Loto candidior puella cygno, Argento, nive, lilio, ligustro.
In this place Jonson seems to have more particularly in mind Epig. 5. 37:
Puella senibus dulcior mibi cygnis ... Cui nec lapillos praeferas Erythraeos, ... Nivesque primas liliumque non tactum.
2. 7. 2, 3 that Wit of man will doe’t. There is evidently an ellipsis of some sort before that (cf. Abbott, §284). Perhaps ‘provided’ is to be understood.
2. 7. 4 She shall no more be buz’d at. The metaphor is carried out in the words that follow, sweet meates 5, hum 6, flye-blowne 7. ‘Fly-blown’ was a rather common term of opprobrium. Cf. Dekker, Satiromastix, Wks. 1. 195: ‘Shal distaste euery vnsalted line, in their fly-blowne Comedies.’ Jonson is very fond of this metaphor, and presses it beyond all endurance in New Inn, Act 2. Sc. 2, Wks. 5. 344, 5, etc.
2. 7. 13 I am resolu’d on’t, Sir. See variants. Gifford points out the quibble on the word resolved. See Gloss.
2. 7. 17 O! I could shoote mine eyes at him. Cf. Fox, Wks. 3. 305: ‘That I could shoot mine eyes at him, like gun-stones!’
2. 7. 22. See variants. The the is probably absorbed by the preceding dental. Cf. 5. 7. 9.
2. 7. 33 fine pac’d huishers. See note [4. 4. 201].