Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1604 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T4 Love-longing and the lover's complaint · 515 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T4: love, heart, sweet, loves, fair, phillis, eyes, beauty, amyntas, lovers.
What wonder though the soul of man, (A spark of heaven that shines below) Doth labour by all means it can, Like to itself, itself to show? The heavenly essence, heaven would know, But from this mass, (where bound) till free, With pain both spend life's little span; The better part would be above: And th'earth from th'earth cannot remove; How can two contraries agree? Thus as the best part or the worst doth move, Man of much worth, or of no worth doth prove. O! from what fountain do proceed These humours of so many kinds? Each brain doth diverse fancies breed, As many men, as many minds: And in the world a man scarce finds Another of his humour right, Nor are there two so like indeed, If we remark their several graces, And lineaments of both their faces, That can abide the proof of sight? If th'outward forms than differ as they do, Of force th'affections must be different too. Ah! passions spoil our better part, The soul is vexed with their dissensions; We make a God of our own heart, And worship all our vain inventions; This braine-bred missed of apprehensions The mind doth with confusion fill; Whilst reason in exile doth smart, And few are free from this infection, For all are slaves to some affection, Which doth oppress the judgement still: Those partial tyrants, not directed right, Even of the clearest minds, eclipse the light. A thousand times, O happy he! Who doth his passions so subdue, That he may with clear reasons eye, Their imperfections fountains view, That so he may himself renew, Who to his thoughts prescribing laws, Might set his soul from bondage free, And never from bright reason swerve, But making passions it to serve, Would weigh each thing as there were cause: O greater were that Monarch of the mind! Then if he might command from Thule to Ind. WHat Prince hath been so favoured by the fates, As could like me of full contentment boast? Loved of mine own, and feared of foreign states, My foes have fallen, my friends were never crossed; For having that (which thousands seek, at will) My happiness in all things hath been such, Heaven's favourite, and fortune's Minion still, I know not what to wish, I have so much; Mine eyes no way did ever grieve my heart With any object that their sight did draw, My name applauded is in every part, My word an Oracle, my will a law: What breast can well confine this flood of joys? Whose swelling current doth o'erflow my mind, Which never dreamed that which the soul annoys, But did in all a satisfaction find; I scorn vain shadows of conceited fears, As one whose state is built on marble grounds: In all my horoscope no cloud appears, My bliss abounds, my pleasures pass all bounds. That Grecian (Sir) is at the Court arrived, Whole wisdom fame through all the world records. And to extol my state, have you not strived, Whilst bent to soothe his ears with courteous words?
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)
What wonder though the ſoule of man, (A ſparke of heaven that ſhines below) Doth labour by all meanes it can, Like to it ſelfe, it ſelfe to ſhow? The heavenly eſſence, heaven would know, But from this maſſe, (where bound) till free, With paine both ſpend lifes little ſpan; The better part would be above: And th'earth from th'earth cannot remove; How can two contraries agree? "Thus as the beſt part or the worſt doth move, Man of much worth, or of no worth doth prove. O! from what fountaine doe proceed Theſe humours of ſo many kindes? Each braine doth divers fancies breed, "As many men, as many mindes: And in the world a man ſcarce findes Another of his humour right, Nor are there two ſo like indeed, If we remarke their ſeverall graces, And lineaments of both their faces, That can abide the proofe of ſight? "If th'outward formes then differ as they doe, "Of force th'affections muſt be different too. "Ah! paſsons ſpoile our better part, The ſoule is vext with their diſſentions; We make a God of our owne heart, And worſhip all our vaine inventions; This braine-bred miſt of apprehenſions The minde doth with confuſion fill; Whil'ſt reaſon in exile doth ſmart, And few are free from this infection, For all are ſlaves to ſome affection, Which doth oppreſſe the judgement ſtill: "Thoſe partiall tyrants, not directed right, "Even of the cleareſt mindes, eclipſe the light. A thouſand times, O happy he! Who doth his paſsions ſo ſubdue, That he may with cleare reaſons eye, Their imperfections fountaines view, That ſo he may himſelfe renew, Who to his thoughts preſcribing lawes, Might ſet his ſoule from bondage free, And never from bright reaſon ſwerve, But making paſsions it to ſerve, Would weigh each thing as there were cauſe: O greater were that Monarch of the minde! Then if he might command from Thule to Inde. WHat Prince hath been ſo favour'd by the fates, As could like me of full contentment boaſt? Lov'd of mine own, and fear'd of forrain ſtates, My foes have faln, my friends were never croſt; For having that (which thouſands ſeek, at will) My happineſſe in all things hath been ſuch, Heavens favorite, and fortunes Minion ſtill, I know not what to wiſh, I have ſo much; Mine eyes no way did ever grieve my heart With any object that their ſight did draw, My name applauded is in every part, My word an Oracle, my will a law: What breſt can well confine this floud of joyes? Whoſe ſwelling current doth o'reflow my minde, VVhich never dream'd that which the ſoule annoyes, But did in all a ſatisfaction finde; I ſcorne vaine ſhadowes of conceited feares, As one whoſe ſtate is built on marble grounds: In all my horoſcope no cloud appeares, My bliſſe abounds, my pleaſures paſſe all bounds. That Grecian (Sir) is at the Court arriv'd, VVhole wiſedome fame through all the world records. And to extoll my ſtate, have you not ſtriv'd, VVhil'ſt bent to ſooth his eares with courteous words?