Jonson, Ben · published 1602 · first performed or written 1601 (Annals) comedy · Children of the Chapel (second) · Blackfriars unassigned nearest T19 Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions · 530 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
And yet so chaste, and tender is his Ear, In suffering in any Syllable to pass, That, he thinks, may become the honoured name Of Issue to his so examined self; That all the lasting fruits of his full merit In his own Poems, he doth still distaste: As if his minds Piece, which he strove to paint, Can not with fleshly Pencils have her right. But, to approve his works of Sovereign worth, This Observation (me thinks) more than serves: And is not vulgar. That, which he hath writ, Is with such judgement, laboured, and distilled Through all the needful uses of our lives, That could a man remember but his Lines, He should not touch at any serious point, But he might breathe his spirit out of him. You mean, he might repeat part of his works, As fit for any conference, he can use? true, Royal Caesar. 'Tis worthily observed: And a most worthy virtue in his works. What thinks, Material Horace, of his learning? His Learning labours not the School-like Gloss, That most consists in Echoing Words, and Terms, And soon wins a man an Empty name; Nor any long, or far-fetched Circumstance, Wrapped in the curious General'ties of Arts: But a direct, and Analytic Sum Of all the worth and first effects of Artes. And for his Poesy, 'tis so rammed with Life, That it shall gather strength of Life, with being; And live hereafter, more admired, then now. This one consent, in all your dooms of him, And mutual Loves of all your several merits, Argues a truth of merit in you all. See, here comes Virgil; we will rise and greet him: Welcome to Caesar, Virgil. Caesar, and Virgil Shall differ but in sound; to Caesar, Virgil (Of his expressed Greatness) shall be made A second Surname; and to Virgil, Caesar. Where are thy Famous Aeneids? do us grace To let us see, and surfeit on their sight. Worthless they are of Caesar's gracious Eyes, If they were perfect; much more, with their wants; Which yet are more, than my Time could supply: And, could great Caesar's expectation Be satisfied with any other service, I would not show them. Virgil is too modest; Or seeks, in vain, to make our long more. Show them, sweet Virgil. Then, in such due fear, As fits Presenters of great works, to Caesar, I humbly show them: Let us now behold A human Soul made visible in life; And more refulgent in a senseless paper, Then in the sensual Complement of Kings. Read, read, thyself, dear Virgil, let not me Profane one accent, with an untuned tongue: Best matter, badly shown, shows worse, then bad. See then, this Chair, of Purpose set for thee To read thy Poem in: Refuse it not. Virtue, without presumption, place may take Above best Kings, whom only she should make. It will be thought a thing ridiculous To present Eyes, and to all future times A gross untruth; that any Poet (void Of Birth, or wealth, or Temporal dignity) Should, with decorum, transcend Caesar's Chair. Poor Virtue raised, high birth and wealth set under, Crosseth Heavens courses, and makes worldlings wonder.
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)
And yet ſo chaſt, and tender is his Eare, In ſuffering in any Syllable to paſſe, That, he thinkes, may become the honour'd name Of Iſſue to his ſo examin'd ſelfe; That all the laſting fruites of his full merit In his owne Poemes, he doth ſtill diſtaſte: As if his mindes Peece, which he ſtroue to paint, Could not with fleſhly Penſils haue her right. But, to approue his workes of Soueraigne worth, This Obſeruation (me thinkes) more then ſerues: And is not vulgar. That, which hee hath writ, Is with ſuch iudgement, labour'd, and diſtill'd Through all the needefull vſes of our liues, That could a man remember but his Lines, He ſhould not touch at any ſerious point, But he might breath his ſpirit out of him. You meane, he might repeat part of his workes, As fit for any conference, he can vſe? Trew, Royall Caeſar. 'Tis worthily obſeru'd: And a moſt worthie vertue in his workes. VVhat thinks, Materiall Horace, of his learning? His Learning labours not the Schoole-like Gloſſe, That moſt conſiſts in Ecchoing VVordes, and Termes, And ſooneſt wins a man an Empty name; Nor any long, or far-fetcht Circumſtance, VVrapt in the curious General'ties of Artes: But a direct, and Analyticke Summe Of all the worth and firſt effectes of Artes. And for his Poëſie, 'tis ſo ramm'd with Life, That it ſhall gather ſtrength of Life, with being; And liue hereafter, more admir'd, then now. This one conſent, in all your doomes of him, And mutuall Loues of all your ſeuerall merits, Argues a truth of merit in you all. See, here comes Virgill; we will riſe and greet him: Welcome to Caeſar, Virgill. Caeſar, and Virgill Shall differ but in ſound; to Caeſar, Virgill (Of his expreſſed Greatneſſe) ſhall be made A ſecond Sir-name; and to Virgill, Caeſar. Where are thy Famous Aeneids? doe vs grace To let vs ſee, and ſurfet on their ſight. Worthleſſe they are of Caeſars gracious Eyes, If they were perfect; much more, with their wants; Which yet are more, then my Time could ſupply: And, could great Caeſars expectation Be ſatisfied with any other ſeruice, I would not ſhew them. Virgill is too modeſt; Or ſeekes, in vaine, to make our longings more. Shew them, ſweete Virgill. Then, in ſuch due feare, As fits Preſenters of great works, to Caeſar, I humbly ſhew them: Let vs now behold A humane Soule made viſible in life; And more refulgent in a ſenſeleſſe paper, Then in the ſenſuall Complement of Kings. Read, read, thy ſelfe, deare Virgill, let not me Prophane one accent, with an vntun'd tongue: "Beſt matter, badly ſhowne, ſhewes worſe, then bad. See then, this Chayre, of Purpoſe ſet for thee To reade thy Poeme in: Refuſe it not. "Vertue, without preſumption, place may take "Aboue beſt Kings, whom onely ſhe ſhould make. It will be thought a thing ridiculous To preſent Eyes, and to all future times A groſſe vntruth; that any Poet (void Of Birth, or wealth, or Temporall dignity) Should, with decorum, tranſcend Caeſars Chayre. "Poore Vertue raiſ'd, high birth and wealth ſet vnder, "Croſſeth Heauens courſes, and makes worldlings wonder.