Jonson, Ben · published 1612 · first performed or written 1610 (Annals) comedy · King's Men unassigned nearest T56 Magic, spells and conjuring · 494 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T56: magic, faustus, charms, charm, conjure, spirits, skill, ho, power, spells.
Not those of iron? Yes. You may bring them, too. We'll change all metals. I believe you, in that. Then I may send my Spits? Yes, and your Racks. And Dripping-pans, and Pot-hangers, and Hooks? Shall he not? If e please. To be an Ass. How Sir! This Gentleman, you must bear withal. I told you, he had no faith. And little hope, Sir, But, much less charity, should I gull myself. Why what have you observed, Sir, in our Art, Seems so impossible? But your whole work, no more. That, you should hatch gold in a Furnace, Sir, As they do eggs in Egypt. Sir, do you Believe that eggs are hatched so? If I should? Why, I think that the greater Miracle. No Egg, but differs from a Chicken, more, Then Metals in themselves. That cannot be. The Egg's ordained by Nature, to that end: And is a Chicken, in Potentia. The same we say of Lead, and other Metals, Which would be Gold, if they had time. And that Our Art doth further. ay, for 'twere absurd To think that Nature, in the earth, bred Gold Perfect i'the instant. Something went before. There must be remote Matter. ay, what is that? Marry, we say. ay, now it heats, stand Father. Pound him to Dust. It is, of the one part, A humid exhalation, which we call Materia liquida, or the unctuous Water; On th'other part, a certain crass, and viscous Portion of earth; both which, concorporate, Do make the elementary matter of Gold: Which is not, yet, propria materia, But common to all Metals, and all Stones. For, where it is forsaken of that moisture, And hath more dryness, it becomes a Stone; Where it retains more of the humid fatness, It turns to Sulphur, or to Quicksilver: Who are the Parents of all other Metals. Nor can this remote Matter, suddenly, Progress so from extreme, unto extreme, As to grow Gold, and leap o'er all the means. Nature doth, first, beget th'imperfect; then Proceeds she to the perfect. Of that airy, And oily water, Mercury is engendered; Sulphur o'the fat, and earthy part; the one (Which is the last) supplying the place of Male, The other of the Female, in all Metals. Some do believe Hermaphrodeity, That both do act, and suffer. But these two Make the rest ductile, malleable, extensive. And, even in Gold, they are; for we do find Seeds of them, by our fire, and Gold in them: And can produce the species of each metal More perfect thence, then Nature doth in earth. Beside, who doth not see, in daily practice, Art can beget Bees, Hornets, Beetles, Wasps, Out of the Carcases, and dung of Creatures; Yea, Scorpions, of an herb, being rightly placed. And these are living Creatures, far more perfect, And excellent, than metal. Well said, Father! Nay, if he take you in hand, Sir, with an argument, he'll bray you in a Mortar.
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)
Not those of iron? Yes. You may bring them, too. We'll change all mettall's. I beleeue you, in that. Then I may send my Spitts? Yes, and your Racks. And Dripping-pannes, and Pot-hangers, and Hookes? Shall he not? If e please. To be an Asse. How Sir! This Gent'man, you must beare withall. I told you, he had no faith. And little hope, Sir, But, much lesse charitie, should I gull my selfe. Why what haue you obseru'd, Sir, in our Art, Seemes so impossible? But your whole worke, no more. That, you should hatch gold in a Fornace, Sir, As they doe egges in Egypt. Sir, doe you Beleeue that egges are hatch'd so? If I should? Why, I thinke that the greater Miracle. No Egge, but differs from a Chicken, more, Then Mettalls in themselues. That cannot be. The Egg's ordain'd by Nature, to that end: And is a Chicken, in Potentia. The same we say of Lead, and other Mettalls, Which would be Gold, if they had time. And that Our Art doth furder. I, for 'twere absurd To thinke that Nature, in the earth, bred Gold Perfect i'the instant. Something went before. There must be remote Matter. I, what is that? Mary, we say. I, now it heates, stand Father. Pound him to Dust. It is, of the one part, A humide exhalation, which we call Materia liquida, or the Vctuous Water; On th'other part, a certaine crasse, and viscous Portion of earth; both which, concorporate, Doe make the elementary matter of Gold: Which is not, yet, propria materia, But commune to all Mettalls, and all Stones. For, where it is forsaken of that moysture, And hath more drynesse, it becomes a Stone; Where it retaines more of the humid fatnesse, It turnes to Sulphur, or to Quick-siluer: Who are the Parents of all other Mettals. Nor can this remote Matter, sodainly, Progresse so from extreme, vnto extreme, As to grow Gold, and leape ore all the meanes. Nature doth, first, beget th'imperfect; then Proceedes shee to the perfect. Of that ayrye, And oyly water, Mercury is engendred; Sulphure o'the fat, and earthy part; the one (Which is the last) supplying the place of Male, The other of the Female, in all Mettalls. Some doe beleeue Hermaphrodeitie, That both doe act, and suffer. But these two Make the rest ductile, malleable, extensiue. And, euen in Gold, they are; for we doe finde Seedes of them, by our fire, and Gold in them: And can produce the species of each mettall More perfect thence, then Nature doth in earth. Beside, who doth not see, in dayly practise, Art can beget Bees, Hornets, Beetles, Waspes, Out of the Carcasses, and dung of Creatures; Yea, Scorpions, of an herbe, being ritely plac'd. And these are liuing Creatures, far more perfect, And excellent, then Mettall. Well said, Father! Nay, if he take you in hand, Sir, with an argument, Hee'll bray you in a Morter.