The Magnetic Lady, or Humors Reconciled · chunk 4 of 45
Jonson, Ben · published 1640 · first performed or written 1632 [licensed for stage, Oct 12] (Annals) comedy · King's Men unassigned nearest T35 Fools, wit and railing · 490 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T35: fool, wit, aristippus, achilles, wise, fools, patroclus, thersites, master, men.
Sir I confess you to be one well read In men, and manners; and that, usually, The most ungoverned persons, you being present, Rather subject themselves unto your censure, Than give you least occasion of distaste, By making you the subject of their mirth: But (to deal plainly with you, as a brother) When ever I distrust i'my own valour: I'll never bear me on another's wit, Or offer to bring of, or save myself On the opinion of your judgement, gravity, Discretion, or what else. But (being away) You're sure to have lesse-wit-worke, gentle brother, My humour being as stubborn, as the rest, And as unmannageable. You do mistake My Carat of your friendship, all this while! Or at what rate I reckon your assistance Knowing by long experience, to such Animals, Halfe-hearted Creatures, as these are, your Fox, there, Vnkenneld with a Choleric, ghastly aspect, Or two or three comminatory Terms, Would run their fears to any hole of shelter, Worth a day's laughter! I am for the sport: For nothing else. But, brother, I ha' seen A Coward, meeting with a man as valiant As our St. George (not knowing him to be such, Or having lest opinion that he was so) Set to him roundly, I, and swinge him sound: And i'the virtue of that error, having Once overcome, resolved for ever after To err; and think no person, nor no creature Moore valiant than himself. I think that too. But, Brother, (could I over entreat you) I have some little plot upon the rest If you would be contented, to endure A sliding reprehension, at my hands, To hear yourself, or your profession glanced at In a few slighting terms: It would beget Me such a main Authority, o'the by: And do yourself no dis-repute at all! Compass, I know that universal causes In nature produce nothing; but as meeting Particular causes, to determine those, And specify their acts. This is a piece Of Oxford Science, stays with me ere since I left that place; and I have often found The truth thereof, in my private passions: For I do never feel myself perturbed With any general words 'gainst my profession, Unless by some smart stroke upon myself They do awake, and stir me: Else, to wise And well experienced men, words do but signify; They have no power; save with dull Grammarians, Whose souls are naught, but a Syntaxis of them. Here comes our Parson, Parson Palate here A venerable youth! I must salute him, And a great Clerk! he's going to the Ladies, And though you see him thus, without his Cope, I dare assure you, he's our Parish Pope! God save my reverend Clergy, Parson Palate. The witty Mr. Compass! how is't, with you? My Lady stays for you, and for your Council, Touching her Niece Mistress Placentia Steele! Who strikes the fire of full fourteen, to day, Ripe for a husband.
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)
Sir I confeſſe you to be one well read In men, and manners; and that, uſually, The moſt ungovern'd perſons, you being preſent, Rather ſubject themſelves unto your cenſure, Then give you leaſt occaſion of diſtaſte, By making you the ſubject of their mirth: But (to deale plainely with you, as a brother) When ever I diſtruſt i'my owne valour: Ile never beare me on anothers wit, Or offer to bring off, or ſave my ſelfe On the opinion of your Iudgement, gravitie, Diſcretion, or what elſe. But (being away) You'are ſure to have leſſe-wit-worke, gentle brother, My humour being as ſtubborne, as the reſt, And as unmannageable. You doe miſtake My Caract of your friendſhip, all this while! Or at what rate I reckon your aſſiſtance Knowing by long experience, to ſuch Animals, Halfe-hearted Creatures, as theſe are, your Foxe, there, Vnkenneld with a Cholerick, ghaſtly aſpect, Or two or three comminatory Termes, Would run their feares to any hole of ſhelter, Worth a dayes laughter! I am for the ſport: For nothing elſe. But, brother, I ha' ſeene A Coward, meeting with a man as valiant As our St. George (not knowing him to be ſuch, Or having leaſt opinion that hee was ſo) Set to him roundly, I, and ſwindge him ſoundly: And i'the vertue of that errour, having Once overcome, reſolv'd for ever after To erre; and thinke no perſon, nor no creature More valiant then himſelfe. I thinke that too. But, Brother, (could I over intreat you) I have ſome little plot upon the reſt If you would be contented, to endure A ſliding reprehenſion, at my hands, To heare your ſelfe, or your profeſſion glanc'd at In a few ſleighting termes: It would beget Me ſuch a maine Authority, o'the by: And doe your ſelfe no diſ-repute at all! Compaſſe, I know that univerſall cauſes In nature produce nothing; but as meeting Particular cauſes, to determine thoſe, And ſpecifie their acts. This is a piece Of Oxford Science, ſtaies with me ere ſince I left that place; and I have often found The truth thereof, in my private paſſions: For I doe never feele my ſelfe perturb'd With any generall words 'gainſt my profeſſion, Vnleſſe by ſome ſmart ſtroke upon my ſelfe They doe awake, and ſtirre me: Elſe, to wiſe And well experienc'd men, words doe but ſignifie; They have no power; ſave with dull Grammarians, Whoſe ſoules are nought, but a Syntaxis of them. Here comes our Parſon, Parſon Palate here A venerable youth! I muſt ſalute him, And a great Clerke! hee's going to the Ladies, And though you ſee him thus, without his Cope, I dare aſſure you, hee's our Pariſh Pope! God ſave my reverend Clergy, Parſon Palate. The witty Mr. Compaſſe! how is't, with you? My Lady ſtaies for you, and for your Councell, Touching her Neice Mrs. Placentia Steele! Who ſtrikes the fire of full fourteene, to day, Ripe for a husband.