The Address subscribed with the names of Hemings and Condell, begins thus:

1. “To the great variety of Readers.

“From, the most able, to him that can but spell—.”

1. In like manner we find prefixed to Catiline, in 1611, two Addresses:

or in other words,—

The reader extraordinary is, in the corresponding passage, “the most able;” “the reader in ordinary,” he “that can but spell.”

So also, in the Preface to the New Inn, a comedy, by Ben Jonson, acted in 1629, and printed in 1631:

“To the Reader.

“If thou beest such [i. e. if thou can'st indeed read], I make thee my patron, and dedicate my work to thee. If not so much, would that I had been at the charge of thy better literature. Howsoever, if thou can'st but spell, and join my sense, there is more hope of thee, than a hundred fastidious impertinents.”

2. “&lblank; there you are numbered; we had rather you were weighed.”

2. “Suffrages in parliament are numbered, not weighed.” (Discoveries, by Ben Jonson, written after 1630.)

Or, in other language, the question is carried by the tale or number, not the weight or respectability of the voters.

3. “Especially when the fate of all books depends on your capacities and not of your heads alone, but of your purses. Well! it is now publique, and you will stand for your privileges, we know,—to read and censure. Do so; but buy it first: that doth best commend a book, the stationer says.”

3. “Well! my modesty shall sit down and let the world call it guilt or what it will,” &c. (Letter from Ben Jonson to Toby Mathews.)

This is merely noticed for the purpose of marking Jonson's ordinary phraseology. The parallelism is found in different parts of Jonson's works. Thus, in his 131st Epigram, 1616, we find:

And in his third Epigram, we have—

“To my Bookseller.
“Thou that mak'st gain thy end, and wisely well
“Call'st a book good or bad, as it doth sell;
“Use mine so too.”

It should be remembered that in the two passages here compared, stationer and bookseller have the same meaning; these two words being synonymous during Jonson's life-time.

4. “Then, how odde soever [i. e. how unequal soever] your braines be or your wisdomes, make your license the same, and spare not.”

[The word odd being here used in its original sense, as opposed to that which is even or equal, has not hitherto, I believe, been generally understood; being now commonly used in the sense of singular, extraordinary, or whimsical. The context in the corresponding passage decisively ascertains its meaning here.]

4. So, in the Discoveries:

“Suffrages in parliament are numbered, not weighed; nor can it be otherwise in those publique councels where nothing is so unequal as the equality; for there, how odde soever mens braines or wisdomes are, their power is always even and the same.”

In the preface to Catiline, 1611, he again alludes to the general claim to judging and censuring, however unqualified the reader may be:

“Would I had deserved but half so well of it in translation, as that ought to deserve of you in judgment, if you have any. I know you will pretend, whosoever you are, to have that and more; but all pretensions are not just claims.”

5. “Judge your sixe-pen'orth, your shillings worth, your five shillings worth at a time, or higher, so you rise to the just rates and welcome. But, whatsoever you do, buy. Censure will not drive a trade &lblank;.”

[In the corresponding passage in Bartholomew Fair, the words, “it shall be lawfull for any man to judge his sixe-pen'orth,” &c. are perfectly clear, each person being allowed to censure according to the price he had paid for his place in the playhouse, from sixpence to half a crown, which was then the highest rate. But as applied to the purchasers of the folio edition of our author's plays, they are liable to some objection; for no one could buy sixpen'orth, or five shillings worth of that book: he must purchase the whole volume, which was probably sold for twenty shillings, or none. The same train of thought occurring to old Ben in both cases, he appears, therefore, to have introduced it here with somewhat less propriety. Having been in the habit of frequently using this language to the various spectators of a play, paying various prices for their amusement, he could not refrain from addressing the readers of one in the same way.—The passage, however, with some indulgence, may admit of this interpretation: ‘If you do but rise to the just rates, that is, if you do but purchase the book, you may read it at your leisure, and pass your sentence on six-pen'orth of it at one time, a shilling's worth at another time, and five shillings’ worth at another; just as your fancy may direct, till you have perused the whole volume.’

5. So, in the Induction to Bartholomew Fair, acted in 1614:

“It is further agreed that every person here have his free will of censure....It shall be lawful for any man to judge his sixe-pen'orth, his twelve pen'orth, so to his eighteen pence, two shillings, and half a crowne, to the value of his place, provided alwaies his place get not above his wit....He shall put in for censures here, as they do for lots in the lottery: marry, if he drop but sixe-pence at the doore, and will censure a crowne's worth, it is thought there is no conscience or justice in that.”

Again, in The Magnetick Lady, acted in 1632:

“Dam-play. I see no reason, if I come here and pay my eighteen pence or two shillings for my seat, but I should take it out in censure on the stage.

“Boy. Your two shillings worth is allowed you; but you will take your ten shillings worth, your twenty shillings worth, and more.”

6. “And though you be a Magistrate of wit, and sit on the stage at Blackfriers or the Cockpit, to arraigne playes dailie, know, these playes have had their triall alreadie, and stood out all appeals.”

6. So, in The Magnetick Lady:

Again, ibid.:

“And therefore, Mr. Damplay, unless like a solemn justice of wit, you will damn our play unheard and unexamined.”

Of this notion Jonson was so fond, that he has repeated it no less than six times. Thus, in the Induction to Bartholomew-Fair, 1614:

“It is also agreed, that every man here exercise his own judgment, and not censure by contagion, or upon trust from another's voice or face that sits by him, be he never so first in the commission of wit; as also that he be fixd and settled in his censure; that what he approves or not approves to-day, he will do the same to-morrow, and if to-morrow, the next day (if need be), and not to be brought about by any that sit on the bench with him, though they indite and arraigne plaies dailie.”

Again, in the Induction to the Staple of Newes, acted in 1625:

“But what will the noblemen thinke, or the grave wits, to see you seated on the bench, thus?”

[The bench is used metaphorically, and means here, and in the foregoing passage, the judicial bench of wit, as appears from several other places.]

Again, ibid.:

“&lblank; such as had a longing to see plays and sit upon them, as we do, and arraigne both them and their poets.”

Again, in the same play:

“&lblank; he is the very justice o' peace o' the play, and can commit whom he will and what he will, errour, absurdity, as the toy takes him.”

Again, ibid.:

“It was a plain piece of political incest, and worthy to be brought afore the high commission of wit.”

See also Jonson's Ode on his New Inn being damned, 8vo. 1631:

Again, in Jonson's verses to Fletcher on his Faithful Shepherdess:

7. “You will stand for your privileges, we know, to read and censure....These playes have had their triall alreadie and stood out all appeales; and do now come forth quitted rather by a decree of court then any purchased letters of recommendation.”

7. So, in The Magnetick Lady:

“I care not for marking of the play....I'll damn it, talk and do that I come for. I will not have gentlemen lose their privilege, nor I my prerogative for ne'er an overgrown or superannuated poet of them all. I will censure and be witty,....and enjoy my magna charta of reprehension as my predecessors have done before me.”

In the Dedication of The Silent Woman, folio, 1616, we find the following passage:

“This makes that I now number you, not only in the name of favour, but the name of justice to what I write, and doe presently call you to the exercise of that noblest and manliest virtue; as courting rather to be freed in my fame by the authority of a judge, then the credit of an undertaker.”

[As “the authority of a judge” here stands in the place of a “decree of court,” in the corresponding passage, so the words—“the credit of an undertaker,” represent “any purchased letters of recommendation;” an undertaker, in Jonson's time, signifying ‘a friend who sides or joins with another in any cause; a maintainer or partisan.’]

Quitted, not acquitted, was Jonson's phraseology. So, in The Alchemist, 1610:

8. “But since it hath been ordained otherwise, and he by death departed from that right &lblank;.”

8. “It is further agreed that every person here has his or their free will of censure,....the author having now departed with his right &lblank;.” (Induction to Bartholomew Fair, 1614.)

So also, in The Devil's an Ass, 1616:

Again, in the address to the ordinary Reader, prefixed to Catiline, 1611:

“It is your own; I departed with my right when I let it first abroad.”

So again, in his 131st Epigram:

Though these passages relate to the departing with a right, in a loss by publication, and in the corresponding passage, by death, yet the expression is nearly the same: and these passages, at least, show how often Jonson repeated the same thought.

9. “&lblank; we pray you do not envy his friends the office of their care and paine to have collected and published them” (the writings of Shakspeare).

