EDITIONS. (1.) The Malcontent. By John Marston, 1604. Printed at London by V. S. for William Aspley, and are to be solde at his shop in Paule's Church-yard. 4to. (2.) The Malcontent. Augmented by Marston. With the Additions; played by the King's Majesties Servants. Written by John Webster, 1604. At London, Printed by V. S. for William Aspley, and are to be sold at his shop in Paule's Church-yard. 4to. 1 GEORGE CHAPMAN was born at Hitching-hill, in the County of Hertford, some time in the year 1557. After being well grounded in school-learning, he was sent to the University, but whether to Oxford or Cambridge was unknown to Anthony Wood, who declares himself certain he resided some time at the former 2, where he was observed to be most excellent in the Latin and Greek tongues, but not in Logic or Philosophy, which may be presumed to be the reason he took no degree there. He appears to have been a man of a very respectable character, being countenanced and patronized by several eminent persons, particularly Sir Thomas Walsingham and his son, and by Prince Henry, son of James the First. Wood imagines, that he was a sworn servant either to James the First or his Queen, and says highly valued, but not so much as Ben Jonson. The same writers adds, that he was a person of most "reverend aspect, religious and temperate qualities, rarely meeting in a poet:" and another, that "he was much resorted to latterly by young persons of parts as a poetical Chronicle; but was very choice "whom he admitted to him, and preserved in his own person the dignity of Poetry, which he compared to a "flower of the sun which disdains to open its leaves to "the eye of a smoaking taper." After living to the age of 77 years, he died on the 12th day of May, 1634, in the parish of St. Giles in the Fields, and was buried on the South-side of the Church-yard there. His 64 66 28, he was 1 William Browne (Britannia's Pastorals, b. II.) speaks of him "The learned shepheard of faire Hitching-hill.' This may, however, only allude to his residing there; and Wood supposes him of a Kentish family. From Chapman's "Euthymia Raptus, or the Tears of Peace," 1609, it appears that he translated Homer, either wholly or in great part at Hitching. C. Athenæ Oxonienses, vol. I. p. 592. 3 Ibid. Oldys, in his MS. Notes on Langbaine. It seems to be a quotation, but the writer is not named. friend Inigo Jones erected a monument to his memory near the place of his interment. Chapman is a writer who obtained much applause in his time, and was greatly praised by his contemporaries*. His Translation of Homer acquired him a considerable degree of reputation +. Mr. Dryden tells us, that Waller used to say he never could read it without incredible transport. It is much censured by Mr. Pope, who, notwithstanding, acknowledges that there is a daring, fiery spirit, which animates it, something like what one might imagine Homer himself would have writ before he arrived at years of discretion‡. The following from Freeman's Epigrams, called "Rubbe and "a great Cast," 1614, may be taken as a specimen. "TO GEORGE CHAPMAN." George, it is thy genius innated : "Thou pick'st not flowers from another's field, "Stolne similies or sentences translated; "Nor seekest but what thine owne soile dost yield. "Let barren arts go borrow what to write, ""Tis bred and born with thee what thou inditest; “ And our Comedians thou out-strippest quite, "And all the hearers more then all delightest. "With unaffected stile and sweetest straine Thy inambitious pen keeps on her pace, "And commeth nearest th' ancient commicke vaine : No Chapman but thy selfe were to be sought." C. † In "Wit's Recreations,” 1641, are the following lines, which will shew how the work was esteemed. . To Mr. George Chapman, on his translation of Homer's Works into English Verse. "Thou ghost of Homer! 'twere no fault to call "His the translation, thine th' original, "Did we not know 'twas done by thee so well: "Thou makest Homer Homer's self excell." O. G. $ It was of course a work of great toil and time, and was published in parts, and at intervals: the first seven books were printed in 1598, and in the same year came out "Achilles' Shield," in ten-syllable verse, which he afterwards altered to fourteen-syllable verse, to render it uniform with the rest. Subsequently twelve books appeared in folio, without date, and dedicated to Prince Henry, so that it was printed after 1603. At the end are several sonnets to distinguished persons, not reprinted |