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Special Techniques
In the absence of a general catalyst or philosopher's stone to solve initials, techniques may be developed for special cases. One technique involves synthesis from several signatures that can reasonably be attributed to a single individual. As type specimen, we announce discovery of a prolific puff-writer, Christopher Goodfellow, a name certainly appropriate! Commendatory verses for poetry of Humphrey Mill (1640-17921) are supplied before the book by C. G. ex Oxon. and after the book by C. G. Interioris Templi. The only Templar to fit is one Christopher Goodfellow, who is also easily found at Oxford. With this start we may diagnose as Goodfellow's an epidemic of 1640 verses by C. G., often claiming friendship with the author. These include two plays by Richard Brome (3818, 3820), a book by John Tatham (23704), a jest-book (4943), a play by Thomas Rawlins (20770), and a play by Thomas Nabbes (18346), as well as an earlier Nabbes book (1638-18343).
Similarly verses signed G. G. or G. Ga. appear before three fashionable books in 1607 (such as 1607-4508), while verses by an obscure George Gaywood occur close by (1606?-21407). The equation is plausible. Gaywood had written such verses as early as 1598-21661. How far forward or backward may one safely range? Is he the G. G. with verses before Boethius (1609-3202)? Nothing seems to be known about Gaywood beyond Joseph Hunter's unpublished notes showing that he was employed by an Exchequer agent who defalcated in 1609. One suspects that a single individual was responsible for Latin and Greek verses in a Mercator atlas (1635-17824) variously signed R. B. Cantabrigiae, R. B. S. Hosp., and R. B. S. S. M. As a first step in identifying
A second technique involves the detection of recurrent patterns of names. Just as the chemist senses the presence of the familiar benzene ring of six carbon atoms, the literary student observes more fluctuating groups recurring from book to book. If he can identify a member of the group in one book, the identification will serve in others. Here is a type of "guilt by association" that is academically acceptable! Such patterns were the evidence for my identification of a sonnet by M[ichael] D[rayton] (1600-25225).[11] Whenever I have time to perfect this technique, my first project will be in the circle of Sir Thomas Hawkins. A few examples from a single book (1639-12205) will illustrate: I[ohn] H[awkins] D[octor of] M[edicine], S[ir] T[homas] H[awkins], and S[ir] I[ohn] B[eaumont, II] B[art.].
A few nests of initials may be cited for those who desire to experiment. William Goddard dedicates a book to six gentlemen of the Inner Temple ([1599]-11928) —more tricky than it sounds. The ten initialed poems before The Metamorphosis of Tabacco (1602-1695) have been the subject of many conjectures. Someone familiar with Welshmen may tackle the eight in a funeral sermon for an Earl of Essex (1577-6364). Henry Petowe dedicates to six young gentlemen, probably of the London citizenry (1603-19806). Ten Cambridge men commend a book by James Wadsworth (1630-24928); some must be identifiable, such as that gem for the name collector, M[aptid] V[iolet]. And there are always the gentlemen who puffed Overbury's Wife.
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