A strange
choice to our mind, but apparently the poem was greatly admired as
a masterpiece of wit.
choice to our mind, but apparently the poem was greatly admired as
a masterpiece of wit.
John Donne
Sir H.
G.
, Gosse's _Life,
&c. _, ii. 49.
ll. 23-4. _at their best
Sweetnesse and wit, they'are but Mummy, possest. _
The punctuation of these lines in _1633-54_ is ambiguous, and Chambers
has altered it wrongly to
Sweetness and wit they are, but Mummy possest.
The MSS. generally support the punctuation which I have adopted, which
is that of the Grolier Club edition.
PAGE =40=. THE FLEA.
I have restored this poem to the place it occupied in _1633_. In
_1635_ it was placed first of all the _Songs and Sonets_.
A strange
choice to our mind, but apparently the poem was greatly admired as
a masterpiece of wit. It is the first of the pieces translated by
Huyghens:
De Vloy.
Slaet acht op deze Vloy, en leert wat overleggen,
Hoe slechten ding het is dat ghy my kont ontzeggen, &c. ,
and was selected for special commendation by some of his
correspondents. Coleridge comments upon it in verse:
Be proud as Spaniards. Leap for pride, ye Fleas!
In natures _minim_ realm ye're now grandees.
Skip-jacks no more, nor civiller skip-johns;
Thrice-honored Fleas! I greet you all as _Dons_.
In Phoebus' archives registered are ye,
And this your patent of nobility.
It will be noticed that there are two versions of Donne's poem.
PAGE =41=. THE CURSE.
l. 3. _His only, and only his purse.
&c. _, ii. 49.
ll. 23-4. _at their best
Sweetnesse and wit, they'are but Mummy, possest. _
The punctuation of these lines in _1633-54_ is ambiguous, and Chambers
has altered it wrongly to
Sweetness and wit they are, but Mummy possest.
The MSS. generally support the punctuation which I have adopted, which
is that of the Grolier Club edition.
PAGE =40=. THE FLEA.
I have restored this poem to the place it occupied in _1633_. In
_1635_ it was placed first of all the _Songs and Sonets_.
A strange
choice to our mind, but apparently the poem was greatly admired as
a masterpiece of wit. It is the first of the pieces translated by
Huyghens:
De Vloy.
Slaet acht op deze Vloy, en leert wat overleggen,
Hoe slechten ding het is dat ghy my kont ontzeggen, &c. ,
and was selected for special commendation by some of his
correspondents. Coleridge comments upon it in verse:
Be proud as Spaniards. Leap for pride, ye Fleas!
In natures _minim_ realm ye're now grandees.
Skip-jacks no more, nor civiller skip-johns;
Thrice-honored Fleas! I greet you all as _Dons_.
In Phoebus' archives registered are ye,
And this your patent of nobility.
It will be noticed that there are two versions of Donne's poem.
PAGE =41=. THE CURSE.
l. 3. _His only, and only his purse.
