Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1604 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T4 Love-longing and the lover's complaint · 501 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.
In what strange form could this disaster fall, From which there flow salt floods of just distress? Tell on at length the fatal cause of all, A greater grief makes one forget the less. My sorrows ground I smothered still till now, As too offensive food for dainty cares, But since of such discourse you do allow, I'll tell a tale that may move stones to tears; Of Phrygian Princes my great Father come, Had in my growing age a tender care, That all my education might become One whom he might for mighty hopes prepare; As yet four lustres scarcely had begun To grace my witnessed sex with blooming cheeks, When I (fond youth) that labyrinth could not shun, Whence back in vain the straying Entrer seeks. I loved, O fatal love, unlovely fate! The virtuously fair, yet fairest Dame That ever was enshrined in soul's conceit, Or ditties gave to grace the sounds of fame; Strait were my fancies to her beauties tied, None can paint passions, but in feeling minds, I burned, freezed, doubted, hoped, despaired, lived, died, With actions changed as oft as Autumn's winds; Yet many conflicts passed 'twixt hopes and fears, To feast, at least to nurse my starved desires; She granted had a truce unto my tears, And temper did with equal flames my fires: For as she was the most esteemed Saint, Whose image Love erected in my mind, So when her cares had harboured once my plaint, It pity first, and then did favour find; But ah triumphing in mine own conceit As one whose love his Lady did prefer, I was corrivalled (O disastrous fate!) By one who loved, but was not loved by her, He looking as I looked, faugh what I saw, Saw Nature's wonder, and the world's delight, And strait as that blind god (blind guide) did draw, Still (like a Lizard) lived upon her sight. Then laboured he that jewel strait to won, Whose matchless worth he prized above his breath, And loathed all light which flowed not from that Sun, As life without her had been worse than death; Yea, Fortune seemed to favour his desire, And where to build high hopes did give him grounds: The Nymph her parents daily did require, That she might furnish physic for his wounds; Of my distracted thoughts strange was the strife, Who threatened thus with eminent mishap, Was like to lose a thing more dear than life, Whilst others strived my treasure to entrap; The man who sought my joys to undermine, I could not justly wish his state o'erthrown, Nor blame the spirit that sympathised with mine; I envied not his lot, but wailed mine own. Now in my beast a mighty rage did reign, Which forced my soul with inward wounds to bleed, Some fancies feared what once his love might gain, Since it was possible that he might speed, Than others called her constancy to mind, Which would not yield by such assaults though proved,
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)
In what ſtrange forme could this diſaſter fall, From which there flow ſalt flouds of juſt diſtreſſe? Tell on at length the fatall cauſe of all, "A greater griefe makes one forget the leſſe. My ſorrows ground I ſmother'd ſtill till now, As too offenſive food for dainty cares, But ſince of ſuch diſcourſe you do allow, Ile tell a tale that may move ſtones to teares; Of Phrygian Princes my great Father come, Had in my growing age a tender care, That all my education might become One whom he might for mighty hopes prepare; As yet foure luſtres ſcarcely had begun To grace my witneſſ'd ſex with blooming cheeks, When I (fond youth) that lab'rinth could not ſhunne, Whence backe in vaine the ſtraying Entrer ſeeks. I lov'd, O fatall love, unlovely fate! The vertuouſly faire, yet faireſt Dame That ever was enſhrin'd in ſoules conceit, Or ditties gave to grace the ſounds of fame; Straight were my fancies to her beauties ty'd, "None can paint paſſions, but in feeling mindes, I burn'd, freez'd, doubted, hop'd, deſpair'd, liv'd, dy'd, With actions chang'd as oft as Autumnes windes; Yet many conflicts paſt 'twixt hopes and feares, To feaſt, at leaſt to nurce my ſtarv'd deſires; She granted had a truce unto my teares, And temper did with equall flames my fires: For as ſhe was the moſt eſteemed Saint, Whoſe image Love erected in my minde, So when her cares had harbour'd once my plaint, It pitie firſt, and then did favour finde; But ah triumphing in mine owne conceit As one whoſe love his Lady did preferre, I was corrivall'd (O diſaſtrous fate!) By one who lov'd, but was not lov'd by her, He looking as I look'd, faw what I ſaw, Saw Natures wonder, and the worlds delight, And ſtraight as that blinde god (blinde guide) did draw, Still (like a Lizard) liv'd upon her ſight. Then labour'd he that Iewell ſtraight to wonne, Whoſe matchleſſe worth he priz'd above his breath, And loath'd all light which flow'd not from that Sunne, As life without her had beene worſe then death; Yea, Fortune ſeem'd to favour his deſire, And where to build high hopes did give him ground: The Nymph her parents daily did require, That ſhe might furniſh phyſick for his wounds; Of my diſtracted thoughts ſtrange was the ſtrife, Who threatned thus with eminent miſhap, Was like to loſe a thing more deare then life, Whil'ſt others ſtriv'd my treaſure to entrap; The man who ſought my joyes to undermine, I could not juſtly wiſh his ſtate o're-throwne, Nor blame the ſprite that ſympathiz'd with mine; I envi'd not his lot, but wail'd mine owne. Now in my beaſt a mighty rage did raigne, Which forc'd my ſoule with inward wounds to bleed, Some fancies fear'd what once his love might gaine, Since it was poſſible that he might ſpeed, Then others call'd her conſtancy to minde, Which would not yeeld by ſuch aſſaults though prov'd,