Hawkins, William · published 1627 · first performed or written 1627 [Feb 6] (Annals) comedy T21 Cupid, Venus and the nymphs typicality 0.72 · 482 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T21: cupid, venus, love, ceres, diana, fair, nymphs, goddess, bow, damon.
This is an oracle to me, I pray you expound by example. Put case that some fair and honourable Lady were mentioned at the Table, and thereupon some busy curious Gentleman should ask you whether there passed no terms of love between you and her. To deny it, were a derogation from your honour. To love or be beloved is honourable. For you to acknowledge it, were perhaps dangerous. Some of the company may be your Rival, and so rusty iron may leap out of the eel-skin, and prick your skin. Thus Venus may be exchanged for Mars. And of the two, he's the most dangerous companion to a man's naked side. One shrug quits all this, by which you seem to say, I am not to be examined upon this Interrogatory. I stand upon my guard, all armed in silent wisdom. Incomparable dogments. Muscus never taught me so good a lesson. But high time it is for us to appear, the Session is begun by this. The villain Praco is like death, and will spare none. methinks I heare him cry, Captain Compliment appear. Go Coach it up with your Mother. I and my will march up the hill on foot. Here sir, I appear sir. Here sir, at hand. SEe how thy soul was snared with sophistry. No Author here alleged for Hedone, But quells those poisons with their Antidotes. Mark Tully in that place doth smoothly plead For youthful Calius, so to palliate His Clients true objected vanities. There Tully played the Lawyer for his fee. Behold him now a sage Philosopher: Discoursing of Old Age, he there concludes, In voluptatis regno virtutem non posse consistere, That virtue cannot stand where pleasure reigns. Anacreon was a wanton Epicure, A glozing Poet, but lewd Moralist: He sold his soul to Venus and her son, Such writers we for style, not matter read. Siren from Terence pleads, that in young men Deep quaffing, roating, whoring, is no fault. Doth not that Poet represent the parts, The passions, and several enormities Of cockering doting fathers, of lewd sons, Of cheating slaves, and cogging parasites? Thus he describes the vices of those times, That readers might them hate, not imitate. S●, Comic Poets set out drunkenness In him that pleads for Bacchus, and the while Doth swagger, stagger, swallow, wallow, snort, The soul▪ that this picture is, the more That swinish vice breeds loathing of itself. If I would on a Comic stage display Virtue in conflict stoutly labouring, And then in conquest honoured by fame; First would I personate her enemy In some such busy guiles and forgery, As this lewd Siren represents to thee. The rest of Authors, Motives, Arguments, Which in that letter you so stood upon, Are of no better stamp, as I have shown. And can far more at large. But why should I distrust thy judgement so?
nodes 902–946 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 36 of 46 in this edition
Length
482 words · 663 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T21 — Cupid, Venus and the nymphscross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.718 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
seed 43: T21 · seed 44: T24 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
This is an oracle to mee, I pray you expound by example. Put case that some faire and honourable Lady were mentioned at the Table, and thereupon some busie curious Gentleman should aske you whether there past no tearmes of loue betweene you and her. To deny it, were a derogation from your honou. To loue or be belou'd is honourable. For you to acknowledge it, were perhaps dangerous. Some of the company may be your Riuall, and so rusty iron may leap out of the Ecle-skin, and 'pricke your skinne. Thus Venus may be exchanged for Mars. And of the two, hees the most dangerous companion to a mans naked side. One shrugge quits all this, by which you seeme to say, I am not to bee examined vpon this Intergatory. I stand vpon my guard, all arm'd in silent wisedome. Incomparable dogments. Musus neuer taught me so good a lesson. But high time it is for vs to appeare, the Session is begunne by this. The villaine Prco i like death, and will spare none. Mee think I heae him , Captaine Complement appeare. Goe Coach it vp with your Mother. I and my will march vp the hill on foot. Hereir, I appeare sir. Here sir, at hand. SEe how thy soule was sna'd with sophistry. No Author here alleadg'd for Hedone, But quels those poysons with their Antidotes. Marke Tully in that place doth smoothly pleade For youthfull Calius, so to palliate His Clyents true obiected vanities. There Tully plaid the Lawier for his fee. Behold him now a sage Philosopher: Discoursing of Old Age, he there concludes, In voluptatis regno virtutem non posse onsistere, That vertue cannot stand where pleasure raignes. was a wanton Epicure, A glosing Poet, but wd Moralist: He sould his soule to Uenus and her sonne, Such writers we for stile, not matter reade. Siren from Terence pleads, that in yong men Deepe quaffing, roating, whooring, is no fault. Doth not that Poet represent the pars, The passions, and seuerall enormities Of cockering doting fathers, of lewd sonnes, Of cheating slaues, and cogging parasites? Thus he describes the vices of those times, That readers might them hate, no imitate. S, Comique Poets set out drunkennesse In him that pleads for , and the while Doth swagger, stagger, swallow, wallow, snort, The soule▪ that this picture is, the more That swinish vice breeds loathing of it selfe. If I would on a Comique slage display Vertue in conflict stoutly labouring, And then in conquest honoured by ; First would I personate her enemy In some such busie guiles and forgery, As this lewd Siren represents to thee. The rest of Authors, Motiues, Arguments, Which in that letter you so stood vpon, Are of no better stampe, as I haue showne. And can fare more at large. But why should I distrust thy iudgement so?