“The Devil Is an Ass”
Act i. sc. 1.—
“Pug. Why any: Fraud,
Or Covetousness, or lady Vanity,
Or old Iniquity, I’ll call him hither.”
“The words in italics should probably be given to the master-devil, Satan.”—Whalley’s note.
That is, against all probability, and with a (for Jonson) impossible violation of character. The words plainly belong to Pug, and mark at once his simpleness and his impatience.
Ib. sc. 4. Fitz-dottrel’s soliloquy.
Compare this exquisite piece of sense, satire, and sound philosophy in 1616 with Sir M. Hale’s speech from the bench in a trial of a witch many years afterwards.
Act ii. sc. 1. Meercraft’s speech:—
“Sir, money’s a whore, a bawd, a drudge.”
I doubt not that “money” was the first word of the line, and has dropped out:—
“Money! Sir, money’s a,” &c.