The Magnetic Lady, or Humors Reconciled · chunk 3 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 0.85 · 433 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T9: play, stage, poet, prologue, author, wit, plays, muse, scene, players.
He may be deceived in that, Boy: Few follow examples now, especially, if they be good. The Play is ready to begin, gentlemans, I tell you, jest you might defraud the expectation of the people, for whom you are Delegates! Please you take a couple of Seats, and plant yourselves, here, as near my standing as you can: Fly every thing (you see) to the mark, and censure it; freely. So, you interrupt not the Series, or thread of the Argument, to break or pucker it, with unnecessary questions. For, I must tell you, (not out of mine own Dictamen, but the Authors,) A good Play, is like a skeene of silk: which, if you take by the right end, you may wind of, at pleasure, on the bottom, or card of your discourse, in a tale, or so; how you will: But if you light on the wrong end, you will pull all into a knot, or else-lock; which nothing but the shears, or a candle will undo, or separate. Stay! who be these, I pray you? Because it is your first question, and (these be the prime persons) it would in civility require an answer: but I have heard the Poet affirm, that to be the most unlucky Scene in a Play, which needs an Interpreter; especially, when the Auditory are awake: and such are you, he presumes. Ergo. Welcome good Captain Ironside, and brother; You shall along with me. I'm lodged hard by, Here at a noble Lady's house i'th' street, The Lady Lodestones (one will bid us welcome) Where there are Gentlewomen, and male Guests, Of several humours, carriage, constitution, Profession too: but so diametral One to another, and so much opposed, As if I can but hold them all together, And draw 'em to a sufferance of themselves, But till the Dissolution of the Dinner; I shall have just occasion to believe My wit is magisterial; and ourselves Take infinite delight, i'the success. Troth, brother Compass, you shall pardon me; I love not so to multiply acquaintance At a meal's cost, 'twill take of o'my freedom So much: or bind me to the lest observance. Why Ironside, you know I am a Scholar, And part a Soldier; I have been employed, By some the greatest Statesmen o'the kingdom, These many years: and in my time conversed With sundry humours, suiting so myself To company, as honest men, and knaves, Good-fellows, Hypocrites, all sorts of people, Though never so divided in themselves, Have studied to agreed still in the usage, And handling of me (which hath been fair too.)
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)
Hee may be deceived in that, Boy: Few follow examples now, eſpecially, if they be good. The Play is ready to begin, Gentlemen, I tell you, leſt you might defraud the expectation of the people, for whom you are Delegates! Pleaſe you take a couple of Seates, and plant your ſelves, here, as neere my ſtanding as you can: Fly every thing (you ſee) to the marke, and cenſure it; freely. So, you interrupt not the Series, or thred of the Argument, to breake or pucker it, with unneceſſary queſtions. For, I muſt tell you, (not out of mine owne Dictamen, but the Authors,) A good Play, is like a skeene of ſilke: which, if you take by the right end, you may wind off, at pleaſure, on the bottome, or card of your diſcourſe, in a tale, or ſo; how you will: But if you light on the wrong end, you will pull all into a knot, or elſe-lock; which nothing but the ſheers, or a candle will undoe, or ſeparate. Stay! who be theſe, I pray you? Becauſe it is your firſt queſtion, and (theſe be the prime perſons) it would in civility require an anſwer: but I have heard the Poët affirme, that to be the moſt unlucky Scene in a Play, which needs an Interpreter; eſpecially, when the Auditory are awake: and ſuch are you, hee preſumes. Ergo. Welcome good Captaine Ironſide, and brother; You ſhall along with me. I'm lodg'd hard by, Here at a noble Ladies houſe i'th' ſtreet, The Lady Loadſtones (one will bid us welcome) Where there are Gentlewomen, and male Gueſts, Of ſeverall humors, cariage, conſtitution, Profeſſion too: but ſo diametrall One to another, and ſo much oppos'd, As if I can but hold them all together, And draw 'hem to a ſufferance of themſelves, But till the Diſſolution of the Dinner; I ſhall have juſt occaſion to beleeve My wit is magiſteriall; and our ſelves Take infinite delight, i'the ſucceſſe. Troth, brother Compaſſe, you ſhall pardon me; I love not ſo to multiply acquaintance At a meales coſt, 'twill take off o'my freedome So much: or bind me to the leaſt obſervance. Why Ironſide, you know I am a Scholler, And part a Souldier; I have beene imployed, By ſome the greateſt Stateſ-men o'the kingdome, Theſe many yeares: and in my time convers'd With ſundry humors, ſuiting ſo my ſelfe To company, as honeſt men, and knaves, Good-fellowes, Hypocrites, all ſorts of people, Though never ſo divided in themſelves, Have ſtudied to agree ſtill in the uſage, And handling of me (which hath beene faire too.)