9. In this phraseology there appears somewhat of a Latin air: “Do not envy his friends the office of publishing them,” or, “do not envy his friends their care and pain in publishing,” would have been, I think, the language of men who merely wished to make themselves understood; but “the office of their care” is scarcely intelligible, unless office were used in the sense of duty, as certainly it was in this instance. So, in Catiline:

I must with offices and patience win him.”

On so slight a circumstance little reliance could be placed, were it not corroborated by more decisive proofs. However, I may mention that in The Discoveries we find—

“I have ever observed it to have been the office of a wise patriot among the greatest affairs of the state to take care of the commonwealth of learning.”

10. “&lblank; and so to have published them, as where [whereas], before, you were abased with diverse stolne and surreptitious copies, maimed and deformed by the stealth of injurious impostors, that exposed them; even those are now offered to your view, cured and perfect of their limbs, and all the rest absolute in their numbers, as he conceived them.”

10. So, in Every Man in his Humour:

“&lblank; and though that in him this kind of poem appeared absolute and fully perfected &lblank;.”

Again, in the Address to the Reader, prefixed to Sejanus, 4to. 1605:

“Lastly I would inform you that this book in all numbers is not the same with that which was acted on the publick stage.”

Again, in the Dedication of Jonson's Epigrams to Lord Pembroke, 1616:

“&lblank; or if all answere not in all numbers the pictures I have made of them, I hope it will be forgiven me,.... that they are no ill pieces, though they be not like the persons.”

Again, in the Epilogue to The New Inn, 1631 [he is speaking of his plays]:

“&lblank; But do him right;
“He meant to please you, for he sent things fit
“In all the numbers both of sense and wit.”

Again, in his Underwoods:

“Eupheme, or the fair fame left to posteritie of that truly noble lady, the lady Venetia Digby late wife of Sir Kenelm Digby, Knight, a gentleman absolute in all numbers.”

Again, in his Discoveries:

“But his learned and able though unfortunate successor is he, who hath fill'd up all numbers, and performed that in our tongue which may be compared or preferred either to insolent Greece or haughty Rome.”

Again, in his 95th Epigram:

“Absolute in their numbers” is a pure Latinism,—omnibus numeris absolutus; and the words surreptitious and exposed, in the sense of made publick, smell strongly of old Ben.

Of the phrase, “cured and perfect in their limbs,” applied to poetical productions correctly published, some example may perhaps be hereafter found in Jonson's works, though I have not met with it.

11. Jonson was fond of this contrast between reading and understanding. So, in his address to the ordinary reader, prefixed to Catiline, 1611:

“Though you commend the two first acts, with the people, because they are the worst, and dislike the oration of Cicero, in regard you read some passages of it at school, and understand them not yet^{3 note}, I shall find the way to forgive you.”

See also his first Epigram, 1616:

“To the Reader.
“Pray thee, take care, that tak'st my book in hand,
“To read it well, that is, to understand.”

From these numerous and marked coincidences, it is, I think, manifest, that every word of the first half of this address to the reader, which is signed with the names of John Hemings and Henry Condell, was written by Ben Jonson. They perhaps had thrown on paper, in the best manner they could, some introductory paragraphs, which Jonson, not approving, instead of mending them, cured by a total erasure.

Though he was afterwards (as I conceive) more merciful, his hand may be clearly, though not uniformly, traced in the second part also; but the foundation of this latter part, I imagine, was laid by the players themselves, and the passage that relates to the writings and amiable manners

of Shakspeare, was unquestionably written by them, (“who, as he was a happie imitator of Nature,” &c.) for it contains an observation to which Jonson particularly alludes in his Discoveries, and in which he differed from them. It is observable that although the rest of this Address is plentifully sprinkled with Latinisms, in this single passage, which I have no doubt was their own composition, they say—“and what he thought he uttered with that easiness, that we have scarce received from him a blot in his papers,” using the familiar English word (easiness) which would naturally occur to those unacquainted with Latin; whereas Jonson, in his Discoveries, writing on the same topick, says—“wherein he flowed with that facility that sometime it was necessary he should be stopp'd.”

II. D^o. 1632. Fol. Tho. Cotes, for Rob. Allot.

III. D^o. 1664. Fol. for P. C^{4 note}.

IV. D^o. 1685. Fol. for H. Herringham, E. Brewster, and R. Bentley.