Ir thou beest more, thou art an understander, and then I trust thee. If thou art one that tak'st up, and but a pretender, beware at what hands thou receiv'st thy commodity; for thou wert never more fair in the way to be coz'ned than in this age in poetry, especially in plays: wherein now the concupiscence of jigs and dances 2 so reigneth, as to run away from nature and be afraid of her is the only point of art that tickles the spectators. But how out of purpose and place do I name art, when the professors are grown so obstinate contemners of it, and presumers on their own naturals,3 as they are deriders of all diligence that way, and, by simple mocking at the terms when they understand not the things, think to get off wittily with their ignorance! Nay, they are esteem'd the more learned and sufficient for this by the multitude, through their excellent vice of judgment. For they commend writers as they do fencers or wrastlers; who, if they come in robustiously and put for it with a great deal of violence, are receiv'd for the braver fellows; when many times their own rudeness is the cause of their disgrace, and a little touch of their adversary gives all that boisterous force the foil. I deny not but that these men who always seek to do more than enough may some time happen on some thing that is good and great; but very seldom : and when it comes, it doth not recompence the rest of their ill. It sticks out, perhaps, and is more eminent, because all is sordid and vile about it; as lights are more discern'd in a thick darkness than a faint shadow. I speak not this out of a hope to do good on any man against his will; for I know, if it were put to the question of theirs and mine, the worse would find more suffrages, because the most favour common errors. But I give thee this warning, that there is a great difference between those that (to gain the opinion of copie) utter all they can, however unfitly, and those that use election and a mean. For it is only the disease of the unskillful to think rude things greater than polish'd, or scatter'd more numerous than compos'd.] 1 Printed in Q. only. ARGUMENT THE sickness hot, a master quit, for fear, Hoe's copy of the Q. reads Daunces, and Antikes for jigs and dances. Natural gifts. Hoe's Q. Many. Surpassing defect. • Defeat. 7 Copia, copiousness. • Publish. The plague raging. 10 Mistress. 11 Swindlers. 12 Deceive. 13 Calculating the future. 14 Familiar spirits. 15 Philosophers' stone. 16 Smoke. PROLOGUE FORTUNE, that favours fools, these two short hours To th' author justice, to ourselves but grace. The vices that she breeds, above their cure. Unto the stream, to look what it doth run, They shall find things, they'd think, or wish, were done; As even the doers may see, and yet not own. 5 10 13 Taking your meal of steam in, from cooks' stalls, 35 Your feet in mouldy slippers, for your kibes; She catcheth out FACE his sword, and breaks SUBTLE's glass. And you, sir, with your menstrue! 2 Gather it up. 120 'Sdeath, you abominable pair of stinkards, [To FACE. You will accuse him! You will bring him in Within the statute!" Who shall take your word? A whoreson, upstart, apocryphal captain, Whom not a Puritan in Blackfriars will trust So much as for a feather: and you, too, 126 131 134 [to SUBTLE] Will give the cause, forsooth! You will insult, And claim a primacy in the divisions! You must be chief! As if you, only, had The powder to project with, and the work Were not begun out of equality! The venture tripartite! All things in common! Without priority! 'Sdeath! you perpetual curs, Fall to your couples again, and cozen kindly, And heartily, and lovingly, as you should, And lose not the beginning of a term, Or, by this hand, I shall grow factious too, 140 And take my part, and quit you. Face. 'Tis his fault; He ever murmurs, and objects his pains, And says, the weight of all lies upon him. Sub. Why, so it does, Dol. Sustain our parts? Sub. How does it? Do not we Yes, but they are not equal. 145 Dol. Why, if your part exceed to-day, I hope Ours may to-morrow match it. Sub. Ay, they may. Dol. May, murmuring mastiff! Ay, and do. Death on me! Help me to throttle him. [Seizes SUB. by the throat.] Sub. Dorothy! Mistress Dorothy 'Ods precious, I'll do anything. What do you mean? 150 Sub. Who is it, Dol? Dol. Face. A fine young quodling. 18 My lawyer's clerk, I lighted on last night, In Holborn, at the Dagger. He would have (I told you of him) a familiar, To rifle with at horses, and win cups. Dol. O, let him in. Sub. Face. Stay. Who shall do 't? 190 Get you 194 Your robes on; I will meet him, as going out. In the pillory. To leave your faction, sir, 6 7 Group. 156 2 A liquid which dissolves solids. Quarreling. A contemptible fellow. 5 Alchemical terms. 4 Transmute metals. 11 Familiar puns. Seven years before. 10 Have your ears cut off. 12 The heroine of the "Mirror of Knighthood." 13 Green apple, a youth. |