...(whatsoever he penned) he never blotted out line. My answer hath been, would he had blotted a thousand . . . He was (indeed) honest, and of an open, and free nature:...expressions: wherein he flowed with that facility, that sometime it was necessary he should be stopped. 26 There is some evidence of this restless, torrential...

...contributed a poem 'to the memory of my beloved, the author, Mr. William Shakespeare', and later wrote, 'I loved the man and do honour his memory, on this side idolatry, as much as any.' He was gentle Shakespeare, sweet Shakespeare, good Will, friendly Shakespeare - that, at least, seems to have...

...been, would he had blotted a thousand. And though but two sentences later Jonson concedes that "I lov'd the man and do honour his memory (on this side idolatry) as much as any," 23 at times he could not suppress his jealousy. Witness his coupling of contemporary authors in Epicoene,...

...an open and free nature: had an excellent Phantsie; brave notions, and gentle expressions," and then "I loved the man and do honour his memory, on this side idolatry, as much as any." Such facts as these are more or less all that is known of the life of this man who left such an extraordinary...

...candor, (for I lov'd the man, and doe honour his memory (on this side Idolatry) as much as any.) Hee was (indeed) honest, and of an open, and free nature: had an excellent Phantsie; brave notions, and gentle expressions: wherein hee flow'd with that facility, that sometime...

...circumstance to commend their friend by, wherein he most faulted. And to justify mine own candour, for I lov'd the man, and do honour his memory, on this side Idolatry,...and of an open and free nature ; had an excellent fantasy, brave notions and gentle expressions, wherein he flowed with that facility, that sometime...

...mastered earliest and 'with that facility' that earned him the reputation of never having blotted a line. 'He was (indeed) honest, and of an open, and free...excellent fancy; brave notions, and gentle expressions'. 23 'Brave notions' are notions that are finely-dressed, splendid, showy, or handsome. The moral style,...

...to justify mine own candour, (for I lov'd the man, and do honour his memory (on this side idolatory) as much as any.) He was (indeed) honest, and of an open and free nature; had an excellent Phantsie; brave notions, and gentle expressions; wherein he flow'd with that facility, that sometime...

...encounters. Ben Jonson witnessed very simply, after Shakespeare's death, to another poet: 'I lov'd the man, and do honour his memory, on this side idolatry, as much as any.' Ben Jonson did not bestow either love or honour lightly. 8 Hamlet, revenge! Hamlet probably belongs...