Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1607 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T19 Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions · 485 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.
WHat fury thus doth fill the breast With a prodigious rash desire, Which banishing their souls from rest, Doth make them live who high aspire, (Whilst it within their bosom boyles) As Salamanders in the fire; Or like to Serpents changing spoils, Their withered beauties to renew? Like Vipers with unnatural toils, Of such the thoughts themselves pursue, Who for all lines their lives do square, Whilst like Chameleons changing hue, They only feed on empty air: To pass ambition greatest matters brings, And (save contentment) can attain all things. This active passion doth disdain To match with any vulgar mind, As in base breasts where terrors reign, Too great a guest to be confined; It doth but lofty thoughts frequent, Where it a spacious field may find, Itself with honour to content, Where reverenced fame doth loudest sound; Those for great things by courage bend, (far lifted from this lumpish round) Would in the sphere of Glory move, Whilst lofty thoughts which nought can bind, All rivals live in virtue's love; On abject preys as th' Eagles never light, Ambition poisons but the greatest spirit, And of this restless Vulture's brood, (If not become too great a flame) A little spark doth sometime good, Which makes great minds (affecting fame) To suffer still all kind of pain: Their fortune at the bloody game, Who hazard would for hope of gain, Unless first burned by thirst of praise? The learned to a higher strain, Their wits by emulation raise, As those who hold applauses dear; And what great mind at which men gaze, Itself can of ambition clear, Which is when valued at the highest price, A generous error, an heroic vice? But when this frenzy flaming bright, Doth so the souls of some surprise, That they can taste of no delight, But what from Sovereignty doth rise, Then, huge affliction it affords; Such must (themselves so to disguise) Prove prodigal of courteous words, Give much to some, and promise all, Then humble seem to be made Lords, Yea, being thus to many thrall, Must words impart, if not support; To those who crushed by fortune fall; And grieve themselves to please each sort: Are not those wretched, who o'er a dangerous snare, Do hung by hopes, whilst balanced in the air; Then when they have the Port attained, Which was through Seas of dangers sought, They (lo) at last but loss have gained, And by great trouble, trouble bought: Their minds are married still with fears, to being forth many a jealous thought; With searching eyes, and watching ears, To learn that which it grieves to know, The breast that such a burden bears, What huge afflictions do o'erthrow? Thus, each Prince is (as all perceive) No more exalted than brought low, Of many, Lord, of many, slave; That idol greatness which th'earth doth adore, Is gotten with great pain, and kept with more:
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)
VVHat fury thus doth fill the breſt With a prodigious raſh deſire, Which baniſhing their ſoules from reſt, Doth make them live who high aſpire, (Whilſt it within their boſome boyles) As Salamanders in the fire; Or like to Serpents changing ſpoyles, Their wither'd beauties to renew? Like Vipers with unnaturall toyles, Of ſuch the thoughts themſelves purſue, Who for all lines their lives doe ſquare, Whilſt like Camelions changing hue, They onely feed on empty ayre: "To paſſe ambition greateſt matters brings, "And (ſave contentment) can attaine all things. This active paſsion doth diſdaine To match with any vulgar minde, As in baſe breaſts where terrours raigne, Too great a gueſt to be confin'd; It doth but lofty thoughts frequent, Where it a ſpatious field may finde, It ſelfe with honour to content, Where reverenc'd fame doth lowdeſt ſound; Thoſe for great things by courage bent, (Farre lifted from this lumpiſh round) Would in the ſphere of Glory move, Whilſt lofty thoughts which nought can binde, All rivals live in vertues love; "On abject preyes as th' Eagles never light, "Ambition poyſons but the greateſt ſprite, And of this reſtleſſe Vultures brood, (If not become too great a flame) A little ſparke doth ſometime good, Which makes great mindes (affecting fame) To ſuffer ſtill all kinde of paine: Their fortune at the bloudy game, Who hazard would for hope of gaine, Vnleſſe firſt burn'd by thirſt of praiſe? The learned to a higher ſtraine, Their wits by emulation raiſe, As thoſe who hold applauſes deare; And what great minde at which men gaze, It ſelfe can of ambition cleare, Which is when valu'd at the higheſt price, A generous errour, an heroicke vice? But when this frenzie flaming bright, Doth ſo the ſoules of ſome ſurpriſe, That they can taſte of no delight, But what from Soveraignty doth riſe, Then, huge affliction it affords; Such muſt (themſelves ſo to diſguiſe) Prove prodigall of courteous words, Give much to ſome, and promiſe all, Then humble ſeeme to be made Lords, Yea, being thus to many thrall, Muſt words impart, if not ſupport; To thoſe who cruſh'd by fortune fall; And grieve themſelves to pleaſe each ſort: "Are not thoſe wretch'd, who o're a dangerous ſnare, "Do hang by hopes, whilſt ballanc'd in the ayre; Then when they have the Port attain'd, Which was through Seas of dangers ſought, They (loe) at laſt but loſſe have gain'd, And by great trouble, trouble bought: Their mindes are married ſtill with feares, to being forth many a jealous thought; With ſearching eyes, and watching eares, To learne that which it grieves to know, The breſt that ſuch a burden beares, What huge afflictions doe o'rethrow? Thus, each Prince is (as all perceive) No more exalted then brought low, "Of many, Lord, of many, ſlave; "That idoll greatneſſe which th'earth doth adore, "Is gotten with great paine, and kept with more: