Habits of Mind: Evidence and Effects of Ben Jonson's ReadingBucknell University Press, 1995 - 290 pages "In Habits of Mind, his fourth book on Ben Jonson, Robert C. Evans turns to the reading habits of one of the best-read and most-learned of all the great English poets and discovers that the impact of Jonson's reading on his own art was both immediate and strong." "Studying Jonson's markings can provide unique insights into his own thinking and creativity, Evans postulates, because the poet's reading was not a distraction, but central to his inspiration and artistic development." "The marked books that Evans discusses are a deliberately mixed lot, and the methods used in discussing them are also intentionally diverse. The chosen works represent differing periods, genres, styles, and thematic concerns, thus suggesting the impressive range of Jonson's interests as well as the continuities that seem to underlie them."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
Contents
| 21 | |
Jonsons Seneca | 57 |
Jonsons Apuleius The Apology and Florida | 89 |
Ben Jonsons Chaucer | 134 |
Mores Richard III and Jonsons Richard Crookback and Sejanus | 160 |
Praise and Blame in Jonsons Reading of More and Lipsius | 191 |
Jonson Reading Edmondes Reading Caeser | 218 |
Notes | 245 |
Bibliography | 267 |
Topical Index | 275 |
Index of Names Places and Titles | 284 |
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Common terms and phrases
accusers appear Apuleius Apuleius's attacks Ben Jonson Caesar calumny Carthage Carthaginians chapter charge Chaucer cited claim classical concern copy cuckow Discoveries discussion dramatic edition Edmondes Edmondes's emphasizes English epigrams essay fact Golden Ass haue highlights History ideal implies important indicate instance Jonson seems Jonson underlines Jonson's interest Jonson's markings Jonson's reading Jonsonian Justus Lipsius kind King later Latin learning Lipsius Lipsius's literary loue marked by Jonson marked passage markings suggest masques McPherson memorable mind moral More's poem Nightingale notes panegyric perhaps phrasing play poet poet's pointing hand Pontianus praise Prince Pudens Pudentilla readers Renaissance Renaissance Stoicism response Richard Roman satire Sejanus Seneca Similarly social son's speech Stoicism style Tacitus thee things Thomas Thomas Speght thou tion topic translation University Press verses vertical line Volpone words writings Yale University
Popular passages
Page 26 - I know nothing can conduce more to letters than to examine the writings of the ancients and not to rest in their sole authority, or take all upon trust from them...
Page 31 - Let Aristotle and others have their dues; but if we can make farther discoveries of truth and fitness than they, why are we envied?
Page 29 - But the wretcheder are the obstinate contemners of all helps and arts; such as, presuming on their own naturals (which perhaps are excellent), dare deride all diligence, and seem to mock at the terms when they understand not the things; thinking that way to get off wittily with their ignorance.
Page 31 - Nothing is more ridiculous than to make an author a dictator, as the schools have done Aristotle. The damage is infinite knowledge receives by it; for to many things a man should owe but a temporary belief, and a suspension of his own judgment, not an absolute resignation of himself, or a perpetual captivity.
Page 50 - Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
Page 51 - Go forth out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and out of thy father's house, and come into the land which I shall show thee.
Page 34 - ... em), no brain at all, is superfluous; I am contented these fastidious stomachs should leave my full tables, and enjoy at home their clean empty trenchers...
Page 39 - To my Booke IT will be look'd for, booke, when some but see Thy title, Epigrammes, and nam'd of mee, Thou should'st be bold, licentious, full of gall, Wormewood, and sulphure, sharpe, and tooth'd withall; Become a petulant thing, hurle inke, and wit, As mad-men stones: not caring whom they hit.
Page 217 - Hee is upbraydingly call'da Poet, as if it were a most contemptible Nick-name. But the Professors (indeed) have made the learning cheape. Rayling, and tinckling Rimers, whose Writings the vulgar more greedily reade; as being taken with scurrility, and petulancie of such wits. Hee shall not have a Reader now, unlesse hee jeere and lye.
References to this book
The Protean Ass: The Metamorphoses of Apuleius from Antiquity to the Renaissance Robert H. F. Carver No preview available - 2007 |