Page:Biographical and critical studies by James Thomson ("B.V.").djvu/118

 102 BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES That had he joined those notes his labours took, From each most praised, and praise-deserving book, And could the world of that choice treasure boast, It need not care though all the rest were lost : And such his wit, he writ past what he quotes, And his productions far exceed his notes." His reputation now stood so high that he was con- tinually being called upon to assist in writing and inventing, usually in conjunction with Inigo Jones, the superb and imaginative masques and entertain- ments, which were the delight of the court, the city, the gentry, in those barbarous times : public page- ants and solemnities how inferior, intellectually and artistically, to the dishevelled scramble of our royal drawing-rooms and levees, to the danceless crush of our state balls, to our Mansion House and Guildhall feasts, with their gorgeous gorging and vinous after- eloquence ! He received periodical sums, not only from public bodies, but from several of the nobility and gentry, as a sort of retaining fees to command his services whenever they might be required. In 1609 appeared, "Epiccene; or, the Silent Woman," first performed by the Children of His Majesty's Revels. When printed it soon ran through several editions, and as a stage-play was long the most popular of his works. This was followed, in 1610, by the third — and, I think, with Gifford, the greatest of the supreme three — "The Alchemist." It is dedi- cated " To the Lady most deserving her Name and Blood, Lady Mary Wroth," one of the noble Sidneys (niece of Sir Philip) he so worthily loved and honoured, and who so worthily loved and honoured him. Epigrams 103 and 105 are addressed to her, of which the former may be in part cited here : —