nether ar ther great scarsity of Terrences profession; but yet our men dare not nowe a dayes presume so much as the old Poets might, and therfore they apply ther writing to the people's vain; wheras, if in the beginning they had ruled, we should now adaies haue found smal spectacles of folly. But (of truth) I must confes with Aristotle, that men are greatly delighted with imitation, and that it were good to bring those things on stage, that were altogether tending to vertue: all this I admit, and hartely wysh; but you say, unlesse the thinge be taken away, the vice will continue: nay, I say if the style were changed, the practise would profit; and sure I thinke our theaters fit, that Enuius seeing our wanton Glicerium may rebuke her if our poetes will nowe become severe, and for prophane things write of vertue, you I hope shoulde see a reformed state in those thinges, which I feare me, yf they were not, the idle hedded commones woulde worke more mischiefe. I wish as zealously as the best, that all abuse of playinge weare abolished; but for the thing, the antiquitie causeth me to allow it, so it be used as it should be. I cannot allow the prophaning of the Saboath; I praise your reprehension in that; you did well in discommending the abuse, and surely I wysh that that folly wer disclaymed: it is not to be admitted; it makes those sinne, whiche perhaps if it were not, would haue binne present at a good sermon. It is in the Magistrate to take away that order, and appoynt it otherwyse; but sure it were pittie to abolish yt which hath so great vertue in it, because it is abused." * * When Whetstone, in his "Mirror for Magistrates of Cities," 1584, expressed an opinion against the performance of plays on Sundays, he only repeated what had been said by Lodge and others; but nevertheless it was long before the abuse was entirely remedied, audiences on the Sabbath being so numerous and profitable. Lodge next notices what Gosson had stated regarding plays of which he was himself the author. "But after your discrediting of playmaking, you salve uppon the sore somewhat, and among many wise workes there be some that fitte your vaine: the practise of parasites is one which I mervel it likes you so well since it bites you so sore; but sure in that I like your iudgement, and for the rest too, I approue your wit; but for the pigg of your own sow (as you terme it), assuredly I must discommend your verdit. Tell me, Gosson, was all your owne you wrote there? did you borow nothing of your neyghbours? out of what booke patched you out Cicero's oration? whence fet you Catalins inuectiue? Thys is one thing, alienam olet lucernam, non tuam. So that your helper may wisely reply upon you with Virgil:— 66 Hos ego versiculos feci, tulit alter honores. I made these verses, other bear the name. "Beleue me, I should preferr Wilsons, shorte and sweete, if I were iudge, a peece surely worthy prayse, the practise of a good scholler: would the wiser would ouerlooke that, they may perhaps cull some wisedome out of a player's toye. Well, as it is wisedome to commend where the cause requireth, so it is a poynt of folly to praise without deserte: you dislike players very much; theyr dealings be not for your commodity; whom if I myghte aduise, they should learne thys of Iuuenal "Vivendum est recte, cum propter plurima, tum his Contemnas. Nam lingua mali pars pessima servi. We ought to leade our liues aright, for many causes moue: Espesially for this same cause, wisedome doth us behoue ; That we may set at nought those blames, which seruants to us lay, For why, the tongue of euel slaue, is worst as wisemen euer say.” Much cannot be said in praise of Lodge's translation, though he afterwards became a very smooth and practised versifier, to say nothing of higher qualities of poetry. Other scraps are interlarded, all accompanied with an English version; and after Lodge has touched lightly upon "carders, dicers, fencers, bowlers, dauncers, and tomblers," he adverts to Gosson's recommendation that the Queen should lay a tax upon theatres, and concludes in these very loyal terms: "Because I think myselfe to haue sufficiently answerd that I supposed, I conclude wyth this. GOD preserue our peacable princes, and confound her enemies. GOD enlarge her wisedom, that like Saba she may seeke after a Salomon: GOD confounde the imaginations of her enemies, and perfit his graces in her, that the daies of her rule may be continued in the bonds of peace, that the house of the chosen Israelites may be maynteyned in happinesse: lastly, I frendly bid Gosson farwell, wyshinge him to temper his penn with more discretion." The quotations I have above given of course afford but a very imperfect notion of Lodge's answer to Gosson, but they show the style in which it is written, and may satisfy the curiosity of the members of the Shakespeare Society, until they have before them a complete copy of the work. Kensington, August 8th, 1845. J. PAYNE COLLIER. END OF VOL. II. FREDERICK SHOBEKL, JUNIOR, PRINTER TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE ALBERT, 51, RUPERT STREET, HAYMARKET, LONDON. |