Touching my opinion of the world, I will tell you as briefly as I can, what I thinke of it . . .
A shepherd’s calendar like no other, 'Fantasticks' by Nicholas Breton was first published in London in 1626, the year of Breton’s death. 'Fantasticks' is the capstone to the work of a prolific early modern master whose other prose works include 'A Mad World my Masters' and 'A Poste with a Packet of Mad Letters'. Structured in sections corresponding to the months of the year, hours of the day, and the principal Christian holidays, this brief work is a captivating record of early modern customs and natural history. To quote Alexander B. Grosart, who edited Breton’s complete works in 1879: to experience 'Fantasticks' is to be “carried captive away back to ‘Merry England’ of the ‘Olden Time’ […]. Carry it to the greenwood with you, Reader, and if thou art not charmed, I dub thee—soulless.” This edition has been established in consultation with photographs of the original 1626 edition and contains typographical ornaments modeled on those appearing in it. The text is presented in old spelling with three pages of notes on terminology. 'Fantasticks' is also available from the website of the publisher, Sublunary Editions, in eBook (dual edition, the text presented in both old and regularized spellings) and will also be available in audiobook format as of September 2021.
NICHOLAS BRETON was the second son of the London merchant William Breton, and a stepson to the poet George Gascoigne. He was a prolific writer of prose and verse, with publications appearing at regular intervals from 1577 up until the time of his death. His poetic works include: 'A Floorish Upon Fancie'; 'The Toyes of an Idle Head'; 'Melancholike Humours'; 'Ravisht Soule and Blessed Weeper'; 'A True Description of Unthankfulnesse'; and 'I Would, and Would Not'. His prose works include: 'A Mad World my Masters'; 'Wonders Worth the Hearing'; 'A Poste with a Packet of Mad Letters'; 'I Pray You Be Not Angrie'; 'A Murmurer'; 'The Good and the Badde'; 'Strange Newes Out of Divers Countries'; and 'Fantasticks'.
