Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
Vain fool, that thinks solidity to find In this frail world, where for a while we range, Which like sea-waves, depending on the wind, Ebbs, flows, calms, storms, still moving, still in change. Each surge, we see, doth drive the first away, The foam is whitest, where the Rock is near, And as one grows, another doth decay, The greatest dangers oft do least appear. Their seeming bliss that trust in frothy shows, In Fortune's danger, burdened with the Fates, First to a full, then to confusion grows, A secret Destiny doth guide great States. But I scorn Fortune, and was ever free From that dead wealth that wavers in her power, I bear my treasure still about with me, Which neither Time nor Tyrants can devour. Light author of events, and vain adventurers, Now do thy worst, I know how to undo thee, The way is stopped by which thy poison enters, Thou can harm none but them that trust unto thee. And I have learned to moderate my mind, Contentment is the crown of my desires: My clothes are course, my fare such as I find, He hath enough that to no more aspires. What satisfaction doth overflow my soul, While as I weigh the world which few hold fast, And in my memories unblotted scroll, judge of the present by the time that's past? The poor-rich heir of breath that boasts of smoke, And come of dust, yet of the dross still thinks, Whilst baser passions do his virtues choke, The soul overbalanced with the body sinks. Yet need I not to loath the world and live, As one whom stepdame she would never nourish, I had a part of all that she could give, My race, my house, by fame and wealth did flourish. And if that I would vaunt of mine own deeds, Fair City, where mine eyes first sucked the light, I challenge might what most thy glory breeds Whose labours both enlarged thy fame and might. When Salamina utterly was lost, And by the rascal multitude neglected, A counterfeited fool, I went and crossed All their designs, whose courses were suspected. And when I had by policy persuaded My country to embrace the wars again, I both by stratagems and strength invaded That famous I'll which vanquished did remain. Then having compassed that exploit with speed, And turned in triumph decked with strangers spoils, No perfect bliss below worse did succeed, The peace that was abroad bred civil broils. What with more violence doth fury lead, Than a rash multitude that wants a head? The meaner sort could not their minds conform, T'abide at what their betters did command: Then the weal-public in a dangerous storm, All joined to place the rudder in my hand. I reunited that divided state, And managed matters with a good success, Which farther kindled had been quenched too late, That Hydra-headed tumult to suppress.
seed 43: T13 · seed 44: T16 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Vaine foole, that thinkes ſoliditie to finde In this fraile world, where for a while we range, Which like ſea-waues, depending on the winde, Ebbes, flows, calms, ſtorms, ſtill moouing, ſtill in change. Each ſurge, we ſee, doth driue the firſt away, The fome is whiteſt, where the Rocke is neare, And as one growes, another doth decay, The greateſt dangers oft do leaſt appeare. Their ſeeming bliſſe that truſt in frothie ſhowes, In Fortunes danger, burthen'd with the Fates, Firſt to a full, then to confuſion growes, A ſecret Deſtinie doth guide great States. But I ſcorne Fortune, and was euer free From that dead wealth that wauers in her power, I beare my treaſure ſtill about with mee, Which neither Time nor Tyrants can deuour. Light authour of euents, and vaine aduenters, Now do thy worſt, I know how to vndoe thee, The way is ſtop't by which thy poiſon enters, Thou can harme none but them that truſt vnto thee. And I haue learn'd to moderate my minde, Contentment is the crowne of my deſires: My clothes are courſe, my fare ſuch as I finde, He hath enough that to no more aſpires. What ſatisfaction doth ouer-flow my ſoule, While as I weigh the world which few hold faſt, And in my memories vnblotted ſcroule, Iudge of the preſent by the time that's paſt? The poore-rich heire of breath that boaſtes of ſmoake, And come of duſt, yet of the droſſe ſtill thinkes, Whilſt baſer paſſions doe his vertues choake, The ſoule ouer-ballanc'd with the body ſinkes. Yet neede I not to loathe the world and liue, As one whom ſtepdame ſhe would never nouriſh, I had a part of all that ſhe could giue, My race, my houſe, by fame and wealth did flouriſh. And if that I would vaunt of mine owne deedes, Faire Cittie, where mine eies firſt ſuckt the light, I challenge might what moſt thy glory breedes Whoſe labours both enlarg'd thy fame and might. When Salamina vtterly was loſt, And by the raſcall multitude neglected, A counterfeited foole, I went and croſt All their deſſeignes, whoſe courſes were ſuſpected. And when I had by pollicie perſwaded My country to embrace the warres againe, I both by ſtratagems and ſtrength inuaded That famous Ile which vanquiſht did remaine. Then hauing compaſs'd that exployt with ſpeede, And turn'd in triumph deckt with ſtrangers ſpoyles, No perfect bliſſe belowe worſe did ſucceede, The peace that was abroade bred ciuill broyles. What with more violence doth fury leade, Then a raſh multitude that wants a head? The meaner ſort could not their minds conforme, T'abide at what their betters did commaund: Then the weale-publike in a dangerous ſtorme, All ioyn'd to place the ruther in my hand. I re-vnited that diuided ſtate, And manag'd matters with a good ſucceſſe, Which farther kindled had beene quench'd too late, That Hidra-headed tumult to ſuppreſſe.