Jonson, Ben · published 1600 · first performed or written 1599 (Annals) comedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men T35 Fools, wit and railing typicality 0.79 · 487 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T35: fool, wit, aristippus, achilles, wise, fools, patroclus, thersites, master, men.
Faith, if the time will suffer his description, I'll give it you: he is one, the Author calls him Carlo Buffone, an impudent common jester, a violent railer, and an incomprehensible Epicure: one, whose company is desired of all men, but beloved of none; he will sooner lose his soul than a jest, and profane even the most holy things, to excite laughter: no honourable or reverend parsonage whatsoever, can come within the reach of his eye, but is turned into all manner of variety, by his adulterate similes. You paint forth a monster. He will prefer all countries before his native, and thinks he can never sufficiently, or with admiration enough, deliver his affectionate conceit of foreign Atheistical policies: but stay, observe these, he'll appear himself anon. O, this is your envious man (Macilente) I think. The same, sir. Viri est, fortunae caecitatem facile far: 'tis true; but Stoic: where (in the vast world) Doth that man breath, that can so much command His blood and his affection? well: I see, I strive in vain to cure my wounded soul; For every cordial that my thoughts apply Turns to a corrosive, and doth eat it farther. There is no taste in this Philosophy, 'tis like a Potion that a man should drink, But turns his stomach with the sight of it. I am no such pild cynic, to believe That beggary is the only happiness; Or (with a number of these patient fools) To sing: My mind to me a kingdom is, When the lank hungry belly barks for food: I look into the world, and there I meet With objects, that do strike my bloodshot eyes Into my brain: where, when I view myself; Having before observed: this man is great, Mighty, and feared: that, loved and highly favoured: A third, thought wise and learned: a fourth, rich, And therefore honoured: a fifth, rarely featured: A sixth, admired for his nuptial fortunes: When I see these (I say) and view myself, I wish my Optic instruments were cracked; And that the engine of my grief could cast Mine eyeballs like two globes of wildfire forth, To melt this unproportioned frame of Nature. Oh, they are thoughts that have transfixed my heart, And often (i' the strength of apprehension) Made my cold passion stand upon my face, Like drops of sweat on a stiff cake of ice. This alludes well to that of the Poet, invidus suspirat, gemit, incutitque dentes, Sudat frigidus, intuens quod odit. O peace, you break the Scene. Soft, who be these? I'll lay me down a while till they be past. signor, note this gallant I pray you. What is he? A tame Rook, you'll take him presently: List. Nay look you Carlo: this is my Humour now; I have land and money, my friends left me well, and I will be a gentleman whatsoever it cost me. A most gentlemanlike resolution.
nodes 272–319 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 7 of 74 in this edition
Length
487 words · 680 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T35 — Fools, wit and railingcross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.791 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
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)
Faith, if the time will suffer his description, I'le giue it you: he is one, the Author calls him Carlo Buffone, an impudent common jester, a violent railer, and an incomprehensible Epicure: one, whose companie is desir'd of all men, but belou'd of none; hee will sooner loose his soule than a jest, and prophane euen the most holy things, to excite laughter: no honourable or reuerend personage whatsoeuer, can come within the reach of his eye, but is turn'd into all manner of varietie, by his adult' rate simile's. You paint forth a monster. Hee will preferre all countries before his natiue, and thinkes he can neuer sufficiently, or with admiration enough, deliuer his affectionate conceit of forrein Atheisticall pollicies: but stay, obserue these, hee'le appeare himselfe anon. O, this is your enuious man (Macilente) I thinke. The same, sir. Viriest, fortunae caecitatem facile ferre: Tis true; but Stoique: where (in the vast world) Doth that man breath, that can so much commaund His blood and his affection? well: I see, I striue in vaine to cure my wounded soule; For euery cordiall that my thoughts apply Turns to a cor'siue, and doth eat it farder. There is no tast in this Philosophie, Tis like a Potion that a man should drinke, But turnes his stomacke with the sight of it. I am no such pild Cinique, to beleeue That beggerie is the only happinesse; Or (with a number of these patient fooles) To sing: My mind to me a kingdome is, VVhen the lanke hungrie belly barkes for food: I looke into the world, and there I meet VVith obiects, that doe strike my blood-shot eyes Into my braine: where, when I view my selfe; Having before obseru'd: this man is great, Mightie, and fear'd: that, lou'd and highly fauour'd: A third, thought wise and learned: a fourth, rich, And therefore honour'd: a fifth, rarely featur'd: A sixth, admir'd for his nuptiall fortunes: VVhen I see these (I say) and view my selfe, I wish my Optique instruments were crackt; And that the engine of my griefe could cast Mine eye-balls like two globes of wild-fire forth, To melt this vnproportion'd frame of Nature. Oh, they are thoughts that haue transixt my heart, And often (i' the strength of apprehension) Made my cold passion stand vpon my face, Like drops of sweat on a stiffe cake of yce. This alludes well to that of the Poet, Inuidus suspirat, gemit, incutitque dentes, Sudat frigidus, intuens quod odit. O peace, you breake the Scene. Soft, who be these? I'le lay me downe a while till they be past. Signior, note this gallant I pray you. VVhat is hee? A tame Rooke, youle take him presently: List. Nay looke you Carlo: this is my Humour now; I haue land and money, my friends left me well, and I will be a gentleman whatsoever it cost me. A most gentleman-like resolution.