Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 10.djvu/112

 86 NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 S. X. FEB. 4, 1922.. study of the text in the light of Massinger's independent plays unmistakably reveals not only the influence but traces of the language of Massinger. The interview between An- toninus and Dorothea, in particular, should be compared with that between Hortensio and Matilda in ' The Bashful Lover,' I. i. In the latter play, Ascanio's scorn of Hor- tensio' s bashful attitude towards Matilda is paralleled in Sapritius's scorn of the be- haviour of Antoninus, and there is a strong resemblance between the language used by Ascanio and that of Sapritius. Compare also Durazzo's annoyance at Adorio's tepid wooing of Calista in ' The Guardian,' I. i. And for a definite mark of Massinger's vocabulary one may without hesitation point to the passage in which Antoninus speaks of " tasting the fruit of that sweet virgin tree." Such language is typical of Massinger (compare " When first I tasted her virgin fruit," ' Duke of Milan,' I. iii.) and not to be found in Dekker. Scene ii. This is wholly Dekker' s. The prose speeches of Hircius and Spungius account for about one half of the scene, all the other characters (Harpax, Theophilus, Dorothea, Angelo and Sapritius) speaking in metre. The repetitions in Angel o's beautiful speech, " There fix thine eye still," and Dorothea's reply, " Ever, ever, ever," should be noted as typical of Dekker. Scene iii. Written by Massinger. Note : 1. Second speech of Antoninus : Then with her dies The abstract of all sweetness that's in woman ! A favourite expression of Massinger's ; com- pare : The abstract of all goodness in mankind. ('.Bondman,' V. iii.) . . . the abstract Of all that's rare, or to be wished in woman. (' Duke of Milan,' I. iii., and ' Picture,' I. ii.) 2. Same speech : . . . she being gone, the glorious sun himself To me's Cimmerian darkness. Compare : . . . without her all is nothing ; The light that shines in court, Cimmerian darkness. (' Bashful Lover,' I. i.) 3. Antoninus : ... our clue of life Was spun together. Compare : . . . our thread of life Was spun together. (* Custom of the Country (Mass, and Fletcher), III. iv-) 4. Antoninus : By my hopes Of joys hereafter. Compare : Of joys hereafter. By my hopes (' Duke of Milan,' III. iii.) 5. Antoninus :. . . deface the masterpiece- of nature. Compare : behold the figure of The masterpiece of nature. (' Roman Actor,' III. ii.) She is delivered ... to us by Contarino, For a masterpiece in nature. (' Great Duke of Florence,' I. ii.) 6. Theophilus : Not all the riches of the sea> increased By violent shipwrecks, nor the unsearched mines (Mammon's unknown exchequer) shall redeem thee. Compare : Think you all treasure Hid in the bowels of the earth, or shipwreck' d In Neptune's wat'ry kingdom, can hold weight When liberty and honour fill one scale ? (' Bondman,' I. iii.) a cabinet. . . whose least gem All treasure of the earth, or what is hid In Neptune's watery b som, cannot purchase. (' Parliament of Love,' III. ii.) 7. Dorothea:. . . bury in Oblivion your feigned Hesperian orchards : The golden fruit, kept by the watchful dragon T Which did require a Hercules to get it, Compared with what grows in all plenty there Deserves not to be named. Compare : Those golden apples in the Hesperian orchards So strangely guarded by the watchful dragon As they required great Hercules to get them ; . . . when I look On this, cleserve no wonder. > v ' Emperor of the East,' IV. ii.) 8. Theophilus : Hast thou aught else to say ? Dorothea : Nothing, but to blame Thy tardiness in sending me to rest ; . . . strike,^O ! strike quickly. Compare Eudocia's song in ' The Emperor of the East y ' V. iii. : But to me thou art cruel, If thou end not my tedious misery : Strike, and strike home, then ; pity unto me, In one short hour's delay, is tyranny. Act V. scene i. This scene (nearly all verse) is substan- tially Dekker's but has been revised by Massinger, who certainly remodelled some of the speeches of Theophilus. Towards the end of his opening speech,, the word " flea- bit ings "- Tush, all these tortures are but iillipings, Fleabitings. is a favourite of Massinger's (' Bond- man ' IV. ii. ; ' City Madam,' IV. i. ; ' Duke of Milan,' I. iii. and III. ii.., &c,). Compare