Like lights about Astræa's throne, Who vows, against or heat or cold, That want may touch you never; To write your names in some new flower, Cho. To Jove, to Jove, be all the honour given, That thankful hearts can raise from earth to heaven. FRANCIS BEAUMONT-JOHN FLETCHER. The literary partnerships of the drama which we have had occasion to notice were generally brief and incidental, confined to a few scenes or a single play. In BEAUMONT and FLETCHER, we have the interesting spectacle of two young men of high genius, of good birth and connexions, living together for ten years, and writing in union a series of dramas, passionate, romantic, and comic, thus blending together their genius and their fame in indissoluble connexion. Shakspeare was undoubtedly the inspirer of these kindred spirits. They appeared when his Fletcher. genius was in its meridian splendour, and they were completely subdued by its overpowering influence. They reflected its leading characteristics, not as slavish copyists, but as men of high powers and attainments, proud of borrowing inspiration from a source which they could so well appreciate, and which was at once ennobling and inexhaustible. Francis Beaumont was the son of Judge Beaumont, a member of an ancient family settled at Grace Dieu, in Leicestershire. He was born in 1586, and educated at Cambridge. He became a student of the Inner Temple, probably to gratify his father, but does not seem to have prosecuted the study of the law. He was married to the daughter and co-heiress of Sir Henry Isley of Kent, by whom he had two daughters. He died before he had completed his thirtieth year, and was buried, March 9, 1615-6, at the entrance to t Benedict's chapel, Westminster Abbey. John Fletcher was the son of Dr Richard Fletcher, bishop of Bristol, and afterwards of Worcester. He was born ten years before his friend, in 1576, and he survived him ten years, dying of the great plague in 1625, and was buried in St Mary Overy's church, Southwark, on the 19th of August. The dramas of Beaumont and Fletcher are fiftytwo in number. The greater part of them were not printed till 1647, and hence it is impossible to assign the respective dates to each. Dryden mentions, that Philaster was the first play that brought them into esteem with the public, though they had written two or three before. It is improbable in plot, but interesting in character and situations. The jealousy of Philaster is forced and unnatural; the character of Euphrasia, disguised as Bellario, the page, is a copy from Viola, yet there is something peculiarly delicate in the following account of her hopeless attachment to Philaster: My father oft would speak Your worth and virtue; and, as I did grow I grew acquainted with my heart, and search'd My birth no match for you, I was past hope Could call together, never to be known, Whilst there was hope to hide me from men's eyes, Where first you took me up. Philaster had previously described his finding the disguised maiden by the fount, and the description is highly poetical and picturesque : Hunting the buck, I found him sitting by a fountain-side, CYCLOPEDIA OF Did signify; and how all, order'd thus, The Maid's Tragedy, supposed to be written about the same time, is a drama of a powerful but unpleasing character. The purity of female virtue in Amintor and Aspatia, is well contrasted with the guilty boldness of Evadne; and the rough soldierlike bearing and manly feeling of Melantius, render the selfish sensuality of the king more hateful and disgusting. Unfortunately, there is much licentiousness in this fine play-whole scenes and dialogues are disfigured by this master vice of the theatre of Beaumont and Fletcher. Their dramas are 'a rank unweeded garden,' which grew only the more disorderly and vicious as it advanced to maturity. Fletcher must bear the chief blame of this defect, for he wrote longer than his associate, and is generally understood to have been the most copious and fertile composer. Before Beaumont's death, they had, in addition to Philaster,' and the Majd's Tragedy,' produced King and no King, Bonduca, The Laws of Candy (tragedies); and The Woman Hater, The Knight of the Burning Pestle, The Honest Man's Fortune, The Coxcomb, and The Captain (comedies). Fletcher afterwards produced three tragic dramas, and nine comedies, the best of which are, The Chances, The Spanish Curate, The Beggar's Bush, and Rule a Wife and Have a Wife. He also wrote an exquisite pastoral drama, The Faithful Shepherdess, which Milton followed pretty closely in the design, and partly in the language and imagery, of Comus. A higher though more doubtful honour has been assigned to the twin authors; for Shakspeare is said to have assisted them in the composition of one of their works, The Two Noble Kinsmen, and his name is joined with Fletcher's on the title page of the first edition. The bookseller's authority in such matters is of no weight; and it seems unlikely that our great poet, after the production of some of his best dramas, should enter into a partnership of this description. The Two Noble Kinsmen' is certainly not superior to some of the other plays of Beaumont and Fletcher. The genius of Beaumont is said to have been more correct, and more strongly inclined to tragedy, than that of his friend. The later works of Fletcher are chiefly of a comic character. His plots are