Alexander, William · published 1637 · first performed or written 1607 (Annals) tragedy unassigned nearest T1 Death, grief and revenge · 441 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T1: death, life, dead, die, blood, revenge, soul, father, heart, heaven.
WHen darkness last imprisoned had mine eyes, Such monstrous visions did my heart affright, That (quite dejected) it as stupid dies Through terrors then contracted in the night; A melancholy cloud so dims my breast, That it my mind fit for misfortune makes, A lodging well disposed for such a Guest, Where nought of sorrow but th'impression lacks; And I imagine every man I see (My senses so corrupted are by fears) A Herald to denounce mishaps to me, Who should infuse confusion in my ears. O! there he comes to violate my peace, In whom the object of my thoughts I see; Thy message is charactered in thy face, And by thy looks directed is to me: Thy troubled eyes rest rolling for relief, As lately frighted by some ugly sight; Thy breath doth pant as if grown big with grief, And strait to bring some monstrous birth to light. The man of whom the world in doubt remained, If that his mind or fortune was more great, Whose valour conquered, clemency retained All Nations Subject to the Roman State; Fraud harmed him more than force, friends more than foes; Ah! must this sad discourse by me be made? Stay, ere thou further go defray my woes, How doth my love? where is my life? Nun. dead. Cal. dead? Though apprehending horrors in her mind, Now since she hath a certainty received, She by experience greater grief doth find: Till born, the passions cannot be conceived. When as a high disaster force affords, O how that Tyrant whom affliction bears, Bars th'ears from comfort, and the mouth from words, And when obdured scorns to dissolve in tears! Ah! since the lights of that great light are set, Why doth not darkness spread itself o'er all? At lest what further comfort can I get, Whose pleasures had no period but his fall? O would the Gods I always might confine Flames in my breast, and floods within my eyes To entertain so great a grief as mine, That thence there might fit furniture arise; Yet I disdain (though by distress o'erthrown) By such external means to seek relief: The greatest sorrows are by silence shown, Whilst all the Senses are shut up with grief: But misery doth so tyrannic grow That it of sighs and tears a tribute claims; Ah! when the cup is full, it must o'erflow, And fires which burn must offer up some flames; Yet though what thou hast said my death shall be, (Since sunk so deeply in a melted heart) Of my lives death report each point to me, For every circumstance that I may smart.
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)
WHen darkeneſſe laſt impriſoned had myne eyes, Such monſtrous viſions did my heart affright, That (quite dejected) it as ſtupid dies Through terrours then contracted in the night; A melancholy cloud ſo dimmes my breſt, That it my mind fit for misfortune makes, A lodging well diſpos'd for ſuch a Gueſt, Where nought of ſorrow but th'impreſſion lackes; And I imagine every man I ſee (My ſenſes ſo corrupted are by feares) A Herauld to denounce miſhaps to me, Who ſhould infuſe confuſion in my eares. O! there he comes to violate my peace, In whom the object of my thoughts I ſee; Thy meſſage is charactred in thy face, And by thy lookes directed is to me: Thy troubled eyes reſt rowling for reliefe, As lately frighted by ſome uglie ſight; Thy breath doth pant as if growne big with griefe, And ſtraight to bring ſome monſtrous birth to light. The man of whom the world in doubt remain'd, If that his minde or fortune was more great, Whoſe valour conquer'd, clemencie retain'd All Nations Subject to the Romane State; Fraud harm'd him more then force, friends more then foes; Ah! muſt this ſad diſcourſe by me be made? Stay, ere thou further goe defray my woes, How doth my love? where is my life? Nun. dead. Cal. dead? Though apprehending horrours in her minde, Now ſince ſhe hath a certaintie receiv'd, She by experience greater griefe doth finde: "Till borne, the paſſions cannot be conceav'd. When as a high diſaſter force affords, O how that Tyrant whom affliction bears, Barres th'eares from comfort, and the mouth from words, And when obdur'd ſcornes to diſſolve in teares! Ah! ſince the lights of that great light are ſet, Why doth not darkneſſe ſpread it ſelfe o're all? At leaſt what further comfort can I get, Whoſe pleaſures had no period but his fall? O would the Gods I always might confine Flames in my breſt, and floods within my eyes To entertaine ſo great a griefe as mine, That thence there might fit furniture ariſe; Yet I diſdaine (though by diſtreſſe o'rethrowne) By ſuch externall meanes to ſeeke reliefe: "The greateſt ſorrowes are by ſilence ſhowne, "Whilſt all the Senſes are ſhut up with griefe: But miſerie doth ſo tyrannick grow That it of ſighes and teares a tribute claimes; "Ah! when the cup is full, it muſt o'reflow, "And fires which burne muſt offer up ſome flames; Yet though what thou haſt ſayd my death ſhall be, (Since ſunke ſo deeply in a melted heart) Of my lives death report each point to mee, For every circumſtance that I may ſmart.