TO MY BOOKSELLER.
This is from the third of the poet's books
Ben Jonson. of epigrams. Bucklersbury was the
street most affected by grocers and
apothecaries.
Thou that mak'st gain thy end, and wisely well,
Call'st a book good, or bad, as it doth sell,
Use mine so too; I give thee leave; but crave,
For the luck's sake, it thus much favor have,
To lie upon thy stall, till it be sought;
Not offered, as it made suit to be bought;
Nor have my title-leaf on posts or walls,
Or in cleft-sticks, advanced to make calls
For termers, or some clerk-like serving-man,
Who scarce can spell thy hard names; whose knight less can.
If without these vile arts it will not sell,
Send it to Bucklersbury, there 't will well.
TO SIR HENRY GOODYERE.
This is the eighty-sixth of the poet's first
book of epigrams, and, like its immediate
Ben Jonson. predecessor, it was addressed
to a gentleman bound in bonds of
friendship to many of the men of
genius of his time.
When I would know thee, Goodyere, my thought looks
Upon thy well-made choice of friends and books;
Then do I love thee, and behold thy ends
In making thy friends books, and thy books friends:
Now must I give thy life and deed the voice
Attending such a study, such a choice;
Where, though 't be love that to thy praise doth move,
It was a knowledge that begat that love.