The Magnetic Lady, or Humors Reconciled · chunk 36 of 45
Jonson, Ben · published 1640 · first performed or written 1632 [licensed for stage, Oct 12] (Annals) comedy · King's Men T27 Uncles, nephews and cousins: kinship and typicality 0.83 · 493 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T27: uncle, niece, nephew, gentlemen, faith, cousin, wife, house, gentleman, money.
He speaks impossibilities. Here he stands, Whose fortune hath done this, and you must thank him: To what you call his swaggering, we own all this. And that it may have credit with you Madam, Here is your Niece, whom I have married, witness These Gentlemen, the Knight, Captain, and Parson, And this grave Politic Telltruth of the Court. What's she that I call Niece than? Polishes Daugh Her Mother Good wy ' Polish hath confessed it To Granam Keep, the Nurse, how they did change The children in their Cradles. To what purpose? To get the portion, or some part of it, Which you must now disburse entire to me, Sir, If I but gain her Ladyship's consent. I bid God give you joy, if this be true. As true it is, Lady, Lady, i'th' song. The portion's mine, with interest Sir Mouth; I will not 'bate you a single Harrington, Of interest upon interest. In mean time, I do commit you to the Guard of Ironside. My brother here, Captain Rudhudibras: From whom I will expect you, or your Ransom. Sir you must prove it, and the possibility, E'er I believe it. For the possibility, I leave to trial. Truth shall speak itself. O Mr. Practice, did you meet the Coach? Yes Sir, but empty. Why, I sent it for you. The business is dispatched here, ere you come; Come in, I'll tell you how: you are a man Will look for satisfaction, and must have it. So do we all, and long to hear the right. Troth, I am one of those that labour with the same longing, for it is almost puckered, and pulled into that knot, by your Poet, which I cannot easily, with all the strength of my imagination, untie. Like enough, nor is it in your office to be troubled or perplexed with it, but to sit still, and expect. The more your imagination busies itself, the more it is entangled, especially if (as I told, in the beginning) you hap on the wrong end. He hath said sufficient, Brother Damplay; our parts that are the Spectators, or should hear a Comedy, are to await the process, and events of things, as the Poet presents them, not as we would corruptly fashion them. We come here to behold Plays, and censure them, as they are made, and fitted for us; not to beslave our own thoughts, with censorious spittle tempering the Poet's clay, as we were to mould every Scene anew: That were a mere Plastic, or Potter's ambition, most unbecoming the name of a Gentleman. Not, let us mark, and not loose the business on foot, by talking. Fellow the right thread, or found it. Why, here his Play might have ended, if he would ha' let it; and have spared us the vexation of a fift Act yet to come, which every one here knows the issue of already, or may in part conjecture.
seed 43: T39 · seed 44: T37 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Hee ſpeakes impoſſibilities. Here he ſtands, Whoſe fortune hath done this, and you muſt thanke him: To what you call his ſwaggering, wee owe all this. And that it may have credit with you Madam, Here is your Neice, whom I have married, witneſſe Theſe Gentlemen, the Knight, Captaine, and Parſon, And this grave Politique Tell-troth of the Court. What's ſhe that I call Neice then? Poliſhes Daugh Her Mother Good wy' Poliſh hath confeſs'd it To Granam Keepe, the Nurſe, how they did change The children in their Cradles. To what purpoſe? To get the portion, or ſome part of it, Which you muſt now disburſe intire to me, Sir, If I but gaine her Ladiſhips conſent. I bid God give you joy, if this be true. As true it is, Lady, Lady, i'th' ſong. The portion's mine, with intereſt Sir Mouth; I will not 'bate you a ſingle Harrington, Of intereſt upon intereſt. In meane time, I doe commit you to the Guard of Ironſide. My brother here, Captaine Rudhudibras: From whom I will expect you, or your Ranſome. Sir you muſt prove it, and the poſſibility, Ere I beleeve it. For the poſſibility, I leave to triall. Truth ſhall ſpeake it ſelfe. O Mr. Practiſe, did you meet the Coach? Yes Sir, but empty. Why, I ſent it for you. The buſines is diſpatch'd here, ere you come; Come in, Ile tell you how: you are a man Will looke for ſatisfaction, and muſt have it. So doe wee all, and long to heare the right. Troth, I am one of thoſe that labour with the ſame longing, for it is almoſt pucker'd, and pull'd into that knot, by your Poët, which I cannot eaſily, with all the ſtrength of my imagination, untie. Like enough, nor is it in your office to be troubled or perplexed with it, but to ſit ſtill, and expect. The more your imagination buſies it ſelfe, the more it is intangled, eſpecially if (as I told, in the beginning) you happen on the wrong end. He hath ſaid ſufficient, Brother Damplay; our parts that are the Spectators, or ſhould heare a Comedy, are to await the proceſſe, and events of things, as the Poet preſents them, not as wee would corruptly faſhion them. Wee come here to behold Playes, and cenſure them, as they are made, and fitted for us; not to beſlave our owne thoughts, with cenſorious ſpitle tempering the Poets clay, as wee were to mould every Scene anew: That were a meere Plaſtick, or Potters ambition, moſt unbecomming the name of a Gentleman. No, let us marke, and not loſe the buſines on foot, by talking. Follow the right thred, or find it. Why, here his Play might have ended, if hee would ha' let it; and have ſpar'd us the vexation of a fift Act yet to come, which every one here knowes the iſſue of already, or may in part conjecture.