SECTION LXV. IN the same year, 1598, soon after the appearance of Hall's Satires, John Marston, probably educated at Cambridge, a dramatic writer who rose above mediocrity, and the friend and coadjutor of Jonson, published "The metamorphosis of Pigmalion's image. And Certaine Satyres. By John Marston. At London, printed for Edmond Matts, and are to be sold at the signe of the hand and plough in Fleetstreete, 1598 b." I have nothing to do with PIGMALIONS IMAGE, one of Ovid's transformations heightened with much paraphrastic obscenity . The Satires here specified are only four in number. In Charles Fitzgeoffry's AFFANIE, a set of Latin epigrams, printed at Oxford in 1601, he is not inelegantly complimented as the second English Satirist, or rather as dividing the palm of priority and excellence in English satire with Hall. a The Colophon at the end of the book, is "At London printed by James Roberts, 1598." b In duodecimo. With vignettes. Pages 82. They are entered to Matts, May 27, 1598. REGISTR. STATION. C. f. 36. b. Hall's Satires are entered only the thirtieth day of March preceding. Of this piece I shall say little more, than that it is thought by some, notwithstanding the title-page just produced, not to be Marston's. But in his SCOURGE OF VILLANIT he cites it as his own. B. ii. 6. Again, B. iii. 10. And in ENGLAND'S PARNASSUS, published in 1600, part of the dedication to OPINION is quoted, with the name J. Marston, p. 221. He seems to have written it in ridicule of Shakespeare's VENUS AND ADONIS. He offers this apology, B. i. 6. (ut supr) Know, I wrot Those idle rimes, to note the odious spot ments Of Moderne Poesie's habiliments. Such straines of well-conceited poesie, That want of art should make such wit a scorne! The author of the Satires appears in stanzas, x. xiv, xix. I have thought that this poem suggested to Shakespeare what Lucio says in MEASURE FOR MEASURE. A. iii. S. ii. Vol. ii. p. 92. [See Supr. p. 243. Ad JOHANNEM MARSTONIUM. Gloria Marstoni satyrarum proxima primæ, Cum duo sunt tantum, est neuter, et ambo pares.d In general it is not easy to give a specimen of Marston's satires, as his strongest lines are either openly vitiated with gross expression, or pervaded with a hidden vein of impure sentiment. The following humorous portrait of a sick inamorato is in his best, at least in his chastest, manner of drawing a character. For when my eares receau'd a fearfull sound His windows strow'd with sonnets, and the glasse Lib. ii. Sig. F. 4. In Davies's SCOURGE OF FOLLY, there is an Epigram to "The acute Mr. John Marston," on his comedy of the MALEContent. p. 105. [In a curious MS. described by Mr. Todd in his edition of Milton, the fol lowing couplet occurs, which may be surmised to glance at this comedy. JOHN MARSTONE bad his friends unto a play; But being come, they bad themselves away.-PARK.] The midwife's phrase. In these lines there is great elegance of allusion, and vigour of expression. He addresses the objects of his satire, as the sons of the giants, Is Minos dead, is Rhadamanth asleepe, That thus ye dare vnto Ioue's palace creepe? In the same satire he calls himself A beadle to the world's impuritie! Marston seems to have been the poetic rival of Hall at Cambridge, whom he repeatedly censures or ridicules. In the fourth satire, he supposes Hall's criticisms on Dubartas, the versions of David's Psalms by Sternhold and king James, Southwell's MARY and SAINT PETER'S TEARS, the MIRROUR FOR MAGISTRATES, and other pieces of equal reputation, to be the production of pedantry or malignity. And the remainder of this satire is no unpleasant parody of Hall's prefatory stanzas against envy *. i Sat. 5. It aypears from the SCOURGE OF VILLANIE, that Hall had caused a severe Epigram to be pasted on the last page of every copy of Marston's PIGMALION'S IMAGE, that was sent from London to the booksellers of Cambridge. B. iii. 10. The Epigram is there cited. This tenth satire of the third Book was added in the second edition, in 1599. It is addressed "to his very friend maister E. G." One Edward Gilpin is cited in ENGLAND'S PARNASSUS, 1600. It appears from this Satire, that the devices on shields and banners, at tournaments, were now taken from the classics. He who upon his glorious scutchion, Peacham says, that of Emblems and Impresses, "the best I have seen have been the devices of tilting, whereof many were till of late reserved in the private gallery at White-Hall, of sir Philip Sydney, the earl of Cumberland, sir Henry Leigh, the earl of Essex, with many others: most of which I once collected with intent to publish them, but the charge dissuaded me." COMPL. GENT. CH. xviii. p. 277. edit. 34.1661. 4to. A Thrasonical captain, fresh from the siege of Cadiz, is delineated in this lively colouring. Great Tubrio's feather gallantly doth waue, Full twenty falls do make him wondrous braue! "Hot seruice, by the lord," cries Tubrio. Why dost thou halt? "Why, six times through each thigh Push'd with the pike of the hot enemie. Hot service, Hot !-The Spaniard is a man. I say no more—And as a gentleman I serued in his face. Farwell, Adew!" Welcome from Netherland-from steaming stew.i Marston's allusions often want truth and accuracy. In describing the ruff of a beau, he says, His ruffe did eate more time in neatest setting, The comparison of the workmanship of a laced and plaited ruff, to the laboured nicety of the steel-work of Woodstock, is just. He adds, with an appearance of wit, It hath more doubles farre than Ajax shield. This was no exaggeration. The shield of Ajax was only sevenfold. To say nothing of one of the leading ideas, the delicacy of contexture, which could not belong to such a shield. But Marston is much better known as a satirist by a larger and a separate collection, yet entirely in the strain of the last, called the SCOURGE OF VILLANY, published the same year. I will give the title exactly and at length. "The SCOVRGE OF VILLANIE. Three Bookes of SATYRES. [No Name of the Author.]-Nec scombros metuentia carmina nec thus. At London, Printed by I. R. [James Roberts,] and are to be sold by i Sat. i. John Buzbie, in Pawles churchyard, at the signe of the Crane, 1598*." He here assumes the appellation of Kinsayder, by which he is recognised among other cotemporary poets in the RETURN FROM PARNASSUs. In his metrical introduction, he wishes all readers of fashion would pass over his poetry, and rather examine the play-bills pasted on every post, or buy some ballad about the fairy king, and king Cophetua and the female beggar. Instead of a Muse, he invocates REPROOF, in this elegant and animated address. I inuocate no Delian deitie, Nor sacred offspring of Mnemosyne : I pray in aid of no Castalian Muse, No Nymph, no female angell, to infuse A sprightly wit to raise my flagging wings, And teach me tune these harsh discordant strings. To grace the accents of my rough-hew'd rimes: Faire Detestation of fowle odious sinne, In duodecimo. With vignettes. Wh. let. The signatures run inclusively to Sign. I. 3. The title of the second edition is "THE SCOURGE OF VILLANIE. By John Marston. Nec scombros, &c. At London. Printed by I. R. Anno Dom. 1599." The tenth Satire is not in the former edition. All Marston's SATIRES, with other pieces of old poetry, were reprinted, Lond. for R. Horsfield, 1764, 12mo. [This reprint was edited by the Rev. J. Bowles, known to the literary world by his edition of Don Quixote in the Spanish language.-PARK.] B. iii. PROEM. |