Tuesday 26 October 2010

300-Year-Old Stash of Erotica Found

On an auspicious day in April this year The Daily Mail published—with no by-line—a story under the heading 'I pray lovely creature, comply!' 300-year-old stash of erotica found hidden in Lake District manor house.

The Daily Mail is a "middle market tabloid newspaper" according to Wikipedia. It should be remembered that this is "middle" in relation to Fleet Street-norms, so it is about as sophisticated as Melbourne's Waverley Leader and as prurient as FHM.

The story runs as follows:

A secret hoard of lewd pamphlets written to titillate the common man more than 300 years ago have been discovered in a manor house. Known as Chapbooks the bodice-ripping yarns were found hidden in the library of Townend House at Troutbeck in the Lake District. The pamphlets had been shoved behind a collection of straightforward books, presumably to hide them.

Chapbooks - the name derives from 'chapmen' the door-to-door peddlers who sold this type of literature - told racy tales of amorous advances, love and marriage. The pamphlets were printed on cheap paper so thin that hardly any have survived the ravages of time.

Townend House was owned by a landowning farming family, the Brownes, whose literary collection has been passed to the National Trust. Emma Wright, who is the Trust custodian at Townend said:

'The Browne book collection goes back through the centuries and proves that rural people had a strong interest in literature. However, as we have gone slowly through the library we have found hidden away these Chapbooks. They contain rather saucy even rude tales which were found to be rather amusing by their 18th century readers.'

One tale is called The Crafty Chambermaid's Garland and details the story of a young woman who tricks a man into marrying her. Written in 1770 it states: 'The Merchant he softly crept into the room. And on the bedside he sat himself down. Her knees through the counterpane he did embrace. Did Bess in the pillow did hide her sweet face. He stript (sic) of his clothes and leaped into bed saying now lovely creature for thy maidenhead. She strug led (sic) and strove and seemed to be shy. He said divine beauty I pray now comply.'

The National Trust has put some of the steamy pages with their illustrations onto digital photo frames with MP3 recordings also available for visitors. Mrs Wright added:

'The Chapbooks have really caught the imagination. The Brownes were obviously far from straight-laced.'


Since the distribution of erotica in the eighteenth-century is central to my present research, I contacted Emma Wright, the Townend House Custodian. She informs me "that these books were catalogued in 2004" and—showing great restraint—adds

The Daily Mail article is somewhat inaccurate in respect of the "discovery" of the chapbooks—they have not been found hiding behind the other books (although that would make a good story!). They are very much part of the collection and have in several cases been rebound by a family member and are shelved along with everything else in our library.

So, not a "secret hoard"; not "shoved behind a collection of straightforward books"; and not "found" or "discovered"! To this I would add not erotic, but perhaps The Daily Mail staff are made of more "combustible material" than I am!**

If—without this colourful tale—you are still interested in looking over the list of the Browne family chapbooks, you can do so via Copac. Select "National Trust" from the pull-down list next to Library, and then type in "Townend chapbooks" as a Keyword.

If you do this search, as I have, you should then get a list of 49 records, ranging from 1700 to ca. 1820. The crafty chamber-maid's garland is one of the oldest, one of only eight that are dated to before ca. 1800; it is also one of the few that can be described as racy or erotic, along with The London 'prentice; or, The wanton mistress (1795?) and The maid's lamentation (1800?).

As such, this collection is of little use to me as an example of the distribution of erotica in the eighteenth-century. But it is an excellent example of wild exaggeration, hyperbole, unsubstantiated claims, misleading information etc. It is also a good example of why we need to always check our sources!

* * * * *

**The phrase comes from Boswell and Johnson. Boswell in Search of a Wife, 1766-1769 (17 March 1768) writes:

We seemed hearty and easy. Only I, whose combustible, or rather inflammable, soul is always taking fire, was uneasy at having left Mary, a pretty, lively little girl whom accident had thrown in my way a few days before.

Boswell, The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. (1787), under 1777, ætat 68 records:

I asked whether Prior's Poems were to be printed entire: Johnson said they were. I mentioned Lord Hailes's censure of Prior, in his Preface to a collection of Sacred Poems, by various hands, published by him at Edinburgh a great many years ago, where he mentions, "those impure tales which will be the eternal opprobrium of their ingenious authour." Johnson. Sir, Lord Hailes has forgot. There is nothing in Prior that will excite to lewdness. If Lord Hailes thinks there is, he must be more combustible than other people." I instanced the tale of "Paulo Purganti and his Wife." Johnson. "Sir, there is nothing there, but that his wife wanted to be kissed, when poor Paulo was out of pocket. No, Sir, Prior is a lady's book. No lady is ashamed to have it standing in her library."

