Selected quad for the lemma: majesty_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
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A34315
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The old batchelour a comedy, as it is acted at the Theatre Royal, by Their Majesties servants / written by Mr. Congreve.
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Congreve, William, 1670-1729.
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1693
(1693)
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Wing C5863; ESTC R1182
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51,682
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70
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the_o old_a bachelor_n a_o comedy_n as_o it_o be_v act_v at_o the_o theatre_n royal_a by_o their_o majesty_n servant_n write_a by_o mr._n congreve_n quem_fw-la tulit_fw-la ad_fw-la scenam_fw-la ventoso_fw-la gloria_fw-la curru_fw-la exanimat_fw-la lentus_fw-la spectator_n sedulus_fw-la inflat_fw-la sic_fw-la leave_n sic_fw-la parvum_fw-la est_fw-la animum_fw-la quod_fw-la laudis_fw-la avarum_fw-la subruit_fw-la aut_fw-la resicit_fw-la horat._n epist._n i._o lib._n ii_o london_n print_v for_o peter_n buck_n at_o the_o sign_n of_o the_o temple_n near_o the_o temple-gate_n in_o fleetstreet_n 1693._o to_o the_o right_n honourable_a charles_n lord_n clifford_n of_o lanesborough_n etc._n etc._n my_o lord_n it_o be_v with_o a_o great_a deal_n of_o pleasure_n that_o i_o lie_v hold_v on_o this_o first_o occasion_n which_o the_o accident_n of_o my_o life_n have_v give_v i_o of_o write_v to_o your_o lordship_n for_o since_o at_o the_o same_o time_n i_o write_v to_o all_o the_o world_n it_o will_v be_v a_o mean_n of_o publish_v what_o i_o will_v have_v every_o body_n know_v the_o respect_n and_o duty_n which_o i_o owe_v and_o pay_v to_o you_o i_o have_v so_o much_o inclination_n to_o be_v you_o that_o i_o need_v no_o other_o engagement_n but_o the_o particular_a tie_n by_o which_o i_o be_o bind_v to_o your_o lordship_n and_o family_n have_v put_v it_o out_o of_o my_o power_n to_o make_v you_o any_o compliment_n since_o all_o offer_v of_o myself_o will_v amount_v to_o no_o more_o than_o a_o honest_a acknowledgement_n and_o only_o show_v a_o willingness_n in_o i_o to_o be_v grateful_a i_o be_o very_a near_o wish_v that_o it_o be_v not_o so_o much_o my_o interest_n to_o be_v your_o lordship_n servant_n that_o it_o may_v be_v more_o my_o merit_n not_o that_o i_o will_v avoid_v be_v oblige_v to_o you_o but_o i_o will_v have_v my_o own_o choice_n to_o run_v i_o into_o the_o debt_n that_o i_o may_v have_v it_o to_o boast_v i_o have_v distinguish_v a_o man_n to_o who_o i_o will_v be_v glad_a to_o be_v oblige_v even_o without_o the_o hope_n of_o have_v it_o in_o my_o power_n ever_o to_o make_v he_o a_o return_n it_o be_v impossible_a for_o i_o to_o come_v near_o your_o lordship_n in_o any_o kind_n and_o not_o to_o receive_v some_o favour_n and_o while_o in_o appearance_n i_o be_o only_o make_v a_o acknowledgement_n with_o the_o usual_a underhand_a deal_n of_o the_o world_n i_o be_o at_o the_o same_o time_n insinuate_v my_o own_o interest_n i_o can_v give_v your_o lordship_n your_o due_n without_o tack_v a_o bill_n of_o my_o own_o privilege_n it_o be_v true_a if_o a_o man_n never_o commit_v a_o folly_n he_o will_v never_o stand_v in_o need_n of_o a_o protection_n but_o than_o power_n will_v have_v nothing_o to_o do_v and_o good_a nature_n no_o occasion_n to_o show_v itself_o and_o where_o those_o virtue_n be_v it_o be_v pity_n they_o shall_v want_v object_n to_o shine_v upon_o i_o must_v confess_v this_o be_v no_o reason_n why_o a_o man_n shall_v do_v a_o idle_a thing_n nor_o indeed_o any_o good_a excuse_n for_o it_o when_o do_v yet_o it_o reconcile_v the_o use_n of_o such_o authority_n and_o goodness_n to_o the_o necessity_n of_o our_o folly_n and_o be_v a_o sort_n of_o poetical_a logic_n which_o at_o this_o time_n i_o will_v make_v use_n of_o to_o argue_v your_o lordship_n into_o a_o protection_n of_o this_o play_n it_o be_v the_o first_o offence_n i_o have_v commit_v in_o this_o kind_n or_o indeed_o in_o any_o kind_n of_o poetry_n though_o not_o the_o first_o make_v public_a and_o therefore_o i_o hope_v will_v the_o more_o easy_o be_v pardon_v but_o have_v it_o be_v act_v when_o it_o be_v first_o write_v more_o may_v have_v be_v say_v in_o its_o behalf_n ignorance_n of_o the_o town_n and_o stage_n will_v then_o have_v be_v excuse_n in_o a_o young_a writer_n which_o now_o almost_o four_o year_n experience_n will_v scarce_o allow_v of_o yet_o i_o must_v declare_v myself_o sensible_a of_o the_o good_a nature_n of_o the_o town_n in_o receive_v this_o