Jonson, Ben · published 1600 · first performed or written 1599 (Annals) comedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men T9 Theatre talk: prologues, poets and playe typicality 0.83 · 458 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T9: play, stage, poet, prologue, author, wit, plays, muse, scene, players.
Nay Asper. Peace Mitis, I do know your thought: You'll say, your audience will except at this? Pish: you are too timorous, and full of doubt: Then, he a patient, shall reject all Physic 'Cause the physician tells him you are sick: Or, if I say That he is vicious, You will not hear of virtue: come, you're fond. Shall I be so extravagant to think That happy judgements and composed spirits Will challenge me for taxing such as these? I am ashamed. Nay, but good pardon us: We must not bear this peremptory sail, But use our best endeavours how to please. Why therein I commend your careful thoughts, And I will mix with you in industry To please; but whom? attentive auditors, Such as will join their profit with their pleasure, And come to feed their understanding parts: For these, I'll prodigally spend myself, And speak away my spirit into air; For these, I'll melt my brain into invention, Coin new conceits, and hang my richest words As polished jewels in their bounteous ears. But stay, I lose myself, and wrong their patience; If I dwell here, they'll not begin, I see: Friends sit you still, and entertain this troop With some familiar and by-conference, I'll haste them sound: now gentlemen I go To turn an Actor, and a Humorist, Where (ere I do resume my present person) We hope to make the circles of your eyes Flow with distilled laughter: if we fail, We must impute it to this only chance, " Art hath an enemy called Ignorance. How do you like his spirit, Mitis? I should like it much better, if he were less confident. Why, do you suspect his merit? No, but I fear this will procure him much envy. O, that sets the stronger seal on his desert, if he had no enemies, I should esteem his fortunes most wretched at this instant. You have seen his play Cordatus? pray you; how is't? Faith sir, I must refrain to judge, only this I can say of it, 'tis strange, and of a particular kind by itself, somewhat like Vetus Comoedia: a work that hath bounteously pleased me, how it will answer the general expectation, I know not. Does he observe all the laws of Comedy in it? What laws mean you? Why the equal division of it into Acts and Scenes, according to the Terentian manner, his true number of Actors; the furnishing of the Scene with Grex or Chorus, and that the whole Argument fall within compass of a days efficiency. O no, these are too nice observations. They are such as must be received by your favour, or it cannot be Authentic. Troth I can discern no such necessity. No?
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Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Nay Asper. Peace Mitis, I doe know your thought: You'le say, your audience will except at this? Pish: you are too timorous, and full of doubt: Then, he a patient, shall reiect all Phisicke 'Cause the physitian tels him you are sicke: Or, if I say That he is vicious, You will not heare of vertue: come, y'are fond. Shall I be so extravagant to thinke That happie judgements and composed spirits VVill challenge me for taxing such as these? I am asham'd. Nay, but good pardon vs: VVe must not beare this perempt orie saile, But vse our best endevours how to please. VVhy therein I commend your carefull thoughts, And I will mixe with you in industrie To please; but whom? attentive auditors, Such as will joine their profit with their pleasure, And come to feed their vnderstanding parts: For these, Ile prodigally spend my selfe, And speake away my spirit into aire; For these, Ile melt my braine into invention, Coine new conceits, and hang my richest words As polisht jewels in their bounteous eares. But stay, I loose my selfe, and wrong their patience; If I dwell here, they 'le not begin, I see: Friends sit you still, and entertaine this troupe VVith some familiar and by-conference, Ile hast them sound: now gentlemen I goe To turne an Actor, and a Humorist, VVhere (ere I doe resume my present person) VVe hope to make the circles of your eies Flow with distilled laughter: if we faile, VVe must impute it to this onely chance, "Art hath an enemie cal'd Ignorance. How doe you like his spirit, Mitis? I should like it much better, if he were lesse confident. VVhy, doe you suspect his merit? No, but I feare this will procure him much envie. O, that sets the stronger seale on his desert, if he had no enemies, I should esteeme his fortunes most wretched at this instant. You have seene his play Cordatus? pray you; how is't? Faith sir, I must refraine to judge, onely this I can say of it, 'tis strange, and of a perticular kind by it selfe, somewhat like Vetus Comoedia: a worke that hath bounteously pleased me, how it will answere the generall expectation, I know not. Does he observe all the lawes of Comedie in it? VVhat lawes meane you? VVhy the equall deuision of it into Acts and Scenes, according to the Terentian manner, his true number of Actors; the furnishing of the Scene with Grex or Chorus, and that the whole Argument fall within compasse of a daies efficiencie. O no, these are too nice observations. They are such as must bee received by your fauour, or it cannot be Authentique. Troth I can discerne no such necessitie. No?