Saturday 23 October 2010

German review of The Life and Romances of Mrs. Eliza Haywood from 1916

I found the following review when hunting up early references to some of the works Haywood published at The Sign of Fame. My German is not up to translating it, but from what I can read Wilhelm Paterna was suitably impressed with Whicher's The Life and Romances of Mrs. Eliza Haywood; and had nothing to add beyond this fact.

However, just in case anyone is overcome with the desire to translate the review I thought I would do what I could to clean up the OCR, number the paragraphs, and reproduce the text here. Corrections would also be welcome.

The full reference to the review is:

Wilhelm Paterna, [review of George Frisbie Whicher, The Life and Romances of Mrs. Eliza Haywood (New York: Columbia University Press, 1915)], Beiblatt zur Anglia 27:10 (October 1916): 280–85.

* * * * *

The Life and Romances of Mrs. Eliza Haywood, by George Frisbie Wicher. New York, 1915. Columbia University Press.—210 SS.

[¶1] Das buch will nicht einer vergessenen autorin zu dem ihr vorenthaltenen platz verhelfen, sondern nur—aus der überzeugung heraus, daß auch das kleinste glied einer entwicklung von bedeutung ist—kommende bearbeiter der englischen literaturgeschichte mit einem ausführlichen und zuverlässigen bericht über ihr leben und wirken versehen. Dabei wird gleichzeitig, oder vielmehr: nebenbei, die aufmerksamkeit darauf gelenkt, wie sie das werk ihres Zeitgenossen Defoe ergänzt und das schaffen einer Miss Burney und Miss Austen vorbereitet.—

[¶2] Autobiographie war leider unter den wenigen formen der schriftstellerei, die Mrs. Haywood nicht versuchte, und so können wir, da auch frühe berichte über sie fehlen, wenig von ihrem leben sagen. Die spärlichen angaben, die uns die Biographia Dramatica bieten, sind nahezu alles, was wir mit Sicherheit wissen. Immerhin gelingt es dem autor, durch fleißiges forschen und kombinieren verschiedener tatsachen die mitteilungen um eine ganze anzahl von daten zu vermehren, [281] die wenigstens sehr wahrscheinlich sind; ohne daß dabei allerdings ergebnisse von besonderem interesse zutage träten.

[¶3] Bemerkenswert hingegen ist das material. das der verf. auf grund eingehenden Studiums der umfangreichen werke zu- sammenträgt:

[¶4] Die “Short Romances of Passion” stehen durchaus unter dem einfluß der französischen romanzen. Daneben bemerken wir, häufig unausgeglichen, die Wirkung der italienischen “novelle” und der “Exemplary Novels” des Cervantes, seltener orientalische züge, die durch französische vermittlung gegangen sind. Der Vorwurf der kurzen geschieht en ist: abschreckendstes laster neben engelgleicher Unschuld. Die personell sind nichts als ein notwendiges übel—ohne träger der leidenschafteil, die geschildert werden sollen, geht es ja schlechterdings nicht—ohne jegliche Individualität; die frauen: entzückendes nichts, tote Vollkommenheit; die männer: beiden der liebe, aber nicht des krieges. was im gegensatz zur französischen und englischen heldenromanze zu beachten ist. Die szene liegt in der regel angeblich in einem romanischen land. das dem damaligen leser das dorado der leidenschaften war. tatsächlich aber in einer unwirklichen weit der phantasie. Die technik gleicht der schlechter bühnenstücke jener zeit. Wohl begegnen wir einigem geschick im schürzen des knotens. aber die feineren mittel der Verzögerung, täuschung usw. und der lösung der Verwicklung sind noch nicht bekannt. Die handlung ist traditionell: der rücksichtslose leidenschaftliche mann verfolgt das unschuldige weib. Es wird betrogen und stirbt unverzüglich oder erleidet wenigstens den lebendigen tod im kloster. Doch ist zu erwähnen, daß “The British Recluse”, “The Double Marriage” und “The City Jilt” bereits einen realistischen zug zeigen, indem sie auf diesen hoch dramatischen schluß verzichten und die heldin resigniert, von der weit zurückgezogen, ihren lebensabend verbringen lassen. Auch zeigen sich schon spuren des motivierens und analysierens der leidenschaften in “Idalia”, “The Fatal Secret”, “The Mercenary Lover” und besonders in “The Life of Madam de Villesache”.—Bei aller Unwahrheit der leidenschaft, wie sie diese romanzen bieten, war es doch wichtig für die entwicklung der englischen prosaerzählung, daß neben Defoe, bei dem die liebe als treibende kraft keine rolle spielt, eine [282] Zeitgenossin stand, die sie stark betonte und damit den Vorrat an motiven für die nachfolger bedeutungsvoll ergänzte.

