Jonson, Ben · published 1616 · first performed or written 1609 (Annals) comedy · Children of the Queen's Revels T16 Gallantry: ladies, lordships and complim typicality 0.71 · 472 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T16: lady, madam, gentleman, lordship, ladies, honour, mistress, sweet, court, servant.
No faith, I came but from court, yesterday. Why, is it not arrived there yet, the news? A new foundation, sir, here i' the town, of ladies, that call themselves the Collegiates, an order between courtiers, and country-madames, that live from their husbands; and give entertainment to all the Wits, and Braveries o' the time, as they call 'em: cry down, or up, what they like, or dislike in a brain, or a fashion, with most masculine, or rather hermaphroditical authority: and, every day, gain to their college some new probationer. Who is the Precedent? The grave, and youthful matron, the lady HAUGHTY. A pox of her autumnal face, her pieced beauty: there's no man can be admitted till she be ready, now adays, till she has painted, and perfumed, and washed, and scoured, but the boy here; and him she wipes her oiled lips upon, like a sponge. I have made a song, I pray thee hear it, o' the subject. STill to be neat, still to be dressed, As, you were going to a feast; Still to be pou'dred, still perfumed: Lady, it is to be presumed, Though arts hid causes are not found, All is not sweet, all is not sound. Give me a look, give me a face, That makes simplicity a grace; Robes loosely flowing, hair as free: Such sweet neglect more taketh me, Then all th'adulteries of art. Thy strike mine eyes, but not my heart. And I am, clearly, o'the other side: I love a good dressing, before any beauty o' the world. O, a woman is, then, like a delicate garden; nor, is there one kind of it: she may vary, every hour; take often counsel of her glass, and choose the best. If she have good ears, show 'em; good hair, lay it out; good legs, wear short clothes; a good hand, discover it often; practise any art, to mend breath, cleanse teeth, repair eyebrows, paint, and profess it. How? publicly? The doing of it, not the manner: that must be private. Many things, that seem foul, i' the doing, do please, done. A lady should, indeed, study her face, when we think she sleeps: nor, when the doors are shut, should men be inquiring, all is sacred within, then. Is it for us to see their perukes put on, their false teeth, their complexion, their eyebrows, their nails? you see guilders will not work, but enclosed. They must not discover, how little serves, with the help of art, to adorn a great deal. How long did the canvas hang afore Aldgate? were the people suffered to see the city's Love, and Charity, while they were rude stone, before they were painted, and burnished? No. No more should servants approach their mistresses, but when they are complete, and finished. Well said, my TRVE-WIT.
seed 43: T5 · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
No faith, I came but from court, yesterday. Why, is it not arriu'd there yet, the newes? A new foundation, sir, here i' the towne, of ladies, that call themselues the Collegiates, an order betweene courtiers, and country-madames, that liue from their husbands; and giue entertainement to all the Wits, and Braueries o' the time, as they call 'hem: crie downe, or vp, what they like, or dislike in a braine, or a fashion, with most masculine, or rather hermaphroditicall authoritie: and, euery day, gaine to their colledge some new probationer. Who is the President? The graue, and youthfull matron, the lady HAVGHTY. A poxe of her autumnall face, her peec'd beautie: there's no man can bee admitted till shee be ready, now adaies, till shee has painted, and perfum'd, and wash'd, and scour'd, but the boy here; and him shee wipes her oil'd lips vpon, like a sponge. I haue made a song, I pray thee heare it, o' the subiect. STill to be neat, still to be drest, As, you were going to a feast; Still to be pou'dred, still perfum'd: Lady, it is to be presum'd, Though arts hid causes are not found, All is not sweet, all is not sound. Giue me a looke, giue me a face, That makes simplicitie a grace; Robes loosely flowing, haire as free: Such sweet neglect more taketh me, Then all th'adulteries of art. Thy strike mine eyes, but not my heart. And I am, clearely, o'the other side: I loue a good dressing, before any beautie o' the world. O, a woman is, then, like a delicate garden; nor, is there one kind of it: she may varie, euery houre; take often counsell of her glasse, and choose the best. If shee haue good eares, shew 'hem; good haire, lay it out; good legs, weare short cloathes; a good hand, discouer it often; practise any art, to mend breath, clense teeth, repaire eye-browes, paint, and professe it. How? publiquely? The doing of it, not the manner: that must bee priuate. Many things, that seeme foule, i' the doing, doe please, done. A lady should, indeed, studie her face, when wee thinke shee sleepes: nor, when the dores are shut, should men bee inquiring, all is sacred within, then. Is it for vs to see their perrukes put on, their false teeth, their complexion, their eye-browes, their nailes? you see guilders will not worke, but inclos'd. They must not discouer, how little serues, with the helpe of art, to adorne a great deale. How long did the canuas hang afore Ald-gate? were the people suffer'd to see the cities Loue, and Charitie, while they were rude stone, before they were painted, and burnish'd? No. No more should seruants approch their mistresses, but when they are compleat, and finish'd. Well said, my TRVE-WIT.