by my fan; it looks for all the world like a rotten russet-apple, when 'tis bruised. It's better than a spoonful of cinnamon-water next my heart, for me to hear him speak; he sounds it so i' th' nose, and talks and rants like the poor fellows under Ludgate to see his face make faces, when he reads his songs and sonnets.' horrible swearer; for your oath must be, like your wits, of many colours; and like a broker's book, of many parcels." Horace offers to swear till his hair stands up on end, to be rid of this sting. "Oh, this sting!" alluding to the nettles. ""Tis not your sting of conscience, is it?" asks one. In the inventory of Again, we have Ben's face compared with that his oaths, there is poignant satire, with strong of his favourite, Horace's "You staring Leviathan! look on the sweet visage of Horace; look, parboil'd face, look-he has not his face punchtfull of eylet-holes, like the cover of a warming-pan."— humour; and it probably exhibits some foibles in "Not to hang himself, even if he thought any man could write plays as well as himself; not to bombast out a new play with the old linings of Joseph Warton has oddly remarked that most of our poets were handsome men. Jonson, how-jests stolen from the Temple's Revels; not to sit ever, was not poetical on that score; though his in a gallery, when your comedies have entered their actions, and there make vile and bad faces at bust is said to resemble Menander's. Horace is thrown into many ludicrous situations. He is told that "admonition is good meat." Various persons bring forward their accusations; and Horace replies, that they envy him, Such are some of the personalities with which every line, to make men have an eye to you, and Decker recriminated. to make players afraid; not to venture on the stage, when your play is ended, and exchange courtesies and compliments with gallants, to make all the house rise and cry-That's Horace! that's he that pens and purges humours. When you bid all your friends to the marriage of a poor couple, that is to say, your Wits and Necessities-alias, a poet's Whitsun-ale-you shall swear that, within three days after, you shall not abroad, in bookbinders' shops, brag that your viceroys, or tributary-kings, have done homage to you, or paid "Because I hold more worthy company." The greatness of Ben's genius is by no means denied by his rivals; and Decker makes Fannius reply, with noble feelings, and in an elevated strain of poetry :"Good Horace, no! my cheeks do blush for quarterage. Moreover, when a knight gives you thine, : Thy very heart is made of, know the stalk On which thy learning grows, and can give life To which one adds, that "jewels, master Horace, his passport to travel in and out to his company, and gives you money for God's sake,-you will swear not to make scald and wry-mouth jests upon his knighthood. When your plays are misliked at court, you shall not cry Mew! like a puss-cat, and say, you are glad you write out of the courtier's element; and in brief, when you sup in taverns, amongst your betters, you shall swear not to dip your manners in too much sauce; nor, at table, to fling epigrams or play-speeches about you." The King observes, that "He whose pen Draws both corrupt and clear blood from all men Careless what vein he pricks; let him not rave When his own sides are struck; blows, blows do crave." Such were the bitter apples which Jonson, still in his youth, plucked from the tree of his broad satire, that branched over all ranks in society. That even his intrepidity and hardiness felt the incessant attacks he had raised about him, appears from the close of the Apologetical Epilogue to the Poetaster; where, though he replies with all the consciousness of genius, and all its haughtiness, he closes, with a determination to give over "Now, master Horace, you must be a more the composition of Comedies! This, however, "With stinging-nettles crown his stinging wit." Horace is called on to swear, after Asinius had sworn to give up his "Ningle." U like all the vows of a poet, was soon broken; And again, alluding to these mimics- "Friend. Will you not answer then the libels? Author. No. Friend. Nor the Untrussers ? Author. Neither. Friend. You are undone, then. Author. With whom? Friend. The world. Author. The bawd! Friend. It will be taken to be stupidity or tameness in you. Author. But they that have incensed me, can in Acquit me of that guilt. They know I dare His Friend tells him that he is accused, that "all his writing is mere railing;" which Jonson nobly compares to "the salt in the old Comedy;" that they say, that he is slow, and "scarce brings forth a play a year." I would they could not say that I did that. He is angry that their "base and beggarly conceits Should carry it, by the multitude of voices, Against the most abstracted work, opposed To the stufft nostrils of the drunken rout.". "This 'tis that strikes me silent, seals my lips, Than I would waste it in contemned strifes From their hot entrails *. But I leave the To their own fate. And since the Comic Muse That must and shall be sung, high and aloof, ass's hoof. Friend. I reverence these raptures, and obey them." Such was the noble strain in which Jonson replied to his detractors in the town, and to his rivals about him. Yet this poem, composed with all the dignity and