Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1604 (Annals) tragedy T19 Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions typicality 0.76 · 469 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
To found their trust on trustless grounds whilst made: We may be robbed from them, they robbed from us, Grieved for their loss, as when first purchased, glad: Those are but fools, who hope true rest to find In this frail world, where for a while we range: Which doth (like Seas exposed to every wind) Ebb, flow, storm, calm, still moving, still in change; Each wave we see doth drive the first away, And still it whitest foams where rocks are near, While as one grows, another doth decay, The greatest danger oft doth least appear. Their seeming bliss, who trust in frothy shows, Whose course with moment's fickle fortune dates, As to a height, so to confusion grows: A secret fate doth manage mighty states. But I scorn fortune, and was ever free From that dead wealth, depending to her power; My treasure still I bear about with me, Which neither time nor tyrants can devour: That Lady of events, though still she rave, Scarce can her course to mock my mind advance, For (if not trusted first) none can deceive, And I attend no certainty from chance; Then I have learned to moderate my mind, Still with contentment crowning my desires. My garments course, my food such as I find: He hath enough, who to no more aspires. What satisfaction doth o'erflow my soul, (The world all weighed) while high accounts I cast, And in my memories unblotted scroll, Do match the present time with others passed? Those worldly minds, whose weakness wealth doth cloak, (Though others happy) I them wretched think; For, whilst that passions base all reason choke, The body's slaves, their souls surcharged, do sink; Yet loathe I not the world as loathed by it, Like those who when disdained, pretend disdain; No, no, I had (as Athens must admit) What riches, birth, or reputation gain. 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, For fame or power, as due to me of right: When Salamina had our yoke removed, Wit● follies garments, wisdom to disguise, What none durst else attempt, I boldly moved, And seemed a fool to make the people wise. Then having thus by policy prevailed My Country's squadrons leading to the field, Whilst both by strength and stratagems assailed, I forced that I'll (though walled with waves) to yield; But when renowned, by that adventurous deed, And turned victorious, charged with stranger's spoils, (No perfect bliss below) worse did succeed, The peace that was abroad, bred civil broils; What with more violence doth fury lead, Then mutinous commons when they want a head? The meaner sort could not their minds conform, Those things to do which great men did command:
Other edition — placed after the fit, excluded from the main statistics
Position
nodes 61–119 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 2 of 46 in this edition
Length
469 words · 623 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T19 — Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractionsreviewed — decision pending · typicality 0.759 (cosine to the topic centroid) · placed after the fit (approximate_predict), not counted in the topic statistics
Other seeds
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)
"To found their truſt on truſtleſſe grounds whil'ſt made: "We may be rob'd from them, they rob'd from us, "Griev'd for their loſſe, as when firſt purchas'd, glad: "Thoſe are but fooles, who hope true reſt to finde "In this fraile world, where for a while we range: "Which doth (like Seas expos'd to every winde) "Ebbe, flow, ſtorme, calme, ſtill moving, ſtill in change; "Each wave we ſee doth drive the firſt away, "And ſtill it whiteſt fomes where rockes are neare, "While as one growes, another doth decay, "The greateſt danger oft doth leaſt appeare. "Their ſeeming bliſſe, who truſt in frothy ſhowes, "Whoſe courſe with moments fickle fortune dates, "As to a height, ſo to confuſion growes: "A ſecret fate doth manage mighty ſtates. But I ſcorne fortune, and was ever free From that dead wealth, depending to her power; My treaſure ſtill I beare about with me, Which neither time nor tyrants can devoure: That Lady of events, though ſtill ſhe rave, Scarce can her courſe to mocke my minde advance, For (if not truſted firſt) none can deceive, And I attend no certainty from chance; Then I have learn'd to moderate my minde, Still with contentment crowning my deſires. My garments courſe, my food ſuch as I finde: "He hath enough, who to no more aſpires. VVhat ſatisfaction doth o're-flow my ſoule, (The world all weigh'd) while high accounts I caſt, And in my memories unblotted ſcroule, Doe match the preſent time with others paſt? Thoſe worldly mindes, whoſe weakneſſe wealth doth cloake, (Though others happy) I them wretched thinke; For, whil'ſt that paſſions baſe all reaſon choake, The bodies ſlaves, their ſoules ſurcharg'd, doe ſinke; Yet loath I not the world as loath'd by it, Like thoſe who when diſdain'd, pretend diſdaine; No, no, I had (as Athens muſt admit) What riches, birth, or reputation gaine. And if that I would vaunt of mine own deeds, Faire Citie, where mine eyes firſt ſuck't the light, I challenge might what moſt thy glory breeds, For fame or power, as due to me of right: When Salamina had our yoke remov'd, Wit follies garments, wiſedome to diſguiſe, What none durſt elſe attempt, I boldly mov'd, And ſeem'd a foole to make the people wiſe. Then having thus by policy prevail'd My Countries ſquadrons leading to the field, Whil'ſt both by ſtrength and ſtratagems aſſail'd, I forc'd that Ile (though wall'd with waves) to yeeld; But when renown'd, by that advent'rous deed, And turn'd victorious, charg'd with ſtrangers ſpoiles, "(No perfect bliſſe below) worſe did ſucceed, The peace that was abroad, bred civill broyles; "What with more violence doth fury leade, "Then mut'nous commons when they want a head? The meaner ſort could not their mindes conforme, Thoſe things to doe which great men did command: