new occupation he distinguished himself by killing a man in single combat in the presence of two opposing armies. On his return to England he became an actor and arranger of plays, just like Shakespeare. But his quarrelsome disposition brought about a duel with a fellow-actor, whom he slew, and the poet narrowly escaped the gallows. In 1596 he brought out his first play, which became very popular, and, until the death of James I., all went well with him, except on one occasion, when he was imprisoned for a short time, and nearly lost his ears for writing part of a play making fun of the Scotch. He was one of Shakespeare's companions, and many a merry night they spent together at the "Mermaid" or the "Falcon." The close of his life was sad. Friends forsook him; those he had treated kindly turned their backs upon him; evil-minded scribblers made sorry jests about his writings; and, worn out in mind, body, and estate, he breathed his last in 1637, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. On his tombstone some kindly hand has graven the words, "O rare Ben Jonson."

Jonson's first and greatest work was the comedy of Every Man in his Humour—a play in which Shakespeare himself performed a part when it was publicly performed. The most prominent character is Bobadil-a person calling himself a gentleman, who lives in a wretched lodging, and lives on whatever he can get from those who may be foolish enough to believe in him. He is a great braggart; swears, with strange oaths, that he is a miracle of bravery, and that no one could possibly stand before the fierceness of his wrath or the nimbleness of his sword. At heart he is the veriest coward, and by and bye submits to be thrashed like a baby. There are other excellently drawn characters in Jonson's great comedy, and they give a very good idea of the kind of life they are intended to illustrate.

Besides this comedy, Jonson wrote several others, and two tragedies, Sejanus and Cataline. These last are very wonderful representations of old Roman life; indeed, so accurate are they that Jonson has been called "a Roman author

who composed in English." The heroes of both plays, however, are hateful characters, and the plays altogether are wanting in tenderness and passion. He was also a writer of masques-fanciful plays performed by ladies and gentlemen-sometimes even by the royal family. The conversation, interspersed with songs, was written by the best poet of the time. Music and dancing, gorgeous dresses and splendid scenery, were the usual accompaniments.

Jonson's plays are remarkable as displaying more learning, and as being more in keeping with the time, than Shakespeare's; but his characters are not so true to nature. His masques, pastorals, and lyrics are very beautiful.

BOBADIL'S PLAN FOR SAVING THE EXPENSE OF AN ARMY.

"Bobadil. I will tell you, sir, by the way of private, and under seal, I am a gentleman, and live here obscure, and to myself; but were I known to her majesty and the lords (observe me), I would undertake, upon this poor head and life, for the public benefit of the State, not only to spare the entire lives of her subjects in general, but to save the one half, nay, three parts of her yearly charge in holding war, and against what enemy soever. And how would I do it, think you?

66

Why, thus, sir. I would select nineteen more, to myself, throughout the land; gentlemen they should be of good spirit, strong and able constitution; I would choose them by an instinct, a character that I have; and I would teach these nineteen the special rules, as your punto, your reverso, your stoccata, your imbroccato, your passado, your montanto, till they could all play very near, or altogether, as well as myself. This done, say the enemy were forty thousand strong, we twenty would come into the field the tenth of March, or thereabouts; and we would challenge twenty of the enemy; they could not in their honour refuse us; well, we would kill them: challenge twenty more, kill them; twenty more, kill them; twenty more, kill them too; and thus would we kill every man his twenty a day, that's twenty score; twenty score, that's two hundred; two hundred a day, five days a thousand; forty thousand; forty times five, five times forty, two hundred days kills them all up by computation. And this will I venture my poor gentleman-like carcass to perform, provided there be no treason practised upon us, by fair and discreet manhood-that is, civilly by the sword."-Every Man in his Humour,

FRANCIS BEAUMONT.

TO CELIA.

"Drink to me only with thine eyes,
And I will pledge with mine;

Or leave a kiss but in the cup,
And I'll not look for wine.

The thirst that from the soul doth rise,
Doth ask a drink divine;

But might I of Jove's nectar sup,
I would not change for thine.

"I sent thee late a rosy wreath,
Not so much honouring thee,
As giving it a hope that there
It could not withered be.

But thou thereon didst only breathe,
And sent'st it back to me;

Since when it grows, and smells, I swear,
Not of itself, but thee."-The Forest.

GOOD LIFE: LONG LIFE.

