Shakespeare, William · published 1623 · first performed or written 1602 [1602-1603] (Annals) tragedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men T37 Riches, poverty and covetousness typicality 0.82 · 530 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T37: wealth, riches, money, god, rich, poverty, men, learning, poor, ic.
What am I poor of late? 'Tis certain, greatness once fall'n out with fortune, Must fall out with men too: what the declined is, He shall as soon read in the eyes of others, As feel in his own fall: for men like butterflies, Show not their mealy wings, but to the Summer: And not a man for being simply man, Hath any honour; but honoured for those honours That are without him; as place, riches, and favour, Prizes of accident, as oft as merit: Which when they fall, as being slippery standers; The love that leaned on them as slippery too, Doth one pluck down another, and together die in the fall. But 'tis not so with me; Fortune and I are friends, I do enjoy At ample point, all that I did possess, Save these men's looks: who do me thinks find out Something not worth in me such rich beholding, As they have often given. Here is Ulysses, I'll interrupt his reading: how now Ulysses? Now great Thetis Son. What are you reading? A strange fellow here Writes me, that man, how dearly ever parted, How much in having, or without, or in, Cannot make boast to have that which he hath; Nor feels not what he owes, but by reflection: As when his virtues shining upon others, Heat them, and they retort that heat again To the first giver. This is not strange Ulysses: The beauty that is borne here in the face, The bearer knows not, but commends itself, Not going from itself: but eye to eye opposed Salutes each other with each others form: For speculation turns not to itself, Till it hath travailed, and is married there Where it may see itself: this is not strange at all. I do not strain it at the position, It is familiar; but at the Author's drift, Who in his circumstance, expressly proves That no may is the Lord of any thing, (Though in and of him there is much consisting,) Till he communicate his parts to others: Nor doth he of himself know them for aught, Till he behold them form in th' applause, Where they are extended: who like an arch reuerb'rate The voice again; or like a gate of steel, Fronting the Sun, receives and renders back His figure, and his heat. I was much rapt in this, And apprehended here immediately: The unknown Aiax; Heavens what a man is there? a very Horse, That has he knows not what. Nature, what things there are. Most abject in regard, and dear in use. What things again most dear in the esteem, And poor in worth: now shall we see to morrow, An act that very chance doth throw upon him? Aiax renowned? O heavens, what some men do, While some men leave to do! How some men creep in skittish fortunes hall, Whiles others play the Idiots in her eyes: How one man eats into another's pride, While pride is feasting in his wantonness To see these Grecian Lords; why, even already, They clap the lubber Aiax on the shoulder, As if his foot were on brave Hector's breast, And great Troy shrinking.
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)
What am I poore of late? 'Tis certaine, greatneſſe once falne out with fortune, Muſt fall out with men too: what the declin'd is, He ſhall as ſoone reade in the eyes of others, As feele in his owne fall: for men like butter-flies, Shew not their mealie wings, but to the Summer: And not a man for being ſimply man, Hath any honour; but honour'd for thoſe honours That are without him; as place, riches, and fauour, Prizes of accident, as oft as merit: Which when they fall, as being ſlippery ſtanders; The loue that leand on them as ſlippery too, Doth one plucke downe another, and together Dye in the fall. But 'tis not ſo with me; Fortune and I are friends, I doe enioy At ample point, all that I did poſſeſſe, Saue theſe mens lookes: who do me thinkes finde out Something not worth in me ſuch rich beholding, As they haue often giuen. Here is Ʋliſſes, Ile interrupt his reading: how now Vliſſes? Now great Thetis Sonne. What are you reading? A ſtrange fellow here Writes me, that man, how dearely euer parted, How much in hauing, or without, or in, Cannot make boaſt to haue that which he hath; Nor feeles not what he owes, but by reflection: As when his vertues ſhining vpon others, Heate them, and they retort that heate againe To the firſt giuer. This is not ſtrange Vliſſes: The beautie that is borne here in the face, The bearer knowes not, but commends it ſelfe, Not going from it ſelfe: but eye to eye oppos'd Salutes each other with each others forme: For ſpeculation turnes not to it ſelfe, Till it hath trauail'd, and is married there Where it may ſee it ſelfe: this is not ſtrange at all. I doe not ſtraine it at the poſition, It is familiar; but at the Authors drift, Who in his circumſtance, expreſly proues That no may is the Lord of any thing, (Though in and of him there is much conſiſting,) Till he communicate his parts to others: Nor doth he of himſelfe know them for ought, Till he behold them formed in th' applauſe, Where they are extended: who like an arch reuerb'rate The voyce againe; or like a gate of ſteele, Fronting the Sunne, receiues and renders backe His figure, and his heate. I was much rapt in this, And apprehended here immediately: The vnknowne Aiax; Heauens what a man is there? a very Horſe, That has he knowes not what. Nature, what things there are. Moſt abiect in regard, and deare in vſe. What things againe moſt deere in the eſteeme, And poore in worth: now ſhall we ſee to morrow, An act that very chance doth throw vpon him? Aiax renown'd? O heauens, what ſome men doe, While ſome men leaue to doe! How ſome men creepe in skittiſh fortunes hall, Whiles others play the Ideots in her eyes: How one man eates into anothers pride, While pride is feaſting in his wantonneſſe To ſee theſe Grecian Lords; why, euen already, They clap the lubber Aiax on the ſhoulder, As if his foote were on braue Hectors breſt, And great Troy ſhrinking.