NOTES. 1. Gifford : Tecum habita, etc. Persius, Satires, 4. 52. Thus translated by To your own breast in quest of worth repair, Silva, the raw material of 21. Silva rerum et sententiarum, etc. facts and thoughts, λn, wood, as it were, so called from the multiplicity and variety of the matter contained therein. For just as we are commonly wont to call a vast number of trees growing indiscriminately "a wood" (timber); so also did the ancients call those of their books, in which were collected at random articles upon various and diverse topics, a wood (timber-trees). Cf. Jonson's Underwoods. Preface to the Reader: "With the same leave the ancients called that kind of body sylva, or üλŋ, in which there were works of divers nature and matter congested; as the multitude called timber-trees promiscuously growing, a wood or forest, so I am bold to entitle these lesser poems of later growth by this of Underwood, out of the analogy they hold to the Forest in my former book, and no otherwise." See also The Alchemist, 3. 2: "The whole family or wood of you." Sylva is often opposed to supellex. See the quotation from Persius, above, and the following of Bacon: "Minds empty and unfraught with matter, and which have not gathered that which Cicero (Orator, 80) calleth sylva and supellex (stuff and variety) to begin with those arts," etc. (Advancement of Learning, Bk. II. p. 72, ed. 1819). 35. As. That. As is used for that after so in Elizabethan English. Cf. 13 32, 26 1, 27 8, 34 18, 36 25, 36 28, 37 25, 41 26, 49 29, 57 6, 69 20, 72 15, 81 24, and 83 21; and see Shakespeare Grammar, § 109. Occasionally Jonson uses so that, as in modern English, 7 10 and 72 34; and even the pleonastic as that, but there after such, 71 17. 3 19. No man. but may. Note the omission of the subject, no unusual practice where the subject cannot be mistaken. See Sh. Gram. § 399. 4 4. Taught by himself. avtodidaktos, foot-note of the folio of 1642. 4 4. Had a fool to his master. Cf. 13 17, 38 10, 69 26, and 78 17. See Sh. Gram. § 189. 4 5. Fama. Reputation. 49. Emergent. Capable of extricating himself. 4 10. Negotia. Business. 4 12. Our too much haste. Note the order. See Sh. Gram. § 51. Much is used as an adjective after a pronomial adjective. 4 15. Amor patriæ. Love of the fatherland. A literal translation of Euripides, Phænissa, 358-361, ed. Didot. ἀλλ ̓ ἀναγκαίως ἔχει Πατρίδος ἐρᾶν ἅπαντας· ὃς δ ̓ ἄλλως λέγει, Mr. Swinburne has quoted this beautiful passage, as Jonson translates it, with the prefatory words, "The ring of what follows is pure gold" (A Study of Ben Jonson, p. 131). He has also suggested an emendation in the insertion of the word "not" before the final word; i.e. "his heart is [not] there." It will be noticed that the emendation is unnecessary, in view of the original. Cf. a later passage of Mr. Swinburne's (p. 179), in which he falls afoul of Jonson for the statement that Euripides "is sometimes peccant, as he is most truly perfect." Mr. Swinburne's words are: "The perfection of such shapeless and soulless abortions as the Phænissa and the Hercules Furens is about as demonstrable as the lack of art which Ben Jonson regretted and condemned in the author of Hamlet and Othello." It may well be doubted if Mr. Swinburne has even been convicted of praising Euripides before. There is a necessity all men should love, etc. Note the omission of the relative. Cf. 7 14, 18 11, 19 29, 19 33, 20 6, 23 25, 24 6, 34 19, 37 23, etc.; and see Sh. Gram. § 244. 4 15. 4 18. Ingenia. Innate dispositions. 4 20. Attempting. Making trial of. 4 21. Applausus. Praise. A literal translation from Paterculus, Hist. Rom. 2. 92: Audita visis laudamus libentius, etc. (Whalley). Overlaid. Burdened, oppressed. 4 24. 4 25. Opinio. Opinion; in modern English, reputation. See 6 3, 25 27; and cf. 1 Hen. IV. 5. 4. 48; and Othello, 2. 3. 195. 4 32. Impostura. Imposture. 