BEN JONSON 123 young man, in the four-and-thirtieth year of his age, having so much despatched the business of Ufe, that the oldest rarely attain to that immense knowledge, and the youngest enter not into the world with more innocence; and whosoever leads such a life needs not care upon how short warning it be taken from him." Jonson had an excellent library, having begun very early to collect the best editions of the classics and all sorts of rare and valuable works. Thus, as cited by Gifford, Selden, whose sole testimony on this point is more than sufficient, writes to him in 1615 : "With regard to what the Greeks and Latins have of Andargatis, Deresto, Atargata, Derce (all one name), &c., you best know, being more conversant in the recondite parts of human learning." And he con- cludes, after a variety of extracts from the Hebrew, Syriac, Greek, &c. : " In the connection of these no vulgar observations, if they had been to a common learned reader, there had been often room for divers pieces of theology dispersed in Latin and Greek authors, and fathers of the Church; but your own most choice and able store cannot but furnish you with whatever is fit that way to be thought. What- ever I have here collected, I consecrate to your love, and end with hope of your instructing judgment." And in the "Titles of Honour" he introduced a chapter, " On the custom of giving crowns of laurel to poets," at the end of which he says : "Thus have I, by no unseasonable digression, performed a promise to you, my beloved Ben Jonson. Your curious learn- ing and judgment may correct where I have erred, and add where my notes and memory have left me short." And in the same work (first ed., fol., 16 14)
