Jonson, Ben · published 1616 · first performed or written 1601 (Annals) comedy · Children of the Chapel (second) unassigned nearest T19 Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions · 530 words · other edition — not in the analysis
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 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, Could not with fleshly pencils have her right. But, to approve his works of sovereign worth, This observation (methinks) 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 breath 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. 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 soonest wins a man an empty name; Nor any long, or far-fetched circumstance, Wrapped in the curious generalties of arts: But a direct, and analytic sum Of all the worth and first effects of arts. 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 longings 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, or 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 chaste, and tender is his eare▪ In suffering 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 fruits 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 pencils haue her right. But, to approue his workes of soueraigne worth, This obseruation (me thinkes) more then serues: And is not vulgar. That, which he hath writ, Is with such iudgement, labour'd, and distill'd Through all the needfull vses of our liues, 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 meane, he might repeat part of his workes, As fit for any conference, he can vse? True, royall CAESAR. Worthily obseru'd: And a most worthie vertue in his workes. What thinks materiall HORACE, of his learning? His learning labours not the schoole-like glosse, That most consists in ecchoing wordes, and termes, And soonest wins a man an empty name; Nor any long, or far-fetcht circumstance, Wrapt in the curious generalties of artes: But a direct, and analyticke summe Of all the worth and first effects of artes. And for his poesie, '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 trueth 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 greatnesse) shall be made A second sur-name, and to VIRGIL, 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. VIRGIL is too modest; Or seekes, in vaine, to make our longings more. Shew them, sweet VIRGIL. Then, in such due feare, As fits presenters of great workes, 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 VIRGIL, let not me Prophane one accent, with an vntun'd tongue: "Best matter, badly showne, shewes worse, then bad. See then, this chaire, or 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 chaire. "Poore vertue rais'd, high birth and wealth set vnder, "Crosseth heau'ns courses, and makes worldlings wonder.