Lyly, John · published 1584 · first performed or written c.1583 (Annals) comedy · Children of the Chapel (first) (Oxford's Boys) · before the Court unassigned nearest T35 Fools, wit and railing · 554 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T35: fool, wit, aristippus, achilles, wise, fools, patroclus, thersites, master, men.
You courtiers be mad fellows, we silly souls are only plodders at Ergo, whose wits are clasped up with our books, & so full of learning are we at home, that we scarce know good manners when we come abroad, Cunning in nothing but in making small things great by figures, pulling on with the sweat of our studies a great shoe upon a little foot, burning out one candle in seeking for another, raw worldlings in matters of substance passing wranglers about shadows. Then is it time lost to be a scholar. We pages are Politians: for look what we hear our masters talk of, ye determine of: where we suspect, we undermine: and where we mislike for some particular grudge, there we pick quarrels for a general grief. Nothing among us but in steed of good morrow, what news: we fall from cogging at dice to cog with states: & so forward are mean men in those matters, that they would be cocks to tread down others, before they be chickens to rise themselves. Youths are very forward to stroke their chins, though they have no beards, and to lie as loud as he that hath lived longest. These be the golden days. Then be they very dark days: for I can see no gold. You are gross witted, master courtier. And you master scholar slender witted. I meant times which were prophesied golden for plenty of all things, sharpness of wit, excellency in knowledge, policy in government, for, Soft Scholaris, I deny your argument. Why, it is no argument. Then I deny it because it is no argument. But let us go and follow our masters. Is it not strange that Phao on the sudden should be so fair? It cannot be strange, sith Venus was disposed to make him fair. That cunning had been better bestowed on women, which would have deserved thanks of nature. haply she did in spite of women, or scorn of nature. Proud else, how squeamish he is be come already, using both disdainful looks, & imperious words: insomuch that he galleth with ingratitude. And then Ladies you know how it cutteth a woman to become a wooer. Tush, children and fools, the fairer they are, the sooner they yield, an apple will catch the one, a baby the other. Your lover I think be a fair fool: for you love nothing but fruit and puppets. I laugh at that you all call love, and judge it only a word called love. methinks liking, a courtesy, a smile, a beck, and such like, are the very Quintessence of love. ay, Mileta, but were you as wise, as you would be thought fair, or as fair, as you think yourself wise, you would be as ready to please men, as you are coy to prank yourself, & as careful to be accounted amorous, as you are willing to be thought discrete. No, no, men are good souls (poor souls:) who never inquire but with their eyes, loving to father the cradle, though they but mother the child. Give me their gifts, not their virtues, a grain of their gold weigheth down a pound of their wit, a dram of give me, is heavier than an ounce of hear me. Believe me Ladies, give is a pretty thing.
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)
You courtiers be mad fellowes, wee silly soules are onely plodders at Ergo, whose wittes are claspt vppe with our bookes, & so full of learning are we at home, that wescarce know good manners when wee come abroad, Cunning in nothing but in making small things great by figures, pulling on with the sweate of our studies a great shooe vpon a litle foote, burning out one cādle in seeking for an other, raw wordlings in matters of substaunce passing wranglers about shadowes. Then is it time lost to be a scholler. We pages are Politians: for looke what we heare our maisters talke of, ve determine of: where we suspect, we vndermine: and where we mislike for some perticular grudge, there we pick quarrels for a generall griefe. Nothing amonge vs but in steede of good morow, what newes: wee fal from cogging at dice to cogge with states: & so forward are meane mē in those matters, that they wold be cocks to tread down others, before they be chickēs to rise themselues. Youthes are very forwarde to stroke their chins, though they haue no beardes, and to lie as lowd as hee that hath liued longest. These be the golden daies. Then be they very darke daies: for I can see no golde. You are grosse witted, maister courtier. And you maister scholler slender witted. I meant times which were prophecied golden for plentie of all things, sharpnesse of wit, excellencie in knowledge, pollicy in gouernment, for, Softe Scholaris, I denie your argument. Why, it is no argument. Then I denie it because it is no argument. But let vs go and follow our maisters. Is it not straung that Phao on the sodain shuld be so faire? It cannot be straunge, sith Venus was disposed to make him faire. That cunning had beene better bestowed on women, which would haue deserued thankes of nature. Haplye she did in spite of women, or scorne of nature. Proude else, how squeamish he is be come alreadie, vsing both disdaineful lookes, & imperious words: insomuch that he galleth with ingratitude. And then Ladies you know how it cutteth a woman to become a wooer. Tush, children and fooles, the fairer they are, the sooner they yeeld, an apple will catch the one, a baby the other. Your loouer I thinke be a faire foole: for you loue nothing but fruit and puppets. I laugh at that you all call loue, and iudge it onely a worde called loue. Me thinks lyking, a curtesie, a smile, a beck, and such like, are the very Quintessence of loue. I, Mileta, but were you as wise, as you would be thought faire, or as faire, as you think your self wise, you would bee as ready to please men, as you are coye to pranke your selfe, & as carefull to bee accounted amorous, as you are willing to be thought discrete. No, no, men are good soules (poore soules:) who neuer enquire but with their eies, louing to father the cradle, though they but mother the childe. Giue me their giftes, not their vertues, a graine of their golde weigheth downe a pound of their witt, a dram of giue me, is heauier then an ounce of heare me. Beleeue mee Ladies, giue is a pretie thing.