Alexander, William · published 1604 · first performed or written 1604 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T37 Riches, poverty and covetousness · 487 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T37: wealth, riches, money, god, rich, poverty, men, learning, poor, ic.
Lo how the trustless world the worldlings tosses, And leads her lovers headlong unto death, Those that do court her most have maniest crosses, And yet vain man, this half-spent spark of breath, This dying substance, and this living shadow, The sport of Fortune, and the spoil of Time, Who like the glory of a half-mowed meadow Doth flourish now, and straight falls in his prime, Still toils t'attain (such is his foolish nature) A constant good in this inconstant ill: Unreasonable reasonable creature That makes his reason subject to his will. Whilst in the Stage of Contemplation placed Of worldly humours I behold the strife, Though different sprites have divers parts embraced, All act this transitory Scene of Life: Of curious minds who can the fancies fetter, The Soul unsatisfied, a prey t'each snare, Still loathing what it hath, doth dream of better, Which gotten, but begets a greater care. And yet all labour for t'attain the top Of th'unsure sovereign bliss that they surmise, Flowers of felicity, that few can crop, Yea, scarce can be discerned by the wise. Some place their happiness (unhappy beasts, And I must say, more senseless than their treasures) In gorgeous garments, and in dainty feasts, To pamper breath-tossed flesh with flying pleasures. Some more austerely with a wrinkled brow That triumph o'er their Passions with respects, With neither fortune moved to brag or bow, Would make the world enamoured of their sects. Some ravished still with virtues purest springs, Feed on th'Idea of that divine brood, And search the secrets of celestial things As most undoubted heirs of that high good. Thus with conceited ease and certain pain, All seek by several ways a perfect bliss: Which, O what wonder, if they not obtain, Who cannot well discern what thing it is! What happiness can be imagined here? Though we our hopes with vain surmises cherish, Who hardly conquer first what we hold dear, Then fear to lose it still that once must perish. Think (though of many thousands scarcely any Can at this point of Happiness arrive) Yet if it chance, it chanceth not to many, Only to get for what a world did strive. And though one swim in th'Ocean of delights, Have none above him, and his equals rare, Ears joying pleasant sounds; eyes stately sights; His treasures infinite; his buildings fair. Yet doth the world on Fortune's wheel rely, Which love's t'advance the wretched, wrack the great, Whose course resembles an inconstant eye, Ever in motion compassing deceat. Then let the greedy of his substance boast, Whilst th'excrements of th'earth his senses smother, What hath he gained, but what another lost? And why may not his loss enrich another? But ah! all loose, who seek to profit thus, And found their confidence on things that fade, We may be robbed from them, they robbed from us, all's grieved for th'one, as for the other glad.
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)
LOe how the truſtleſſe world the worldlings toſſes, And leades her louers headlong vnto death, Thoſe that doe court her moſt haue manieſt croſſes, And yet vaine man, this halfe-ſpent ſparke of breath, This dying ſubſtance, and this liuing ſhadow, The ſport of Fortune, and the ſpoyle of Time, Who like the glory of a halfe-mow'd meadow Doth flouriſh now, and ſtrait falles in his prime, Still toyles t'attaine (ſuch is his fooliſh nature) A conſtant good in this inconſtant ill: Vnreaſonable reaſonable creature That makes his reaſon ſubiect to his will. Whilſt in the Stage of Contemplation plac'd Of worldly humours I behold the ſtrife, Though different ſprites haue diuers partes imbrac'd, All act this tranſitorie Scene of Life: Of curious mindes who can the fancies fetter, The Soule vnſatisfide, a prey t'each ſnare, Still loathing what it hath, doth dreame of better, Which gotten, but begets a greater care. And yet all labour for t'attaine the top Of th'vnſure ſoueraigne bliſſe that they ſurmiſe, Flowres of Felicitie, that few can crop, Yea, ſcarce can be diſcerned by the wiſe. Some place their happineſſe (vnhappie beaſts, And I muſt ſay, more ſenceleſſe then their treaſures) In gorgeous garments, and in dainty feaſts, To pamper breath-toſs'd fleſh with flying pleaſures. Some more auſterely with a wrinckled brow That triumph o're their Paſſions with reſpectes, With neither fortune moou'd to brag or bow, Would make the world enamour'd of their ſectes. Some rauiſh'd ſtill with vertues pureſt ſprings, Feede on th'Idea of that diuine brood, And ſearch the ſecrets of celeſtiall things As moſt vndoubted heires of that high good. Thus with conceited eaſe and certaine paine, All ſeeke by ſeuerall wayes a perfect bliſſe: Which, O what wonder, if they not obtaine, Who cannot well diſcerne what thing it is! What happineſſe can be imagin'd here? Though we our hopes with vaine ſurmiſes cheriſh, Who hardly conquer firſt what wee hold deare, Then feare to looſe it ſtill that once muſt periſh. Thinke (though of many thouſands ſcarcely any Can at this poynt of Happineſſe arriue) Yet if it chance, it chanceth not to many, Onely to get for what a world did ſtriue. And though one ſwim in th'Ocean of delights, Haue none aboue him, and his equals rare, Eares ioying pleaſant ſounds; eyes ſtately ſights; His treaſures infinite; his buildings faire. Yet doth the world on Fortunes wheele relye, Which loue's t'aduance the wretched, wracke the great, Whoſe courſe reſembles an inconſtant eye, Euer in motion compaſſing deceat. Then let the greedie of his ſubſtance boaſt, Whilſt th'excrements of th'earth his ſenſes ſmother, What hath he gayn'd, but what another loſt? And why may not his loſſe enrich another? But ah! all looſe, who ſeeke to profite thus, And found their confidence on things that fade, We may be rob'd from them, they rob'd from vs, Al's grieu'd for th'one, as for the other glad.