In the
_Progresse
of the Soule_, l.
John Donne
None the less, Donne's own letters show that he was quite willing to
lend a hand in promoting the divorce; and that before the decree was
granted he was already busy polishing his epithalamium. One of these
letters is addressed to Sir Robert Ker, afterwards Earl of Ancrum, a
friend of Donne's and a protege of Somerset's. It seems to me probable
that Sir Robert Ker is the 'Allophanes' of the Induction. Donne is
of course 'Idios', the private man, who holds no place at Court.
'Allophanes' is one who seems like another, who bears the same name as
another, i. e. the bridegroom. The name of both Sir Robert and the Earl
of Somerset was Robert Ker or Carr.
PAGE =132=, l. 34. _in darke plotts. _ Here the reading of _1635_,
'plotts,' has the support of all the MSS. , and the 'places' of _1633_,
to which _1669_ returns, is probably an emendation accidental or
intentional of the editor or printer. It disturbs the metre. The word
'plot' of a piece of ground was, and is, not infrequent, and here its
meaning is only a little extended.
In the _Progresse of the Soule_, l.
129, Donne speaks of 'a darke and foggie plot'.
_fire without light. _ Compare: 'Fool, saies Christ, this night they
will fetch away thy soul; but he neither tells him, who they be that
shall fetch it, nor whither they shall carry it; he hath no light but
lightnings; a sodain flash of horror first, and then he goes into fire
without light. ' _Sermons_ 26. 19. 273. 'This dark fire, which was not
prepared for us. ' Ibid.
l. 57. _In the East-Indian fleet. _ The MSS. here give us back a word
which _1633_ had dropped, the other editions following suit. It was
the East-Indian fleet which brought spices, the West-Indian brought
'plate', i. e.
