Massinger, Philip · published 1632 · first performed or written 1631 [licensed for stage, Mar 11] (Annals) tragicomedy · King's Men · Blackfriars unassigned nearest T12 Olympian gods: Jupiter, Juno, Venus and · 543 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T12: iupiter, saturn, iuno, venus, gods, mars, earth, titan, love, fair.
She indeed is A perfect Phoenix, and disdains a rival. Her infant years, as you know, promised much But grown to ripeness she transcends, and makes Credulity her debtor. I will tell you In my blunt way, to entertain the time, Until you have the happiness to see her, How in your absence she hath borne herself, And with all possible brevity, though the subject Is such a spacious field, as would require An abstract of the purest eloquence (Derived from the most famous Orators The nurse of learning, Athens, showed the world) In that man, that should undertake to be Her true Historian. In this you shall do me A special favour. Since Arcadius death, Our late great Master, the protection of The Prince his Son, the second Theodosius, By a general vote and suffrage of the people; Was to her charge assigned, with the disposure Of his so many Kingdoms. For his person She hath so trained him up in all those arts That are both great and good, and to be wished In an Imperial Monarch, that the Mother Of the Gracchi, grave Cornelia (Rome still boasts of) The wise Pulcheria but named, must be No more remembered. She by her example Hath made the court a kind of Academy, In which true honour is both learned, and practised, Her private lodge's a chaste Nunnery, In which her sisters as probationers hear From her their sovereign Abbess, all the precepts Read in the school of virtue. You amaze me. I shall ere I conclude. For here the wonder Begins, not ends Her soul is so immense, And her strong faculties so apprehensive, To search into the depth of deep designs, And of all natures, that the burden which To many men were insupportable, To her is but a gentle exercise, Made by the frequent use familiar to her. With your good favour let me interrupt you. Being as she is in every part so perfect, methinks that all kings of our Eastern world Should become rivals for her. So they have, But to no purpose. She that knows her strength To rule, and govern Monarchs, scorns to wear On her free neck the servile yoke of marriage. And for one loose desire, envy itself Dares not presume to taint her. Venus' son Is blind indeed, when he but gazes on her. Her chastity being a rock of Diamonds, With which encountered his shafts fly in splinters, His flaming torches in the living spring Of her perfections, quenched: and to crown all; she's so impartial when she sits upon The high tribunal, neither swayed with piety, Nor awed by fear beyond her equal scale, That 'tis not superstition to believe Astrea once more lives upon the earth, Pulcheria's breast her temple. You have given her An admirable character. She deserves it, And such is the commanding power of virtue, That from her vicious enemies it compels Paeans of praise as a due tribute to her. Solemn loud music: What means this solemn music? It ushers The emperor's morning meditation, In which Pulcheria is more than assistant. 'tis worth your observation, and you may Collect from her expense of time this day, How her hours for many years have been disposed of.
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)
She indeed is A perfect Phoenix, and disdaynes a riuall. Her infant yeeres, as you know, promis'd much But growne to ripenesse shee transcendes, and makes Credulitie her debtor. I will tell you In my blunt way, to entertaine the time, Vntill you haue the happinesse to see her, How in your absence shee hath borne her selfe, And with all possible breuitie, though the subiect Is such a spatious field, as would require An abstract of the purest eloquence (Deriu'de from the most famous Orators The nurse of learning, Athens, shew'd the world) In that man, that should vndertake to bee Her true Historian. In this you shall doe mee A speciall fauour. Since Arcadius death, Our late great Master, the protection of The Prince his Sonne, the second Theodosius, By a generall vote and suffrage of the people; Was to her charge assigned, with the disposure Of his so many Kingdomes. For his person Shee hath so train'd him vp in all those arts That are both great and good, and to be wished In an Imperiall Monarch, that the Mother Of the Gracchi, graue Cornelia (Rome still boasts of) The wise Pulcheria but nam'd, must be No more remembred. She by her example Hath made the court a kinde of Academy, In which true honour is both learnd, and practisd, Her priuate lodging's a chaste Nunnery, In which her sisters as probationers heare From her their soueraigne Abbesse, all the precepts Read in the schoole of vertue. You amaze me. I shall ere I conclude. For heere the wonder Begins, not ends Her soule is so immense, And her strong faculties so apprehensiue, To search into the depth of deepe designes, And of all natures, that the burthen which To many men were insupportable, To her is but a gentle exercise, Made by the frequent vse familiar to her. With your good fauour let me interrupt you. Being as she is in euery part so perfect, Me thinkes that all kings of our Easterne world Should become riualls for her. So they haue, But to no purpose. She that knowes her strength To rule, and gouerne Monarchs, scornes to weare On her free necke the seruile yoke of marriage. And for one loose desire, enuie it selfe Dares not presume to taint her. Venus sonne Is blinde indeed, when he but gazes on her. Her chastity being a rocke of Diamonds, With which encountred his shafts flie in splinters, His flaming torches in the liuing spring Of her perfections, quench'd: and to crowne all; Shee's so impartiall when she sits vpon The high tribunall, neither swayd with piety, Nor awd by feare beyond her equall scale, That 'tis not superstition to beleeue Astrea once more liues vpon the earth, Pulcheriaes brest her temple. You haue giuen her An admirable character. She deserues it, And such is the commanding power of vertue, That from her viious enemies it compells Paeans of prayse as a due tribute to her. Solemno lowd musick: What meanes this solemne musicke? It vshers The Emperours morning meditation, In which Pulcheria is more then assistant. Tis worth your obseruation, and you may Collect from her expence of time this day, How her howres for many yeeres haue beene dispos'd of.