"For he that fights and runs away
May live to fight another day,"
generally supposed to form a part of _Hudibras_, are to be found (as
Mr. Cunningham points out, at p. 602. of his _Handbook for London_),
in the _Musarum Deliciæ_, 12mo. 1656; a clever collection of "witty
trifles," by Sir John Mennis and Dr. James Smith.
The passage, as it really stands in _Hudibras_ (book iii. canto iii.
verse 243.), is as follows:--
"For those that fly may fight again,
Which he can never do that's slain."
But there is a much earlier authority for these lines than the
_Musarum Deliciæ_; a fact which I learn from a volume now open
before me, the great rarity of which will excuse my transcribing the
title-page in full:--
"Apophthegmes, that is to saie, prompte, quicke, wittie, and
sentencious saiynges, of certain Emperours, Kynges, Capitaines,
Philosophiers, and Oratours, as well Grekes as Romaines, bothe
veraye pleasaunt and profitable to reade, partely for all maner of
persones, and especially Gentlemen. First gathered and compiled in
Latine by the right famous clerke, Maister Erasmus, of Roteradame.
And now translated into Englyshe by Nicolas Udall. _Excusam typis
Ricardi Grafton_, 1542. 8vo."
A second edition was printed by John Kingston, in 1564, with no
other variation, I believe, than in the orthography. Haslewood, in a
note on the fly-leaf of my copy, says:--
"Notwithstanding the fame of Erasmus, and the reputation of his
translator, this volume has not obtained that notice which, either
from its date or value, might be justly expected. Were its claim
only founded on the colloquial notes of Udall, it is entitled to
consideration, as therein may be traced several of the familiar
phrases and common-place idioms, which have occasioned many
conjectural speculations among the annotators upon our early drama."
The work consists of only two books of the original, comprising the
apophthegms of Socrates, Aristippus, Diogenes, Philippus, Alexander,
Antigonus, Augustus Cæsar, Julius Cæsar, Pompey, Phocion, Cicero,
and Demosthenes.
On folio 239. occurs the following apophthegm, which is the one
relating to the subject before us:--
"That same man, that renneth awaie,
May again fight, on other daie.
"¶ Judgeyng that it is more for the benefite of
one's countree to renne awaie in battaile, then to lese
his life. For a ded man can fight no more; but who
hath saved hymself alive, by rennyng awaie, may, in
many battailles mo, doe good service to his countree.
"§ At lest wise, if it be a poinet of good service, to
renne awaie at all times, when the countree hath most
neede of his helpe to sticke to it."
Thus we are enabled to throw back more than a century these famous
Hudibrastic lines, which have occasioned so many inquiries for their
origin.
I take this opportunity of noticing a mistake which has frequently
been made concerning the _French_ translation of Butler's
_Hudibras_. Tytler, in his _Essay on Translation_; Nichols, in his
_Biographical Anecdotes of Hogarth_; and Ray, in his {178} _History
of the Rebellion_, attributes it to Colonel Francis Towneley;
whereas it was the work of _John_ Towneley, uncle to the celebrated
Charles Towneley, the collector of the Marbles.