Stage-Quarrel Between Ben Jonson, and the So-Called Poetasters

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. The author of this monograph did not live to see the whole of his book in type. At the time of his death he had read the proof-sheets of the first sixty-four pages. The complete work was, however, in the hands of the printer; the copy had been prepared with great care, and there is no reason to believe that the author, in revising the proofs of pp. 65 - 200, would have made any changes of moment.<br><br>In substance the work is identical with the dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences of Harvard University by Mr. Small in May, 1897, in candidacy for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, and now deposited in the Library of the University. The form, however, in which the monograph appears, is the result of a careful revision carried out in 1897 - 98, and presents the author's final views on the subject of the great Elizabethan stage-quarrel between Ben Jonson and the poetasters. The revision, however, was largely a matter of re-arrangment; for the author had so mastered his subject that he found little occasion to modify the opinions and arguments advanced in his original paper. The investigation grew, in the first instance, out of Dr. Small's studies with Professor Baker, who suggested the subject to him, and to whom he would certainly have wished to express his indebtedness for guidance and inspiration.<br><br>The brief biographical sketch which follows this Preface, was prepared at the request of Professor Kolbing.