Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 2.djvu/510

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NOTES AND QUERIES.

[9 th S. II, DEC. 24, '

Burton, whose genius had a considerable affinity to that of the French writer with whose works he appears to have been well acquainted, the rudeness of style and the cynicism of sentiment that characterize the famous 'Essais' being very noticeable in the ' Anatomy ' is vastly more exact in his references to ancient authors than either of the two famous writers I have just men- tioned. As regards those whom he terms " Neoterics " (p. 87 and p. 325), meaning non- classical writers, though they wrote in Latin, he is still more careful in giving his citations. Coining next to English authors, I find he is pretty precise in his references to Chaucer, Spenser, and to Sir John Harrington's trans- lation of Ariosto's 'Orlando Furioso,' the works of the three being evidently prime favourites with him. Almost as much may be said regarding Daniel, Drayton, Mar- lowe, Ben Jonson, and other Tudor poets in their non-dramatic productions. But when we have to deal with the modern drama it is a different matter altogether. Burton quotes freely from the ancients Euripides, Sophocles, Aristophanes, Plautus, Terence, Seneca, and the rest. He also quotes from a Latin version of the 'Celes- tina,' a famous Spanish drama, or " dramatic novel" (as Moratin in his 'Discurso His- torico' calls it), which, however valuable as a specimen of early Castilian prose, is, to judge from Burton's quotations and from the third and fourth acts given in the 'Tesoro del Teatro Espanol,' a work of a very free, not to say licentious character.* However, as Burton's copy was in Latin, he did not scruple to utilize it and cull there- from a few choice bits, which he Englished for the convenience of his readers. Had Ben Jonson and Shakespeare written theii dramas in that ancient language, it may safely be asserted that they would have been more frequently quoted in the ' Anatomy oJ Melancholy.' Nevertheless, we ought to be thankful for the references to the great dramatists that are found in Burton's book few as they are. They are a slight recog

of twenty-one acts, was published at Salamanca ir the year 1500. Its ordinary title is the 'Tragi comedy of Calisto and Melibea.' Fernando de Rojas wrote the last twenty acts, the authorship of the first being uncertain, some attributing it tc Juan de Mena, others to Rodrigo de Cota. Bur ton's reference on p. 610 is "Lucretia in Coelestina Act 19, Barthio interprete," which is my authoritj for the Latin translation which he uses.
 * The first edition of the ' Celestina,' consisting

[' Celestina ' was translated by James Mabbe, an is included in Mr. Nutt's eminently interesting " Tudor Translations." See 8 th S. vi. 519.]

litipn by a distinguished contemporary of genius that has delighted every succeeding generation. It has been said (ante, p. 131) that

' Mr. W. B. Rye has pointed out that while the irst edition contains not a single evidence that the author was acquainted with Shakespere's works, he latter ones contain numerous quotations which how that he had read them thoroughly."

This is an assertion which will I venture to think, be completely disproved by the refer- ences I shall give in the remainder of this article. I can say nothing regarding the irst edition of the ' Anatomy,' which I have not been fortunate enough to see and examine, though I feel pretty confident that quotations from 'Venus and Adonis' and Lucrece' will be found in it. We learn
 * rom CAPT. HARRIS'S most interesting con-

tribution (ante, p. 295) that these two books were in the actual possession of Robert Burton, and certainly they were works after his own heart, for it is very clear that his likings in literature inclined to what was sensuous rather than to what was spiritual, so to speak.* As a matter of fact, these are the only two productions of Shake- speare which he really and truly does quote, with the exception of the last two lines in ' Romeo and Juliet ' (p. 583) :

Who ever heard a story of more woe Than that of Juliet and her Romeo?

No reference is given by Burton either to the author of the couplet or to the play from which it is taken. So far as Shakespeare's dramas are concerned, not a single one is men- tioned byname. There is (p. 511) a reference to " Benedict and Beatrice in the Comedy," with "Shakespeare" at the bottom of the page as the author. I think it must have been given by Burton himself, as I find it in Blake's reprint. If that be so, it is the only acknowledgment rendered by him to Shake- speare's dramatic works. I have already referred (ante, p. 2) to the quotation from Ophelia's song, which proves that he had

lovers of our old literature it CAPT. HARRIS coi-ld induce his friends to send the "list" and "index" he mentions to 'N. & Q.' for publication. The number of the books is, however, rather surprising, , for in the appendix to his will Burton says : " If I have any booiss the University library hath not, let them take them. If I have any books our own library [Christ Church] hath not, let them take them. ' In the will itself he bequeathed a sum of money to both libraries to be invested in land for the purchase of books. One feels inclined to think that the volumes selected from his collection and those bought out of his bequest are lumped together.
 * It would be conferring a great pleasure on the