"It is not growing like a tree

In bulk, doth make man better be,

Or standing long an oak, three hundred year,
To fall a log at last, dry, bald, and sear.

A lily of a day

Is fairer far, in May,

Although it fall and die that night,

It was the plant and flower of light!

In small proportions we just beauties see:
And in short measures life may perfect be."

53

FRANCIS BEAUMONT (b. 1586, d. 1615), and JOHN FLETCHER (b. 1576, d. 1625).—These were two clever gentlemen, who were such close friends that they lived and wrote together; and their writings are so intermingled that it is often difficult to tell what belongs to the one and what to the other. They wrote fifty-two plays, mostly comedies, and, at the time these were written, they were even more popular than either Shakespeare's or Jonson's. One of Fletcher's finest plays is a pastoral drama called The Faithful Shepherdess; and this is the story of it:-Amoret and Perigot are two lovers. After they have plighted their troth to each other, Perigot becomes suspicious that Amoret does not love him so fondly

as she ought, and, in a fit of anger, he strikes her with his sword, and casts her into a well; but the god of the place heals her wound, and, so strong is her love, she seeks again the man who had wounded her. On finding him, she tells him she has forgotten his cruelty, and is ready to forgive him. Perigot, still blind to her devotion, wounds her a second time. Once more, a kindly deity heals her wound; and Perigot, now convinced of her fidelity, throws himself at her feet, and is at once forgiven for all he has done.

The principal characteristics of Beaumont and Fletcher's plays are fun and fancy. They are full of mirth, and abound in bright and happy pictures; although it is a pity that they should have contained so much that is indecent.

THE FOUNTAIN DEITY'S SPEECH TO AMORET.

"I am this fountain's god! Below,

My waters to a river grow,

And 'twixt two banks with osiers set,

That only prosper in the wet,

Through the meadows do they glide,
Wheeling still on ev'ry side,
Sometimes winding round about,
To find the even'st channel out.
And if thou wilt go with me,
Leaving mortal company,
In the cool stream shalt thou lie,
Free from harm as well as I;
I will give thee for thy food
No fish that useth in the mud !
But trout and pike, that love to swim
Where the gravel from the brim
Through the pure streams may be seen:
Orient pearl fit for a queen,
Will I give, thy love to win,
And a shell to keep them in;

Not a fish in all my brook
That shall disobey thy look,

But, when thou wilt, come sliding by,
And from thy white hand take a fly.
And to make thee understand
How I can my waves command,
They shall bubble whilst I sing,
Sweeter than the silver string."

The Faithful Shepherdess.

PHILIP MASSINGER (b. 1584, d. 1640).-Massinger's He was born a gentleman,

life was a very sad one. and was well educated; but, somehow, he was always poor. When he became a play writer he was constantly in trouble; and at one time we find him begging earnestly for the loan of a small sum to get him out of the debtors' prison. As he lived, so he died. There is a record in the parish register that there was buried “ one Philip Massinger, a stranger." He wrote thirty-seven plays as many as Shakespeare-consisting of tragedies, dramas, and comedies. The play which is considered his best is a comedy called A New Way to Pay Old Debts. The principal character is that of Sir Giles Overreach, who is the personification of selfishness. Massinger's works are remarkable for their representations of persons who, though poor, are made to resist temptations to do evil. His language is dignified, tender, and graceful; but, when he tries to be comic, he becomes coarse and indecent.

SIR GILES OVERREACH DESCRIBES HIMSELF.

"I am of a solid temper, and

Steer on a constant course: with mine own sword,
If called into the field, I can make that right
Which fearful enemies murmured at as wrong.
Now, for those other trifling complaints,
Breathed out in bitterness; as, when they call me
Extortioner, tyrant, cormorant, or intruder
On my poor neighbour's right, or grand encloser
Of what was common to my private use;

Nay, when my ears are pierced with widows' cries,
And undone orphans wash with tears my threshold,
I only think what 'tis to have my daughter
Right honourable; and 'tis a powerful charm,
Makes me insensible of remorse or pity,

Or the least sting of conscience."

A New Way to Pay Old Debts.

Other Dramatic Poets.-Chief among these were JOHN FORD, who beautifully illustrates the story of those who have been unhappy in their loves; JOHN WEBSTER, whose tragedies are full of "skulls, and graves, and epi