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THE AGE OF SHAKESPEARE

comedy of 'Sir Giles Goosecap,' first published in the year preceding: a work of genuine humour and invention, excellent in style if somewhat infirm in construction, for a reprint of which we are indebted to the previous care of Marston's present editor. Far be it from me to intrude on the barren and boggy province of hypothetical interpretation and controversial commentary; but I may observe in passing that the original of Simplicius Faber in 'What you Will' must surely have been the same hanger-on or sycophant of Ben Jonson's who was caricatured by Dekker in his 'Satiromastix' under the name of Asinius Bubo. The gross assurance of self-complacent duncery, the apish arrogance and imitative dogmatism of reflected self-importance and authority at second hand, are presented in either case with such identity of tone and colouring that we can hardly imagine the satire to have been equally applicable to two contemporary satellites of the same imperious and masterful egoist.


That the same noble poet and high-souled humourist was not responsible for the offence given to Caledonian majesty in the comedy of 'Eastward Ho!' the authentic word of Jonson would be sufficient evidence; but I am inclined to think it a matter of almost certain likelihood—if not of almost absolute proof—that Chapman was