The Merchant of Venice (The Jew of Venice) · chunk 3 of 39
Shakespeare, William · published 1600 · first performed or written 1596 [1596-1598] (Annals) comedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men T14 Royal love, favour and dynastic relation typicality 0.75 · 490 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T14: prince, princess, love, king, lord, queen, madam, grace, lady, life.
If to do were as easy as to know what were good to do, Chapels had been Churches, and poor men's cottages Prince's Palaces, it is a good divine that follows his own instructions, I can easier teach twenty what were good to be done, then to be one of the twenty to follow mine own teaching: the brain may devise laws for the blood, but a hot temper leaps over a cold decree, such a hare is madness the youth, to skip over the meshes of good counsel the cripple; but this reasoning is not in the fashion to choose me a husband, o me the word choose, I may neither choose who I would, nor refuse who I dislike, so is the will of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father: is it not hard Nerrissa, that I cannot choose one, nor refuse none. Your Father was ever virtuous, and holy men at their death have good inspirations, therefore the lottrie that he hath devised in these three chests of gold, silver, and lead, whereof who chooses his meaning chooses you, will no doubt never be chosen by any rightly, but one who you shall rightly love: But what warmth is there in your affection towards any of these Princely suitors that are already come? I pray thee ouer-name them, and as thou namest them, I will describe them, and according to my description level at my affection. First there is the Neopolitan Prince. I that's a colt indeed, for he doth nothing but talk of his horse, & he makes it a great appropriation to his own good parts that he can shoe him himself: I am much afeard my Lady his mother played false with a Smyth. Than is there the County Palentine. He doth nothing but frown (as who should say, & you will not have me, choose, he hears merry tales and smiles not, I fear he will prove the weeping Philosopher when he grows old, being so full of unmannerly sadness in his youth,) I had rather be married to a death's head with a bone in his mouth, then to either of these: God defend me from these two. How say you by the French Lord, monsieur Le Boon? God made him, and therefore let him pass for a man, in truth I know it is a sin to be a mocker, but he, why he hath a horse better than the Neopolitans, a better bad habit of frowning then the Count Palentine, he is every man in no man, if a Trassell sing, he falls straght a capering, he will fence with his own shadow. If I should marry him, I should marry twenty husbands: if he would despise me, I would forgive him, for if he love me to madness, I shall never requite him. What say you then to Fauconbridge, the young Baron of England?
seed 43: T14 · seed 44: T9 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
If to do were as eaſie as to know what were good to do, Chappels had beene Churches, and poore mens cottages Princes Pallaces, it is a good diuine that followes his owne inſtructions, I can eaſier teach twentie what were good to be done, then to be one of the twentie to follow mine owne teaching: the braine may deuiſe lawes for the blood, but a hote temper leapes ore a colde decree, ſuch a hare is madnes the youth, to skippe ore the meſhes of good counſaile the cripple; but this reaſoning is not in the faſhion to chooſe mee a husband, ô mee the word chooſe, I may neyther chooſe who I would, nor refuſe who I diſlike, ſo is the will of a lyuing daughter curbd by the will of a deade father: is it not harde Nerriſſa, that I cannot chooſe one, nor refuſe none. Your Father was euer vertuous, and holy men at theyr death haue good inſpirations, therefore the lottrie that he hath deuiſed in theſe three cheſts of gold, ſiluer, and leade, whereof who chooſes his meaning chooſes you, will no doubt neuer be choſen by any rightlie, but one who you ſhall rightly loue: But what warmth is there in your affection towardes any of theſe Princelie ſuters that are already come? I pray thee ouer-name them, and as thou nameſt them, I will deſcribe them, and according to my deſcription leuell at my affection. Firſt there is the Neopolitane Prince. I thats a colt indeede, for he doth nothing but talke of his horſe, & he makes it a great appropriation to his owne good parts that he can ſhoo him himſelfe: I am much afeard my Ladie his mother plaid falſe with a Smyth. Than is there the Countie Palentine. Hee doth nothing but frowne (as who ſhould ſay, & you will not haue me, chooſe, he heares merry tales and ſmiles not, I feare hee will prooue the weeping Phyloſopher when hee growes old, beeing ſo full of vnmannerly ſadnes in his youth,) I had rather be married to a deaths head with a bone in his mouth, then to eyther of theſe: God defend me from theſe two. How ſay you by the French Lord, Mounſier Le Boune? God made him, and therefore let him paſſe for a man, in truth I knowe it is a ſinne to be a mocker, but hee, why hee hath a horſe better then the Neopolitans, a better bad habite of frowning then the Count Palentine, he is euery man in no man, if a Traſſell ſing, he falls ſtraght a capring, he will fence with his owne ſhadow. If I ſhould marry him, I ſhould marry twenty husbands: if hee would deſpiſe me, I would forgiue him, for if he loue me to madnes, I ſhall neuer requite him. What ſay you then to Fauconbridge, the young Barron of England?