Luminalia, or The Festival of Light · chunk 3 of 3
Davenant, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1638 [Feb 6] (Annals) not in BritDrama · before the Court unassigned nearest T19 Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions · 424 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
Wisely did Arts great Lord That ruled Mythology, No vest for Truth afford, But to each eye Ordained her body naked still, to show Some kind of truth's men bashfully should know; Thy praises being truths are silenced so. Yet mighty spirits raise Their actions up to Fame, When lifted high with praise: Then who will blame Great virtue for ambition when it strives To feed on praise (the food by which it thrives?) Who earn'st, yet hat'st, himself of truth deprives. We know it is more lawful far Than possible to sing your praise, Who shows how gentle, wise, and just you are, Must trace wide measures, not in common ways. As some in war near a defeat, Confess betimes th' are overcome, To save their desperate honours by retreat; so we retire, lest wonder strike us dumb. How dull and uneffectual is that rage, Which swells our Poets when their numbers flow? Resembling sillily, in every ago, Things excellent, to what they least do know. How poorly have they done, when they compare A beauty that can rule severest eyes, Unto some pretty twinkling senseless Star? Yet think they mend her by such similes. If it be safe to gaze on beauty in extremes, Look there, correct your judgements by your sight! Those beauties near her, are made up of beams, They gathered from her useless scattered light. Now judge (if fairest Stars no more contain Than what is certain to th' ginger) Whether compared to Stars she so much gain, As Stars have gotten when compared to her? Was there no other way Our wonder to allay But thus to falsify relief? For seeing quickly tired, What moving we admired, You turn our wonder into grief. Renew your measures now Though but awhile, to show This respite was not weariness; But you by thee did please To give our pleasures ease, Which if continued, had grown less, You that are chief in souls, as in your blood, And nothing bettered by your high descent, Ev'n in your passions as in reason good, To whom vast power can add no ornament. Though Men the blessed estate of angel's praise, 'Cause not perplexed with what we sexes call; Yet you by such a humane difference raise Your virtue more, because 'tis conjugal. Be long expected in your Thrones above! And stay on earth until our judgements know The noble use of that we so much love; Thus heaven still lends what we would ever owe. The Masquers dance the Revels with the Lords.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Wiſely did Arts great Lord That rul'd Mythologie, No vest for Truth afford, But to each eye Ordain'd her body naked ſtill, to ſhow Some kind of truths men baſhfully ſhould know; Thy praiſes being truths are ſilenc'd ſo. Yet mightie ſpirits raiſe Their actions up to Fame, When lifted high with praiſe: Then who will blame Great vertue for ambition when it ſtrives To feed on praiſe (the food by which it thrives?) Who earn'ſt, yet hat'ſt, himſelf of truth deprives. We know it is more lawfull farre Than poſſible to ſing your praiſe, Who ſhewes how gentle, wiſe, and juſt you are, Muſt trace wide meaſures, not in common wayes. As ſome in warre neere a defeat, Confeſſe betimes th' are overcome, To ſave their deſp'rate honors byretreat; ſo wee retire, leſt wonder ſtrike us dumb. How dull and uneffectuall is that rage, Which ſwels our Poets when their numbers flow? Reſembling ſillily, in ev'ry ago, Things excellent, to what they leaſt doe know. How poorely have they done, when they compare A beauty that can rule ſevereſt eyes, Vnto ſome pretty twinckling ſenſleſſe Starre? Yet thinke they mend her by ſuch ſimilies. If it be ſafe to gaze on beauty in extremes, Look there, correct your judgements by your ſight! Thoſe beauties neare her, are made up of beames, They gather'd from her uſeleſſe ſcatter'd light. Now judge (if faireſt Starres no more containe Than what is certaine to th' Aſtrologer) Whether compar'd to Starres ſhe ſo much gaine, As Starres have gotten when compar'd to her? Was there no other way Our wonder to allay But thus to falſifie reliefe? For ſeeing quickly tir'd, What moving we admir'd, You turne our wonder into griefe. Renew your meaſures now Though but awhile, to ſhow This reſpite was not wearineſſe; But you by thee did pleaſe To give our pleaſures eaſe, Which if continu'd, had growne leſſe, You that are chiefe in ſoules, as in your bloud, And nothing better'd by your high deſcent, Ev'n in your paſſions as in reaſon good, To whom vaſt power can adde no ornament. Though Men the bleſt eſtate of Angels praiſe, 'Cauſe not perplex'd with what we ſexes call; Yet you by ſuch a humane diff'rence raiſe Your vertue more, becauſe 'tis conjugall. Be long expected in your Thrones above! And ſtay on earth untill our judgements know The noble uſe of that we ſo much love; Thus heaven ſtill lends what we would ever owe. The Maſquers dance the Revels with the Lords▪