[¶5] Die Untersuchung der “Duncan Campbell Pamphlets” weist “The Spy upon the Conjurer” und “The Dumb Projector” als sichere beitrage der Mrs. Haywood nach, während “The Secret Momoirs [sic, for Memoirs]” sehr wahrscheinlich in journalistischer voraussieht des beim tode Campbeils wiedererwachenden interesses von Defoe im voraus begonnen waren, dann aber von unserer autorin vervollständigt und auch wohl überarbeitet wurden. Über Defoes und Bonds teilhaberschaft finden sich gute bemerkungen, docli sind die Untersuchungen nicht umfassend und tiefgehend genug, um Sicherheit und klarheit zu geben. Wahrscheinlich liegt es aber auch garnicht in der absieht des kapitels, die Verfasserschaft der Duncan-Campbell- literatur endgültig festzustellen.

[¶6] Wie die “Short Romances of Passion”, so schuf Mrs. Haywood auch ihre “Secret Histories” und “Scandal Novels” nach französischem Vorbild. Seit mitte des 17. Jahrhunderts wurde der büchermarkt in Frankreich mit einer flut von erzählungen überschwemmt, die nicht mit politischen, religiösen und derartigen motiven, sondern mit liebe und intrigue die gesamte Weltgeschichte neu zu erklären vorgaben. Erreicht wurde diese gattung aber eigentlich nur durch "Mary Stuart", allenfalls auch durch “A Letter from H— G—g Esq.”, eine geschiente, die noch nachträglich für den liebenswürdigen aber unbedeutenden helden von 1745 Propaganda machte. Dafür ging jedoch eine um so größere zahl von echten “Scandal Novels” aus der fleißigen feder hervor. Sie waren durch Vermittlung des “New Atlantis” der Mrs. Manley nach den französischen “romans ä clef” gebildet und verdienen mehr beachtung, als ihnen bisher geschenkt ist. Denn die skandal-geschichten zwangen den dichter—was dem romanzier noch gänzlich fremd war—zur beobachtung und wiedergäbe des natürlichen lebens, wenngleich sie auch, wie parodie und burleske, nicht direkt zur Schöpfung von Charakteren führten.—Erfolgreiche betrachtungen widmet der verf. der Identifizierung der verschiedenen persönlichkeiten. So ist es z. b. interessant zu hören, daß Ochihatau in “Adventures of Eovaai, Princess of Ijaveo”, ein Zerrbild des ministers Walpole ist, während sich die beste geschichte dieser art: “Secret History [283] of the Prescnt intrigues of the Court of Carimania”, das einzige werk, das nach einem größern zusammenhängenden plan geschaffen wurde, eine Verunglimpfung Georgs II und des lustigen lebens darstellt, das er als Prince of Wales geführt.

[¶7] Die Vorliebe der Verleger für werke von der band der Airs. Haywood ließ Pope nicht ruhen, ihnen seinen dank abzustatten, und so finden wir in der “Dunciad”, von aufläge zu aufläge Avechselnd. den jeweiligen sünder am pranger. Doch auch die autorin selbst traf der beißendste spott. Als grund, wahrscheinlich sogar nur als vorwand für die entzündung seines nasses, dienten Pope dabei die “Memoirs of Lilliput”, die zeilen gegen ihn enthielten und der Airs. Haywood zugeschrieben wurden, die aber, wie der verf. zeigt, nach inhalt und stil garnicht von ihr stammen können. Sie entgegnete nichts, wurde aber in den streit verwickelt. Ein neuer angriff war die folge, und hinfort verschwand der name Haywood, einst die beste reklame, vom titelblatt ihrer werke, die, wohl nicht zum wenigsten infolge dieser Schmähungen, einen gemäßigteren, moralisierenden Charakter annahmen.

