ENGLISH SATIRES***
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ENGLISH SATIRES
With an Introduction by
OLIPHANT SMEATON
London The Gresham Publishing Company 34 Southampton Street Strand
TO THE MEMORY OF
ALEXANDER BALLOCH GROSART D.D., LL.D., F.S.A.
WITH A GRATEFUL SENSE OF ALL IT OWES TO HIS TEACHING THIS VOLUME IS INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR
PREFACE.
In the compilation of this volume my aim has been to furnish a work that would be representative in character rather than exhaustive. The restrictions of space imposed by the limits of such a series as this have necessitated the omission of many pieces that readers might expect to see included. As far as possible, however, the most typical satires of the successive eras have been selected, so as to throw into relief the special literary characteristics of each, and to manifest the trend of satiric development during the centuries elapsing between Langland and Lowell.
Acknowledgment is due, and is gratefully rendered, to Mrs. C.S. Calverley for permission to print the verses which close this book; and to Messrs. Macmillan & Co. for permission to print A.H. Clough's "Spectator ab Extra".
To Professor C.H. Herford my warmest thanks are due for his careful revision of the Introduction, and for many valuable hints which have been adopted in the course of the work; also to Mr. W. Keith Leask, M.A.(Oxon.), and the librarians of the Edinburgh University and Advocates' Libraries.
OLIPHANT SMEATON.
CONTENTS.
Page INTRODUCTION xiii
WILLIAM LANGLAND I. Pilgrimage in Search of Do-well 1
GEOFFREY CHAUCER II. III. The Monk and the Friar 6
JOHN LYDGATE IV. The London Lackpenny 10
WILLIAM DUNBAR V. The Dance of the Seven Deadly Sins 14
SIR DAVID LYNDSAY VI. Satire on the Syde Taillis--Ane Supplicatioun directit to the Kingis Grace--1538 19
BISHOP JOSEPH HALL VII. On Simony 22 VIII. The Domestic Tutor's Position 23 IX. The Impecunious Fop 24
GEORGE CHAPMAN X. An Invective written by Mr. George Chapman against Mr. Ben Jonson 26
JOHN DONNE XI. The Character of the Bore 29
BEN JONSON XII. The New Cry 34 XIII. On Don Surly 35
SAMUEL BUTLER XIV. The Character of Hudibras 36 XV. The Character of a Small Poet 43
ANDREW MARVELL XVI. Nostradamus's Prophecy 45
JOHN CLEIVELAND XVII. The Scots Apostasie 47
JOHN DRYDEN XVIII. Satire on the Dutch 49 XIX. MacFlecknoe 50 XX. Epistle to the Whigs 57
DANIEL DEFOE XXI. Introduction to the True born Englishman 63
THE EARL OF DORSET XXII. Satire on a Conceited Playwright 65
JOHN ARBUTHNOT XXIII. Preface to John Bull and his Law suit 66 XXIV. The History of John Bull 70 XXV. Epitaph upon Colonel Chartres 76
JONATHAN SWIFT XXVI. Mrs Frances Harris' Petition 77 XXVII. Elegy on Partridge 81 XXVIII. A Meditation upon a Broom stick 85 XXIX. The Relations of Booksellers and Authors 86 XXX. The Epistle Dedicatory to His Royal Highness Prince Posterity 91
