* “Shakespeare was god-father to one of Ben Jonson's children, and after the christening, being in a deepe study, Jonson came to cheere him up, and ask't him why he was so melancholy? 'No, faith, Ben, (says he,) not I, but I have been considering a great while what should be the fittest gift for me to bestow upon my god-child, and I have resolv'd at last.'--'I pr'y thee, what' says he,--'F faith, Ben, I'le e'en give him a douzen good Lattin spoones, and thou shalt translate them.'”--L'Estrange, No. 11. Mr. Dun.--Latten was a name formerly used to signify a mixed metal resembling brass. Hence Shakspere's appropriate pun, with reference to the learning of Ben Jonson. Many good jests are told of “rare Ben.” When he went to Basingstoke, he used to put up his horse at the “Angel,” which was kept by Mrs. Hope, and her daughter, Prudence. Journeying there one day, and finding strange people in the house, and the sign changed, he wrote as follows:-- “When Hope and Prudence kept this house, the Angel kept the door; Now Hope is dead, the Angel fled, and Prudence turn'd a w----!” At another time he designed to pass through the Half Moon in Aldersgate Street, but the door being shut, he was denied entrance; so he went to the Sun Tavern at the Long Lane end, and made these verses:-- “Since the Half Moon is so unkind, To make me go about; The Sun my money now shall have, And the Moon shall go without.” That he was often in pecuniary difficulties the following extracts from Henslowe's papers painfully demonstrate. “Lent un to Bengemen Johnson, player, the 28 of July, 1597, in Redy money, the some of fower powndes, to be payed agayne when so ever ether I, or any for me, shall demande yt,-- Witness E. Alleyn and John Synger.”--“Lent Bengemyne Johnson, the 5 of Janewary, 1597-8, in redy money, the some of Vs.” “What things have we seen Done at the Mermaid! heard words that have been So nimble, and so full of subtle flame, As if that every one from whom they came, Had meant to put his whole wit in a jest!”