[¶8] Die werke der reifezeit tragen fast ausschließlich die form von briefen oder periodischen essays und haben didaktischen inhalt, der durch kleine romantische erzählungen gemildert wird. Die briefform war ein erbe aus den zeiten der Gombreville, La Calprenede und Scudery, die handschreiben zu den verschiedensten zwecken einzuschieben liebten. Airs. Haywood jedoch benützt sie ausschließlich als mittel zur Steigerung des lebhaften effektes. Die glänzenden möglichkeiten, die in der fortführung einer geschiente durch hin und wider gewechselte briefe lag, erkannte sie selbst nach Veröffentlichung der Pamela und Clarissa noch nicht, wenngleich hie und da eine Verwicklung schon zufällig durch einige briefe hindurchgeht.—Auf dem gebiet des essays folgte sie Addison, ohne ihn jedoch auch nur entfernt zu erreichen. Und ihre “Conduct Books” gar waren inhaltlich mehr als bescheiden, wenn auch z. b. “A Present for a Servant Maid”, das sicherlich ein handbuch für mögliche Pamelas sein sollte, zahlreiche leser fand.

[¶9] Die letzte periode ist wenig einheitlich, man könnte sie allenfalls als die der “Domestic Novel" bezeichnen. Die dichterin hat sich innerlich von ihren ursprünglichen Vorbildern [284] abgewandt und in leben und literatur reiche erfahrungen ge- sammelt, allein es fehlt ihr das rechte gefäß, sie zu fassen.—An der findlingsliteratur , die infolge der errichtung eines Foundling Hospital in ihrer zeit blühte, beteiligte sie sich mit “Fortunate Foundlings”, einem buch, das zum erstenmal zeigt, daß sie sensationelles nicht nur um seiner selbst willen erzählen kann, sondern gelernt hat, es einzuordnen und für die hauptverwicklung auszunützen. “Life's Progress through the Passioins” zeigt ernstliches bemühen im psychologischen durchdringen der materie und den ehrlichen willen, das leben streng realistisch zu schildern. Und “The History of Miss Betsy Thoughtless” endlich, enthält die besten Charaktere, die Mrs Haywood schuf, die umfangreichste Verwicklung, und kommt dem wirklichen leben entschieden am nächsten.

[¶10] So können wir am werk dieser vielseitigen Schriftstellerin den Übergang von “Parthenissa” zu “Pamela” auß beste verfolgen.

[¶11] Wir sind dem verf. für die Untersuchung zweifellos zu grolsem dank verpflichtet. Eine ausführliche, zuverlässige arbeit über Mrs. Haywood war ein bedürfnis, wenn man die, infolge der schweren zugänglichkeit der werke stets auf einer auswahl beruhenden, vielfach verschiedenen und somit sicherlich z. t. falschen bilder der Schriftstellerin in den bisherigen darst eilungen sah. Und diese arbeit hat der verf. uns geschenkt. Mit größtem eifer und mit geschick hat er alles nur erreichbare über das leben zusammengetragen. Die umfangreichen werke sind unermüdlich durchgearbeitet und das material ist zu überzeugenden glücklichen resultaten vereinigt. Die darstellung ist durchweg klar und übersichtlich und durch gut gewählte belege und Inhaltsangaben wertvoller gemacht. Die mit großem fleils am Schlüsse des buches aufgestellte liste der werke der Mrs. Haywood ist vielfach vom verf. auf grund eigner nachprüfung oder forschung ergänzt und berichtigt und darf wohl auf Sicherheit und ziemliche Vollständigkeit anspruch machen. Ein zuverlässiger index erhöht die brauchbarkeit der arbeit.—Schade ist nur, daß sich der verf. bescheidet, künftigen darstellern der englischen literaturgeschichte material zu liefern. Seit wir eine so vorbildliche arbeit über den englischen roman haben, wie die “Englische Romankunst des 18. Jahrh.” von Dibelius, sollte [285] man meinen, würde es sich jeder forscher, der einzelarbeit auf diesem gebiete leistet, zur ehre anrechnen, seine Untersuchung diesem werke anzugleichen. Hätte sich Wicher Dibelius zum muster genommen, so würde er sicherlich sein augenmerk noch auf mancherlei gerichtet haben, das ihm so entgangen, würde er zweifellos noch bedeutend mehr an wertvollen ergebnissen zutage gefördert haben. Und wenn man die Untersuchung von diesem gesichtspunkt aus ansieht, merkt man doch mit bedauern, daß manches fehlt.

