The Atheist's Tragedy, or The Honest Man's Revenge · chunk 8 of 41
Tourneur, Cyril · published 1611 · first performed or written 1611 [1607-1611] (Annals) tragedy · Unknown unassigned nearest T33 Fathers, daughters and marriage negotiat · 494 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T33: daughter, marriage, father, love, davus, matter, son, chremes, wife, mother.
O do not wrong him. 'tis a generous mind That led his disposition to the war: For gentle love and noble courage are So near allied; that one begets another: Or, Love is Sister, and Courage is the Brother. Could I affect him better than before, His soldiers heart would make me love him more. But Castabella.— Tush, you mistake the way into a woman, The passage lies not through her reason, but her blood. Nay, stay! How wouldst thou call the child, That being raised with cost and tenderness, To full ability of body and means; Denies relief unto the parents, who Bestowed that bringing up? Unnatural. Then Castabella is unnatural. Nature the loving mother of us all, Brought forth a woman for her own relief; By generation to revive her age. Which now thou hast ability and means Presented; most unkindly dost deny. Believe me Mother; I do love a man. Preferrest th' affection of an absent Love, Before the sweet possession of a man; The barren mind before the fruitful body; Where our creation has no reference To man; but in his body: being made Only for generation; which (unless Our children can be gotten by conceit) Must from the body come. If Reason were Our counsellor, we would neglect the work Of generation, for the prodigal Expense it draws us too of that which is The wealth of life. Wise Nature (therefore) hath Reserved for an inducement to our sense, Our greatest pleasure in that greatest work. Which being offered thee; thy ignorance Refuses, for th'imaginary joy Of an unsatisfied affection, to An absent man. Whose blood once spent i'th' war; Then he'll come home, sick, lame and impotent; And wed thee to a torment; like the pain Of Tantalus, continuing thy desire, With fruitless presentation of the thing It loves; still moved, and still unsatisfied. Now Levidulcia! Hast thou yet prepared My daughter's love to entertain this Man? Her husband here? I'm but her mother in-law; Yet if she were my very flesh and blood, I could advise no better for good. Sweet wife! Thy joyful husband thus salutes Thy cheek. My husband? O! I am betrayed.— Dear friend of Charlemont! your purity Professes a divine contempt o'th' world; O be not bribed by that you so neglect, In being the world's hated instrument, To bring a just neglect upon yourself!— Dear Father! let me but examine my Affection.— Sir, your prudent judgement can Persuade your son that 'tis improvident To marry one whose disposition, he Did ne'er observe.— Good sir, I may be of A nature so unpleasing to your mind; Perhaps you'll curse the fatal hour wherein You rashly married me. My Lord Belforest! I would not have her forced against her choice. Passion o'me thou peevish girl. I charge Thee by my blessing, and th'authority I have to claim th'obedience; marry him. Now Charlemont! O my presaging tears! This sad event hath followed my sad fears.
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)
O doe not wrong him. T'is a generous minde That ledde his disposition to the warre: For gentle loue and noble courage are So neare allyed; that one begets another: Or, Loue is Sister, and Courage is the Brother. Could I affect him better then before, His Souldiers heart would make me loue him more. But Castabella.— Tush, you mistake the way into a woman, The passage lyes not through her reason, but her bloud. Nay, stay! How wouldst thou call the childe, That being rais'd with cost and tendernesse, To full habilitie of body and meanes; Denies reliefe vnto the parents, who Bestow'd that bringing vp? Vnnaturall. Then Castabella is vnnaturall. Nature the louing mother of vs all, Brought forth a woman for her owne reliefe; By generation to reuiue her age. Which now thou hast habilitie and meanes Presented; most vnkindly dost deny. Belieue me Mother; I doe loue a man. Preferr'st th' affection of an absent Loue, Before the sweet possession of a man; The barren minde before the fruitfull body; Where our creation has no reference To man; but in his body: being made Onely for generation; which (vnlesse Our children can be gotten by conceit) Must from the body come. If Reason were Our counsellour, wee would neglect the worke Of generation, for the prodigall Expence it drawes vs too of that which is The wealth of life. Wise Nature (therefore) hath Reseru'd for an inducement to our sence, Our greatest pleasure in that greatest worke. Which being offer'd thee; thy ignorance Refuses, for th'imaginarie ioy Of an vnsatisfied affection, to An absent man. Whose bloud once spent i'th'warre; Then hee'l come home, sicke, lame and impotent; And wed thee to a torment; like the paine Of Tantalus, continuing thy desire, With fruitlesse presentation of the thing It loues; still moou'd, and still vnsatisfied. Now Leuidulcia! Hast thou yet prepar'd My Daughters loue to entertaine this Man? Her husband here? I'm but her mother i'law; Yet if shee were my very flesh and bloud, I could aduise no better for good. Sweet wife! Thy ioyfull husband thus salutes Thy cheeke. My husband? O! I am betraid.— Deare friend of Charlemont! your puritie Professes a diuine contempt o'th'world; O be not brib'd by that you so neglect, In being the worlds hated instrument, To bring a iust neglect vpon your selfe!— Deare Father! let me but examine my Affection.—Sir, your prudent iudgement can Perswade your sonne that t'is improuident To marry one whose disposition, he Did ne'er obserue.—Good sir, I may be of A nature so vnpleasing to your minde; Perhaps you'l curse the fatall houre wherein You rashly marryed me. My Lord Belforest! I would not haue her forc'd against her choise. Passion o'me thou peeuish girle. I charge Thee by my blessing, and th'authoritie I haue to claime th'obedience; marry him. Now Charlemont! O my presaging teares! This sad euent hath follow'd my sad feares.