Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1607 [1605-1607] (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T19 Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions · 487 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
Lo, when prosperity too much prevails, Above the judgement thus of vulgar minds, As little Barges burdened with great Sails, They move in state, all swollen with fortunes winds▪ And as adversity the spirit refines From th'abject: dross of pride, and passions base, That in affliction, virtue clearest shines, And makes one all the ways of wit to trace: So doth good success make the judgement dye, Then whilst the fortunate their ease do take, And lulled asleep in pleasures meadows lie, As for the Slaughter fat, and ripe to shake; Yet this the nature is of gallant men, To rest (as in no state too much involved) When prospering wary, and most humble then, If crossed courageous, when embarked, resolved. What though your first attempts renowned are, By which you in two fields victorious stood, And did o'erthrow two thunderbolts of war, Who lost their lives amidst a crimson flood: Yet is that course of victory controlled, And you have tried what force your force exceeds, Then, faded Laurels should not make you bold, As still reposing on your by-past deeds: For, by the same to indignation moved, The Macedonians all abhor your name, Who at that time so proud a Conqueror proved, Their great men's slaughter having winged your fame. No fortune past so puffs up my conceit, That it contempt of further danger brings; Nor am I now dejected so of late, But I intent to do far greator things. He (by prosperity made never proud) Who knows the frailty of this earthly frame, Can hardly by adversity be bowed: The Sun (although eclipsed) remains the same. Worth should by th'events not be thralled to wit, On th' accidents as th'essence did depend: The fault of fortune cannot blemish it, On which oft times disasters may attend; Though fortune (stumbling right) concur with worth, Or yet, if crosses brag a gallant mind, Both like themselves are always sparkling forth, In every state some tokens of their kind. Now at this time o'ermatched by numerous powers, I kept my courage, though I lost the field: And vaunt no more of this, for some few hours May once to me the like advantage yield. Nor is it long since that to fortune dear, The world had never me but victor spied, Though I protest by all th'Immortals here, Pressed by necessity, not moved by pride. Proud Neoptolemus that traitor still, (Not worthy of a Macedonians name) He to betray the host, and me to kill, Had laboured long to his eternal shame. But I of Craterus lament the fall, Whom for his virtue I did dearly love, And was constrained (I Iove to witness call) For my defence that refuge last to prove. How fortuned you your forces to dispose, So well to scape that storm of threatened harms? For, than you had to deal with mighty foes, Who were in war grown hoary under arms.
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)
Loe, when proſperity too much prevailes, "Above the judgement thus of vulgar mindes, "As little Barges burden'd with great Sayles, "They move in ſtate, all ſwolne with fortunes windes▪ "And as adverſity the ſprite refines "From th'abject: droſſe of pride, and paſſions baſe, "That in affliction, vertue cleareſt ſhines, "And makes one all the wayes of wit to trace: "So doth good ſucceſſe make the judgement dye, "Then whilſt the fortunate their eaſe doe take, "And lull'd aſleep in pleaſures meadowes lye, "As for the Slaughter fat, and ripe to ſhake; "Yet this the nature is of gallant men, "To reſt (as in no ſtate too much involv'd) "When proſp'ring warie, and moſt humble then, "If croſs'd couragious, when imbark'd, reſolv'd. What though your firſt attempts renowned are, By which you in two fields victorious ſtood, And did o're-throw two thunder-bolts of warre, Who loſt their lives amid'ſt a crimſon flood: Yet is that courſe of victory contrould, And you have try'd what force your force exceeds, Then, faded Lawrels ſhould not make you bold, As ſtill repoſing on your by-paſt deeds: For, by the ſame to indignation mov'd, The Macedonians all abhorre your name, Who at that time ſo proud a Conquerour provd, Thir great mens ſlaughter having wing'd your fame. No fortune paſt ſo puffes up my conceit, That it contempt of further danger brings; Nor am I now dejected ſo of late, But I intend to doe farre greator things. "He (by proſperity made never proud) "Who knows the filty of this arthly frame, "Can hardly by adverſity be bow'd: "The Sunne (although eclips'd) remaines the ſame. "Worth ſhould by th'events not be thrall'd to wit, "On th' accidents as th'eſſence did depend: "The fault of fortune cannot blemiſh it, "On which oft times diſaſters may attend; "Though fortune (ſtumbling right) concurre with worth, "Or yet, if croſſes bragge a gallant minde, "Both like themſelves are alwaies ſparkling forth, "In every ſtate ſome tokens of their kinde. Now at this time o're-match'd by num'rous pow'rs, I kept my courage, though I loſt the field: And vaunt no more of this, for ſome few hour's May once to me the like advantage yeeld. Nor is it long ſince that to fortune deare, The world had never me but victor ſpy'd, Though I proteſt by all th'Immortals here, Preſs'd by neceſſity, not mov'd by pride. Proud Neoptolemus that traytour ſtill, (Not worthy of a Macedonians name) He to betray the hoſte, and me to kill, Had labour'd long to his eternall ſhame. But I of Craterus lament the fall, Whom for his vertue I did dearely love, And was conſtrain'd (I Iove to witneſſe call) For my defence that refuge laſt to prove. How fortun'd you your forces to diſpoſe, So well to ſcape that ſtorme of threatned harmes? For, then you had to deale with mighty foes, Who were in warre growne hoarie under armes.