sometimes inartificial and loosely connected, but he is always lively and entertaining. There is a rapid succession of incidents, and the dialogue is witty, elegant, and amusing. Dryden considered that they understood and imitated the conversation of gentlenen much better than Shakspeare; and he states that their plays were, in his day, the most pleasant and frequent entertainments of the stage; two of theirs being acted through the year, for one of Shakspeare's or Jonson's.' It was different some forty years previous to this. In 1627, the King's Company bribed the Master of the Revels with £5, to interfere in preventing the players of the theatre called the Red Bull, from performing the dramas of Shakspeare. One cause of the preference of Beaumont and Fletcher, may have been the license of their dramas, suited to the perverted taste of the court of Charles II., and the spirit of intrigue which they adopted from the Spanish stage, and naturalised on the English. We cannot deny,' remarks Hallam, 'that the depths of Shakspeare's mind were often unfathomable by an audience; the bow was drawn by a matchless hand, but the shaft went out of sight. All might listen to Fletcher's pleasing, though not TO 1649. profound or vigorous, language; his thoughts are noble, and tinged with the ideality of romance; his metaphors vivid, though sometimes too forced; he possesses the idiom of English without much pedantry, though in many passages he strains it beyond common use; his versification, though studiously are seldom arrested by striking beauties. Good lines irregular, is often rhythmical and sweet; yet we occur in every page, fine ones but rarely. We lay down the volume with a sense of admiration of what we have read, but little of it remains distinctly in the memory. Fletcher is not much quoted, and has not even afforded copious materials to those who cull the beauties of ancient lore.' His comic powers are certainly far superior to his tragic. Massinger impresses the reader more deeply, and has a moral beauty not possessed by Beaumont and Fletcher, but in comedy he falls infinitely below them. Though their characters are deficient in variety, their knowledge of stage-effect and contrivance, their fertility of invention, and the airy liveliness of their dialogue, give the charm of novelty and interest to their scenes. Mr Macaulay considers that the models which Fletcher had principally in his eye, even for his most serious and elevated compositions, were not Shakspeare's tragedies, but his comedies. 'It was these, with their idealised truth of character, their poetic beauty of imagery, their mixture of the grave with the playful in thought, their rapid yet skilful transitions from the tragic to the comic in feeling; it was these, the pictures in which Shakspeare had made his nearest approach to portraying actual life, and not those pieces in which he transports the imagination into his own vast and awful world of tragic action, and suffering, and emotion-that attracted Fletcher's fancy, and proved congenial to his cast of feeling.' This observation is strikingly just, applied to Shakspeare's mixed comedies or plays, like the Twelfth Night,' the 'Winter's Tale,' 'As You Like It,' &c. The rich and genial comedy of Falstaff, Shallow, and Slender, was not imitated by Fletcher. His Knight of the Burning Pestle' is an admirable burlesque of the false taste of the citizens of London for chivalrous and romantic adventures, without regard to situation or probability. On the whole, the dramas of Beaumont and Fletcher impress us with a high idea of their powers as poets and dramatists. The elevate them above Jonson, though they were desvast variety and luxuriance of their genius seem to titute of his regularity and solidity, and to place them on the borders of the 'magic circle' of Shakspeare. The confidence and buoyancy of youth are visible in their productions. They had not tasted of adversity, like Jonson or Massinger; and they had not the profoundly-meditative spirit of their great master, cognisant of all human feelings and sympathies; life was to them a scene of enjoyment and pleasure, and the exercise of their genius a source of refined delight and ambition. They were gentlemen who wrote for the stage, as gentlemen have rarely done before or since. [Generosity of Cæsar.] [Ptolemy, king of Egypt, having secured the head of Pompey, From kingly Ptolemy I bring this present, And all thy furious conflicts were but slumbers: Sce. Give me hate, gods! Pho. This Cæsar may account a little wicked; But yet remember, if thine own hands, conqueror, Had fall'n upon him, what it had been then; If thine own sword had touch'd his throat, what that way! He was thy son-in-law; there to be tainted Had been most terrible! Let the worst be render'd, We have deserv'd for keeping thy hands innocent. Cæsar. Oh, Sceva, Sceva, see that head! See, captains, The head of godlike Pompey! Sce. He was basely ruin'd; But let the gods be griev'd that suffer'd it. Caesar. Oh thou conqueror, Thou glory of the world once, now the pity; Thou awe of nations, wherefore didst thou fall thus ? Ant. Oh, how brave these tears show! Dol. Glory appears not greater than this goodness. Cæsar. Egyptians, dare ye think your highest pyramids, Built to outdare the sun, as you suppose, But the eternal substance of his greatness, pense. You're young and ignorant; that