Tasso, Torquato / Reynolds, Henry · published 1628 · first performed or written 1628 (Annals) pastoral unassigned nearest T24 Apollo, Phoebus and the Muses · 470 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T24: apollo, phoebus, midas, muses, ears, play, hedone, gods, siren, time.
Nay more than this, the tables, chairs, and stools, Hang, and all that to each room belongs, Have tongue and voice, and never silent are; False lies there, formed into the shape of babes, Are hopping all about; and be he dumb That enters there, finds strait a tongue to prate And lie with; but there is yet worse than this, May happen thee; thou mayst perhaps be turned Into a beast, a tree, a flood, a flame, Into a flood of tears, a fire of sighs. All this he told me; and I forward went To see the City with this false belief; And (as good hap would have it,) chanced to pass Along the place where stands that blessed dwelling, Whence I might hear breath out such melody, By Swans, and Nymphs, and heavenly Sirens made, With voice so shrill, so sweet and full of pleasure, That all amazed, I stayed to gaze, and listen: Before the door there stood (me seemed) as guard Of the fair shows within, a man in show And of proportion stout, and knightly hue; Such as (for what he seemed me) made me doubt Whether for Arms he were, or counsel fit: With a benign, and mild, though grave aspect, He highly-faire bespoke, and led me in; He great in place, me poor and homely man: But then, what did I see? what did I hear? Celestial goddesses, and lovely Nymphs, New lights, new Orpheusses; and others too Vnuayled unclouded, as the virgin-morne, When silver dews her golden rays adorn. There Phoebus shone, enlightening all about, With all his sister Muses; among whom Satt Elpine; at which sight, all in a trice I felt myself grow greater than myself, Full of new power, full of new deity? And sang of wars, and Knightly deeds in Arms, Scorning the rural Songs I want to make; And though I after did (for others pleasure) Turn to these woods again, yet I retained Part of that Spirit; nor yet sounds my pipe So lowly as before, but shriller far. And through the woods rings with a trumpets voice. Afterward Mopso heard me '; and with so vild, And sour a countenance greeted me, that I Became strait hoarse, and was a long time mute; When all the Shepherds said, sure I had been Scared with the Wolf; but Mopso was the Wolf. This I have told thee, that thou mayst believe How little this man's words deserve belief; And out of doubt, thoust the more cause to hope, For that this fellow bids thee not to hope. I'm glad to hear this troth of him; but now I leave my life, and my life's care to you. Fear not 'tis all my care to cure thy pain: Within this bower see thou be here again.
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)
Nay more then this, the tables, chaires, and ſtooles, Hangings, and all that to each roome belongs, Haue toung and voice, and neuer ſilent ar; Falſe lyes there, formde into the ſhape of babes, Ar hopping all about; and be he dumbe That enters there, findes ſtraite a tongue to prate And lye with; but there is yet worſe then this, May happen thee; thou mayſt perhaps be turn'd Into a beaſt, a tree, a floud, a flame, Into a floud of teares, a fire of ſighes. All this he tould mee; and I forward went To ſee the Cittie with this falſe beliefe; And (as good happ would haue it,) chaunc'd to paſse Along the place where ſtands that bleſsed dwelling, Whence I might heare breath out ſuch melody, By Swans, and Nimphes, and heau'nly Syrens made, With voyce ſo ſhrill, ſo ſweet and full of pleaſure, That all amaz'd, I ſtay'd to gaze, and liſten: Before the doore there ſtood (mee ſeem'd) as guard Of the faire ſhowes within, a man in ſhowe And of proportion ſtout, and knightly hue; Such as (for what he ſeem'd me) made me doubt Whether for Armes he were, or counſaile fitter: With a benigne, and milde, though graue aſpect, He highly-faire beſpake, and led me in; He great in place, mee poore and homely man: But then, what did I ſee? what did I heare? Celeſtiall goddeſſes, and louely Nimphes, New lights, new Orpheuſſes; and others too Vnuayl'd vnclouded, as the virgin-morne, When ſiluer dewes her golden rayes adorne. There Phaebus ſhone, inlightning all about, With all his ſiſter Muſes; among whom Satt Elpine; at which ſight, all in a trice I felt my ſelfe growe greater then my ſelfe, Full of new powre, full of new diety? And ſang of warres, and Knightly deedes in Armes, Scorning the rurall Songs I wont to make; And though I after did (for others pleaſure) Turne to theſe woods againe, yet I retaynde Part of that Spirit; nor yet ſounds my pipe So lowly as before, but ſhriller farr. And through the woods rings with a trumpets voyce. Afterward Mopſo heard me'; and with ſo vilde, And ſowre a count'nance greeted mee, that I Became ſtraite hoarce, and was a long time mute; When all the Shepherds ſaid, ſure I had bin Scar'd with the Wolfe; but Mopſo was the Wolfe. This I haue tould thee, that thou mayſt beleeue How little this mans words deſerue beliefe; And out of doubt, th'haſt the more cauſe to hope, For that this fellow bids thee not to hope. I'me glad to heare this troth of him; but now I leaue my life, and my liues care to you. Feare not 'tis all my care to cure thy paine: Within this boure ſee thou be here againe.