Lyly, John · published 1591 · first performed or written 1588 [Feb 2(?)] (Annals) comedy · Children of Paul's (first) · before the Court unassigned nearest T4 Love-longing and the lover's complaint · 503 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T4: love, heart, sweet, loves, fair, phillis, eyes, beauty, amyntas, lovers.
Eumenides, release Endymion, for all things (friendship excepted) are subject to fortune: Love is but an eye worm, which only tickleth the head with hopes, and wishes: friendship the image of eternity, in which there is nothing movable, nothing mischievous. As much difference as there is between Beauty and Virtue, bodies and shadows, colours and life: so great odds is there between love and friendship. Love is a Chameleon, which draweth nothing into the mouth but air, and nourisheth nothing in the body but lungs: believe me Eumenides, Desire dies in the same moment that Beauty sickens, and Beauty fadeth in the same instant that it flourisheth. When adversities flow, than love ebbs: but friendship standeth stiffly in storms. Time draweth wrinkles in a fair face, but addeth fresh colours to a fast friend, which neither heat, nor cold, nor misery, nor place, nor destiny, can alter or diminish. O friendship of all things the most rare, and therefore most rare because most excellent, whose comforts in misery is always sweet, and whose counsels in prosperity are ever fortunate. Vain love, that only coming near to friendship in name, would seem to be the same, or better, in nature. Father I allow your reasons, and will therefore conquer mine own. Virtue shall subdue affections, wisdom lust, friendship beauty. Mistresses are in every place, and as common as Hares in Atho, Bees in Hybla, fowls in the air: but friends to be found, are like the Phoenix in Arabia, but one, or the Philadelphi in Arays, never above two. I will have Endymion, sacred Fountain, in whose bowels are hidden divine secrets, I have increased your waters with the tears of unspotted thoughts and therefore let me receive the reward you promise: Endymion, the truest friend to me, and faithfullest lover to Cynthia, is in such a dead sleep, that nothing can wake or move him. Dost thou see any thing? I see in the same Pillar, these words: When she whose figure of all is the perfectest, and never to be measured: always one, yet never the same: still inconstant, yet never wavering, shall come and kiss Endymion in his sleep, he shall then rise, else never. This is strange. What see you else? There cometh over mine eyes either a dark mist, or upon the fountain a deep thickness: for I can perceive nothing. But how am I deluded? or what difficult (nay impossible) thing is this? methinketh it easy. Good father and how? Is not a circle of all Figures the perfectest? Yes. And is not Cynthia of all circles the most absolute? Yes. Is it not impossible to measure her, who still worketh by her influence, never standing at one stay? Yes. Is she not always Cynthia, yet seldom in the same bigness, always wavering in her waxing or waning, that our bodies might the better be governed, our seasons the dailier give their increase, yet never to be removed from her course, as long as the heavens continue theirs?
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)
Eumenides, release Endimion, for all thinges (friendship excepted) are subiect to fortune: Loue is but an eye worme, which onely tickleth the heade with hopes, and wishes: friendshippe the image of eternitie, in which there is nothing moueable, nothing mischeeuous. As much difference as there is betweene Beautie and Vertue, bodies and shadowes, colours and life: so great oddes is there betweene loue and friendshippe. Loue is a Camelion, which draweth nothing into the mouth but ayre, and nourisheth nothing in the bodie but lunges: beleeue mee Eumenides, Desire dyes in the same moment that Beautie sickens, and Beautie fadeth in the same instant that it flourisheth. When aduersities flowe, then loue ebbes: but friendship standeth stifflie in stormes. Time draweth wrinckles in a fayre face, but addeth fresh colours to a fast friende, which neither heate, nor cold, nor miserie, nor place, nor destiny, can alter or diminish. O friendship of all things the most rare, and therefore most rare because most excellent, whose comforts in misery is alwaies sweet, and whose counsels in prosperitie are euer fortunate. Vaine loue, that onely comming neere to friendship in name, woulde seeme to be the same, or better, in nature. Father I allowe your reasons, and will therefore conquer mine own. Vertue shall subdue affections, wisdome lust, friendship beautie. Mistresses are in euery place, and as common as Hares in Atho, Bees in Hybla, foules in the ayre: but friends to be founde, are like the Phaenix in Arabia, but one, or the Philadelphi in Arays, neuer aboue two. I will haue Endimion, sacred Fountaine, in whose bowels are hidden diuine secrets, I haue encreased your waters with the teares of vnspotted thoughts and therefore let mee receiue the reward you promise: Endimion, the truest friende to mee, and faithfullest louer to Cynthia, is in such a dead sleepe, that nothing can wake or mooue him. Doost thou see any thing? I see in the same Piller, these wordes: When shee whose figure of all is the perfectest, and neuer to bee measured: alwaies one, yet neuer the same: still inconstant, yet neuer wauering, shall come and kisse Endimion in his sleepe, hee shall then rise, els neuer. This is straunge. What see you els? There commeth ouer mine eyes either a darke mist, or vppon the fountaine a deepe thicknesse: for I can perceiue nothing. But howe am I deluded? or what difficult (nay impossible) thing is this? Me thinketh it easie. Good father and howe? Is not a circle of all Figures the perfectest? Yes. And is not Cynthia of all cyrcles the most absolute? Yes. Is it not impossible to measure her, who still worketh by her influence, neuer standing at one stay? Yes. Is shee not alwaies Cynthia, yet seldome in the same bignesse, alwaies wauering in her waxing or wayning, that our bodies might the better bee gouerned, our seasons the daylier giue their increase, yet neuer to bee remooued from her course, as long as the heauens continue theirs?