Page:The Works of Ben Jonson - Gifford - Volume 6.djvu/260

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

[ 250 ]

The sad young shepherd, whom we here present,
Like his woes figure,^[1] dark and discontent,
[The Sad Shepherd passeth silently over the stage.
For his lost love, who in the Trent is said
To have miscarried; 'las! what knows the head^[2]
Of a calm river, whom the feet have drown'd?—
Hear what his sorrows are; and if they wound
Your gentle breasts, so that the end crown all,
Which in the scope of one day's chance may fall;
Old Trent will send you more such tales as these,
And shall grow young again as one doth please.
[Exit, but instantly re-enters.

But here's an heresy of late let fall,^[3]
That mirth by no means fits a pastoral;

↑ Like his woe's figure,] Tt appears that Eglameur wore blacks, and was further distinguished by a wreath of cypress and yew.
↑ 'Las! what knows the head, &c.] This is imitated from Donne:
"Greatest and fairest Empress, know you this?
Alas! no more than Thames' calm head doth know,
Whose meads his arms drown, or whose corn o'erflow."
Sat. 5.

Jonson seems to have taken his delineation of a river (which is less common, and indeed, less graceful, than Donne's) from the pictures in Drayton's Polyolbion, of which he was a careful reader, and in this pastoral, an occasional imitator.
↑ But here's an heresy of late let fall, &c] One would be tempted to think that Jonson had his treacherous "friend," Drummond of Hawthornden in view, were it not that this gentleman, whose prudence was almost equal to his malignity, kept his libel to himself, at least, while the poet lived. "Jonson bringeth in (he says) clowns making mirth and foolish sports, contrary to all other pastorals." Fol. p. 224. The criticism is worthy of the critic. What would Drummond have clowns brought in for? To settle the dispute between the Romish and Reformed Churches? That had been done by Spenser and others—but Jonson wants no assistance from me.

[1] Like his woe's figure,] Tt appears that Eglameur wore blacks, and was further distinguished by a wreath of cypress and yew.

[2] 'Las! what knows the head, &c.] This is imitated from Donne:
"Greatest and fairest Empress, know you this?
Alas! no more than Thames' calm head doth know,
Whose meads his arms drown, or whose corn o'erflow."
Sat. 5.

Jonson seems to have taken his delineation of a river (which is less common, and indeed, less graceful, than Donne's) from the pictures in Drayton's Polyolbion, of which he was a careful reader, and in this pastoral, an occasional imitator.

[3] But here's an heresy of late let fall, &c] One would be tempted to think that Jonson had his treacherous "friend," Drummond of Hawthornden in view, were it not that this gentleman, whose prudence was almost equal to his malignity, kept his libel to himself, at least, while the poet lived. "Jonson bringeth in (he says) clowns making mirth and foolish sports, contrary to all other pastorals." Fol. p. 224. The criticism is worthy of the critic. What would Drummond have clowns brought in for? To settle the dispute between the Romish and Reformed Churches? That had been done by Spenser and others—but Jonson wants no assistance from me.

[1]

[2]

[3]