BEN JONSON.

BENJAMIN JONSON, or JOHNSON, was descended from a Scots family; his grandfather, who was well descended, being originally of Annandale, in that kingdom, whence he removed to Carlisle, and was afterwards employed in the service of King Henry the Eighth. His father lost his estate under Queen Mary, in whose reign he suffered imprisonment, and, at last, entered into holy orders, and died about a month before the birth of our poet, who was born in 1574. He was first educated at a private school, and afterwards removed to Westminster, where Camden was his master. His mother, who was again married to a bricklayer, compelled him to work at the trade of his father-in-law. But, as it may be easily credited, being soon disgusted with that employment, he went into the Low Countries, where he distin guished himself by his bravery, having, in the view of both armies, killed one of the enemy, and taken the "Opima Spolia," from him. Upon his return to his own country, he applied himself, with vigour, to his former studies, and is said to have been admitted of St. John's, Cambridge; though his continuance there was short. His military spirit engaged him in a duel with a person, whom he killed, though his adversary was armed with a sword ten inches longer than his own. For this offence he was committed to prison, where, being visited by a Catholie priest, he became a convert to the Church of Rome, in which he continued twelve years, but was afterwards reconciled to that of England. Upon leaving

the University he is said to have enrolled himself in an obscure play-house, called the Green Curtain, in Shoreditch or Clerkenwell, where his acting and his writing are supposed to have been equally unpromising. That he was an actor, and probably a strolling one, appears unquestionable from Decker's "Histriomastix," a play, published in 1602, and designed as a Reply to Jonson's "Poetaster." He is reproached with having left his occupation of a mortar-treader to turn actor; and, with having" put up a supplication to be a poor journeyman player, in which he would have continued, but that he could not set a good face on it, and so was cashiered."

The generosity of Shakespeare rescued him from this state of penury and disgrace; for Jonson having offered one of his plays to the performers, unknown as he then was to the world, the persons into whose hands he consigned it, were about to return it with the usual laconic answer, that it would be of no service to their company; when Shakespeare fortunately cast his eye upon it, and was so pleased with it as to read it through, and recommend the author and his writings to the public. His first printed performance was, the Comedy entitled "Every Man in his Humour," acted in the year 1598. This, perhaps, his first, certainly his best play, immediately established his reputation. It is one of the boldest comedies in any language-every sentence is stamped for sterling by the mintage of dramatic excellence. The characters are, however, all of them Shakesperian, from the tortured imagination of the jealous Kitely, to the slight insufficiency of Master Stephen; but they are coloured with a skill so profound, that the copies are nearly as valuable as the original. His next performance was, his "Sejanus ;” but it is remarked that his Tragedies are distinguished by

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BEN JONSON.

their artificial and inflated style, rather than by vigour of conception or pathetic details. The Sejanus was followed by Volpone; the Epicane, or the Silent Woman; and the Alchymist. The last was a bold and manly attempt to ridicule the prevailing notion of the possibility of transmuting metals into gold, which then disgraced his time. Without extending our remarks through the long list of his dramatic performances, we may observe, that their principal merit is in the originality of their plots. Shakespeare's plots may be found in the one hundrednovels of Cynthio; those of Beaumont and Fletcher in Spanish stories-Jonson only made them for himself.

He had now gained so high a reputation, that, in October, 1609, upon the death of Daniel, he was appointed Poet-Laureat, and in the same year was appointed Master of Arts, at Oxford, having resided for some time at Christ's Church. He, however, incurred the King's displeasure, by writing, in conjunction with Chapman and Marston, a Play, called Eastward Hoe; in which they were accused. of reflecting upon the Scottish nation. In the reign of James this was a trivial offence, and the authors were in some danger of losing their noses and ears, the usual punishment for slight grievances in that arbitrary age. Upon the representation of Sir James Murray, they were committed to prison for some time. Upon being released, Jonson gave an entertainment to his friends, among whom were Camden and Selden. In the midst of the repast, it is reported, that his mother, who was still living, drank to him, and then shewed to him a paper containing poison, which, in the true spirit of a Roman matron, she had designed to mix with his food, after first taking a portion of it herself, if any disgraceful sentence of amputation had been passed upon him.