BEA1M78T6 Then
foo. @erses, probaby coAposed soAe.hat ater, .hich are cautiousy signed by initias ony22#6 #6,
J6 06, G6 06, E6 S6, J6 F6, T6 "6 This is not the case .ith any other euogistic poeAs referring to Jonson<s
draAas6 The @erses before Aentioned, .hich are ony signed by initias, a speak of a <persecuted fo4,
or of a fo4 kied by hounds6<
HM! <0oAe, Ay coachJ< Aeans! <3 @aue Ay honour ess than Ay coach6< The e4pression, <7, ho. the
.hee becoAes itJ< is of such a character that .e Aust refer the reader to Montaigne<s Essay 3336 **6
H)! EEast.ard 9oeEQ .as acted in the Backfriars Theatre by <The 0hidren of 9er Majestie<s "e@es6<
H,! 1nti no. it has been assuAed that The Macontent .as acted by Shakspere<s 0oApany in the
Gobe Theatre6 This concusion .as based on the tite2page of the draAa, .hich runs thus!22
T9E MA/078TE8T EAugAented by MarstonE E>ith the Additions payed by the ;ingsE
MA3EST3ES SE":A8TS E>ritten byE J798 >EBSTE"6
3t is, ho.e@er, to be noted that in regard to a other pays of Marston, .hene@er it is Aentioned by
.hoA they .ere acted Fso, for instance, in regard to EThe ParasitasterE, the E#utch 0ourtesaneE, and
EEast.ard 9oeEI, the tite is a.ays indicated in this .ay Fdesignating both the Theatre and the
0oApanyI!22<As it .as paid in the Back Friars by the 0hidren of her Maiesties "e@es6< Again, the
Aere perusa of the <3nduction< of EThe MacontentE Fnot to speak of the draAa itsefI sho.s that this
pay coud not ha@e been acted <by the ;ings Maiesties ser@ants< during Shakspere<s AeAbership6 For,
in this 3nduction there appear four actors of Shakspere<s coApany! Sy, Burbadge, 0onde, and /o.in6
They are brought in to justify theAse@es .hy they act a certain pay, <another 0oApany ha@ing
interest in it6< 7ne of the actors e4cuses their doing so by saying that, as they theAse@es ha@e been
siAiary robbed, they ha@e a cear right to Mae@oe, the chief character in EThe MacontentE6 <>hy
not Mae@oe in foio .ith us, as JeroniAo Ein deciAo se4toE .ith theAL They taught us a naAe for our
pay! .e ca it! 5E7ne for AnotherE65< FThat is to say, .e gi@e theA <Tit for Tat6<I
ESyE6 >hat are your additionsL EBurbadgeE6 Sooth, not greaty needefu, ony as your saet
FsaadI to your greate feast22to entertaine a itte Aore tiAe, and to abridge the not recei@ed custoAe of
Ausicke in our theater6 3 Aust ea@e you, Sir6 'EE4itE Burbadge6 ESinko.E6 #oth he pay EThe
MacontentEL E0ondeE6 =es, Sir6
7ur e4panation of the 3nduction is this! Marston has coAAitted satirica trespass upon E9aAetE6
Shakspere, on his part, Aade use of the chief action and the chief characters of EThe MacontentE in
his EMeasure for MeasureE F<7ne for Another<IB but he did so in his o.n nober Aanner6 FroA the
.idy confused Aateria before hiA he coAposed a Aagnificent draAa6 7nce Aore, in the @ery
beginning of act i6 sc6 3, Shakspere Aakes the #uke utter .ords, each of .hich is directed against the
inacti@e nature of Montaigne!22
Thysef and thy beongings Are not thine o.n so proper as to .aste Thysef upon thy @irtues,
theA on thee6 666For if our @irtues #id not go forth of us, <t .ere a aike As if .e had theA not6
Shakspere<s conteAporaries .ere not o@er carefu as regards stye6 <>ith the additions payed by the
;ings Maiesties Ser@ants, .ritten by John >ebster,< Aeans that the additions, in .hich the ser@ants of
9is Majesty, in the <3nduction,< are brought on the stage, .ere .ritten by John >ebster6
"ead the <E4teApore Proogue< .hich Sy speaks at the concusion of the 3nduction22a shaAeess
tra@esty of the Epiogue in EAs =ou /ike 3tE6 "ead the beginning of act iii6 sc6 $ of EThe MacontentE,
.here Mae@oe F<in soAe freeCe go.n<I buresDues the spendid Aonoogue in ;ing 9enry the Fourth
FPart **6 act i@6 sc6 3I6 "ead act iii6 sc6 + of EThe MacontentE, .here Marston sneers at the scene in
act i@6 of E;ing "ichard the SecondE .hen "ichard says!22
8o. is this goden cro.n ike a deep .e, That o.es t.o buckets fiing one another6
&%! 3s it iAaginabe that Shakspere coud ha@e ao.ed his o.n Aost beautifu productions to be thus
eered at, and Aocked, in his o.n theatreL 7ur feeing rebes against the thought6
BeniaAini Jonsonio Poetae EegantissiAo Gra@issiAo AAico Suo 0andido et 0ordato
Johannes Marston, MusaruA AuAnus, AsperaA 9anc SuaA ThaiaA ##6
&*! >ho ese can be Aeant by the <FrenchAan<s 9eicon< than MontaigneL 9e is satiricay caed
<9eicon,< as he is taken do.n froA his height in <9aAet6<
&$! 3n Aeaning aike to Jonson<s! <0ounting a od doctrine heresie6<
&+! Act i6 sc6$6
&H! Act i@6 sc6 &6
&&! Act i6 sc6 H6
&G! Act i6 sc6 M6
&M! Act i6 sc6 G6
&)! Act iii6 sc6 $6
&,! Act ii6 sc6 &6
G%! Act i6 Sc6 & in E9aAetEB EMacontentE, act iii6 sc6 +6
G*! Perhaps an ausion to the concusion of E9aAetE, .hen the State fas into the hands of a sodier
FFortinbrasI6 22Sodaten2"eigion, keine "eigion F<a sodier<s reigion, no reigion<I, as the od GerAan
saying is6
G$! "ochee20hurchAan22that is, 9uguenot6
G+! See Bacon<s Essay, E7f AtheisAE! <A that iApugn a recei@ed reigion or superstition are by the
ad@erse part branded .ith the naAe of Atheists6<
GH! Sonnet 4@i6 444@6
G&! 4c6 4ci6 4cii6
GG! 3n EEast.ard 9oeE, his Aost deicate poetica production, 7pheia, is Aost aboAinaby
parodied22<rudey struApeted6<
RRR E8# 7F T9E P"7JE0T G1TE8BE"G EB77;, S9A;SPE"E A8# M78TA3G8E RRR