force of the bard, was not suffered to be repeated. It was stopped by authority. But Jonson, in preserving it in his works, sends it "TO POSTERITY, that it may make a difference between their manners that provoked me then, and mine that neglected them ever." * Among those arts of imitation which man has derived from the practice of animals, Naturalists assure us that he owes the use of Clysters to the Egyptian Ibis. There are some who pretend this medicinal invention comes from the stork. The French are more like Ibises than we are: ils se donnent des lavements eux-mêmes. But as it is rather uncertain what the Egyptian Ibis is; wheAnd then exclaims, with admirable enthusiasm— ther, as translated in Leviticus xi. 17, the cormo"O this would make a learn'd and liberal soul rant, or a species of stork, or only "a great owl,” To rive his stained quill up to the back, we find in Calmet; it would be safest to And damn his long-watch'd labours to the attribute the invention to the unknown bird. I recollect, in Wickliffe's version of the Pentateuch, Things, that were born, when none but the still which I once saw in MS. in the possession of my night, valued friend Mr. Douce, that that venerable And the dumb candle, saw his pinching Translator interpolates a little, to tell us that the Ibis "giveth to herself a purge." fire; throes." as CAMDEN AND BROOKE. Literary, like political history, is interested in the cause of an obscure individual, when deprived of his just rights -character of CAMDEN-BROOKE'S "Discovery of Errors" in the Britannia-his work disturbed in the printingafterwards enlarged, but never suffered to be published-whether BROOKE's motive was personal rancour ?-the persecuted author becomes vindictive-his keen reply to CAMDEN-CAMDEN's beautiful picture of calumny-BROOKE furnishes a humorous companion-piece-CAMDEN's want of magnanimity and justice-when great authors are allowed to suppress the works of their adversary, the public receives the injury and the insult. In the literary as well as the political common- | weakness of the age as to his own extreme timidity, wealth, the cause of an obscure individual violently and perhaps to a little pride. Conscious as was deprived of his just rights is a common one. We Camden of enlarged views, we can easily pardon protest against the power of genius itself, when it him for the contempt he felt, when he compared strangles rather than wrestles with its adversary, or them with the subordinate ones of his cynical combats in mail against a naked man. The general adversary. interests of literature are involved by the illegitimate suppression of a work, of which the purpose is to correct another, whatever may be the invective which accompanies the correction nor are we always to assign to malignant motives even this spirit of invective, which, though it betrays a contracted genius, may also show the earnestness of an honest one. The quarrel between CAMDEN, the great author of the Britannia, and BROOKE, the York Herald, may illustrate these principles. It has hitherto been told to the shame of the inferior genius; but the history of Brooke was imperfectly known to his contemporaries. Crushed by oppression, his tale was marred in the telling. A century sometimes passes away before the world can discover the truth even of a private history. Brooke is aspersed as a man of the meanest talents, insensible to the genius of Camden, rankling with envy at his fame, and correcting the "Britannia" out of mere spite. When the history of Brooke is known, and his labours fairly estimated, we shall blame him much less than he has been blamed; and censure Camden, who has escaped all censure, and whose conduct, in the present instance, was destitute of magnanimity and justice. The character of the author of "Britannia" is great; and this error of his feelings, now first laid to his charge, may be attributed as much to the Camden possessed one of those strongly-directed minds which early in life plan some vast labour, while their imagination and their industry feed on it for many successive years; and they shed the flower and sweetness of their lives in the preparation of a work which at its maturity excites the gratitude of their nation. His passion for our national antiquities discovered itself even in his school-days, grew up with him at the University; and, when afterwards engaged in his public duties as master at Westminster school, he there composed his "Britannia," "at spare hours, and on festival days." To the perpetual care of his work, he voluntarily sacrificed all other views in life, and even drew himself away from domestic pleasures; for he refused marriage and preferments, which might interrupt his beloved studies! The work, at length produced, received all the admiration due to so great an enterprise; and even foreigners, as the work was composed in the universal language of learning, could sympathise with Britons, when they contemplated the stupendous labour. Camden was honoured by the titles (for the very names of illustrious genius become such), of the Varro, the Strabo, and the Pausanias, of Britain. While all Europe admired the "Britannia," a cynical genius, whose mind seemed bounded by his confined studies, detected one error amidst the noble views the mighty volume embraced; never get