Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	work_v	world_n	worldly_a	246	3	8.3198	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04577	Essaies, or rather Imperfect offers, by Rob. Iohnson Gent. Seene and allowed	Johnson, Robert, fl. 1586-1626.	1601 (1601)	STC 14695; ESTC S107838	31,193	114

ESSAIES OR Rather Imperfect Offers BY ROB. IOHNSON Gent. Seene and allowed LONDON Printed by Iohn Windet for Iohn Barnes 1601. Essay 1. OF GREATnes of mind GReatenes of Minde is an ornament to vertue setting it forth in an higher degree of excellency teaching vs to contemne all these imaginate worldly greatnesses and confirming vs with a puissant resolution to enter vppon the bracest enterprises where this aptnesse is wanting the vertues which specially befitte great fortunes as depth of wisedome height of courage and liberality are also wanting and it is as impossible to enlarge a little minde to any of these vertues as with the puffe of the mouth to force a tall vessell against a strong and deepe streame For how can they bee carried to embrace worthy deedes who so highly prize this interim of life how can they bee wise who distracted with vaine feares doe not settle in this resolution that all worldly happinesse hath his being onely by opinion how can they be liberal whose mindes confined to the world think of liuing continually Contrariwise where learning hath gotten such a disposition to worke vppon it is most powerfull and can plant an opinion against the strongest feare of death Then a man is easily induced not to esteeme the giftes of Fortune for their specious shew for that were to admire them but for their vse and that is to gouerne them ●t teacheth that it is a better thing to giue then to receiue Illud enim est supera●tis hoc ver● eius qui superatur the one being the insigne of superioritie the other the s●gnifying note of subiection arguing a defect with acknowledgement of a better And indeede greate minds cannot endure to make shew of a beholdingnes They loue their own benefites and it is better by cōmemoration of former fauoures to drawe them to accomplish our desires then by mentioning those good good turns which proceeding from vs to them might in reason binde a granting our petitions for by so doing they thinke Destrui fortunam suā and interprete it to a diminution of their greatnes and disabling them of abilitie to requite and when the benefites are greater then hope of recompence in lieu of a gratefull acceptance they are repayed with a most malitious ill will for there is no worse more dangerous hatred then the shame and inward guilt of an abused benefite With those men the most preuailing manner of intercession is to giue thankes as in Traians time the best Phrase of suting for offices was to shew that hee had beene lately indowed with one Optimé magistratus magistratu honore honos peritur These mindes with a noble despisingnes ouerpassing small matters contend for an excesse of estimation reseruing and husbanding their prowesse for the greatest employmentes AEnaeas in the Poet. solum densa in caligine Turnū Vestigat lustrans Solum in certamina poscit Neyther can I more fitly compare them then to those noble dogs which presented to Alexander by the king of Albanie would not stirre at small beastes but with an ouerflowing of courage contemned to incounter but with Lyons and Elephantes They are spare in speech open in action euer musing and retired such as Scipio is described by Cicero and Sylla by the most cunning searcher of mens minds Salust in whom hee sayeth there was an incredible height of spirite in concealing his courses They are neyther proudly conceited in prosperity nor discouraged with the stormes of aduersity no way impeachable or subiected to the base dominion of Fortune Such was Furius Camillus who being alway like himselfe neyther by attaining the Dictatorship was enflamed to haughtines nor by being forbidden his countrie was strooken into melancholie and surelie in this vertue the Romains were generally admirable who neither in their conquering age were puffed vp to insolēcy nor in their crosse vnlooked for accidentes stooped to dispaire As in the disaster at Cannae when all the worlde did ring out peales that their fortunes were dead they did nothing vnworthy themselues that might bee a derogation to the auncient dignity of their name for being driuen to that exigent that hauing lost the flower and strength of their nations they armed their seruantes and aged men to the battell yet they neuer offered any capitulations for a truce neyther wold they redeeme their captiues both which actions imported an inuincible confidence and afterward in the enterprise of Asia they proposed before the victorie conditions to Antiochus as i● they had ouercome and after the conquest out of a wonderful moderation as if they had not vanquished But little mindes hauing risen with a prosperous winde are lifted vppe farre beyond the leuell of their owne discourse Then they beginne to speake in a commaunding accent to condemne other mens actions to affect singularitie to vsurpe vndue authorities to contrauert in argument without respect and to perseuere with an vnflexible stubbornnes perswaded that al things becom them and thus drunken with vaine greatnes founded vppon no worthinesse are easilie trayned into opinion that their state was atchieued by their vertue and that their vertue was worthy of a better state But when they beginne to taste any disfauour presently discountenanced in themselues they are eyther by seldome comfortlesse flatterers brought to some vnreasonable purpose as Claudius blinded with the false informatiōs of Pallas to adopt Nero or else hauing no greatnes but outwarde and standing on no true ground inwardly are more ready to fall then calamity can depresse them and presentlie like vile and abiect creatures not aduenturing to recouer dispaire of renuing and reintegrating their fortunes But as the best wine becommeth the egrest vinegar and what degree of goodnesse a thing holdeth while it abideth in his nature the same degree of euill it taketh when it is abused So this greatnesse of mind if it be not accompanied with vertue maketh men daungerouslie bad terrible producing the same effectes which it did in Catiline Immoderata incredibilia nimis alta sēper cupiendo but being guided by clearenesse of iudgement causeth men to bee soly earnest for the publique good not to bee contentious self-seeking or any thing respecting their peculiar aduantages Essay 2 Of Wit MEN of slowe capacitie are more apte to serue then to rule their conceite is so tough that neither the rules of learning nor precepts of wisedome nor habite of vertue can make any impression Tardis mentibus virtus nō committitur sayeth Cicero They haue a dulnes enemie to wisedom a slownes hurtfull to the moments of occasion a certaine vnderstanding alwaye f●aught with suspition the lesse they perceiue the more they conceiue for the selfe-guiltines of their owne defectes makes them willing to appeare curious rather following chance then doing any thing vpon free election they faile in that greatnes of minde that noblenes in their ends that reason to resolue that spirite to execute that feeling of disgraces which a man ought to haue Some in the choice of Ministers