I As I have spoken above of reprints needed in parallel columns, may here mention as a cognate matter the need of reprints of the passages from North's Plutarch, Holinshed's Chronicle, &c., parallel to revised texts of the Historical and Roman plays founded on them; and of reprints of plots of the old plays of The Taming of a Shrew, Promos and Cassandra, The troublesome raigne of King John, &c., parallel with the plots of the plays founded on them. I am also strongly of opinion that revised texts of the early sketches of Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Contention, and the True Tragedy, should be printed parallel with revised texts of the plays in their fuller and later forms. Such revised texts of the early sketches have never been printed. [P.S.-When I wrote this paper I was not aware that Romeo and Juliet had been edited, on the plan proposed in page 148, by Mommsen (with a most valuable introduction and collations), and that an edition of Hamlet on a somewhat similar plan had been issued in England.-F. G. F. Jan. 1876.] CHAPTER III. ON METRICAL TESTS AS APPLIED TO DRAMATIC POETRY. PART II.-FLETCHER, BEAUMONT, MASSINGER. (Read March 27, 1874.) THE fact that Fletcher was aided in his plays by Massinger has long been known, and in one or two instances conjectures have been made that Massinger helped him in specific plays; but on this point, as well as on the question of what share Beaumont had in the plays produced in the joint names of himself and Fletcher, no definite conclusion has been arrived at. It will be convenient for future reference if, before entering on our present inquiry, I subjoin a Table of the plays passing under the names of Beaumont and Fletcher, with the dates of their production (when known) and the authors to whom I assign them, pointing out the instances in which I differ from Mr. Dyce in this respect. GROUP I.-PLAYS PRODUCED BEFORE BEAUMONT'S DEATH. In these Tables B, and F. stand for Beaumont and Fletcher respectively. I have formed the plays into three groups: the first of these extends to Beaumont's death; the second includes all the plays in which Fletcher's hand alone is perceptible; the third includes the rest of the plays. It will be seen that I have starred in the table all the plays as to the authorship of which I hold an opinion different from Mr. Dyce. This is the case as to three in the first group; which are important, and as to which I think him decidedly wrong. In seven cases in the third group I find traces of a second author where Dyce does not; and in four cases I differ from him as to who the author is; but in the second group we agree entirely that it is solely Fletcher's work. It will be well, then, to begin with these plays, and examine what are their peculiarities in rhythm. They are distinguished— (1) By number of double or female endings: these are more numerous in Fletcher than in any other writer in the language, and are sufficient of themselves to distinguish his work. (2) By frequent pauses at the end of the lines: this union of "the stopped line" with the double ending is peculiar to Fletcher : Massinger has many double endings, but few stopped lines. (3) By moderate use of rhymes: this distinguishes him from Beaumont, who has more rhymes than Fletcher or Massinger, and who in serious passages has few double endings. (4) By moderate use of lines of less than five measures: he has more than Massinger, however. (5) By using no prose whatever. there are two little bits in his work; Massinger also admits none : both, I think, intercalated. (6) By admitting abundance of tri-syllabic feet, so that his (Fletcher's) lines have to be felt rather than scanned; it is almost impossible to tell when Alexndrines are intended. I now give a Table of the rhythmical pecularities of this group; and a similar Table of Massinger's plays in which he worked alone; these are rightly given in the editions, with one exception; viz. A Very Woman, which is, as Dyce conjectured, an alteration of Fletcher's A Right Woman, which was previously supposed to be lost. |