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 BEN JONSON 99 or lawyers, or intelligencers : only a few industrious Scots, perhaps, who indeed are dispersed over the face of the whole earth. But as for them, there are no greater friends to Englishmen and England when they are out on't, in the world, than they are : and, for my part, I would a hundred thousand of them were there, for we are all one countrymen now, ye know, and we should find ten times more comfort of them there than here." It would be a perfervid Scot indeed who in our days could not smile with serene superio- rity at such banter as this. In the following year, 1605, Jonson was again in prison with Chapman for some other play in which they had been jointly concerned, as appears by his manly letter to the Earl of Salisbury, begging his influence— not for pardon, as he denied any guilt — but for a speedy hearing, which they obtained, and were released. In this year the magnificent comedy, " Volpone ; or. The Fox," was produced at the Globe, Shake- speare's name not appearing this time in the list of the chief performers. It was soon afterwards acted with great applause at both the Universities, to which, when first printed, it was inscribed: "To the most noble and most equal sisters the two famous Univer- sities, for their love and acceptance shown to this Poem in the presentation ; Ben Jonson, the grateful acknowledger, dedicates both It and Himself." The subscription is : " From my House in the Black- Friars, this nth day of February, 1607." The whole Dedication is a model of stately and vigorous eloquence, vindicating true poetry from the disgrace which has been brought upon it by vile pretenders, and vindicating himself from any fellowship with