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قراءة كتاب Notes and Queries, Number 220, January 14, 1854 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc.
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Notes and Queries, Number 220, January 14, 1854 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc.
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LONDON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 14, 1854.
Notes.
GRIFFIN'S "FIDESSA," AND SHAKSPEARE'S "PASSIONATE PILGRIM."
I am the fortunate possessor of a thin volume, entitled Fidessa, a Collection of Sonnets, by B. Griffin, reprinted 1811, from the edition of 1596, at the Chiswick Press; I presume, by the monogram at the end, by Mr. S. W. Singer.
The title of the original edition is Fidessa, more Chaste then Kinde, by B. Griffin, Gent, at London, printed by the Widdow Orwin, for Matthew Lownes, 1596.
The advertisement prefixed by Mr. Singer to the reprint states, that the original is one of the rarest of those that appeared at the period in which it is dated; that he is not aware of the existence of more than two copies, from one of which the reprint is taken, and that the other was in the curious collection of the late Mr. Malone.
Besides the rarity of Fidessa, Mr. Singer states that it claims some notice from the curious reader on account of a very striking resemblance between Griffin's third sonnet, and one of Shakspeare's, in his Passionate Pilgrim (Sonnet IX.).
I will transcribe both sonnets, taking Griffin's first, as it bears the earliest date.
"Venus, and yong Adonis sitting by her,
Under a myrtle shade began to woo him:
She told the yong-ling how god Mars did trie her,
And as he fell to her, so fell she to him.
'Even thus,' quoth she, 'the wanton god embrac'd me,'
And then she clasp'd Adonis in her armes.
'Even thus,' quoth she, 'the warlike god unlac'd me,'
As if the boy should use like loving charms.
But he, a wayward boy, refusde her offer,
And ran away, the beautious Queene neglecting:
Showing both folly to abuse her proffer,
And all his sex of cowardice detecting.
Oh! that I lead my mistris at that bay,
To kisse and clippe me till I ranne away!"
Sonnet III., from Fidessa.
"Fair[1] Venus, with Adonis sitting by her,
Under a myrtle shade, began to woo him;
She told the youngling how god Mars did try her,
And as he fell to her, she fell to him.
'Even thus,' quoth she, 'the warlike god embrac'd me,'
And then she clipp'd Adonis in her arms:
'Even thus,' quoth she, 'the warlike god unlac'd me,'
As if the boy should use like loving charms:
'Even thus,' quoth she, 'he seized on my lips,'
And with her lips on his did act the seizure;
And as she fetched breath, away he skips,
And would not take her meaning nor her pleasure.
Ah! that I had my lady at this bay,
To kiss and clip me till I run away!"
Sonnet IX., from Shakspeare's Passionate Pilgrim.
That the insertion of Griffin's sonnet in the Passionate Pilgrim was without Shakspeare's consent or knowledge, is in my opinion evident for many reasons.
I have long been convinced that the Passionate Pilgrim was published surreptitiously; and although it bears Shakspeare's name, the sonnets and ballads of which it is composed were several of them taken from his dramas, and added to by selections from the poems of his cotemporaries, Raleigh, Marlow, and others; that it was a bookseller's job, made up for sale by the publisher, W. Jaggard.
No one can believe that Shakspeare would have been guilty of such a gross plagiarism. Griffin's Fidessa bears date 1596: the first known edition of the Passionate Pilgrim was printed for W. Jaggard, 1599. It has no dedication to any patron, similar to Shakspeare's other poems, the Venus and Adonis, the Rape of Lucrece, and the Sonnets; and why it bears the title of the Passionate Pilgrim no one has ascertained.
But I am losing sight of the object I had in view when I took up my pen, which was, through the medium of "N. & Q.," to request any of its readers to furnish me with any particulars of B. Griffin, the author of Fidessa.
Mr. Singer supposes him to have been of a Worcestershire family; as he addresses his "poore pamphlet" for patronage to the gentlemen of the Innes of Court, he might probably have been bred to the law.
Perhaps your correspondents Cuthbert Bede, or Mr. Noake, the Worcestershire rambler, might in their researches into vestry registers and parish documents, find some notice of the family. I am informed there was a gentleman of the name resident in our college precincts early in the present century, that he was learned and respected, but very eccentric.
Worcester.