No More Learning

The authenticity of the poems added in _1635_ will be fully discussed
later. The conclusion of the present editor is that of the English
poems fifteen are certainly Donne's; three or four are probably or
possibly his; the remaining eleven are pretty certainly _not_ by
Donne. There is no reason to think that _1635_ is in any way a more
authoritative edition than _1633_. It has fewer signs of competent
editing of the text, and it begins the process of sweeping in poems
from every quarter, which was continued by Waldron, Simeon, and
Grosart.

The third edition of Donne's poems appeared in 1639. This is identical
in form, contents, and paging with that of 1635. The dedication and
introduction to _The Progresse of the Soule_ are removed to their
right place and the _Errata_ dropped, and there are a considerable
number of minor alterations of the text.




POEMS,

_By_ J. D.

VVITH

ELEGIES

ON

THE AUTHORS

DEATH.

[Illustration]


_LONDON_,

Printed by _M. F. _ for JOHN MARRIOT,
and are to be sold at his Shop in S^t _Dunstans_
Church-yard in _Fleet-street_.

1639.


In the issuing of all these editions of Donne's poems, the younger
Donne, who seems to have claimed the right to benefit by his father's
literary remains, had apparently no part.
[9] What assistance, if
any, the printer and publisher had from others of Donne's friends and
executors it is impossible now to say, though one can hardly imagine
that without some assistance they could have got access to so many
poems or been allowed to publish the elegies on his death, some of
which refer to the publication of the poems. [10] Walton, as we have
seen, wrote verses to be prefixed to the second edition. At any
rate in 1637 the younger John Donne made an effort to arrest the
unauthorized issue of his father's works. Dr. Grosart first printed
in his edition of the poems (_Fuller Worthies' Library_, 1873, ii,
p. lii) the following petition and response preserved in the Record
Office:

To y^e most Reverende Father in God
William Lorde Arch-Bisshop of
Canterburie Primate, and
Metropolitan of all Eng-
lande his Grace.

The humble petition of John Donne, Clercke. Doth show unto
your Grace that since y^e death of his Father (latly Deane of
Pauls) there hath bene manie scandalous Pamflets printed, and
published, under his name, which were none of his, by severall
Boocksellers, withoute anie leave or Autoritie; in particuler
one entitoled Juvenilia, printed for Henry Seale; another
by John Marriott and William Sheares, entitoled Ignatius his
Conclave, as allsoe certaine Poems by y^e sayde John Marriote,
of which abuses thay have bene often warned by your Pe^tr
and tolde that if thay desisted not, thay should be proceeded
against beefore your Grace, which thay seeme soe much
to slight, that thay profess soddainly to publish new
impressions, verie much to the greife of your Pe^tr and the
discredite of y^e memorie of his Father.

Wherefore your Pe^tr doth beeseece your Grace that you
would bee pleased by your Commaunde, to stopp their farther
proceedinge herein, and to cale the forenamed boocksellers
beefore you, to giue an account, for what thay haue allreadie
done; and your Pe^tr shall pray, &c.

I require y^e Partyes whom this Pe^t concernes, not to meddle
any farther w^th y^e Printing or Selling of any y^e pretended
workes of y^e late Deane of St. Paules, saue onely such as
shall be licensed by publicke authority, and approued by the
Peticon^r, as they will answere y^e contrary at theyr perill.
And of this I desire Mr. Deane of y^e Arches to take care.

Dec: 16, 1637. W. Cant.