Confessio medici / by the writer of "The young people".

  • Stephen Paget
Date:
1908
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Confessio medici / by the writer of "The young people". Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    A POOR writer is always tempted by the titles of old books. It is hard on him, that he may not write again ‘ The Anatomy of Melancholy,’ or ‘ Pride and Prejudice,’ or ‘ A Midsummer Night’s Dream.’ But I, not daring to steal from one of my betters, have stolen from two ; from Sir Thomas Browne and from Gower. Consider what temptation is exposed on the top of Gower’s monument. There he lies, as near as he can get to Shakspeare’s brother : and his effigy has for a pillow his three books, whose titles, ‘ Vox Clamantis, ’ ‘ Speculum Meditantis, ’ ‘ Confessio Amantis,’ make me say to myself, as BlUcher said of London, Was fur Plunder. If only I might have them, which would be no loss to Gower, I could write a most noble trilogy. ‘Vox Clamantis’ would be easy work ; it would write itself, in a fortnight, in a red-hot rage, all drums and trum- pets, thunder and lightning. Then, ‘Speculum Meditantis,’ in two big volumes, every sentence polished and exact : a book not to read, but to
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