Cartwright, William · published 1639 · first performed or written 1636 [Aug 30] (Annals) tragicomedy · King's Men · before the Court T4 Love-longing and the lover's complaint typicality 0.77 · 497 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T4: love, heart, sweet, loves, fair, phillis, eyes, beauty, amyntas, lovers.
I am so far from ruining that Breast In which there lives a spark of chaster honour, That I would hazard this so prized a trifle, Which men call Life, that I might live there still; And prove that Love is but an Engine of The careful Powers, invented for the safety And preservation of afflicted goodness. Conceive not hence a passion burning toward you. For she that speaks like woman, is a Queen. I can distinguish betwixt Love, and Love, 'tween Flames and good Intents, nay between Flames And Flames themselves: the grosser now fly up, And now fall down again, still coveting new Matter for food; consuming, and consumed. But the pure clearer Flames, that shoot up always In one continued Pyramid of lustre, Know no commerce with Earth, but unmixed still, And still aspiring upwards, (if that may Be called aspiring, which is Nature) have This property of Immortality Still to suffice themselves, neither devouring, And yet devoured; and such I knowledge yours. On which I look as on refined Ideas, That know no mixture or corruption, Being one eternal simpleness; that these Should from the Circle of their chaster Glories Dart out a beam on me, is far beyond All humane merit; and I may conclude, They've only their own Nature for a cause, And that they're good, they are diffusive too. Your tongue hath spoke your thoughts so nobly that I bear a pity to your virtues, which ere night shed Poppy twice o'er th'wearied world, Must only be in these two Registers; Annals, and Memory. Could you but contrive, How you might live without an injury Unto Religion, you should have this glory. To have a Queen your Instrument. There's nothing Can woo my heart unto a thought of life, But that your presence will be wanting to me, When I'm shut up in silence: yet I have A strong Ambition in me to maintain An equal faith twixt Greece and Persia: That like a river running twixt two fields, I may give growth and verdure unto both. Praxaspes, and Masistes, potent Lords, Are both 'gainst my designs; so that I shall not Obtain an Army; for they think I have That vile mind in me to betray this Kingdom, To which I've sworn fidelity; when by yourself, by all that's good, my intent is only To perfect great Arsamnes Conquest, and In that be beneficial to my Country. In which if that your Majesty will descend To act a part, after the Scene is shut, I'll down t' Elysium with a joyful mind, And teach our Grecian Poets your blessed name And virtues, for an everlasting Song. Were it against myself, I'd not deny it. Walk in, I'll follow you. In great designs. Valour helps much, but virtuous Love doth more. WAs't not enough that you perused his Actions, And surfeited your Eyes upon his follies, Seeing, and seen again, but you must cast him A Chain, an Emblematic Chain?
seed 43: T2 · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
I am so farre from ruining that Breast In which there lives a sparke of chaster honour, That I would hazzard this so priz'd a trifle, Which men call Life, that I might live there still; And prove that Love is but an Engine of The carefull Pow'rs, invented for the safety And preservation of afflicted goodnesse. Conceive not hence a passion burning toward you. For she that speakes like woman, is a Queene. I can distinguish betwixt Love, and Love, Tweene Flames and good Intents, nay between Flames And Flames themselves: the grosser now fly up, And now fall downe againe, still cov'ting new Matter for food; consuming, and consum'd. But the pure clearer Flames, that shoot up alwayes In one continued Pyramid of lustre, Know no commerce with Earth, but unmixt still, And still aspiring upwards, (if that may Be call'd aspiring, which is Nature) have This property of Immortality Still to suffice themselves, neither devouring, And yet devour'd; and such I knowledge yours. On which I looke as on refin'd Ideas, That know no mixture or corruption, Being one eternall simplenesse; that these Should from the Circle of their chaster Glories Dart out a beame on me, is farre beyond All humane merit; and I may conclude, They've only their owne Nature for a cause, And that they're good, they are diffusive too. Your tongue hath spoke your thoughts so nobly . I beare a pity to your vertues, which E're night shed Poppy twice o're th'weary'd world, Must only be in these two Registers; Annalls, and Memory. Could you but contrive, How you might live without an injury Unto Religion, you should have this glory. To have a Queene your Instrument. There's nothing Can wooe my heart unto a thought of life, But that your presence will be wanting to me, When I'm shut up in silence: yet I have A strong Ambition in me to maintaine▪ An equall faith 'twixt Greece and Persia: That like a river running 'twixt two fields, I may give growth and verdure unto both. Praxaspes, and Masistes, potent Lords, Are both 'gainst my designes; so that I shall not Obtaine an Army▪ for they thinke I have That vile minde in me to betray this Kingdome▪ To which I've sworne fidelity; when by Your selfe, by all thats good, my'intent is only To perfect great Arsamnes Conquest, and In that be beneficiall to my Country. In which if that your Majesty will descend To act a part, after the Scene is shut, I'le downe t' Elysium with a joyfull minde, And teach our Grecian Poets your blest name And vertues, for an everlasting Song. Were it against my selfe, I'de not deny it. Walke in, I▪le follow you. In great designes. Valour helps much, but vertuous Love doth more. WAs't not enough that you perus'd his Actions, And surfetted your Eyes upon his follies, Seeing, and seene againe, but you must cast him A Chayne, an Emblematicke Chayne?