Jonson, Ben · published 1616 · first performed or written 1599 (Annals) comedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men unassigned nearest T5 Christian faith, sin and salvation · 480 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T5: god, christ, david, sin, holy, israel, lord, mercy, sins, faith.
NAy, my dear ASPER, Stay your mind: Away. Who is so patient of this impious world, That he can check his spirit, or rain his tongue? Or who hath such a dead unfeeling sense, That heavens horrid thunders cannot wake? To see the earth, cracked with the weight of sin, Hell gaping under us, and o'er our heads Black ravenous ruin, with her sail-stretched wings, Ready to sink us down, and cover vs. Who can behold such prodigies as these, And have his lips sealed up? not I: my soul Was never ground into such oily colours, To flatter vice and daub iniquity: But (with an armed, and resolved hand) I'll strip the ragged follies of the time, Naked, as at their birth: (Be not too bold. You trouble me) and with a whip of steel, Print wounding lashes in their iron ribs. I fear no mood stamped in a private brow, When I am pleased t'unmask a public vice. I fear no strumpets drugs, nor ruffians stab, Should I detect their hateful luxuries; No brokers, usurers, or lawyers gripe, Were I disposed to say, they're all corrupt. I fear no courtiers frown, should I applaud The easy flexure of his supple hums. Tut, these are so innate, and popular, That drunken custom would not shame to laugh (In scorn) at him, that should but dare to taxe'hem. And yet, not one of these but knows his works, Knows what damnation is, the devil, and hell, Yet, hourly they persist, grow rank in sin, Puffing their souls away in perjurious air, To cherish their extortion, pride, or lusts. Forbear, good ASPER, be not like your name. O, but to such, whose faces are all zeal, And (with the words of HERCULES) invade Such crimes as these! that will not smell of sin, But seem as they were made of Sanctify! Religion in their garments, and their hair Cut shorter than their eyebrows! when the conscience Is vaster than the Ocean, and devours More wretches than the Counters. Gentle ASPER, Contain your spirit in more stricter bounds, And be not thus transported with the violence Of your strong thoughts. Unless your breath had power To melt the world, and mould it new again, It is in vain; to spend it in these moods. I not observed this thronged round till now. Gracious, and kind spectators, you are welcome, APOLLO, and the MUSES feast your eyes With graceful objects, and may our MINERVA Answer your hopes, unto their largest strain. Yet here, mistake me not, judicious friends. I do not this, to beg your patience, Or servilely to fawn on your applause, Like some dry brain, despairing in his merit: Let me be censured, by th'austerest brow, Where I want art, or judgement, tax me freely: Let envious Censors with their broadest eyes Look through and through me; I pursue no favour.
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)
NAy, my deare ASPER, Stay your mind: Away. Who is so patient of this impious world, That he can checke his spirit, or reine his tongue? Or who hath such a dead vnfeeling sense, That heauens horrid thunders cānot wake? To see the earth, crackt with the weight of sinne, Hell gaping vnder vs, and o're our heads Blacke rau'nous ruine, with her saile-stretcht wings, Ready to sinke vs downe, and couer vs. Who can behold such prodigies as these, And haue his lips seal'd vp? not I: my soule Was neuer ground into such oyly colours, To flatter vice and daube iniquitie: But (with an armed, and resolued hand) Ile strip the ragged follies of the time, Naked, as at their birth: (Be not too bold. You trouble me) and with a whip of steele, Print wounding lashes in their yron ribs. I feare no mood stampt in a priuate brow, When I am pleas'd t'vnmaske a publicke vice. I feare no strumpets drugs, nor ruffians stab, Should I detect their hatefull luxuries; No brokers, vsurers, or lawyers gripe, Were I dispos'd to say, they're all corrupt. I feare no courtiers frowne, should I applaud The easie flexure of his supple hummes. Tut, these are so innate, and popular, That drunken custome would not shame to laugh (In scorne) at him, that should but dare to taxe'hem. And yet, not one of these but knowes his workes, Knowes what damnation is, the deuill, and hell, Yet, howerly they persist, grow ranke in sinne, Puffing their soules away in perj'rous aire, To cherish their extortion, pride, or lusts. Forbeare, good ASPER, be not like your name. O, but to such, whose aces are all zeale, And (with the words of HERCVLES) invade Such crimes as these! that will not smell of sinne, But seeme as they were made of Sanctifie! Religion in their garments, and their haire Cut shorter than their eye-browes! when the conscience Is vaster than the Ocean, and deuoures More wretches than the Counters. Gentle ASPER, Containe your spirit in more stricter bounds, And be not thus transported with the violence Of your strong thoughts. Vnlesse your breath had power To melt the world, and mould it new againe, It is in vaine; to spend it in these moods. I not obseru'd this thronged round till now. Gracious, and kind spectators, you are welcome, APOLLO, and the MVSES feast your eyes With gracefull obiects, and may our MINERVA Answere your hopes, vnto their largest straine. Yet here, mistake me not, iudicious friends. I doe not this, to begge your patience, Or seruilely to fawne on your applause, Like some drie braine, despairing in his merit: Let me be censur'd, by th'austerest brow, Where I want arte, or iudgement, taxe me freely: Let envious Censors with their broadest eyes Looke through and through me; I pursue no fauour.