The Magnetic Lady, or Humors Reconciled · chunk 1 of 45
Jonson, Ben · published 1640 · first performed or written 1632 [licensed for stage, Oct 12] (Annals) comedy · King's Men T9 Theatre talk: prologues, poets and playe typicality 0.84 · 508 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T9: play, stage, poet, prologue, author, wit, plays, muse, scene, players.
What do you lack, Gentlemen? what is't you lack? any fine Fancies, Figures, Humours, Characters, Ideas, Definitions of Lords, and Ladies? Waiting-women, Parasites, Knights, Captains, Courtiers, Lawyers? what do you lack? A pretty prompt Boy for the Poëtique Shop. And a bold! where's one o' your Masters, Sirrah, the Poet? Which of 'hem? Sir we have divers that drive that trade, now: Poets, Poet'accios, Poetasters, Poetitoes— And all Haberdashers of small wit, I presume: we would speak with the Poet o' the day, Boy. Sir, he is not here. But, I have the dominion of the Shop, for this time, under him, and can show you all the variety the Stage will afford for the present. Therein you will express your own good parts, Boy. And tie us two, to you, for the gentle office. We are a pair of public persons (this Gentleman, and myself) that are sent, thus coupled unto you upon state-busines. It concerns but the state of the Stage I hope! O, you shall know that by degrees, No man leaps into a business of state, without fourding first the state of the business. We are sent unto you, indeed from the people. The people! which side of the people? The Venison side, if you know it, Boy. That's the left side. I had rather they had been the right. So they are. Not the Paces, or grounds of your people, that 〈◊〉 in the obliqne caves and wedges of your house, your sinful sixpenny Mechanics— But the better, and braver sort of your people! Plush and Velvet-outsides! that stick your house round like so many eminences— Of clothes, not understandings? They are at pawn. Well, I take these as a part of your people though; what bring you to me from these people? You have heard, Boy, the ancient Poets had it in their purpose, still to please this people. I, their chief aim was— Populo ut placerent: (if he understands so much.) Quas fecissent fabulas.) I understand that, sin ' I learned Terence, i'the third form at Westminster: go on Sir. Now, these people have employed us to you, in all their names, to entreat an excellent Play from you. For they have had very mean ones, from this shop of late, the Stage as you call it. Troth, Gentlemen, I have no wares, which I dare thrust upon the people with praise. But this, such as it is, I will venture with your people, your gay gallant people: so as you, again, will undertake for them, that they shall know a good Play when they hear it; and will have the conscience, and ingenuity beside, to confess it. we'll pass our words for that: you shall have a brace of us to engage ourselves. You'll tender your names, Gentlemen, to our book than? Yes, here's Mr. Probee; A man of most powerful speech, and parts to persuade. And Mr. Damplay, will make good all he undertakes. Good Mr. Probee, and Mr. Damplay! I like your securities: whence do you writ yourselves?
seed 43: T16 · seed 44: T15 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
What doe you lack, Gentlemen? what is't you lack? any fine Phanſies, Figures, Humors, Characters, Idaeas, Definitions of Lords, and Ladies? Waiting-women, Paraſites, Knights, Captaines, Courtiers, Lawyers? what doe you lack? A pretty prompt Boy for the Poëtique Shop. And a bold! where's one o' your Maſters, Sirrah, the Poet? Which of 'hem? Sir wee have divers that drive that trade, now: Poëts, Poet'accios, Poetaſters, Poetito's— And all Haberdaſhers of ſmall wit, I preſume: wee would ſpeake with the Poët o' the day, Boy. Sir, hee is not here. But, I have the dominion of the Shop, for this time, under him, and can ſhew you all the variety the Stage will afford for the preſent. Therein you will expreſſe your owne good parts, Boy. And tye us two, to you, for the gentle office. Wee are a paire of publique perſons (this Gentleman, and my ſelfe) that are ſent, thus coupled unto you upon ſtate-buſines. It concernes but the ſtate of the Stage I hope! O, you ſhall know that by degrees, No man leaps into a buſines of ſtate, without fourding firſt the ſtate of the buſines. Wee are ſent unto you, indeed from the people. The people! which ſide of the people? The Veniſon ſide, if you know it, Boy. That's the left ſide. I had rather they had beene the right. So they are. Not the Paces, or grounds of your people, that in the oblique caves and wedges of your houſe, your ſinfull ſixe-penny Mechanicks— But the better, and braver ſort of your people! Pluſh and Velvet-outſides! that ſtick your houſe round like ſo many eminences— Of clothes, not underſtandings? They are at pawne. Well, I take theſe as a part of your people though; what bring you to me from theſe people? You have heard, Boy, the ancient Poets had it in their purpoſe, ſtill to pleaſe this people. I, their chiefe aime was— Populo ut placerent: (if hee underſtands ſo much.) Quas feciſſent fabulas.) I underſtand that, ſin' I learn'd Terence, i'the third forme at Westminſter: go on Sir. Now, theſe people have imployed us to you, in all their names, to intreat an excellent Play from you. For they have had very meane ones, from this ſhop of late, the Stage as you call it. Troth, Gentlemen, I have no wares, which I dare thruſt upon the people with praiſe. But this, ſuch as it is, I will venter with your people, your gay gallant people: ſo as you, againe, will undertake for them, that they ſhall know a good Play when they heare it; and will have the conſcience, and ingenuity beſide, to confeſſe it. Wee'll paſſe our words for that: you ſhall have a brace of us to ingage our ſelves. You'l tender your names, Gentlemen, to our booke then? Yes, here's Mr. Probee; A man of moſt powerfull ſpeech, and parts to perſwade. And Mr. Damplay, will make good all hee undertakes. Good Mr. Probee, and Mr. Damplay! I like your ſecurities: whence doe you write yourſelves?