Jonson's are plays of what. in wintarity. up local color. He for surpassed believed that a play should hold custom and salvize to life foibles. His perquality shows every here, unlike Shakes His plays shiny the minor to conteny many strong & dominating. are "Comedies. THE ALCHEMIST BY BEN JONSON Nemors! If 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.] ARGUMENT THE sickness hot, a master quit, for fear, 12 PROLOGUE FORTUNE, that favours fools, these two short hours To th' author justice, to ourselves but grace. Bawd, squire, impostor, many persons more, 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. 10 Taking your meal of steam in, from cooks' stalls, 30 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 [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 4 with, and the work Were not begun out of equality! 134 The venture tripartite! All things in common! Face. Sustain our parts? How does it? Do not we 'Slight, the knot Shall grow the stronger for this breach, with [They shake hands.] Dol. Why, so, my good baboons! Shall we go me. make O' the plague, he 's safe from thinking toward London. Beside, he 's busy at his hop-yards now; 185 I had a letter from him. If he do, ter. Re-enter DOL. 150 Sub. Not I, by heaven Dol. Your Sol and Luna help me. [To FACE.] myself. Sub. Would I were hang'd then! I'll conform Dol. Will you, sir? Do so then, and quickly: swear. Sub. What should I swear? And labour kindly in the common work. 1 Halter. 3 A contemptible fellow. 5 Alchemical terms. 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? Get you 194 Your robes on; I will meet him, as going out. In the pillory. To leave your faction, sir, 7 Group. 156 A liquid which dissolves solids. Quarreling. 4 Transmute metals. 11 Familiar puns. 8 Seven years before. 10 Have your ears cut off. 12 The heroine of the "Mirror of Knighthood." 13 Green apple, a youth. |