5 4. Factura vita. A waste or casting away of life. 59. Puritanus hypocrita est, etc. A Puritan is a heretical hypocrite, whom conceit in his own perspicacity has disturbed in the balance of his mind, by which he flatters himself that he, together with a few others, has detected certain errors in the dogmas of the Church, whence, driven by a sacred fury, he madly fights against civil authority in the belief that thus he is rendering obedience to God. 5 15. Mutua auxilia. Mutual assistance. Translated by Jonson, consociation, intimate fellowship, a word since superseded by association. Cf. Jeremy Taylor, Works, ed. 1835, I. p. 220: "To fight a duel a consociation of many of the worst acts." is ... 5 18. And whom his favor breeds. Cf. 14 6. 5 25. Cognit[io] universi. Jonson's translation is "the knowledge of all nature"; i.e. of the whole world. 6 1. Consiliarii adjunct[i], probitas, sapientia. The joint counsellors, honesty and wisdom. Cf. Ben Jonson's Conversations with Drummond (Sh. Soc. Pub. p. 37): "Of all styles he loved most to be named Honest, and hath of that ane hundreth letters so naming him." 68. Cozenage. Cajolery. The folio reads coosinage. Cf. 47 2. 6 11. Obsequentia, humanitas, solicitudo. Complaisance, civility or kindliness, care or circumspection. Marginal notes in the folio. 6 19. Dat nox consilium. Night gives counsel. Cf. Bacon, Essays, 20, of Counsel: In nocte consilium; and Reynold's note thereon in his ed. of the Essays (Macmillan, 1891, p. 151), where are references to the Greek original, 'Ev vUкTì ẞovλý; Gaisford, Paramiographi Græci, etc. See also a note of Erasmus on this head: Adagia, sub titulo, In nocte consilium, 2. 2.43; and finally the French proverb, “ La nuit porte conseil." 66 6 20. Extemporal. Unpremeditated. Cf. "Some extemporal god of rime," LLL. 1. 2. 189. 6 26. Modestia, parrhasia. Marginal note in the folio. Parrhasia is ingenuousness, openness of speech. 6 28. Empire. Governing influence; here almost show of power. Cf. The Magnetic Lady, 3. 4. 6 34. Absit, o rex, etc. Plutarch, de Alex. s. virt. s. fort. (Oratio, 2. 1): "Far be it from thee, O king, to know these things better than 1." Bacon includes this anecdote among his Apothegms, 254. It will be noticed that Jonson inaccurately refers the story to Alexander in place of his father, Philip. The reference of the folio, in vita Alex., is also incorrect. 71. Perspicuitas, elegantia. Clearness, grace. 73. Discipline. Learning. 76. Braky. Abounding in brambles. 79. Natura non effæta. Translated in the text. 7 14. Non nimium credendum, etc. Freely: Set not too much store on antiquity. Cf. Jonson's opinion of the authority of Aristotle, 66 16-24. 7 14. Nothing can conduce. Cf. 4 17, 18 11, 20 6, 23 25, 24 6, 34 19, 37 23. 7 24. Non domini nostri, etc. They were not our lords, but our leaders. 7 26. 7 26. Several. Separate possession. Cf. 73 18. 7 27. Multum ex illa, etc. shall be hereafter. The folio Swinburne corrects. 7 28. Much of it yet remains for those who reads relicta for relictum, which Mr. Dissentire licet; sed cum ratione. Dissent if you will, but with reason. 7 30. Look up at. Look up to, in modern English. 7 31. Presently. At once. Cf. 18 27, 73 3, 83 7; Othello, 5. 2. 52: Desdemona. Yes, but not yet to die. 66 and North's Plutarch, 1016 e: Setting forth to the reader, not as a battle already fought, but presently a-fighting." 735. Nulla ars simul, etc. No art is completed as soon as discovered. 84. Evict. Mr. Swinburne explains: "In modern English - if the text is not corrupt- as the comparison or confutation of theirs with mine shall elicit" (A Study of Ben Jonson, p. 133). Evict in the sense evince, prove, is, however, not unusual. Cf. "The main question is evicted” (Jeremy Taylor, Works, ed. 1835, II. p. 156). 84. Fautor. A favorer, patron, or abettor. Cf. "The pope who is the fautor or rather the padrone of all the saints (Scott's Discoverie of Witchcraft, reprint of ed. of 1584, p. 443). 87. It profits not me. Note the order, and cf. 36 1, 47 18. 89. Non mihi cedendum, etc. Not that submission is due to me, but to truth. 8 11. Scientiæ liberales, etc. Translated in the text. |