shuddered. Devonshire was a loyal county, or perhaps a retired dramatist might have found it prudent to say as little of his stage-triumphs, as a retired slave-trader in a philanthropic suburb, of the sale of his cargoes. Could it be proved that Ford enjoyed the fruits of his labours on his native ground, and lived contented and happy, an undistinguished country-gentleman, he might serve to "point a moral," though hardly to "adorn a tale." Massinger lived and died in poverty, and his burial was the burial of a stranger. He was a mere author. Ford, by adhering to a regular profession, held his head high in the world; addressed his dedicatees as men on whom he was conferring honour; laid aside both gown and pen when the first grey hair gave warning, and, free from care and ambition, had "leisure to be good" ere he was called away : and yet achieved the fame which so many seek by the sacrifice of health, fortune, and heart's ease, at those spare hours which every economist of time may make out of minutes wisely saved. Pity that so excellent a lesson should rest on an obscure tradition.

inclined to conjecture from these lines, and from the general hauteur of his dedications, that Ford kept much aloof from authors and actors by trade. Yet if we are to trust Old Heywood, he did not escape that familiar corruption of his name, which in his case had not even the plea of brevity

Mellifluous Shakspeare, whose inchanting quill
Commanded mirth or passion, was but Will,
And famous Jonson, though his learned pen
Be dipt in Castaly, is still but Ben.
Fletcher and Webster, of that learned pack
None of the meanest, neither was but Jack,
Decker but Tom, nor May, nor Middleton,

And he's but now Jack Ford, that once was John.

Hierarchy of Angels.

A LIST

MASSINGER'S PLAYS.

26. THE UNFORTUNATE PIETY. T. Acted June 13, 1631, by the King's Company. Lost.

32. A VERY WOMAN. T. C. Acted June 6, 1634, by the King's Company. Octavo, 1655.

27. The Fatal DowRY. T. Acted by the King's 33. THE ORATOR. Acted June 10, 1635, by the Company. Quarto, 1632.

28. A NEW WAY TO PAY OLD DEBTS. C.

Acted at the Phoenix, Drury Lane. Quarto,
1633.

King's Company. Lost.

34. THE BASHFUL LOVER. T. C. Acted May 9, 1636, by the King's Company. Octavo,

1655.

29. THE CITY MADAM. C. Acted May 25, 35. THE KING AND THE SUBJECT. Acted June 5, 1632, by the King's Company. Quarto, 1638, by the King's Company. Lost. 1659.

30. THE GUARDIAN. C. Acted October 31, 1633, by the King's Company. Octavo, 1655.

31. THE TRAGEDY OF CLEANDER. Acted May 7, 1634, by the King's Company. Lost.

36. ALEXIUS, OR THE CHASTE LOVER. Acted Sept. 25, 1639, by the King's Company. Lost.

37. THE FAIR ANCHORESS OF PAUSILIppo. Acted Jan. 26, 1640, by the King's Company. Lost.

COMMENDATORY VERSES

ON

MASSINGER.

UPON THIS WORK, "THE DUKE OF MILAN," OF HIS BELOVED FRIEND THE AUTHOR.

I AM snapt already, and may go my way;

The poet-critic's come; I hear him say

This youth's mistook, the author's work's a play.

He could not miss it, he will straight appear
At such a bait; 'twas laid on purpose there,
To take the vermin, and I have him here.

Sirrah! you will be nibbling; a small bit,
A syllable, when you're in the hungry fit,
Will serve to stay the stomach of your wit..

Fool, knave, what worse, for worse cannot deprave thee;
And were the devil now instantly to have thee,

Thou canst not instance such a work to save thee,

'Mongst all the ballets which thou dost compose,
And what thou stylest thy Poems, ill as those,
And void of rhyme and reason, thy worse prose:

Yet like a rude jack-sauce in poesy,
With thoughts unblest, and hand unmannerly,
Ravishing branches from Apollo's tree;

Thou mak'st a garland, for thy touch unfit,

And boldly deck'st thy pig-brain'd sconce with it,
As if it were the supreme head of wit :

The blameless Muses blush; who not allow
That reverend order to each vulgar brow,
Whose sinful touch profanes the holy bough.
Hence, shallow prophet! and admire the strain
Of thine own pen, or thy poor cope-mate's vein ;
This piece too curious is for thy coarse brain.
Here wit, more fortunate, is join'd with art,
And that most sacred frenzy bears a part,
Infused by nature in the Poet's heart.

Here may the puny wits themselves direct,
Here may the wisest find what to affect,
And kings may learn their proper dialect.

On then, dear friend! thy pen, thy name, shall spread,
And shouldst thou write, while thou shalt not be read,
The Muse must labour, when thy hand is dead.

W. B.

THE AUTHOR'S FRIEND TO THE READER, ON THE "BONDMAN.”

The printer's haste calls on; I must not drive

My time past six, though I begin at five.
One hour I have entire, and 'tis enough;
Here are no gipsy jigs, no drumming-stuff,
Dances, or other trumpery to delight,
Or take, by common way, the common sight.
The author of this poem, as he dares
To stand the austerest censure, so he cares
As little what it is; his own best way
Is, to be judge, and author of his play :
It is his knowledge makes him thus secure ;
Nor does he write to please, but to endure.
And, reader, if you have disbursed a shilling,
To see this worthy story, and are willing
To have a large increase, if ruled by me,
You may a merchant and a poet be.
'Tis granted for your twelve-pence you did sit,
And see, and hear, and understand not yet.
The author, in a Christian pity, takes

TO MY HONOURED FRIEND, MASTER PHILIP MASSINGER, UPON HIS “RENEGADO."