Davenant, William · published 1630 · first performed or written 1627 [licensed for stage, Jan 12] (Annals) tragedy · King's Men · Blackfriars T19 Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions typicality 0.82 · 465 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
Heaven prosper your designs. What throngs of great impediments besiege The virtuous mind? so thick in multitude, They jostle one another as they come. Hath Vice a charter got, that none must rise But such, who of the devil's faction are? The way to honour is not evermore The way to Hell: a virtuous Man may climb. Let the flatterer sell his Lies, else where It is unthrifty merchandise to change My gold for breath. Of all Antagonists Most charity I find in envious men. For they do sooner hurt themselves, then hurt Or me, or him, that raised me up. An envious man is made of thoughts. To ruminate much doth melt the brain, And make the heart grow lean. Such men as these: That in opposing waste their proper strengths: That sacrifice themselves in silly hope, To butcher us; save Revenge a labour, And die to make experiment of Wrath. Let Fame discourse aloud until she want An Antidote: I am not scared with noise. Here I dismiss my fears. If I can swell (Unpoisoned by those helps, which Heaven forbids) Fond love of ease, shall ne'er my soul dehort: Maugre all flattery, envy, or report. O good your Grace hear us, hear the complaints Of us poor Men: O hear us! we are all Undone! Good your Honour hear us. Death encounter 'em! Lucio shut the door! 'tis the plague of greatness, the curse Of pomp, that in our darkest privacy, we must Even public be to every Man's affairs. How now! All these saucy Troops of brawling Suitors, attend on you my glorious Boy. It is their humble skill not to arrive Before your Grace, but by an Advocate A Mediator blessed in your Eyes. How apt am I to love! yet now observe Unkindness in my care, and bitterness In Physic. I study how to make thee less That I may make thee more and more my own. Office and Dignity are Enemies To health, and ease. Respect grows tedious Observance troublesome, where t's most due. He that gives his Soul no more employment Than what's her own: may sleep within a Drum. While busy Hearts, that love to undertake Beyond their reach of years: are fain to use Drowsy potions: yet watch the Winter night With more distinction than the Parish Clock. Couldst thou resign thy titles and thy cares To make me yet more capable of still Enjoying thee? My zeal unto myself forbids my speech. Since if I make reply to this, I but disparage duty, and consume my breath. Where sight is young, and clear, there Spectacles Are troublesome; and rather hide, then show The object. The most devout obedience Which I shall ever owe unto your Grace Becomes my heart, much better than my tongue.
seed 43: T13 · seed 44: T16 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Heauen proſper your deſignes. What throngs of great impediments beſiege The vertuous minde? ſo thick in multitude, They ioſtle one another as they come. Hath Vice a charter got, that none muſt riſe But ſuch, who of the Deuils faction are? The way to honour is not euermore The way to Hell: a vertuous Man may climbe. Let the flatterer ſell his Lies, elſe where It is vnthrifty merchandize to change My gold for breath. Of all Antagoniſts Moſt charitie I finde in enuious men. For they doe ſooner hurt themſelues, then hurt Or me, or him, that rays'd me vp. An enuious man is made of thoughts. To ruminate much doth melt the braine, And make the heart grow leane. Such men as theſe: That in oppoſing waſte their proper ſtrengths: That ſacrifice themſelues in ſilly hope, To butcher vs; ſaue Reuenge a labour, And dye to make experiment of Wrath. Let Fame diſcourſe aloud vntill ſhe want An Antidote: I am not ſcar'd with noyſe. Heere I diſmiſſe my feares. If I can ſwell (Vnpoyſon'd by thoſe helpes, which Heauen forbids) Fond loue of eaſe, ſhall neere my ſoule dehort: Maugre all flattery, enuy, or report. O good your Grace heare vs, heare the complaints Of vs poore Men: O heare vs! we are all Vndone! Good your Honour heare vs. Death encounter 'em! Lucio ſhut the doore! Tis the plague of greatneſſe, the curſe Of pompe, that in our darkeſt priuacie, wee muſt Euen publique be to euery Mans affaires. How now! All theſe ſawcy Troopes of brawling Sutors, attend on you my glorious Boy. It is their humble skill not to arriue Before your Grace, but by an Aduocate A Mediatour bleſſed in your Eies. How apt am I to loue! yet now obſerue Vnkindneſſe in my care, and bitterneſſe In Phyſicke. I ſtudy how to make thee leſſe That I may make thee more and more my owne. Office and Dignity are Enemies To health, and eaſe. Reſpect growes tedious Obſeruance troubleſome, where ti's moſt due. He that giues his Soule no more imployment Then what's her owne: may ſleepe within a Drumme. While buſie Hearts, that loue to vndertake Beyond their reach of yeeres: are faine to vſe Drowſie potions: yet watch the Winter night With more diſtinction then the Pariſh Clocke. Could'ſt thou reſigne thy titles and thy cares To make me yet more capable of ſtill Enioying thee? My zeale vnto my ſelfe forbids my ſpeech. Since if I make reply to this, I but Diſparedge duty, and conſume my breath. Where ight is young, and cleere, there Spectacles Are troubleſome; and rather hide, then ſhew The obiect. The moſt deuout obedience Which I ſhall euer owe vnto your Grace Becomes my heart, much better then my tongue.