published. The secret history of the controversy may be found there *. Brooke had been loudly accused of indulging a personal rancour against Camden, and the motive of his work was attributed to envy of his great reputation; a charge constantly repeated. the single one perhaps he could perceive, and for which he stood indebted to his office as York Herald. Camden,' in an appendage to the end of each county, had committed numerous genealogical errors, which he afterwards affected, in his defence, to consider as trivial matters in so great a history, and treats his adversary with all the Yet this does not appear; for when Brooke contempt and bitterness he could inflict on him; first began his "Discovery of Errors," he did but Ralph Brooke entertained very high notions not design its publication; for he liberally offered of the importance of heraldical studies, and con- Camden his Observations and Collections. They ceived that the "Schoolmaster" Camden, as he were fastidiously, perhaps haughtily, rejected; on considered him, had encroached on the rights and this pernicious and false principle, that to correct honours of his College of Heralds. When par- his errors in genealogy might discredit the whole ticular objects engage our studies, we are apt to work. On which absurdity Brooke shrewdly raise them in the scale of excellence to a degree remarks-"As if healing the sores would have disproportioned to their real value; and are thus maimed the body." He speaks with more humiliable to incur ridicule. But it should be con- lity on this occasion than an insulted, yet a skilful sidered that many useful students are not philoso-writer, was likely to do, who had his labours phers, and the pursuits of their lives are never considered, as he says, "worthy neither of thanks ridiculous to them. It is not the interest of the nor acceptance." public to degrade this class too low. Every species of study contributes to the perfection of human knowledge, by that universal bond which connects them all in a philosophical mind. Brooke prepared "A Discovery of certain Errors in the much-commended Britannia." When we consider Brooke's character, as headstrong with heraldry as Don Quixote's with romances of chivalry, we need not attribute his motives (as Camden himself, with the partial feelings of an author, does, and subsequent writers echo) to his envy at Camden's promotion to be Clarencieux King-of-Arms; for it appears that Brooke began his work before this promotion. The indecent excesses of his pen, with the malicious charges of plagiarism he brings against Camden for the use he made of Leland's collections, only show the insensibility of the mere heraldist to the nobler genius of the historian. Yet Brooke had no ordinary talents: his work is still valuable for his own peculiar researches; but his naïve shrewdness, his pointed precision, the bitter invective, and the caustic humour of his cynical pen, give an air of originality, if not of genius, which no one has dared to notice. Brooke's first work against Camden was violently disturbed in its progress, and hurried, in a mutilated state, into the world, without licence or a publisher's name. Thus impeded, and finally crushed, the howl of persecution followed his name; and subsequent writers servilely traced his character from their partial predecessors. But Brooke, though denied the fair freedom of the press, and a victim to the powerful connexions of Camden, calmly pursued his silent labour with great magnanimity. He wrote his "Second Discovery of Errors," an enlargement of the first. This he carefully finished for the press, but could "The rat is not so contemptible but he may help the lion, at a pinch, out of those nets wherein his strength is hampered; and the words of an inferior may often carry matter in them to admonish his superior of some important consideration; and surely, of what account soever I might have seemed to this learned man, yet, in respect to my profession and courteous offer, (I being an officerof-arms, and he then but a schoolmaster), might well have vouchsafed the perusal of my notes." When he published, our herald stated the reasons of writing against Camden with goodhumour, and rallies him on his "incongruity in his principles of heraldry—for which I challenge him!—for depriving some nobles of issue to succeed them, who had issue, of whom are descended many worthy families; denying barons and earls that were, and making barons and earls of others that were not; mistaking the son for the father, and the father for the son; affirming legitimate children to be illegitimate, and illegitimate to be legitimate; and framing incestuous and unnatural marriages, making the father to marry the son's wife, and the son his own mother." He treats Camden with the respect due to his genius, while he judiciously distinguishes where the greatest ought to know to yield. "The most abstruse arts I profess not, but yield the palm and victory to mine adversary, that * This work was not given to the public till 1724, a small quarto, with a fine portrait of Brooke. More than a century had elapsed since its forcible suppression. Anstis printed it from the fair MS. which Brooke had left behind him. The author's paternal affection seemed fondly to imagine its child might be worthy of posterity, though calumniated by its contemporaries. great learned Mr. Camden; with whom, yet, a to print; but, in printing the work, the press was long experimented navigator may contend about disturbed, and his house was entered by "this his chart and compass, about havens, creeks, and learned man, his friends, and the stationers." sounds; so I, an ancient herald, a little dispute, The latter were alarmed for the sale of the Briwithout imputation of audacity, concerning the tannia, which might have been injured by this honour of arms, and the truth of honourable rude attack. The work was therefore printed in descents."an unfinished state: part was intercepted; and the author stopped, by authority, from proceeding any farther.