...a collection of commentary and reflections on literary and other matters, Jonson declares, "I lov'd the man, and do honour his memory (on this side Idolatry)...(indeed) honest, and of an open and free nature." Jonson frequently separates the personal from the poetic, and the crucial phrase in this passage is...

...malevolent speech. I had not told posterity this, but for their ignorance, who chose that circumstance to commend their friend by, wherein he most faulted;...honest, and of an open and free nature; had an excellent phantasy, brave notions, and gentle expressions; wherein he flowed with that facility, that sometimes...

...(whatsoever he penned) he never blotted out line. My answer hath been, would he had blotted a thousand . . . He was (indeed) honest, and of an open, and free nature:...expressions: wherein he flowed with that facility, that sometime it was necessary he should be stopped.26 There is some evidence of this restless, torrential...

...contributed a poem 'to the memory of my beloved, the author, Mr. William Shakespeare', and later wrote, 'I loved the man and do honour his memory, on this side idolatry, as much as any.' He was gentle Shakespeare, sweet Shakespeare, good Will, friendly Shakespeare - that, at least, seems to have...

...mastered earliest and 'with that facility' that earned him the reputation of never having blotted a line. 'He was (indeed) honest, and of an open, and free...had an excellent fancy; brave notions, and gentle expressions'.23 'Brave notions' are notions that are finely-dressed, splendid, showy, or handsome....

...to justify mine own candour, (for I lov'd the man, and do honour his memory (on this side idolatory) as much as any.) He was (indeed) honest, and of an open and free nature; had an excellent Phantsie; brave notions, and gentle expressions; wherein he flow'd with that facility, that sometime...