Hamburg. Wilhelm Paterna

Thursday 21 October 2010

The Dark Hero, Books, Links etc

This page will be my dumping ground for links and comments as I trawl the net in preparation for my Dark Hero course. A proper web-log = blog!

This page on the The Norton Anthology of English Literature site was my inspiration for the course. Or, at least, it was the one that suggested to me that I might be able to establish a course that focusses on the "Satanic and Byronic Hero": that there were sufficient resources to do it and that it could be justified in academic terms. (Although, I decided it would be best to use the term "Dark Hero" rather than "Satanic Hero": there is no point frightening the horses, is there?) This is how the page begins …

Not until the age of the American and French Revolutions, more than a century after Milton wrote Paradise Lost, did readers begin to sympathize with Satan in the war between Heaven and Hell, admiring him as the archrebel who had taken on no less an antagonist than Omnipotence itself, and even declaring him the true hero of the poem.

* * * * *

This site by Brouke M. Rose-Carpenter for a fifth-year unit (LITR 5535: American Romanticism) at University of Houston-Clear Lake seems like a great starting point.

I like this list of Byronic characteristics:

1. A rebel
2. Does not possess the usual “heroic virtues”
3. Dark Qualities
4. Larger than life
i. Intellectual capacity
ii. Self respect
iii. Hypersensitivity
5. Moody by nature
6. Struggles with integrity
7. Distaste for social institutions and social norms
8. Exiled, outcast, or outlaw
9. Cynical
10. Loner
11. Passionate about a particular issue
12. Emotional
13. Rebels against life itself
14. Arrogant
15. Confident
16. Troubled past
17. Often characterized by some unknown sexual crime
18. Extremely conscious of himself
19. A figure of repulsion, as well as fascination

I also liked the list of Byronic characters she has collected

Cain, Genesis
Odysseus
Romeo, Romeo and Juliet
Satan, Paradise lost
The Flying Dutchman
The Wondering Jew
Rochester, Jane Eyre
Heathcliff, Wuthering Heights
Conrad, The Corsair
Childe Harold
Giaour, The Gaiour
Manfred Astarte,
Ancient Mariner, Rhyme to the Ancient Mariner
George Vavasor, Can you forgive her?
T.J. Swift, Stranger in her Bed

Bruce Wayne, Batman
Gabriel Van Helsing, Van Helsing
Corbin Dallas, The Fifth Element
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean
Professor Snape, Harry Potter’s
Hell boy, Hellboy
William Wallace, Brave heart
John Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Any character, X-men
Shrek, Shrek’s
Ranger, The Stephanie Plum series
Lucivar, Saetan, and Daemon, The Black Jewels Trilogy and Dreams Made Flesh

Better still, the Byronic heroine

Nikita, La femme Nikita
Xena, Xena: The Warrior Princess
Lara Croft, Tomb Raider
Jane Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Surreal, The Black Jewels Trilogy, & Dreams Made Flesh
Domino Harvey, Domino
Le-lo, The Fifth Element

I don't think that Le-lo is a Byronic heroine, and both Lara Croft and Jane Smith seem to be simply action heroes. Still, it is a start.

* * * * *

As for books: it looks like this is the best recent coverage of the Byronic hero-type, although after only six years the focus on Angel and the absence of more recent figures makes the book seem a little dated.

Atara Stein, The Byronic Hero in Film, Fiction, and Television (2004) is a must. Unfortunately, it is not held at Monash (*sigh*) and so I will have to order it … but it looks good on Google books.

* * * * *

Most of the links on this page (The Faust Tradition from Marlowe to Mann) are dead, but I expect most are still somewhere online, so I will try to recreate the live links here soon.

Tuesday 19 October 2010

A Chapbook History of Dr. Faustus


This chapbook History of Dr. Faustus was published in Glasgow in the 1840s. It was published as a part of a series, along with such classics as The Sleeping Beauty of the Wood, The History of Jack and The Bean-Stalk,, The History of Beauty and the Beast, History of Jack the Giant Killer, The Story of Blue Beard and about 150 others. As you can see above, this is number 119. If I wasn't paying off two rather pricey Haywood items, I would buy either this large collection, or this smaller one.

The full title is:

History of DR. FAUSTUS Shewing His wicked Life and horrid Death, and how he sold himself to the devil, to have power for 24 years to do what he pleased, also many strange things done by him with the assistance of MEPHISTOPHELES. With an account how the Devil came for him at the end of 24 years, and tore him to pieces.


