Jonson, Ben · published 1616 · first performed or written 1606 [1605-1606] (Annals) comedy · King's Men T37 Riches, poverty and covetousness typicality 0.89 · 518 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T37: wealth, riches, money, god, rich, poverty, men, learning, poor, ic.
And what he will, sir. Riches are in fortune A greater good, than wisdom is in nature. True, my beloved MOSCA. Yet, I glory More in the cunning purchase of my wealth, Then in the glad possession; since I gain No common way: I use no trade, no venture; I wound no earth with plowshares; fat no beasts To feed the shambles; have no mills for iron, Oil, corn, or men, to grind 'em into powder; I blow no subtle glass; expose no ships To threatenings of the furrow-faced sea; I turn no moneys, in the public bank; Nor usure private— No, sir, nor devour Soft prodigals. You shall ha' some will swallow A melting heir, as glibly, as your Dutch Will pills of butter, and ne'er purge for't; Tear forth the fathers of poor families Out of their beds, and coffin them, alive, In some kind, clasping prison, where their bones May be forthcoming, when the flesh is rotten: But, your sweet nature doth abhor these courses; You loathe, the widows, or the orphans tears Should wash your pavements; or their piteous cries Ring in your roofs; and beat the air, for vengeance.— Right, MOSCA, I do loathe it. And besides, sir, You are not like the thresher, that doth stand With a huge flail, watching a heap of corn, And, hungry, dares not taste the smallest grain, But feeds on mallows, and such bitter herbs; Nor like the merchant, who hath filled his vaults With Romagnia, and rich Candian wines, Yet drinks the lees of Lombard's vinegar: You will not lie in straw, whilst moths, and worms Feed on your sumptuous hangings, and soft beds. You know the use of riches, and dare give, now, From that bright heap, to me, your poor observer, Or to your dwarf, or your hermaphrodite, Your eunuch, or what other household-trifle Your pleasure allows maintenance.— Hold thee, MOSCA, Take, of my hand; thou strik'st on truth, in all: And they are envious, term thee parasite. Call forth my dwarf, my eunuch, and my fool, And let 'em make me sport. What should I do, But cocker up my genius, and live free To all delights, my fortune calls me to? I have no wife, no parent, child, ally, To give my substance to; but whom I make, Must be my heir: and this makes men observe me. This draws new clients, daily, to my house, Women, and men, of every sex, and age, That bring me presents, send me plate, coin, jewels, With hope, that when I die, (which they expect Each greedy minute) it shall then return, Tenfold, upon them; whilst some, covetous Above the rest, seek to engross me, whole, And counter work, the one, unto the other, Contend in gifts, as they would seem, in love: All which I suffer, playing with their hopes, And am content to coin 'em into profit, And look upon their kindness, and take more, And look on that; still bearing them in hand, Letting the cherry knock against their lips, And, draw it, by their mouths, and back again. How now!
seed 43: T35 · seed 44: T34 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
And what he will, sir. Riches are in fortune A greater good, then wisedome is in nature. True, my beloued MOSCA. Yet, I glory More in the cunning purchase of my wealth, Then in the glad possession; since I gaine No common way: I vse no trade, no venter; I wound no earth with plow-shares; fat no beasts To feede the shambles; haue no mills for yron, Oyle, corne, or men, to grinde 'hem into poulder; I blow no subtill glasse; expose no ships To threatnings of the furrow-faced sea; I turne no moneys, in the publike banke; Nor vsure priuate— No, sir, nor deuoure Soft prodigalls. You shall ha' some will swallow A melting heire, as glibly, as your Dutch Will pills of butter, and ne're purge for't; Teare forth the fathers of poore families Out of their beds, and coffin them, aliue, In some kind, clasping prison, where their bones May be forth-comming, when the flesh is rotten: But, your sweet nature doth abhorre these courses; You lothe, the widdowes, or the orphans teares Should wash your pauements; or their pittious cryes Ring in your roofes; and beate the aire, for vengeance.— Right, MOSCA, I doe lothe it. And besides, sir, You are not like the thresher, that doth stand With a huge flaile, watching a heape of corne, And, hungrie, dares not taste the smallest graine, But feeds on mallowes, and such bitter herbs; Nor like the merchant, who hath fill'd his vaults With Romagnia, and rich Candian wines, Yet drinkes the lees of Lombards vineger: You will not lie in straw, whilst moths, and wormes Feed on your sumptuous hangings, and soft beds. You know the vse of riches, and dare giue, now, From that bright heape, to me, your poore obserur, Or to your dwarfe, or your hermaphrodite, Your eunuch, or what other houshold-trifle Your pleasure allowes maint'nance.— Hold thee, MOSCA, Take, of my hand; thou strik'st on truth, in all: And they are enuious, terme thee parasite. Call forth my dwarfe, my eunuch, and my foole, And let 'hem make me sport. What should I doe, But cocker vp my genius, and liue free To all delights, my fortune calls me to? I haue no wife, no parent, child, allie, To giue my substance to; but whom I make, Must be my heire: and this makes men obserue me. This drawes new clients, daily, to my house, Women, and men, of euery sexe, and age, That bring me presents, send me plate, coyne, iewels, With hope, that when I die, (which they expect Each greedy minute) it shall then returne, Ten-fold, vpon them; whil'st some, couetous Aboue the rest, seeke to engrosse me, whole, And counter worke, the one, vnto the other, Contend in gifts, as they would seeme, in loue: All which I suffer, playing with their hopes, And am content to coyne 'hem into profit, And looke vpon their kindnesse, and take more, And looke on that; still bearing them in hand, Letting the cherry knock against their lips, And, draw it, by their mouths, and back againe. How now!