Jonson, Ben · published 1631 · first performed or written 1629 [licensed for stage, Jan 19] (Annals) comedy · King's Men T35 Fools, wit and railing typicality 0.74 · 481 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T35: fool, wit, aristippus, achilles, wise, fools, patroclus, thersites, master, men.
Why do you say so? Or think so enviously? do they not still Learn there, the Centaur's skill, the art of Thrace, To ride? or Pollux mystery, to fence? The pyrrhic gestures, both to dance, and spring In armour, to be active for the Wars? To study figures, numbers, and proportions, May yield 'em great in counsels, and the arts Grave Nestor, and the wise Ulysses practised? To make their English sweet upon their tongue! As reverend Chaucer says? Sir you mistake, To play Sir Pandarus my copy hath it, And carry messages to Madam Cressid. instead of backing the brave Steed, o'mornings, To mount the Chambermaid; and for a leap O'the vaulting horse, to ply the vaulting house: For exercise of arms, a bale of dice, Or two or three packs of cards, to show the cheat, And nimbleness of hand: mistake a cloak From my Lords back, and pawn it. Ease his pockets Of a superfluous Watch, or geld a jewel Of an odd stone, or so. Twinge three or four buttons From off my Lady's gown. These are the arts, Or seven liberal deadly sciences Of Pagery, or rather Paganism, As the tides run. To which, if he apply him, He may, perhaps, take a degree at Tyburn, A year the earlier: come to read a lecture Upon Aquinas at S. Thomas a Waterings, And so go forth a Laureate in hemp circle! Yo'are tart, mine host, and talk above your seasoning, o'er what you seem: it should not come, methinks, Under your cap, this vein of salt, and sharpness! These strikings upon learning, now and then? How long have you, (if your dull guest may ask it,) Drove this quick trade, of keeping the light-heart, Your Mansion, Palace here, or Hostelry. Troth, I was borne to somewhat, Sir, above it. I easily suspect that: Mine host, your name. They call me Goodstock. Sir, and you confess it, Both i'your language, treaty, and your bearing. Yet all, Sir, are not sons o'the white Hen; Nor can we, as the Songster says, come all To be wrapped soft and warm in fortune's smock: When she is pleased to trick, or trump mankind: Some may be Coats, as in the cards; but, than Some must be knaves, some varlets, bawds, and ostlers, As aces, deuces, cards o'ten, to face it Out, i'the game, which all the world is. But, It being i'your free will (as 'twas) to choose What parts you would sustain, methinks, a man Of your sagacity, and clear nostril, should Have made, another choice, then of a place So sordid, as the keeping of an Inn: Where every jovial Tinker, for his chink, May cry, mine host, to cram, give us drink; And do not slink, but skinke, or else you stink. Rogue, bawd, and Cheater, call you by the surnames, And known Synonyma of your profession.
nodes 191–252 (positions in the processed text, not lines of the printed book) · chunk 4 of 44 in this edition
Length
481 words · 710 tokens
Topic (seed 42)
T35 — Fools, wit and railingcross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · typicality 0.736 (cosine to the topic centroid)
Other seeds
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)
Why doe you say so? Or thinke so enviously? doe they not still Learne there, the Centaures skill, the art of Thrace, To ride? or Pollux my stery, to fence? The Pyrrhick gestures, both to dance, and spring In armour, to be actiue for the Warres? To study figures, numbers, and proportions, May yeeld 'hem great in counsels, and the arts Graue Nestor, and the wise Vlysses practis'd? To make their English sweet vpon their tongue! As reu'rend Chaucer sayes? Sir you mistake, To play Sir Pandarus my copy hath it, And carry messages to Madam Cresside. instead of backing the braue Steed, o'mornings, To mount the Chambermaid; and for a leape O'the vaulting horse, to ply the vaulting house: For exercise of armes, a bale of dice, Or two or three packs of cards, to shew the cheat, And nimblenesse of hand: mistake a cloake From my Lords back, and pawne it. Ease his pockets Of a superfluous Watch, or geld a iewell Of an odde stone, or so. Twinge three or foure buttons From off my Ladyes gowne. These are the arts, Or seuen liberall deadly sciences Of Pagery, or rather Paganisme, As the tides run. To which, if he apply him, He may, perhaps, take a degree at Tiburne, A yeare the earlier: come to read a lecture Vpon Aquinas at S. Thomas a Waterings, And so goe forth a Laureat in hempe circle! Yo'are tart, mine host, and talke aboue your seasoning, Ore what you seeme: it should not come, me thinkes, Vnder your cap, this veine of salt, and sharpnesse! These strikings vpon learning, now and then? How long haue you, (if your dul ghest may aske it,) Droue this quick trade, of keeping the light-heart, Your Mansion, Palace here, or Hostelry. Troth, I was borne to somewhat, Sir, aboue it. I easily suspect that: Mine host, your name. They call me Good-stock. Sr, and you confeffeit, Bth i'your language, treaty, and your bearing. Yet all, Sir, are not sonnes o'the white Hen; Nor can we, as the Songster says, come all To be wrapt soft and warme in fortunes smock: When she is pleas'd to trick, or trompe mankinde: Some may be Cotes, as in the cards; but, then Some must be knaues, some varlets, baudes, and ostlers, As aces, duizes, cards o'ten, to face it Out, i'the game, which all the world is. But, It being i'your free will (as 'twas) to choose What parts you would sustaine, me thinkes, a man Of your sagacity, and cleare nostrill, should Haue made, another choise, then of a place So sordid, as the keeping of an Inne: Where euery Iouial Tinker, for his chinke, May cry, mine host, to crambe, giue vs drinke; And doe not slinke, but skinke, or else you stinke. Rogu, Baud, and Cheater, call you by the surnames, And knowne Synonyma of your profession.