In addition to the notes on Drayton by Dr. Farmer, communicated in your
2nd number, the following occurs in a copy of Drayton's _Poems_, printed
for Smithwicke, in 1610, 12mo.:--
"See the _Return from Parnassus_ for a good character of
Drayton.
"See an _Epigram_ by Drayton, I suppose, prefixed to Morley's
first _Booke of Balletes_.
"A Sonnet to _John Davies_, before his _Holy Roode, or Christ's
Crosse_, 4to. (1610). A Poem in 6 line stanzas.
"Another to the old edit. of _Wit's Commonwealth_.
"Commendatory Verses before Chapman's _Hesiod_.
"Sonnet to Ant. Mundy's 2nd Book of _Primation of Greece_, 1619.
"His _Heroical Epistles_ were newly enlarged and republished in
8vo. 1598; which is the most antient edition we have seen or
read of.--[_Bodl. Cat._]--_Biographia his Art_.
"Another edition, _as we have heard_, in 1610.--Ibid.
"See Merc's _Wit's Treasury_, p. 281. A modern edition was
published by _Oldmixon_.--Cibber's _Lives_, 4. 204.
"See Warton's _Essay on Pope_, 296.
"Drayton's last Copy of Verses was prefixed to Sir John
Beaumont's _Poems_, 1629."
So far Dr. Farmer, whose books are often valuable for the notes on the
fly-leaves. Should any one act upon the suggestion of your
correspondent, and think of a selection from Drayton, it would be
necessary to collate the various editions of his poems, which, as they
are numerous, evince his popularity with his contemporaries.
Malone asserted that the _Baron's Wars_ was not {83} published until
1610. I have before me a copy, probably the first edition, with the
following title: "_The Barrons Wars in the raigne of Edward the Second,
with England's Heroical Epistles_, by Michaell Drayton. At London,
Printed by J.R. for N. Ling, 1603," 12mo.; and the poem had been printed
under the title of _Mortimerindos_, in 4to., 1596.
I have an imperfect copy of an early edition (circa 1600) of "_Poemes
Lyrick and Pastorall. Odes, Eglogs, The Man in the Moon_, by Michaell
Drayton Esquier. At London, printed by R.B. for N.L. and J. Flaskett."
It is now thirty-five years since (eheu! fugaces labuntur anni!) the
writer of this induced his friend Sir Egerton Brydges to print the
_Nymphidia_ at his private press; and it would give him pleasure, should
your Notes be now instrumental to the production of a tasteful selection
from the copious materials furnished by Drayton's prolific muse.
Notwithstanding that selections are not generally approved, in this case
it would be (if judiciously done) acceptable, and, it is to be presumed,
successful.
The _Nymphidia_, full of lively fancy as it is, was probably produced in
his old age, for it was not published, I believe, till 1627, when it
formed part of a small folio volume, containing _The Battaile of
Agincourt_ and _The Miseries of Queene Margarite_. Prefixed to this
volume was the noble but tardy panegyric of his friend Ben Jonson,
entitled _The Vision_, and beginning:
"It hath been question'd, Michael, if I be
A friend at all; or, if at all, to thee."