Randolph, Thomas · published 1638 · first performed or written 1630 [licensed for stage, Nov 25] (Annals) moral · King's Revels Company T24 Apollo, Phoebus and the Muses typicality 0.78 · 521 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T24: apollo, phoebus, midas, muses, ears, play, hedone, gods, siren, time.
There is! sent hither by the great Apollo, Who in the world's bright eye and every day Set in his Car of light, survaies the earth From East to West: who finding every place Fruitful in nothing but fantastic follies, And most ridiculous humours, as he is The God of Physic, thought it appertained To him to find a cure to purge the earth Of ignorance and sin, two grand diseases, And now grown Epidemical: many Receipts He thought upon, as to have planted Hellebore In every Garden— But none pleased like this. He takes out water from the Muse's spring, And sends it to the North, there to be freezed Into a Crystal— That being done, he makes, A Mirror with it: and instills this virtue, That it should by reflection show each man All his deformities both of soul and body. And cure 'em both— Good Brother le's go see it! Saints may want something of perfection. The Glass is but of one day's continuance, For Pluto, thinking if it should cure all, His Kingdom would grow empty, (for 'tis sin That People's hell) went to the fates and bid 'em Spin it too short a thread: (for every thing As well as man is measured by their spindle.) They, as they must obey, gave it a thread No longer than the Beast's of Hyppanis That in one day is spun, drawn out, and cut. But Phoebus to require the black God's envy, Will when the Glass is broke transfuse her virtue To live in Comedy— If you mean to see it Make haste— We will go post to reformation. Nor is the Glass of so short life I fear As this poor labour— our distrustful Author Thinks the same Sun that rose upon her cradle Will hardly set before her funeral: Your gracious and kind acceptance may Keep her alive from death, or when she's dead Raise her again, and spin her a new thread. This ignorance even makes religion sin, Sets zeal upon the rack, and stretches her Beyond her length— Most blessed Looking-glass●… That didst instruct my blinded eyes to day, I might have gone to hell the Narrow-way! Hereafter I will visit Comedies, And see them oft, they are good exercises!— I'll teach devotion now a milder temper, Not that it shall lose any of her heat Or Purity, but henceforth shall be such As shall burn bright although not blaze so much. Y'Have seen The Muse's Looking-glass, Lady's fair, And Gentle-youths; And others too who ere Have filled this Orb: it is the end we meant Yourselves unto yourselves still to present. A soldier shall himself in Hector see, Grave Councillors, Nestor, view themselves in thee. When Lucrece Part shall on our Stage appear, Every chaste Lady sees her shadow there. Nay come who will, for our indifferent Glasses Will show both fools, and knaves, and all their faces, To vex and cure them: But we need not fear, We do not doubt but each one now that's here, That has a fair soul and a Beauteous face, Will visit oft the Muse's Looking-glass.
seed 43: T29 · seed 44: T27 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
There is! sent hither by the great Apollo, Who in the worlds bright eye and every day Set in his Car of light, survaies the earth From East to West: who finding every place Fruitfull in nothing but fantastique follies, And most ridiculous humors, as he is The God of Physique, thought it appertain'd To him to finde a cure to purge the earth Of ignorance and sinne, two grand diseases, And now grown Epidemicall: many Receits He thought upon, as to have planted Hellebore In every Garden—But none pleas'd like this. He takes out water from the Muses spring, And sends it to the North, there to be freez'd Into a Christall—That being done, he makes, A Mirror with it: and instills this vertue, That it should by reflection shew each man All his deformities both of soule and body. And cure 'em both— Good Brother lets goe see it! Saints may want something of perfection. The Glasse is but of one daies continuance, For Pluto, thinking if it should cure all, His Kingdome would grow empty, (for 'tis sin That Peoples hell) went to the fates and bid 'em Spin it too short a thred: (for every thing As well as man is measur'd by their spindle.) They, as they must obey, gave it a thread No longer then the Beast's of Hyppanis That in one day is spun, drawne out, and cut. But Phoebus to require the black Gods envy, Will when the Glasse is broke transfuse her vertue To live in Comedy—If you meane to see it Make hast— We will goe post to reformation. Nor is the Glasse of so short life I feare As this poore labour—our distrustfull Author Thinkes the same Sun that rose upon her cradle Will hardly set before her funerall: Your gratious and kind acceptance may Keepe her alive from death, or when shees dead Raise her again, and spin her a new thread. This ignorance even makes religion sin, Sets zeale upon the rack, and stretches her Beyond her length—Most blessed Looking-glass That didst instruct my blinded eyes to day, I might have gone to hell the Narrow-way! Hereafter I will visit Comedies, And see them oft, they are good exercises!— I'le teach devotion now a milder temper, Not that it shall loose any of her heat Or Purity, but henceforth shall be such As shall burne bright although not blaze so much. Y'Have seen The Muses Looking-glasse, Ladyes fair, And Gentle-youths; And others too who ere Have fill'd this Orbe: it is the end we meant Your selves unto your selves still to present. A souldier shall himselfe in Hector see, Grave Councellors, Nestor, view themselves in thee. When Lucrece Part shall on our Stage appeare, Every chast Ladie sees her shaddow there. Nay come who will, for our indifferent Glasses Will show both fooles, and knaves, and all their faces, To vexe and cure them: But we need not feare, We doe not doubt but each one now that's here, That has a faire soule and a Beauteous face, Will visit oft the Muses Looking-glasse.