trust, he behaved gallantly. But neither gallantry, nor military merit of any kind, could avail one that had not more powerful recommendations; and he returned, home without rank and without money.

The situation of Jonson was, at this time, hopeless enough. He was averse to resume the business of his step-father, who, indeed, at this time, was probably no more; and had he felt no aversion, he had certainly not acquired a knowledge of it sufficient to support him. His most obvious resource was the stage; and, like so many others of the period, he commenced as an actor before he became a writer. In this new profession, if tradition is to be followed, he obtained no distinction. Probably he could not descend to the mean expedients adopted by others, expedients to captivate the multitude. But, as an actor, neither success nor the want of it would long have availed him; for his career was abruptly terminated by an affair that menaced more serious consequences. He quarrelled with some one, was called out, fought a duel, and killed his adversary, who appears to have been, like himself, a player. Duelling at that time was no better than murder; and the culprit, deeply wounded, was committed to prison. "While here," says his last biographer, "he was visited by a popish priest, who took advantage of the unsettled state of his religious opinions, to subvert his mind, and induce him to renounce the faith in which he had been bred, for the errors of the Romish church." He must, however, have previously sent for the priest, since no ecclesiastic of that communion would, in the then state of the penal laws, run the risk of certain destruction by attempting the conversion of one on whose sentiments he could not depend. The motives to this change have been variously estimated. "It was the fear of impending death," says one class of writers. Surely this could be no reason. He was not likely to make his judges more favourable by the profession of a faith so much disliked by the government: on the contrary, he

1

that her this ston he should render

result of impulse: yet he could do no more than follow the little knowledge he had; and whether his choice were, or were not, a wise one, he must still claim our respect.

To prevent the necessity of recurring to this subject, we shall here observe, that about the year 1606, Jonson 、returned to the bosom of the English church. Then his judgment was matured; and, as his reading had been extensive, his second conversion was more honourable to the protestant than his first had been to the Drummond of HawRoman catholic communion. thornden, indeed, insinuates that it was a matter of policy, since he was still indifferent to the merits of We have no right either; but this appears censorious. to judge of his motives; and, until evidence is adduced to prove the contrary, we ought to give him credit for sincerity.

means Jonson escaped the fate which im

pended over him, we know not: we are even in doubt whether he was brought to his trial. We only read that he was eventually discharged,-probably the prosecution was dropped by his enemies. On his deliverance, he naturally betook himself to his profession, -not, we have reason to think, as an actor, but as a writer for the stage. Though it was a very precarious means of support, it did not prevent him from taking a wife. This has been called by his last biographer one of those "happy modes of extricating himself from a part of his difficulties, which men of genius sometimes adopt." We know not that, by so doing, he added much to his ordinary expenditure: to a young man surrounded by dissipation, as he was, no step could be more advisable: it might lead him to more settled habits; and assuredly it would increase the happiness of one affectionate by nature. She, too, was a Roman catholic. The choice, we were told, did not discredit his judgment, though it might hers,- for her venture was hazardous. We have reason to believe that she supported the difficulties of her situation with patient endurance: her qualities were of the domestic kind,the most useful for one of his wayward temperament. When this event took place, is matter of conjecture; it must, however, have been as early as 1594, for two years afterwards he was the father of two children.

The pieces which, Jonson wrote for representation prior to 1596 have eluded the researches of our dramatic antiquaries. In that year appeared the first of his known comedies, Every Man in his Humour. It was well received; but its author endeavoured to improve it by changing the scene and proper names from Italian to English. In adapting it to English taste and English feeling, he has been censured for retaining a passage peculiar to the original characters and manners. This relates to the poisoning, so common, we are told, in Italy, but unknown in England. But was it unknown? As Mr. Gifford well observes, "it was 1400 wall understood and too common in