The full text appears in Amusing Prose Chap-Books, Chiefly of Last Century edited by Robert Hays (London: Hamilton Adams, 1889), 286–98. But I read it in John Ashton, Chap-books of the Eighteenth Century with facsimiles, notes, and introduction (London, Chatto and Windus, 1882), which—in typical fashion—has been scanned by Google Books but is not available online. I have given the first three chapters below.


I bought this little chapbook as a prompt to get me started on my reading for the new course I am preparing on the Dark Hero—not that you need an excuse to buy a chapbook like this. The course will start with Marlowe's "Doctor Faustus" and will probably end with Byron's "Cain".

In fact, most of the texts in between simply track a path between these two key texts. I am considering spending more than one week on Faustus. I wanted to read the play as soon as I heard about it, and loved it as soon as I read it, but I also loved the Faustbook and the chapbook version that I have read in Ashton, so I am tempted to include these too. All I have to do is come up with an excuse to include them…

* * * * *

Chapter I. Dr. Faustus’ birth and education, with an account of his falling from the Scriptures.

Dr. John Faustus was born in Germany. His father was a poor labouring man, not able to bring up his son John; but he had a brother in the same country, who was a very rich man, but had never a child, and took a great fancy to his cousin, and he resolved to make a scholar of him; and in order thereunto, put him to the Latin school, where he took his learning extraordinary well. Afterwards he put him to the University to study divinity; but Faustus could in no ways fancy that employment; wherefore he betook himself to the studying of that which his inclination is most for, viz., necromancy and conjuration, and in a little time few or none could outstrip him in the art. He also studied divinity, of which he was made Doctor; but within a short time fell into such deep fancies and cogitations that he resolved to throw the Scriptures from him, and betake himself wholly to the studying of necromancy and conjuration, charms and soothsaying, witchcraft, and the like.

Chapter II. How Dr. Faustus conjured up the Devil, making him appear at his own house.

Faustus, whose mind was to study conjuration, the which he followed night and day, he took the wings of an eagle, and endeavoured to fly over the world, to see and know all the secrets of heaven and earth; so that in a short time he attained power to command the Devil to appear before him when he pleased. One day as Dr. Faustus was walking in a wood near to Wurtemberg, in Germany, he having a friend with him who was desirous to know of the doctor’s art, he desired him to let him see if he could then and there bring Mephistopheles before him; all which the doctor immediately did, and the devil upon the first call made such a noise in the wood as if heaven and earth would have come together; then the devil made such a roaring as if the wood had been full of wild beasts. The doctor made a circle for the devil, the which circle the devil ran round, making a noise as if ten thousand wagons had been running upon paved stones. After this it thundered and lightened, as if the whole world had been on fire. Faustus and his friend, amazed at this noise, and the devil’s long tarrying, thought to leave his circle; whereupon he made him such music, the like was never heard in the world. This so ravished Faustus that he began again to conjure Mephistopheles in the name of the prince of the devils to appear in his own likeness; whereupon in an instant hung over his head a mighty dragon. Faustus calls again after his former manner, after which there was a cry in the wood as if hell had opened, and all the tormented souls had been there. Faustus, in the meanwhile, asked the devil many questions, and commanded him to show many diabolical tricks.

Chapter III, How Mephistopheles came to Dr. Faustus’ house, and what happened between them.

Faustus commanded the spirit to meet him at his house byten of the clock the next day. At the hour appointed he came into his chamber asking Faustus what he would have. Faustus told him it was his will and pleasure to conjure him to be obedient to him in all points of those articles, viz.: —

First, That the spirit should serve him in all things he asked, from that time till his death.

Secondly, Whatsoever he would have, he should bring him.

Thirdly, Whatsoever he desired to know, he should tell him.

The spirit answered him and said he had no such power of himself, until he had acquainted his prince that ruled over him. “For,” said he, “we have rulers over us that send us out, and command us home when they please; and we can act no further than our power is, which we receive from Lucifer, who, you know, for his pride, was thrust out of heaven. But,” saith the spirit, “I am not to tell you any more except you make yourself over to us.”

Whereupon Faustus said, “I will have my request? but yet I will not be damned with you.” Then said the spirit, “You must not, nor shall not have your desire, and yet thou art mine, and all the world cannot save thee out of my hands.” Then said Faustus, “Get thee hence, and I conjure thee that thou come to me at night.” The spirit then vanished. Faustus then began to consider how he might obtain his desire, and not give his soul to the devil.

