Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1607 [1605-1607] (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T25 Kings, power and law: political sententi · 511 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T25: feare, kings, power, princes, lawes, loue, state, downe, honor, men.
Do by the fires which they first kindled burn; Of other tyrants which oppress the mind, With pleasure some delight it, in such sort That first the honey▪ then the gall we find; And others though from Honour's Court declined) Som● comfort yield (but base) by hope of gain; And, though some make us to be loathed of one, We by their means another's love obtain; But cruelty, with which none can comport, Makes th'author's hated when the deed is done, Oft even by those whom it did most support, As that which altenates men from their kind; And as humanity the mind enchants, So barbarous souls which from the same refrain, Moore fierce than lavage beasts, are loved of none: Since with such beasts one with less danger haunts, Then with the man whose mind all mercy wants; Yet though the mind of man, as strong, and rude, Be ravished oft with violent desire, And must, if fired with rage, be quenched with blood, How can this tender sex whose glory stood In having hearts inclined to pity still Itself delight in any barbarous deed? For, Nature seems in this to use her skill, In making women's minds (though weak) entire, That weakness might, love, and devotion breed; To which their thoughts (if pure) might best aspire, As aptest for th'impression of all good, But from the best to worst all things do wear; Since cruelties from feeble minds proceed, In breasts where courage fails, spite, shame and fear Make envy, hate, and rigour rule to bear. Our Queen Olympias, who was once so great, And did such monstrous cruelties commit, In plaguing Philip, and his Queen of late, Lo, now brought low to taste the like estate. Must take such entertainment as she gave, And yet good reason that it should be so, Such measure as we give, we must receive. Whilst on a Throne she proudly erst did sit, And with disdainful eyes looked on her foe, As only vanquished by her power, and wit, She did not weigh what doth proceed from fate: O, O! th'Immortals which command above, Of every state in hand the Rudder have, And as they like, can make us stay or go; The grief of others should us greatly move, As those who sometime may like Fortune prove; But as experience with rare proofs hath shown, To look on others, we have Linx- his eyes, Whilst we would have their imperfections known; Yet (like blind Moles) can never mark our own. Such clouds of self-regard do dim our sight; Why should we be puffed up when foes do fall? Since what to day doth on another light, The same to morrow may our state surprise. Those that on this inconstant constant Ball Do live environed with th'all-circling skies, Have many means whereby to be o'erthrown: And why should dying worldlings swollen with wrath, So tyrannize o'er an afflicted wight, Since miseries are common unto all? Let none be proud who draw a doubtful breath, Good hap attends but few, unto their death.
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)
"Do by the fires which they firſt kindled burne; "Of other tyrants which oppreſſe the minde, "With pleaſure ſome delight it, in ſuch ſort "That firſt the hony▪ then the gall we finde; "And others though from Honors Court declin'd) "Som comfort yeeld (but baſe) by hope of gaine; "And, though ſome make us to be loath'd of one, "We by their meanes anothers love obtaine; "But cruelty, with which none can comport, "Makes th'authors hated when the deed is done, "Oft even by thoſe whom it did moſt ſupport, "As that which altenates men from their kinde; "And as humanity the minde enchaunts, "So barbarous ſoules which from the ſame refraine, "More fierce than lavage beaſts, are lov'd of none: "Since with ſuch beaſts one with leſſe danger haunts, Then with the man whoſe minde all mercy wants; Yet though the minde of man, as ſtrong, and rude, Be raviſh'd oft with violent deſire, And muſt, if fir'd with rage, be quench'd with bloud, How can this tender ſexe whoſe glory ſtood In having hearts inclin'd to pity ſtill It ſelfe delight in any barbarous deed? For, Nature ſeemes in this to uſe her skill, In making womens mindes (though weake) entire, That weakneſſe might, love, and devotion breed; To which their thoughts (if pure) might beſt aſpire, As apteſt for th'impreſsions of all good, But from the beſt to worſt all things do weare; Since cruelties from feeble mindes proceed, "In breaſts where courage failes, ſpite, ſhame and feare "Make envy, hate, and rigour rule to beare. Our Queene Olympias, who was once ſo great, And did ſuch monſtrous cruelties commit, In plaguing Philip, and his Queene of late, Loe, now brought low to taſte the like eſtate. Muſt take ſuch entertainment as ſhe gave, And yet good reaſon that it ſhould be ſo, "Such meaſure as we give, we muſt receive. Whil'ſt on a Throne ſhe proudly earſt did ſit, And with diſdainefull eyes look'd on her foe, As onely vanquiſh'd by her pow'r, and wit, She did not weigh what doth proceed from fate: O, O! th'Immortals which command above, Of every ſtate in hand the Rudder have, And as they like, can make us ſtay or go; "The griefe of others ſhould us greatly move, "As thoſe who ſometime may like Fortune prove; "But as experience with rare proofes hath ſhowne, "To look on others, we have Linx-his eyes, "Whil'ſt we would have their imperfections knowne; "Yet (like blinde Moles) can never marke our owne. "Such clouds of ſelfe-regard do dimme our ſight; "Why ſhould we be puff'd up when foes do fall? "Since what to day doth on another light, "The ſame to morrow may our ſtate ſurpriſe. "Thoſe that on this inconſtant conſtant Ball "Do live environ'd with th'all-circling skies, "Have many meanes whereby to be o're-throwne: "And why ſhould dying worldlings ſwolne with wrath, "So tyrannize o're an afflicted wight, "Since miſeries are common unto all? "Let none be proud who draw a doubtfull breath, "Good hap attends but few, unto their death.