Cowley, Abraham · published 1638 · first performed or written 1633 [c.1633-1636] (Annals) pastoral T35 Fools, wit and railing typicality 0.81 · 491 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T35: fool, wit, aristippus, achilles, wise, fools, patroclus, thersites, master, men.
What are you biting? Where did you pick these fragments up of wit. Where I paid dear enough a conscience for them, They should be more than fragments by their price, I bought them sir, even from the very Merchants, I scorned to deal with your poor City pedlars, that sell By retail: But let that pass; For 'tis but a folly: Then you have seen the City. I and felt it too, I thank the Devil; I'm sure It sucked up in three years the whole estate My father left, though he were counted rich, A pox of forlorn Captains, pitiful things, Whom you mistake for soldiers, only by Their sounding oaths, and a buff jerkin, and Some Histories which they have learned by rote, Of battles fought in Persia, or Polonia, Where they themselves were of the conquering side, Although God knows one of the City Captains, Armed with broad scarf, feather. and scarlet breeches, When he instructs the youth on holidays, And is made sick with fearful noise of Guns, Would pose them in the art Military; these Were my first Leeches. So, no wonder than you spent so fast. Pish, these were nothing: I grew to keep your poet's company Those are the soakers, they refined me first Of those gross humours that are bred by money And made me straight a wit, as now you see, For 'tis but a folly. But hast thou none to fling thy salt upon But these bright virgins? Yes now you are here; You are as good a theme as I could wish. 'Tis best for me to go, whilst they are talking For if I steal not from Alupis sight, He'll follow me all day to vex me. What are you vanishing coy Mistress Hylace? Nay, I'll be with you straight, but first I'll fetch Palaemon, now if he can play his part And leave off whining, we'll have princely sport, Well, I may live in time to have the women Scratch out my eyes, or else scold me to death, I shall deserve it richly: Farewell Sir: I have employment with the Damsel gone And cannot now intend you. They're both gone, Direct me now good love, and teach my tongue Th' enchantments that thou wouldst thy Psyche with. Farewell Sir. Oh! be not so cruel, Let me enjoy myself a little while, Which without you I cannot. Pray let me go, To tend my sheep, there's none that looks to them, And if my father miss me, he'll so chide. Alas! thou needest not fear, for th' Wolf himself Though hunger whet the fury of its nature, Would learn to spare thy pretty flocks, and be As careful as the Shepherd's dog to guard them, Nay if he should not, Pan would present be, And keep thy tender lambs in safety for thee, For though he be a God he would not blush To be thy servant.
nodes 934–997 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 15 of 41 in this edition
Length
491 words · 644 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T35 — Fools, wit and railingcross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.805 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
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)
What are you biting? Where did you pick these fragments up of wit. Where I pay'd deare enough a conscience for them, They should be more then fragments by their price, I bought them sir, even from the very Merchants, I scorn'd to deale with your poore City pedlers, that sell By retayle: But let that passe; For 'tis but a folly: Then you have seene the City. I and felt it too, I thanke the Divell; I'me sure It suckt up in three yeares the whole estate My father left, though he were counted rich, A pox of forlorne Captaines, pittifull things, Whom you mistake for souldiers, only by Their sounding oathes, and a buffe jerkin, and Some Histories which they have learn'd by roate, Of battailes fought in Persia, or Polonia, Where they themselves were of the conquering side, Although God knowes one of the City Captaines, Arm'd with broad scarfe, feather▪ and scarlet breeches, When he instructs the youth on Holy-dayes, And is made sicke with fearfull noyse of Guns, Would pose them in the art Military; these Were my first Leeches. So, no wonder then you spent so fast. Pish, these were nothing: I grew to keepe your Poets company Those are the soakers, they refin'd me first Of those grosse humors that are bred by money And made me streight a wit, as now you see, For 'tis but a folly. But hast thou none to fling thy salt upon But these bright virgins? Yes now you are here; You are as good a theame as I could wish. 'Tis best for me to goe, whilst they are talking For if I steale not from Alupis sight, He'le follow me all day to vex me. What are you vanishing coy Mistris Hylace? Nay, I'le be with you streight, but first I'le fetch Palaemon, now if he can play his part And leave off whining, wee'le have princely sport, Well, I may live in time to have the women Scratch out my eyes, or else scould me to death, I shall deserve it richly: Farewell Sir: I have employment with the Damsell gone And cannot now intend you. They're both gone, Direct me now good love, and teach my tongue Th' inchantments that thou woo'dst thy Psyche with. Farewell Sir. Oh! be not so cruell, Let me enjoy my selfe a little while, Which without you I cannot. Pray let me goe, To tend my sheepe, there's none that lookes to them, And if my father misse me, he'le so chide. Alas! thou needest not feare, for th' Wolfe himselfe Though hunger whet the fury of its nature, Would learne to spare thy pretty flocks, and be As carefull as the shepheards dog to guard them, Nay if he should not, Pan would present be, And keepe thy tender lambes in safety for thee, For though he be a God he would not blush To be thy servant.