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Indeed the parody is scarcely more extravagant than the original. No one can compare the two, I think, and not be convinced that Jonson was making light of Wither.

I am aware, as I was when comparing our play and The London Prodigal, that brief passages and points of resemblance, when isolated from their context, lose much of their force. If, however, the details I have here adduced lead Jonsonian scholars to compare The Staple of News with Wither's Juvenilia, I have little doubt as to what they will conclude. That Madrigal stands for Jonson is preposterous; that he stands for Wither is all but certain.

TEXT

EDITOR'S NOTE

The text here adopted is that of the original edition, dated 1631, and found in volume 2 of the First Folio. The only alterations are in the lining of the prose portions; in the pagination, that of the Folio being inserted in brackets; in the position of the book-holder's marginal notes, which are here set into the body of the text at the points where 1716 and Whalley placed them; and in the substitution of type of modern style for certain of the more infrequent archaic characters.

The foot-notes are intended to show all the alterations in the phrasing of the text, including the book-holder's notes, and the scene headings; all alterations in spelling which amount to changes of form; all suggestive alterations in punctuation; all corrections of verbal misprints; and all verbal misprints originating in subsequent editions.

1692 the Third Folio, 1692.

1716 the edition of 1716 [1717].

W Peter Whalley's edition, 1756.
G=William Gifford's edition, 1816.
SN. Side-note, or Book-holder's note.

All the editions collated read thus.

( )] G = Gifford retains parentheses. G§

Gifford usually reads thus, and henceforth only his retention of the Folio reading will be noted. This sign is used only with the following variants: ha'] have; h'] he; he's] he is; i'] in; o'] of; o'] on; th'] the.

1692 alone follows the first edition in repeating the name of the act at the head of each scene, and in leaving it to be understood that the first person named in a scene-heading is the first speaker of that

scene.

OF

NEVVES.

A COMEDIE

ACTED IN THE

YEARE, 1625.

BY HIS MAIESTIES

SERVANTS.

The Author BEN: IONSON.

HOR. in ART. POET.

Aut prodeffe volunt, aut delectare poeta:
Aut fimul & iucunda, & idonea dicere vita

[DEVICE OF A

WOLF'S HEAD ERASED]

LONDON,

Printed by I. B. for ROBERT ALLOT, and are to be fold at the figne of the Beare, in Pauls Church-yard. 1631.

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