Page:Biographical and critical studies by James Thomson ("B.V.").djvu/241

 BEN JONSON 225 And now we must bid farewell to this vigorous and multifarious comedy, abounding in the keenest observation and humour, leaving the ultimate destinies of the principal characters in the day's proceedings at the fair to be learnt from the play itself, which ranks only just below " The 'Fox,' the 'Alchemist,' and 'Silent Woman,' Done by Ben Jonson, and outdone by no man." Yet one word more, in the interest of our friend Zeal-of-the-land. In the epilogue to "Tartuffe," by Lord Buckhurst, may be read : — " Many have been the vain attempts of wit Against the still-prevailing hypocrit : Once, and but once, a poet got the day, And vanquished Busy in a puppet-play ! But Busy rallying, filled with holy rage, Possessed the pulpit, and pulled down the stage. " XIV In the renowned Bobadill, the noble Cavalier Shift, Brisk the Fastidious, honest Abel Drugger, and the worthies we have just left in Bartholomew Fair, we have Jonson's chief tobacco heroes; and in con- nection with them is the bulk of what he has to say concerning the " sovereign herb," so that it now remains for me but to gather up the fragments that are left, omitting the very small crumbs. In "The Devil is an Ass" (i6i6), Satan, warning the poor imp Pug, who burns to try his mischief on earth, that he will now find men further advanced p