158 BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES "Ah Ben! Say how, or when, Shall we thy guests Meet at those lyric feasts Made at the Sun, The Dog, the Triple Tun ? Where we such clusters had As made us nobly wild, not mad ; And yet each verse of thine Outdid the meat, outdid the frolic wine. My Ben 1 Or come agen ; Or send to us Thy wit's great over-plus : But teach us yet Wisely to husband it ; Lest we that talent spend : And having once brought to an end That precious stock ; the store Of such a wit : the world should have no more." In Epigram 120, "Inviting a Friend to Supper," Jonson enumerates with rich relish the good things this " grave sir " may look for, but interjects — " Howsoe'er, my man,* Shall read a piece of Virgil, Tacitus, Livy, or of some better book, to us, Of which we'll speak our minds, amidst our meat. And I'll profess no verses to repeat." In " Underwoods," Ixvi., "An Epistle, answering to one that asked to be sealed of the Tribe of Ben," he specifies among those with whom he will have no fellowship : —
- Richard Brome, whom he educated. " Underwoods," xxviii.,
is addressed " To my faithful servant and (by his continued virtue) my loving friend," Richard Brome, on his comedy of the " Northern Lass," which, Jonson says, has justly gained good applause from the stage.
