222
NOTES AND QUERIES. DO- s. n. SEPT. 17, iw.
In 9 th S. x. 301 I showed how Ben Jonson
composed his verse. As he told Drummond
of Hawthornden, "he wrott all his first in
prose, for so his Master Cambden had learned
him." I was able to corroborate Drummond
by showing that the prose of the 'Dis-
coveries ' had been turned into verse for use
in ' The Staple of News.' It will be noticed
when I compare Webster with Sidney that
the dramatist treats the ' Arcadia ' prose in
the same way, and often. Strange to say,
Webster very rarely borrows from the poetry
of the * Arcadia/
In 'The Duchess of Malfi' the duchess tells Antonio that he has cause to love her :
1 enter'd you into my heart Before you would vouchsafe to call for the keys. III. ii. 70-1 (Dyce).
Sidney makes Queen Helen use the same language when she describes to Palladius the manner in which Amphialus won her love :
"His fame had so framed the way to my mind that his presence, so full of beauty, sweetness, and noble conversation, had entered there before he vouchsafed to call for the keys." ' Arcadia,' book i.
Whilst the duchess and Antonio are talking love Ferdinand enters unperceived by them, and his resentment and determination to punish his sister are so strong that he offers her a dagger, commanding her to stab herself with it. He was shocked to find how familiar she had become with Antonio, who was so much beneath her in birth. She is, he thinks, a strumpet, and asks : Virtue, where art thou hid ? what hideous thing Is it that doth eclipse thee ? . . . . Or is it true thou art but a bare name, And no essential thing ? . . . . O most imperfect light of human reason, That mak'st us so unhappy to foresee What we can least prevent ! . . . . there 's in shame no comfort But to be past all bounds and sense of shame.
LI. 82-95.
Ferdinand's speech is the speech of Gynecia at the beginning of the 'Arcadia,' book ii., and it will be seen that Webster has merely turned Sidney's prose into verse :
" O virtue, where dost thou hide thyself ? What hideous thing is this which doth eclipse thee ? Or is it true that thou wert never but a vain name,
and no essential thing? imperfect proportion
of reason, which can too much foresee, and too
little prevent ! In shame there is no comfort but
to be beyond all bounds of shame."
The duchess replies to Ferdinand's speech by telling him that she is married, though per- haps not to his liking, and that his design concerning her future has been frustrated : Alas, your shears do come untimely now To clip the bird's wings that's already flown !
LI. 99-100.
The taunt is taken almost word for word
from the 'Arcadia,' book ii., being Philoclea's-
silent comment on the warning of Pamela
to be advised by her example :
" ' Alas,' thought Philoclea to herself, your shears come too late to clip the bird's wings that already is flown away.'"
Antonio is a noble character, a man every way worthy of the love of the duchess ; and Webster, when describing him, employs lan- guage the beauty of which it is impossible to overpraise :
He was an excellent
Courtier and most faithful ; a soldier that thought it As beastly to know his own value too little As devihsh to acknowledge it too much. -Both his virtue and form deserv'd a far better lortune :
itself thatt
His breast was fill'd with all perfection
And yet it seem'd a private whispering-room,
It made so little noise of 't. HI. ii. 295-303.
To this speech in favour of Antonio the- duchess replies :
But he was basely descended. Bosola asks :
Will you make yourself a mercenary herald Rather to examine men's pedigrees than virtues ?
LI. 305-6.
The last two lines are founded upon the reply of Kalander to Strephon, who is alluding to Musidorus :
" 'No,' said Kalander, speaking aloud, * I am no herald to inquire of men's pedigrees; it sufficethme if I know their virtues,'" &c. Book i.
The description of Antonio is an imitation but a noble imitation, of Sidney's description of Musidorus; and with it Webster has- blended words that appear in the description of Parthenia :
'/and that which made her fairness much the
lairer was that it was but a fair embassador of a
most fair mind, full of wit, and a wit which de-
lighted more to judge itself than show itself, her
speech being as rare as precious," &c. Book i.
Sidney describes Musidorus thus :
For, having found in him (besides his bodily.
lifts, beyond the degree of admiration) by daily
iscourses, which he delighted himself to have with,
him, a mind of most excellent composition a
piercing wit, quite void of ostentation, high-erected
thoughts seated in a heart of courtesy, an eloquence
as sweet in the uttering as slow to come to the--
uttering, a behaviour so noble as gave a maiestv to
adversity," &c. Book i.
Compare the last lines of the latter quotation, with the following :
Bosola. she seems
Rather to welcome the end of misery Than shun it ; a behaviour so noble As gives a majesty to adversity.
'D. of Malfi/ IV. i. 4-7.
