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John Dennis: On The Genius And Writings Of Shakespeare. 1711
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Hudibras, i. 1, 661. But Hudibras has it slightly differently,–“Though out of languages in which,” etc.
39. a Version of two Epistles of Ovid. The poems in the seventh volume of Rowe’s edition of Shakespeare include Thomas Heywood’s Amorous Epistle of Paris to Helen and Helen to Paris. They were attributed to Shakespeare, till Farmer proved their authorship (p. 203). Cf. Gildon, Essay on the Stage, 1710, p. vi.
40. Scriptor, etc. Ars poetica, 120.
41. The Menechmi. Dennis’s “vehement suspicion” is justified. See above, note on p. 9.
Ben Johnson, “small Latin and less Greek” ( Verses to the Memory of Shakespeare ).
Milton, L’Allegro, 133: “Or sweetest Shakespeare, Fancy’s child.” The same misquotation occurs in Sewell’s preface, 1725.
Dryden, Essay of Dramatic Poesy : “Those who accuse him to have wanted learning give him the greater commendation” (ed. W. P. Ker, i., p. 80).
42. Colchus, etc. Ars poetica, 118.
Siquid tamen, etc. Id. 386. The form Maeci was restored about this time by Bentley.
43. Companies of Players. See Mr. Sidney Lee’s Life of Shakespeare, p. 34.
we are told by Ben Johnson. See p. 22. But Heminge and Condell tell us so themselves in the preface to the Folio: “His mind and hand went together: and what he thought he uttered with that easinesse, that wee have scarce received from him a blot in his papers.”
Vos, O. Ars poetica, 291.
Poets lose half the Praise, etc. These lines are not by the Earl of Roscommon, but by Edmund Waller. They occur in Waller’s prefatory verses to Roscommon’s translation of Horace’s Ars poetica.
Dennis’s criticism of Jonson is apparently inspired by Rymer’s remarks on Catiline ( Short View, pp. 159-163). “In short,” says Rymer, “it is strange that Ben, who understood the turn of Comedy so well, and had found the success, should thus grope in the dark and jumble things together without head or tail, without rule or proportion, without any reason or design.”
44. Vir bonus, etc. Horace, Ars poetica, 445.
45. ad Populum Phalerae. Persius, iii. 30.
Milton. See Milton’s prefatory note to Samson Agonistes.
46. Veneration for Shakespear. Cf. Dennis’s letter to Steele, 26th March, 1719: “Ever since I was capable of reading Shakespear, I have always had, and have always expressed, that veneration for him which is justly his due; of which I believe no one can doubt who has read the Essay which I published some years ago upon his Genius and Writings.”
Italian Ballad. Cf. Dennis’s Essay on the Operas after the Italian Manner, 1706.