Jonson, Ben · published 1600 · first performed or written 1599 (Annals) comedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men unassigned nearest T35 Fools, wit and railing · 478 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T35: fool, wit, aristippus, achilles, wise, fools, patroclus, thersites, master, men.
Ha, ha: You might as well have told me, yond is heaven, This earth, these men; and all had moved alike. Do not I know the Time's condition? Yes Mitis; and their souls, and who they be That either will or can except against me: None but a sort of fools, so sick in taste, That they contemn all Physic of the mind, And like galled Camels kick at every touch Good men, and virtuous spirits, that loathe their vices, Will cherish my free labours, love my lines, And with the fervour of their shining grace, Make my brain fruitful to bring forth more objects Worthy their serious and intentive eyes. But why enforce I this, as fainting? no: If any here chance to behold himself, Let him not dare to challenge me of wrong, For if he shame to have his follies known, First he should shame to act 'em: my strict hand Was made to cease on vice; and with a gripe Crush out the Humour of such spongy souls, As lick up every idle vanity. Why this is right Furor Poeticus: Kind gentlemen, we hope your patience Will yet conceive the best, or entertain This supposition, That a madman speaks. What? are you ready there? Mitis sit down; And my Cordatus. Sound hoe, and begin: I leave you two as Censors to sit here, Observe what I present, and liberally Speak your opinions, upon every Scene, As it shall pass the view of these Spectators, Nay now, you're tedious Sirs, for shame begin: And Mitis, note me if in all this front, You can espy a gallant of this mark, Who (to be thought one of the judicious) Sits with his arms thus wreathed, his hat pulled here, Cries meaw, and nods, then shakes his empty head, Will show more several motions in his face Than the new London, Rome, or Nineveh, And (now and then) breaks a dry biscuit jest, Which that it may more easily be chewed, He steeps in his own laughter. Why? will that Make it be sooner swallowed? O, assure you: Or if it did not, yet as Horace sings: " jeiunus rar stomachus vulgaria temnit, Mean cates are welcome still to hungry guests. 'Tis true, but why should we observe 'em Asper? O I would know 'em, for in such assemblies, theyare more infectious than the Pestilence, And therefore I would give them pills to purge, And make 'em fit for fair societies. How monstrous and detested is 't to see A fellow that has neither art nor brain, Sit like an Aristarchus, or stark ass, Taking men's lines with a Tobacco face In snuff, still spitting, using his wried looks (In nature of a vice) to wrest and turn The good aspect of those that shall sit near him, From what they do behold? O 'tis most vile.
seed 43: T58 · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Ha, ha: You might as well haue told me, yond' is heauen, This earth, these men; and all had mou'd alike. Doe not I know the times condition? Yes Mitis; and their soules, and who they be That either will or can except against me: None but a sort of fooles, so sicke in tat, That they contemne all Phisicke of the mind, And like gald Camels kicke at every touch Good men, and vertuous spirits, that loath their vices, VVill cherish my free labours, love my lines, And with the fervor of their shining grace, Make my braine fruitfull to bring forth more obiects VVorthie their serious and intentiue eies. But why enforce I this, as fainting? no: If any here chance to behold himselfe, Let him not dare to challenge me of wrong, For if he shame to have his follies knowne, First he should shame to act 'hem: my strict hand VVas made to ceaze on vice; and with a gripe Crush out the Humor of such spongie soules, As licke vp euery idle vanitie. VVhy this is right Furor Poticus: Kind gentlemen, we hope your patience VVill yet conceiue the best, or entertaine This supposition, That a madman speakes. VVhat? are you readie there? Mitis sit downe; And my Cordatus. Sound hoe, and begin: I leave you two as Censors to sit here, Obserue what I present, and liberally Speake your opinions, vpon euery Scene, As it shall passe the view of these Spectators, Nay now, y'are tedious Sirs, for shame begin: And Mitis, note me if in all this front, You can espie a gallant of this marke, VVho (to be thought one of the judicious) Sits with his armes thus wreath'd, his hat pul'd here, Cries meaw, and nods, then shakes his empty head, VVill shew more seuerall motions in his face Than the new London, Rome, or Nineueh, And (now and then) breakes a drie bisket jest, VVhich that it may more easily be chew'd, He steeps in his owne laughter. VVhy? will that Make it be sooner swallow'd? O, assure you: Or if it did not, yet as Horace sings: "Ieiunus rar stomachus vulgaria temnit, "Meane cates are welcome still to hungrie guests. 'Tis true, but why should we obserue 'hem Asper? O I would know 'hem, for in such assemblies, Th'are more infectious than the Pestilence, And therefore I would giue them pils to purge, And make 'hem fit for faire societies. How monstrous and detested is 't to see A fellow that has neither art nor braine, Sit like an Aristarchus, or starke asse, Taking mens lines with a Tabacco face In snuffe, still spitting, vsing his wried lookes (In nature of a vice) to wrest and turne The good aspect of those that shall sit neere him, From what they doe behold? O tis most vile.