SIR H. WOTTON'S LETTER TO MILTON.
(Vol. vi., p. 5.; Vol. vii., pp. 7. 111.)
I am obliged to apologise for having made Sir Henry Wotton use the words "some long time before," instead of "some good while before," and therefore take the opportunity of saying that I think Sir Henry's allusion to "the art of stationers," in binding a good and a bad book up together, almost proves "our common friend Mr. R." to have been a bookseller. Notwithstanding the very high authorities against me, I will then venture to insinuate, that instead of John Rouse, or Robert Randolph, plain Humphrey Robinson is meant, by whom Comus was printed in 1637, "at the signe of the Three Pidgeons, in Paul's Church-yard."
Once grant the probability of this being the case, and we have no further difficulty in understanding why Comus should be stitched up "with the late Rd. poems," or Wotton be left in ignorance of the author's name. Lawes tells us in the dedication to Comus, that it was "not openly acknowledged by the author;" and the publisher would naturally keep the secret: but why Rouse or Robert Randolph should do so, appears to me inexplicable. I hope soon to have access to some public libraries, and also to return to this very interesting question again. Meanwhile, may I beg the forbearance of your more learned correspondents?
Rt.
Warmington.