And while Faustus was in these his devilish cogitations night drew on, and this hellish spirit appeared to Faustus, acquainting him that now he had got orders from his prince to be obedient to him, and to do for him whatsoever he desired, provided he would promise to be his, and withal to acquaint him first what he would have of him? Faustus replied that his desire was to become a spirit, and that Mephistopheles should be always at his command; that whatsoever he called for him, he shall appear invisible to all men, and that he should appear in what shape he pleased, to which the spirit answered that all his desires should be granted if he would sign those articles he should wish or ask for. Whereupon Dr. Faustus withdrew and stabbed his wrist, receiving the blood in a small saucer, which cooled so fast, as if it forewarned him of the hellish act he was going to commit; nevertheless he put it over embers to warm it, and wrote as follows: —

“I, John Faustus, approved doctor of divinity, with my own baud do acknowledge and testify myself to become a servant to Lucifer, Prince of Septentrional and Oriental, and to him I freely and voluntarily give both soul; in consideration for the space of twenty-four years, if I be served in all things which I shall require, or which is reasonable by him to be allowed; at the expiration of which time from the date ensuing, I give to him all power to do with me at his pleasure; to rule to retch and carry me where he pleases body and soul. Hereupon I defy God and Christ, and the hosts of angels and good spirits, all living creatures that bear his shape, or on whom his image is imprinted; and to the better strengthening the validity of this covenant and firm agreement between us, I have writ it with my blood, and subscribe my name to it, calling all the powers and infernal potentates to witness it is my true intent and meaning. JOHN FAUSTUS.”



[UPDATE: 2 July 2016: After all my pictures disappeared again I decided to give up on external hosts for large versions (1000px) of my image files and, for now on, will stick with the smaller images (500px), which Blogger is prepared to host.]

Friday 15 October 2010

David Foxon: Magician

I really shouldn't laugh and throw stones—I am sure my mother wouldn't approve—but this amused me enormously. Barter Books have Foxon's English Verse for sale for £86 (a good price—though it has been listed for at least six months now). Here is the description:

David Foxon, English Verse 1701–1750. A Catalogue of Separately Printed Poems with Notes on Contemporary Collected Editions. 2 volume set (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1975); VG: in very good condition with dustwrappers and brown slipcase. Wrappers slightly edgeworn with sm. tear to dustwrapper of vol. II at base of spine. Contents VG. Fascinating book uncovering the secrets of the magician's world. Many illustrations showing how such tricks and illusions are done.

Yes, you read that right: Foxon's English Verse uncovers "the secrets of the magician's world" and shows "how such tricks and illusions are done." Who knew? I'll have to have another look at my copy!

Wednesday 13 October 2010

A New Wikipedia Entry on Ned Ward

At the start of this year the Wikipedia entry on Ned Ward (here) was useless. Which was particularly annoying to me because I wanted to include at least an excerpt of Ward's The London Spy on my eighteenth-century survey course at Monash, and the library resources on Ward were thin (to say the least: they had no edition at all of The London Spy in the general collection).

The entry on Ward was a particularly good example of just how insubstantial the public-domain resources are for students (or scholars) who stray beyond the confines of typical survey-course authors of the period, such as Swift, Johnson, Fielding etc.

And, unlike Aaron Hill's afterpiece The Walking Statue; Or, the Devil in the Wine Cellar (1710)—which I have described elsewhere as "one of those relatively minor eighteenth-century works, by a relatively minor eighteenth-century writer"—The London Spy is constantly being quoted, and is known by every student of the eighteenth-century. Nevertheless, it's author "hardly casts a shadow on the internet."

In order to do something about this, and to give my more experienced and talented students a more useful assessment task than they were accustomed to, I asked them to produce a replacement Wikipedia entry on Ned Ward. Which they did, and did extremely well.

And so today—somewhat belatedly—I uploaded Annie Blachly's entry on Ned Ward. It is a vast improvement on the existing entry. I hope it survives its editorial scrutiny (not all rewrites do), prompts many edits, corrections and additions. Thanks Annie!

[UPDATE 13 November 2010. As of yesterday the "stub tag" was removed from the Wikipedia entry on Ned Ward. It is now a fully fledged, fair dinkum entry. Which means it survived its editorial scrutiny!]