But there is a poem, imperfectly printed in The Passionate Pilgrim, (and which we have reprinted, that the reader may have before him what that work originally contained,) of a higher reputation than any poem in the collection. “Live with me, and be my love" is printed in "England's Helicon" with the signature of "Chr. Marlow," and the copy there given is as follows: In that collection it is immediately succeeded by another poem, almost equally celebrated, bearing the signature of "Ignoto: " THE NYMPH'S REPLY TO THE SHEPHERD. If all the world and love were young, Time drives the flocks from field to fold, The flowers do fade, and wanton fields Thy gowns, thy shoes, thy beds of roses, Thy belt of straw, and ivy buds, But could youth last, and love still breed. To live with thee, and be thy love. IGNOT In our Illustrations of The Merry Wives of Windsor. Act III., we have already noticed the probable authorship of these poems. Warburton, upon the authority of The Passionate Pilgrim, assigns "Come live with me " to Shakspeare. But we fear that Mr. William Jaggard's authority is not quite so much to be relied upon as that of "England's Helicon;" and, moreover, there was an honest witness living some fifty years after, whose traditionary evidence must go far to settle the point. We cannot resist the pleasure of transcribing dear Izaak Walton's testimony: "Look! under that broad beech-tree I sat down when I was last this way a-fishing. And the birds in the adjoining grove seemed to have a friendly contention with an echo, whose dead voice seemed to live in a hollow tree near to the brow of that primrose-hill. There I sat viewing the silver streams glide silently towards their centre, the tempestuous sea; but sometimes opposed by rugged roots and pebble-stones, which broke their waves, and turned them into foam. And sometimes I beguiled time by viewing the harmless lambs — some leaping securely in the cool shade, whilst others sported themselves in the cheerful sun; and saw others craving comfort from the swollen udders of their bleating dams. As thus I sat, these and other sights had so fully possessed my soul with content that I thought, as the poet has happily expressed it, — 'I was for that time lifted above earth, And possessed joys not promised in my birth.' As I left this place, and entered into the next field, a second pleasure entertained me: 'twas a handsome milkmaid, that had not yet attained so much age and wisdom as to load her mind with any fears of many things that will never be, as too many men too often do; but she cast away all care, and sung like a nightingale her voice was good, and the ditty fitted for it; it was that smooth song which was made by Kit Marlow, now at least fifty years ago. And the milkmaid's mother sung an answer to it, which was made by Sir Walter Raleigh in his younger days. "They were old-fashioned poetry, but choicely good; I think much better than the strong lines that are now in fashion in this critical age. Look yonder! on my word, yonder they both be a-milking again. I will give her the chub, and persuade them to sing those two songs to us." We have now gone through all the poems of The Passionate Pilgrim; and, taking away the five poems which are undoubtedly Shakspeare's, but which are to be found in the Sonnets and Love's Labor's Lost, and considering at least as apocryphal those which have been assigned to other authors, there is not a great deal left that posterity may thank Mr. William Jaggard for having rescued from oblivion. There are two other poems that usually follow The Passionate Pilgrim, though they form no part of that collection. The first is the celebrated song of "Take, O take those lips away." Our readers are aware that the first stanza is found in Measure for Measure, as sung by a boy to Mariana, who says, "Break off thy song.' The two stanzas are in the tragedy, ascribed to Fletcher of "Rollo, Duke of Normandy." There is no possibility, we apprehend, of deciding the authorship of the second stanza, (see Illustrations of Measure for Measure, Act Iv.) The other poem, beginning, : is found with Shakspeare's name in a book printed in 1601, the greater part of which consists of a poem translated from the Italian by Robert Chester, entitled "Love's Martyr; or, Rosalin's C. laint allegorically shadowing the Truth of Love, in the cons ant Fate of the Phoenix and Turtle." There is a second title to this volume prefixed to some supplementary verses: "Hereafter follow diverse Poetical Essaies on the former Subject, viz., the Turtle and Phoenix. Done by the best and chiefest of our modern Writers, with their Names subscribed to their particular Works. Never before extant." The name "Wm. Shake-speare" is subscribed to this poem, in the same way that the names of Ben Jonson, Marston, and Chapman are subscribed to other poems 32* |