pleads your pardon; I mean a head of equal reputation, And that you lov'd, tho' 'twere your brightest sister's (But her you hate), I would not be behind you. Ptol. Hear me, great Cæsar! Cæsar. I have heard too much; And study not with smooth shows to invade Cæsar. You've robb'd him of those tears Till Nilus raise his seven heads and devour ye! The False One. My night, and all your hands have been employ'd To young Amintor's bed, as we are now Or both thought so; perhaps he found me worthless; Erad. Nay, leave this sad talk, madam. Asp. Lay a garland on my hearse Of the dismal yew; Maidens, willow branches bear, Say I died true. My love was false, but I was firm, From my hour of birth; Upon my buried body lie Lightly, gentle earth! Madam, good night; may no discontent To keep your sorrow waking. Love your lord [Amintor enters. [To Amintor. And to that destiny have patiently Laid up my hour to come. Pal. Oh, cousin Arcite, Where is Thebes now? where is our noble country? Shall we two exercise, like twins of honour, Arc. No, Palamon, Those hopes are prisoners with us; here we are, Remember what your fathers were, and conquer.' Pal. 'Tis too true, Arcite. To our Theban hounds That shook the aged forest with their echoes, No more now must we halloo, no more shake Our pointed javelins, whilst the angry swine Flies like a Parthian quiver from our rages, Struck with our well-steel'd darts. All valiant uses (The food and nourishment of noble minds) In us two here shall perish: we shall die (Which is the curse of honour) lastly Children of grief and ignorance. Arc. Yet, cousin, Even from the bottom of these miseries, I see two comforts rising, two mere blessings, Pal. Certainly 'Tis a main goodness, cousin, that our fortunes Put in two noble bodies, let them suffer Pal. How, gentle cousin ? Arc. Let's think this prison holy sanctuary, Can be, but our imaginations May make it ours? And here being thus together, We are an endless mine to one another; We are one another's wife, ever begetting New births of love; we are father, friends, acquaint. ance; We are, in one another, families; I am your heir, and you are mine. This place A wife might part us lawfully, or business; Pal. You have made me (I thank you, cousin Arcite) almost wanton With my captivity: what a misery It is to live abroad, and everywhere! 'Tis like a beast, methinks! I find the court here, I'm sure, a more content; and all those pleasures, I see through now; and am sufficient The Two Noble Kinsmen. [Disinterestedness of Biancha.] [From the Fair Maid of the Inn."] Enter CESARIO and a SERVANT. Cesa. Let any friend have entrance. Cesa. Any; I except none. Serv. We know your mind, sir. Cesa. Grieve me? Ha, ha, ha, ha! Is this all? Bian. This all? Cesa. Thou art sorry for❜t, I warrant thee; alas, good soul, Biancha! That which thou call'st misfortune is my happiness; My happiness, Biancha! Bian. If you love me, It may prove mine too. Cesa. May it? I will love thee, My good, good maid, if that can make thee happy, Better and better love thee. Bian. Without breach, then, Of modesty, I come to claim the interest I saw you, I confess I wish'd I had been, Or not so much below your rank and greatness, Still, as you utter'd language of affection, That I might turn more fool to lend attention Myself to hopeless bondage. Cesa. A good girl! I thought I should not miss, whate'er thy answer was. Bian. But as I am a maid, sir, (and i3 faith [Erit. believe me, may So dearly I respected both your fame for I am a maid), Cesa. Pleasures admit no bounds. I'm pitch'd so high, To gratefulness, and those more liberal favours 1st. Serv. 'Tis my place. 2d. Serv. Yours? Here, fair one; I'll acquaint My lord. 1st. Serv. He's here; go to him boldly. 2d. Serv. Please you To let him understand how readily I waited on your errand! 1st. Serv. Saucy fellow! You must excuse his breeding. Cesa. What's the matter? Biancha? my Biancha?—To your offices! [Exeunt Serv. This visit, sweet, from thee, my pretty dear, So much the more timely: witness this free welcome, Bian. You may guess, sir; Yet, indeed, 'tis a rare one. My honest virtuous maid. Bian. Sir, I have heard Of your misfortunes; and I cannot tell you Cesa. What truth, Biancha? Bian. You are disclaim'd For being the lord Alberto's son, and publicly You And quality, that I would first have perish'd I should have died sure, and no creature known Cesa. Pretty heart! Good soul, alas, alas! Bian. Now since I know There is no difference 'twixt your birth and mine, Not much 'twixt our estates (if any be, The advantage is on my side), I come willingly To tender you the first-fruits of my heart, And am content t' accept you for my husband, Now when you are at lowest. Cesa. For a husband? Speak sadly; dost thou mean so? Bian. In good deed, sir, "Tis pure love makes this proffer. Cesa. I believe thee. What counsel urg'd thee on? tell me; thy father! My worshipful smug host? Was't not he, wench? Or mother hostess? ha? Bian. D' you mock my parentage? I do not scorn yours: mean folks are as worthy As some whose only fame lies in their blood. Bian. Had your heart, Your hand, and tongue, been twins, you had reputed This courtesy a benefit. Cesa. Simplicity, How prettily thou mov'st me! Why, Biancha, Report has cozen'd thee; I am not fallen From my expected honours or possessions, Though from the hope of birthright. Bian. Are you not? |