play_n so_o kind_o with_o all_o its_o fault_n which_o i_o must_v own_o be_v for_o the_o most_o part_n very_o industrious_o cover_v by_o the_o care_n of_o the_o player_n for_o i_o think_v scarce_o a_o character_n but_o receive_v all_o the_o advantage_n it_o will_v admit_v of_o from_o the_o justness_n of_o action_n as_o for_o the_o critic_n my_o lord_n i_o have_v nothing_o to_o say_v to_z or_o against_o any_o of_o they_o of_o any_o kind_n from_o those_o who_o make_v just_a exception_n to_o those_o who_o find_v fault_n in_o the_o wrong_a place_n i_o will_v only_o make_v this_o general_a answer_n in_o behalf_n of_o my_o play_n a_o answer_n which_o epictetus_n advise_v every_o man_n to_o make_v for_o himself_o to_o his_o censurer_n viz._n that_o if_o they_o who_o find_v some_o fault_n in_o it_o be_v as_o intimate_v with_o it_o as_o i_o be_o they_o will_v find_v a_o great_a many_o more_o this_o be_v a_o confession_n which_o i_o need_v not_o to_o have_v make_v but_o however_o i_o can_v draw_v this_o use_n from_o it_o to_o my_o own_o advantage_n that_o i_o think_v there_o be_v no_o fault_n in_o it_o but_o what_o i_o do_v know_v which_o as_o i_o take_v it_o be_v the_o first_o step_n to_o a_o amendment_n thus_o i_o may_v live_v in_o hope_n sometime_o or_o other_o of_o make_v the_o town_n amends_o but_o you_o my_o lord_n i_o never_o can_v though_o i_o be_o ever_o your_o lordship_n most_o obedient_a and_o most_o humble_a servant_n will._n congreve_n to_o mr._n congreve_n when_o virtue_n in_o pursuit_n of_o fame_n appear_v and_o forward_o shoot_v the_o growth_n beyond_o the_o year_n we_o timely_o court_v the_o rise_a hero_n cause_n and_o on_o his_o side_n the_o poet_n wise_o draw_v bespeak_v he_o hereafter_o by_o applause_n the_o day_n will_v come_v when_o we_o shall_v all_o receive_v return_v interest_n from_o what_o now_o we_o give_v instruct_v and_o support_v by_o that_o praise_n and_o reputation_n which_o we_o strive_v to_o raise_v nature_n so_o coy_a so_o hardly_o to_o be_v woo_v fly_n like_o a_o mistress_n but_o to_o be_v pursue_v o_o congreve_n bold_o follow_v on_o the_o chase_n she_o look_v behind_o and_o want_v thy_o strong_a embrace_n she_o yield_v she_o yield_v surrender_v all_o her_o charm_n do_v you_o but_o force_v she_o gentle_o to_o your_o arm_n such_o nerve_n such_o grace_n in_o your_o line_n appear_v as_o you_o be_v make_v to_o be_v her_o ravisher_n dryden_n have_v long_o extend_v his_o command_n by_o right_a divine_a quite_o through_o the_o muse_n land_n absolute_a lord_n and_o hold_v now_o from_o none_o but_o great_a apollo_n his_o undoubted_a crown_n that_o empire_n settle_v and_o grow_v old_a in_o power_n can_v wish_v for_o nothing_o but_o a_o successor_n not_o to_o enlarge_v his_o limit_n but_o maintain_v those_o province_n which_o he_o alone_o can_v gain_v his_o elder_a wicherly_n in_o wise_a retreat_n think_v it_o not_o worth_a his_o quiet_a to_o be_v great_a loose_v wander_a etherege_n in_o wild_a pleasure_n lose_v and_o foreign_a int'rest_n to_o his_o hope_n long_o lose_v poor_a lee_n and_o otway_n dead_a congreve_n appear_v the_o darling_n and_o last_o comfort_n of_o his_o year_n may_v thou_o live_v long_o in_o thy_o great_a master_n smile_n and_o grow_v under_o he_o adorn_v these_o isle_n but_o when_o when_o part_n of_o he_o be_v that_o but_o late_o his_o body_n yield_v must_v submit_v to_o fate_n leave_v his_o deathless_a work_n and_o thou_o behind_o the_o natural_a successor_n of_o his_o mind_n then_o may_v thou_o finish_v what_o he_o have_v begin_v heir_n to_o his_o merit_n be_v in_o fame_n his_o son_n what_o thou_o have_v do_v show_v all_o be_v in_o thy_o power_n and_o to_o write_v better_a only_o must_v write_v more_o it_o be_v something_o to_o be_v willing_a to_o commend_v but_o my_o best_a praise_n be_v that_o i_o be_o your_o friend_n tho._n southern_a to_o mr._n congreve_n the_o danger_n be_v great_a in_o these_o censorious_a day_n when_o critic_n be_v so_o rife_o to_o venture_v praise_n when_o the_o infectious_a and_o ill-natured_a brood_n behold_v and_o damn_v the_o work_n because_o it_o be_v good_a and_o with_o a_o proud_a ungenerous_a spite_n will_v try_v to_o pass_v a_o ostrocism_n on_o poetry_n but_o you_o my_o friend_n your_o worth_n do_v safe_o bear_v above_o their_o spleen_n you_o have_v no_o cause_n for_o fear_n like_o a_o well-metled_n hawk_n you_o take_v your_o flight_n quite_o out_o of_o reach_n and_o almost_o out_o of_o sight_n as_o the_o strong_a sun_n in_o a_o fair_a summer_n day_n you_o rise_v and_o drive_v the_o mist_n and_o cloud_n away_o the_o owl_n and_o bat_n and_o all_o the_o bird_n of_o prey_n each_o line_n of_o you_o like_o polish_a steel_n so_o hard_o in_o beauty_n safe_a it_o want_v