Jonson, Ben · published 1602 · first performed or written 1601 (Annals) comedy · Children of the Chapel (second) · Blackfriars T9 Theatre talk: prologues, poets and playe typicality 0.73 · 489 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T9: play, stage, poet, prologue, author, wit, plays, muse, scene, players.
You have sir, a Poem? and where is't? that's the Law you study. Cornelius Gallus borrowed it to read. Cornelius Gallus? there's another gallant, too, hath drunk of the same poison: and Tibullus and Propertius. But these are Gentlemen of means, and Revenues now. Thou art a younger brother, and hast nothing, but thy bare exhibition: which I protest shall be bare indeed, if thou forsake not these unprofitable by-courses, and that timely too. Name me a professed Poet, that his Poetry did ever afford him so much as a competency. I, your God of Poets there (whom all of you admire and reverence so much) Homer, he whose wormeaten Statue must not be spewed against, but with hallowed lips and groveling adoration, what was he? what was he? Marry he tell thee old Swaggrer; He was a poor blind rhyming Rascal, that lived obscurely up and down in Booths & Tap-houses, and scarce ever made a good meal in his sleep, the whoreson hungry beggar. He says well. Nay I know this nettles you now: but answer me; Is't not true? Is't not true? You'll tell me his name shall live, & that now (being dead) his works have eternised him, and made him divine: but could this divinity feed him while he lived, could his name feast him? Thou speakest sentences, old Bias. Well, the day grows old, gentlemen, and I must leave you. Publius, if thou wilt hold my favour, abandon these idle fruitless studies that so traduce thee. Send Ianus home his back face again, and look only forward to the Law: Intent that. I will allow thee, what shall suit thee in the rank of Gentlemen, and maintain thy society with the best: & under these conditions, I leave thee. My blessings light upon thee, if thou respect them: if not, mine eyes may drop for thee, but thine own heart will ache for itself; and so farewell. What, are my horses come? Yes Sir, they are at the gate without. That's well. Asinius Lupus, a word. Captain, I shall take my leave of you? No, my little knight Errand, dispatch with Cavalier Cothurnus there; I'll attend thee, I. To borrow some ten Drachmas, I know his Proiecte. Sir you shall make me beholding to you. Now Captain Tucca, what say you? Why, what should I say? or what can I say, my most Magnanimous Mirror of Knighthood? Should I say thou art rich? or that thou art honourable? or wise? or valiant? or learned? or liberal? Why, thou art all these, and thouknowest it (my noble Lucullus) thou knowest it: come, be not ashamed of thy virtues, old Stump. Honour's a good brooch to wear in a man's hat, at all times. Thou art the man of wars Maecenas, knight. Why shouldst not thou be graced then by them, as well as he is by his Poets? How now my Carrier, what news?
seed 43: T16 · seed 44: T15 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
You haue ſir, a Poeme? and where is't? that's the Law you ſtudie. Cornelius Gallus borrowed it to reade. Cornelius Gallus? Ther's another gallant, too, hath drunke of the ſame poyſon: and Tibullus and Propertius. But theſe are Gentlemen of meanes, and Reuenewes now. Thou art a yonger brother, and haſt nothing, but thy bare exhibition: which I proteſt ſhall be bare indeede, if thou forſake not theſe vnprofitable by-courſes, and that timely too. Name me a profeſt Poet, that his Poetry did euer afford him ſo much as a competencie. I, your God of Poets there (whom all of you admire and reuerence ſo much) Homer, he whoſe worm-eaten Statue muſt not be ſpewd againſt, but with hallowed lips and groueling adoration, what was he? what was he? Marry he tell thee old Swaggrer; He was a poore blind riming Raſcal, that liu'd obſcurely vp and down in Boothes & Tap-houſes, and ſcarce euer made a good meale in his ſleepe, the whorſon hungry begger. He ſayes well. Nay I knowe this nettles you now: but anſwere mee; Is't not true? Is't not true? You'll tell mee his name ſhal liue, & that now (being deade) his workes haue eterniſed him, and made him diuine: but coulde this diuinitie feede him while he liued, could his name feaſt him? Thou ſpeak'ſt ſentences, olde Bias. Well, the day growes olde, gentlemen, and I muſt leaue you. Publius, if thou wilt hould my fauour, abādon theſe idle fruitleſſe ſtudies that ſo traduce thee. Send Ianus home his backe face againe, and looke onely forward to the Law: Intend that. I will alowe thee, what ſhal ſuit thee in the ranke of Gentlemen, and maintaine thy ſocietie with the beſt: & vnder theſe conditions, I leaue thee. My bleſſings light vpon thee, if thou reſpect them: if not, mine eyes may droppe for thee, but thine owne heart will ake for it ſelfe; and ſo farewell. What, are my horſes come? Yes Sir, they are at the gate without. That's well. Aſinius Lupus, a word. Captaine, I ſhall take my leaue of you? No, my little knight Errant, diſpatch with Caualier Cothurnus there; I'le attend thee, I. To borrowe ſome ten Drachmes, I knowe his Proiecte. Sir you ſhall make mee beholding to you. Now Captaine Tucca, what ſay you? Why, what ſhould I ſay? or what can I ſay, my moſt Magnanimous Mirror of Knighthood? Shold I ſay thou art rich? or that thou art honorable? or wiſe? or valiant? or learned? or liberall? Why, thou art all theſe, and thou-knoweſt it (my noble Lucullus) thou knoweſt it: come, be not aſhamed of thy vertues, olde Stumpe. Honour's a good brooch to weare in a mans hat, at all times. Thou art the man of warres Mecaenas, knight. Why ſhouldſt not thou bee grac't then by them, as well as he is by his Poets? How now my Carier, what newes?