-Some imperfect copies got abroad. Brooke had seen, as he observes, in four editions of the Britannia, a continued race of errors, in false descents, &c. and he continues, with a witty allusion: 'Perceiving, that even the brains of many learned men beyond the seas had misconceived and miscarried in the travail and birth of their relations, being gotten, as it were, with child (as Diomedes's mares) by the blasts of his erroneous puffs; I could not but a little question the original father of their absurdities, being so far blown, with the trumpet of his learning and fame, into foreign lands." He proceeds with instances of several great authors on the Continent having been misled by the statements of Camden. Thus largely have I quoted from Brooke, to show, that at first he never appears to have been influenced by the mean envy, or the personal rancour, of which he is constantly accused. As he proceeded in his work, which occupied him several years, his reproaches are whetted with a keener edge, and his accusations are less generous. But to what are we to attribute this? To the contempt and persecution Brooke so long endured from Camden: these acted on his vexed and degraded spirit, till it burst into the excesses of a man heated with injured feelings. When Camden took his station in the Herald's College with Brooke, whose offers of his notes he had refused to accept, they soon found what it was for two authors to live under the same roof, who were impatient to write against each other. The cynical York, at first, would twit the new king-of-arms, perpetually affirming that "his predecessor was a more able herald than any who lived in this age :" a truth, indeed, acknowledged by Dugdale. On this occasion, once the king-ofarms gave malicious York "the lie!" reminding the crabbed herald of "his own learning; who, as a scholar, was famous through all the provinces of Christendom.”—“ So that (adds Brooke) now I learnt, that before him, when we speak in commendation of any other, to say, I must always except Plato."-Camden would allow of no private communication between them; and in "Sermonibus Convivalibus,” in his Table-talk, "the heat and height of his spirit" often scorched the contemned Yorkist, whose rejected "Discovery of Errors" had no doubt been too frequently enlarged, after such rough convivialities. Brooke now resolved The treatment the exasperated Brooke now incurred, was more provoking than Camden's refusal of his notes, and the haughtiness of his "Sermonibus Convivalibus." The imperfect work was, however, laid before the public, so that Camden could not refuse to notice its grievous charges. He composed an angry reply in Latin, addressed ad Lectorem! and never mentioning Brooke by name, contemptuously alludes to him only by a Quidam and Iste (a certain person, and He!) -"He considers me (cries the mortified Brooke, in his second suppressed work) as an Individuum vagum, and makes me but a Quidam in his pamphlet, standing before him as a schoolboy, while he whips me. Why does he reply in Latin to an English accusation? He would disguise himself in his school-rhetoric; wherein, like the cuttle-fish, being stricken, he thinks to hide and shift himself away in the ink of his rhetoric. I will clear the waters again." He fastens on Camden's former occupation, virulently accusing him of the manners of a pedagogue :-"A man may perceive an immoderate and eager desire of vain glory growing in hand, ever since he used to teach and correct children for these things, according to the opinion of some, in mores et naturam abeunt." He complains of "the school-hyperboles" which Camden exhausts on him, among which Brooke is compared to "the strumpet Leontion," who wrote against "the divine Theophrastus." To this Brooke keenly replies: "Surely, had Theophrastus dealt with women's matters, a woman, though mean, might in reason have contended with him. A king must be content to be laughed at, if he come into Apelles's shop, and dispute about colours and portraiture. I am not ambitious nor envious to carp at matters of higher learning than matters of heraldry, which I profess: that is the slipper, wherein I know a slip when I find it. But see your cunning; you can, with the blur of your pen, dipped in copperas and gall, make me learned and unlearned; nay, you can almost change my sex, and make me a whore, like Leontion; and, taking your silver pen again, make yourself the divine Theophrastus." At the close of Camden's answer, he introduced the allegorical picture of calumny, that elegant invention of the Grecian fancy of Apelles, painted |