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Excerpt from The Works of Beaumont and Fletcher, Vol. 1 of 2: With an Introduction
Another disposition our earlier poets seem to have cultivated far less than our modern - far less than is convenient to life-compilers - videlicet, egotism. Egotism displays a good deal of the owner's character besides his vanity, and records some important facts along with many things which appear such to himself alone. J onson 113-9, it is true, facilitated not a little his biographer's task by frequent allusions to Ben throughout his minor poems, and a genial indulgence in this over¿ow of the soul every where. But even he had not that particular view, as it were, tos the ease of as pitiable gropers after personal details, which a modern poet exhibits, whose works, well furnished with what he might call - Contributiom to the M emoir: of M yself, will do much to render our ofice henceforth a sinecure. He spreads his bounty with a sowing hand, it may be said of each generous author like this and we shall reap 3 plentiful, perhaps a superabundant, harvest.' As in Beaumont and Fletcher's age, however, it was not the fashion to make poetry subservient to the poet, rather than the poet to poetry, I am denied those aids their egotism might have afforded. Some hints from their prologues and smaller pieces - some casual remarks thrown out by others some few dates - and some anecdotes, trivial or dubious - must complete these brief memoirs, with which I can have no hope the public will be satisfied, being myself discontent with them altogether.
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