Jonson, Ben · published 1616 · first performed or written 1599 (Annals) comedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men unassigned nearest T51 Parents and children: blessing, birthrig · 505 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T51: esau, iacob, father, son, isaac, god, love, birthright, parents, thing.
You say well, but I would feign hear one of these autumne-judgements define once, Quid sit Comoedia? if he cannot, let him content himself with CICERO'S definition (till he have strength to propose to himself a better) who would have a Comedy to be Imitatio vitae, Speculum consuetudinis, Imago veritatis; a thing throughout pleasant, and ridiculous, and accommodated to the correction of manners: if the maker have failed in any particle of this, they may worthily tax him, but if not, why— be you (that are for them) silent, as I will be for him; and give way to the actors. NAy, gods precious, if the weather and season be so respectless, that beggars shall live as well as their betters; and that my hunger, and thirst for riches, shall not make them hunger and thirst with poverty; that my sleeps shall be broke, and their hearts not broken; that my coffers shall be full, and yet care; theirs empty, and yet merry! 'tis time, that a cross should bear flesh and blood, since flesh and blood cannot bear this cross. What, will he hang himself? Faith I, it seems his Prognostication has not kept touch with him, and that makes him despair. Beshrew me, he will be out of his humour then, indeed. Tut, these star-monger knaves, who would trust 'em? one says, dark and rainy, when 'tis as clear as crystal; another says, tempestuous blasts, and storms, and 'twas as calm as a milke-bowle; here be sweet rascals for a man to credit his whole fortunes with: You sky-staring coxcombs you, you fat brains, out upon you; you are good for nothing but to sweat nightcaps, and make rug-gowns dear! You learned men, and have not a legion of devils, a vostre service! a vostre service! by heaven, I think I shall die a better scholar than they! but soft, how now, sirrah. Here's a letter come from your son, sir. From my son, sir? what would my son, sir? some good news, no doubt. Sweet and dear father (desiring you first to send me your blessing, which is more worth to me then gold or silver) I desire you likewise to be advertised, that this Shrovetide (contrary to custom) we use always to have revels; which is indeed dancing, and makes an excellent show in truth; especially if we gentlemen be well attired; which our seniors note, and think the better of our fathers, the better we are maintained, and that they shall know if they come up, and have any thing to do in the law: therefore, good father, these are (for your own sake as well as mine) to re-desire you; that you let me not want, that which is fit for the setting up of our name, in the honourable volume of gentility, that I may say to our calumniators, with TULLY, Ego sum ortus domus meae, tu occasus tuae. And thus (not doubting of your fatherly benevolence) I humbly ask you blessing, and pray god to bless you.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: T49 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
You say well, but I would faine heare one of these autumne-judgements define once, Quid sit Comoedia? if he cannot, let him content himselfe with CICEROS definition (till hee haue strength to propose to himselfe a better) who would haue a Comoedie to be Imitatio vitae, Speculum consuetudinis, Imago veritatis; a thing throughout pleasant, and ridiculous, and accommodated to the correction of manners: if the maker haue fail'd in any particle of this, they may worthily taxe him, but if not, why— be you (that are for them) silent, as I will bee for him; and giue way to the actors. NAy, gods precious, if the weather and season bee so respectlesse, that beggers shall liue as well as their betters; and that my hunger, and thirst for riches, shall not make them hunger and thirst with pouertie; that my sleepes shall be brokes, and their hearts not broken; that my coffers shall bee full, and yet care; theirs emptie, and yet merry! Tis time, that a crosse should beare flesh and bloud, since flesh and bloud cannot beare this crosse. What, will he hang himselfe? Faith I, it seemes his Prognostication has not kept touch with him, and that makes him despaire. Beshrow me, he will be out of his humour then, indeed. Tut, these star-monger knaues, who would trust 'hem? one saies, darke and rainy, when 'tis as cleere as christall; another saies, tempestuous blasts, and stormes, and 'twas as calme as a milke-bowle; here bee sweet rascals for a man to credit his whole fortunes with: You skie-staring cocks-combs you, you fat braines, out vpon you; you are good for nothing but to sweat night-caps, and make rug-gownes deare! You learned men, and haue not a legion of deuils, a vostre seruice! a vostre seruice! by heauen, I thinke I shall die a better scholler then they! but soft, how now, sirra. Here's a letter come from your sonne, sir. From my sonne, sir? what would my sonne, sir? some good newes, no doubt. Sweet and deare father (desiring you first to send mee your blessing, which is more worth to me then gold or siluer) I desire you likewise to be aduertised, that this Shrouetide (contrary to custome) we vse alwaies to haue reuels; which is indeed dancing, and makes an excellent shew in truth; especially if wee gentlemen bee well attir'd; which our seniors note, and thinke the better of our fathers, the better we are maintain'd, and that they shall know if they come vp, and haue any thing to doe in the law: therefore, good father, these are (for your owne sake as well as mine) to re-desire you; that you let me not want, that which is fit for the setting vp of our name, in the honorable volume of gentilitie, that I may say to our calumniators, with TVLLIE, Ego sum ortus domus meae, tu occasus tuae. And thus (not doubting of your fatherly beneuolence) I humbly aske you blessing, and pray god to blesse you.