[In the following excerpt, Sidney details the circumstances surrounding Drummond's meeting with Ben Jonson, which is recorded in Notes of Ben Jonson's Conversations with William Drummond of Hawthornden.]

The Conversations of Ben Jonson with his brother poet, William Drummond, Laird of Hawthornden, are of an immense literary and historical value. From the notes recorded by Drummond of these Conversations we derive an insight into the characteristics of the majority of the most illustrious celebrities that flourished during the reigns of Elizabeth and James I. It is, in fact, impossible for either a student of the politics and the letters of that period, or for a would-be biographer of Ben Jonson, to acquire a satisfactory comprehension of his subject without reference to this information bequeathed to us by Drummond.

Notwithstanding the importance of these Conversations, their circulation in print has hitherto been by no means so extensive as would be imagined. The principal honour of introducing them, in the shape of a separate volume, to the world at large, may be properly held to date back to the year 1842, when they were, owing to the industry and research of Mr. David Laing, printed from Sir Robert Sibbald's manuscript copy, and published in book form by the Shakespeare Society.

But editions issued by means of the munificence of learned societies must be more or less limited in both circulation and popularity; and the present editor may be pardoned if he considers that there exists sufficient room for another impression, which, whilst accurately conveying the same text as that transcribed by Laing, is reproduced for the convenience of his readers in the modern style of spelling.

The Conversations recorded by Drummond took place when Jonson visited him at Hawthornden, in 1618-19. The old tradition that Jonson, then in his forty-sixth year, walked all the way from London to Edinburgh solely from the desire to visit Drummond has long been abandoned as incorrect, since it is evident that ‘Rare’ Ben's visit to Hawthornden¹ was merely an incident in a tour, undertaken out of curiosity to see something of Scotland and the Scotch.

Of the friendship that existed between the poets not much can be advanced in favour. There can be no doubt that a mutual love of learning was the sole subject in which their opinions remained in cordial harmony. The two men were of so totally different character that their lack of agreement is not surprising. In the eyes of Drummond his Southern rival was, considered from a social point of view, a vulgar, boastful, tipsy plebeian, whilst jovial, open-handed, open-hearted² Ben must have felt repulsed by the strict and somewhat narrow views and inclinations of his aristocratic host, who was to die broken-hearted by the execution of his King.³

Between the genius of the pair it is unnecessary to institute comparisons. But the most sincere admirer of Drummond must admit that Jonson was not only the most original, but, generally speaking, the greater writer, although some of the ‘Scottish Petrarch's’ Sonnets admittedly reach a high rank of excellence. Jonson's criticism that Drummond's poems ‘were not after the fancy of the time’ was, perhaps, scarcely correct, for many of them bear, in point both of style and choice of subject, a close resemblance to works of certain of the Elizabethan poets.

Jonson's journey to Scotland was remarkable for reasons other than that of his meeting with Drummond. Travelling from the English to the Scottish Metropolis was in those days no mean adventure, especially as the ‘man-mountain,’ according to his own account, both in going and returning, accomplished a big piece of the way on foot. The fame of his exploit attracted an imitator in the person of John Taylor, the ‘water-poet,’ who, starting later than Ben, had an interview with him at Leith. Taylor, after having penetrated further north than Jonson, returned to London before the intercourse at Hawthornden, which did not take place till December, 1618, and could, perhaps, not have lasted much more than a fortnight. Taylor,⁴ who is referred to in these Conversations as ‘the Sculler,’ boasted that he started on his ‘pennyless’ journey without any friends whatsoever, and depended entirely on the hospitality of strangers to obtain both food and lodging, and sometimes clothes.

A couple of amusing anecdotes are handed down in connection with Jonson's journey, although the second may be accepted cum grano. On quitting London Ben called to say farewell on Bacon, who told him that he ‘liked not to see Poetry go on other feet than poetical dactyls and spondees.’ On reaching Drummond's house he was greeted by his host with the improvised salutation—

‘Welcome, welcome, royal Ben!’

to which he forthwith replied:

‘Thank ye, thank ye, Hawthornden!’⁵

Notes

1. Hawthornden is situated some nine miles southeast of Edinburgh, and close to the famous Roslin Chapel.

2. ‘He wore his heart upon his sleeve, for daws to peck at.’

3. Charles I. Drummond died December 4, 1649; Jonson August 6, 1637. Drummond was born December 13, 1585; Jonson in the year 1573.

4. Taylor, by profession a waterman on the Thames, was a prolific writer of verse. He was the original biographer (in rhyme) of Thomas Parr, the celebrated centenarian, who (so his tombstone states) lived to the age of 152. ‘Old Parr’ was a native of Shropshire, and died in London, 1635. He is buried in Westminster Abbey. He claimed to have been born in the reign of Edward IV., and to have had a child when over a hundred years old.

5. In explanation of this, it is hardly necessary to state that, in Scotland, gentlemen are often called by the titles of their estates instead of by their surnames, e.g., Cluny, for Macpherson of Cluny; Lochiel, for Cameron of Lochiel; Keppoch, for Macdonald of Keppoch.