Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 2.djvu/289

ii s. VIIL OCT. 11, i9i3.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

283 Webster collaborated with Rowley. The passage here quoted is from the speech made by Clare, on hearing Lessingham's declaration of his resolution to leave her for ever:—

"Cross and pile" is our "heads or tails." A similar apophthegm is to be found in 'Countrey Newes':—

There is, moreover, in one of the 'New Characters' a rather disconcerting parallel with a passage in Webster's 'White Devil,' published in 1612, eleven years before 'The Duchess of Malfy,' and three years before the 'New Characters':—

Compare the character of 'A Sexton':

It is possible that the process has here been reversed, and that the author of ' A Sexton ' borrowed from the play. But, at a time when constant reference was made to the dog-days as being the most un- healthy period of the year, it may well be that to say that a person " wished the dog- days would last all year long " was a common form of speech to imply that he was of a malevolent disposition, and that its intro- duction in the description of ' A Sexton ' was for the sake of the addition to it of the words " and a great plague is his year of jubilee," by way of complement and as an original variation of a proverbial phrase.

It should be added, however, that Sir Thomas Overbury or the writers of these ' Characters,' whoever they were, freely plagiarized from the popular literature of the time. There are doubtless many in- stances of this that have escaped my atten- tion. Those I cite here are interesting as instances of cases where the same passages have been borrowed from a common source, both by Webster and the ' Character ' writer. All my illustrations from the ' Cha- racters ' are again from the ' New Cha- racters ' of 1615. As will be seen, the borrow- ings are from Sidney's * Arcadia ' and Florio's ' Montaigne,' the sources to which Webster had recourse more frequently than any other. I quote first from the original

author, next from the ' Characters,' and finally from ' The Duchess of Malfy ' :

[Argalus to Amphialus :]... .think not lightly of never so weak an arm which strikes with the sword of justice. ' Arcadia,' Book III.

" Never is he known to slight the weakest enemy that comes armid against him in the hand of lustice" ' A Worthy Commander in the W T arres,' Rimbault, p. 108.

The weakest arm is strong enough, that strikes With the sword of justice.

' D.M.,' V. ii. (Hazlitt, ii. 269).

" For Antiphilus that had no greatness but outward, that taken away was ready to fall faster than calamity could thrust him, with fruitless begging of life," &c. ' Arcadia,' Book II.J

" He is a small wine that will not last ; and when hee is falling, hee goes of himselfe faster than misery can drive him." ' An Intruder into Favour,' Rimbault, p. 117.

[Bosola to Cardinal :] Now it seems thy

greatness was only outward ; For thou fall'st faster of thyself, than calamity Can drive thee.

' D.M.,' V. v. (Hazlitt, ii. 278).

[Lalus is described as] " doing all things with so pretty a grace, that it seemed ignorance could not make him do amiss because he had a heart to do well." ' Arcadia,' Book I.

" Shee doth all things with so sweet a grace, it seems ignorance will not suffer her to doe ill, being her minde is to do well." ' A Fayre and Happy Milke-Mayd,' Rimbault, p. 119.

Julia. Why, ignorance in courtship cannot

make you do amiss, If you have a heart to do well.

' D.M.,' V. ii. (Hazlitt, ii. 262). In all these cases it is evident that Webster borrowed direct from the ' Arcadia.'

" It was told Socrates that one was no whit amended by his trayell ; I believe it well (said he) for he carried himselfe with him." Florio's ' Montaigne,' Book I. c. xxxviii.

" He is travelled, but to little purpose ; only went over for a squirt, and came backe againe, yet never the more mended in his conditions, cause he carried himselfe along with him." ' An Improvident Young Gallant,' Rimbault, p. 125.

Bosola. I have known many travel far for it

[honesty],

And yet return as arrant knaves as they went forth, Because they carried themselves always along with them.


 * D.M.,' I. i. (Hazlitt, ii. 159).

of passages for which the dramatist was directly indebted to Florio's translation of the Essays ; here, however, he seems to have borrowed through the medium of the ' Character ' writer.
 * The Duchess of Malfy ' contains numbers

H. D. SYKES.

Enfield.

(To be conclude t/J