Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	admit_v	appear_v	great_a	71	3	2.1566	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A37178	A discourse upon Gondibert an heroick poem / written by Sr. William D'Avenant ; with an answer to it, by Mr. Hobbs.; Gondibert. Preface	D'Avenant, William, Sir, 1606-1668.; Hobbes, Thomas, 1588-1679. Answer of Mr. Hobbs to Sr. William D'Avenant's preface before Gondibert.; Cowley, Abraham, 1618-1667.; Waller, Edmund, 1606-1687.	1650 (1650)	Wing D322; ESTC R8934	45,679	154

become so wise by knowing my self as to believe the thoughts of divers transcend the best which I have written yet I have admitted from no man any change of my Designe nor very seldome of my Sence For I resolv'd to have this Poem subsist and continue throughout with the same Complexion and Spirit though it appear but like a plain family of a neighbourly alliance who marry into the same moderate quality and garb and are fearfull of introducing strangers of greater ranke lest the shining presence of such might seem to upbraid and put all about them out of countenance And now Sir that the Reader may whom Writers are fain to court draw in and keep with artifice so shy men grow of Books believe me worthy of him I cannot forbear to thank you in publick for examining correcting and allowing this Poem in parcels ere it arriv'd at the contexture by which you have perform'd the just degrees of proceeding with Poets who during the gayetie and wantonnesse of the Muse are but as children to Philosophers though of some Giant race whose first thoughts wild and roaming farre off must be brought home watch'd and interrogated and af●er they are made more regular be encourag'd and prais'd for doing well that they may delight in aiming at perfection By such a Method the Muse is taught to become Master of her own and others strength and who is he so learn'd how proud soever with being cherish'd in the bosome of Fame that can hope when through the severall wayes of Science he seeks Nature in her hidden walks to make his Journey short unlesse he call you to be his Guide and who so guided can suspect his safety even when he travels through the Enemy's countrey For such is the vast field of Learning where the learned though not numerous enough to be an Army lie as small parties maliciously in Ambush to destroy all new Men that look into their Quarters And from such you and those you lead are secure because you move not by common Maps but have painfully made your own Prospect and travel now like the Sunne not to inform your self but enlighten the World And likewise when by the strict survey and Government that hath been had over this Po●m I shall think to govern the Reader who though he be noble may perhaps judge of supreme Power like a very Commoner and rather approve Authority when it is in many then in one I must acquaint him that you had not alone the trouble of establishing and destroying but injoy'd your intervalls and ease by two Colleagues two that are worthy to follow you into the Closets of Princes if the knowledge of Men past of whom Books are the remaining minds or of the present of whom Conversation is the usefull and lawfull Spy may make up such greatnesse as is fit for great Courts or if the raies that proceed from the Poetick Planet be not a little too strong for the sight of modern Monarchs who now are too seldome taught in their youth like Eaglets to fortifie their eyes by often soaring near the Sun And though this be here but my testimony it is too late for any of you to disclaim it for since you have made it valid by giving yours of GONDIBERT under your hands you must be content to be us'd by me as Princes are by their prefer'd Subjects who in the very act of taking Honour return it to the giver as benefits receiv'd by the Creature manifest the power and redound to the glory of the Creatour I am now Sir to your great comfort that have been thus ill and long diverted arriv'd at my last consideration which is to satisfie those who may inquire why I have taken so much pains to become an Authour or why any man stayes so long sweating at the fire of Invention to dresse the food of the Mind when Readers have so imperfect stomachs as they either devour Books with over hasty Digestion or grow to loathe them from a Surfet And why I more especially made my task an Heroick Poem I shall involve the two first Questions in one as submitting to be concern'd amongst the generality of Writers whose Enemies being many and now mine we must joyn forces to oppose them Men are chiefly provok'd to the toil of compiling Books by love of Fame and often by officiousnesse of Conscience but seldome with expectation of Riches for those that spend time in writing to instruct others may find leasure to inform themselvs how mean the provisions are which busie and studious minds can make for their own sedentary bodies And Learned men to whom the rest of the world are but Infants have the same foolish affection in nourishing others minds as Pelicans in feeding their young which is at the expence of the very subsistence of Life 'T is then apparent they proceed by the instigation of Fame or Conscience and I believe many are perswaded by the first of which I am One and some are commanded by the second Nor is the desire of Fame so vain as divers have rigidly imagin'd Fame being when belonging to the Living that which is more gravely call'd a steddy and necessary reputation and without it hereditary Power or acquired greatnesse can never quietly govern the World 'T is of the Dead a musicall glory in which God the authour of excellent goodnesse vouchsafes to take a continuall share For the remembred virtues of g●eat men are chiefly such of his works mentioned by King David as perpetually praise him and the good fame of the Dead prevails by example much more then the reputation of the Living because the later is alwayes suspected by our Envy but the other is cheerfully allow'd and religiously admir'd for Admiration whose Eyes are ever weak stands still and at gaze upon great things acted farre off but when they are near walks slightly away as from familiar objects Fame is to our Sonnes a solid Inheritance and not unusefull to remote Posterity and to our Reason 't is the first though but a little taste of Eternity Those that write by the command of Conscience thinking themselves able to instruct others and consequently oblig'd to it grow commonly the most voluminous because the pressures of Conscience are so incessant that she is never satisfi'd with doing enough for such as be newly made the captives of God many appearing so to themselves when they first begin to wear the fetters of Conscience are like common Slaves when newly taken who terrifi'd with a fancy of the severity of absolute Masters abuse their diligence out of fear and do ill rather then appear idle And this may be the cause why Libraries are more then double-lin'd with Spirituall Books or Tracts of Morality the later being the Spirituall Counsels of Lay-men and the newest of such great volumes being usually but transcriptions or translations differ so much from the Antients as later dayes from those of old which difference is no more then an alteration of

names by removing the Ethnicks to make way for the Sa●nts These are the effects of their labours who are provok'd to become Authours meerly out of Conscience and Conscience we may again averre to be often so unskilfull and timorous that it seldome gives a wise and steddy account of God but grows jealous of him as of an Adversary and is after melancholy visions like a fearful Scout after he hath ill survey'd the Enemy who then makes incong●uous long and terrible Tales Having confess'd that the desire of Fame made me a Writer I must declare why in my riper age I chose to gain it more especially by an Heroicall Poem and the Heroick being by most allow'd to be the most beautifull of Poems I shall not need to decide the quarrels of Poets about the Degrees of Excellence in Poesie but 't is not amisse ere I avow the usefulnesse of the science in generall which was the cause of my undertaking to remember the value it had from the greatest and most worthy spirits in all Ages For I will not abstain though it may give me the reputation but of common reading to mention that Pisistratus though a Tyrant liv'd with the Praise and dy'd with the Blessing of all Greece for gathering the scatter'd limbs of Homer's Works into a Body and that Great Alexander by publickly conversing with it attain'd the universall opinion of wit the fame of such inward forces conducing as much to his Conquests as his Armies abroad That the Athenian prisoners were thought worthy of life and liberty for singing the Tragedies of Euripides That Thebes was sav'd from destruction by the Victors reverence to the memory of Pindar That the elder Scipio who govern'd all the Civil world lay continually in the bosome of E●nius That the great Numanti● and Laelius no lesse renown'd were openly proud when the Romans believ'd they assisted Terence in his Comedies That Augustus to whom the mysteries of universall Empire were more familiar then domestick Dominion to Modern Kings made Virgil the partner of his joyes and would have divided his businesse with Horace and that Lucan was the fear and envy of Nero If we approach nearer our own times we may add the triumphall Entry which the Papacy gave to Petrarch and how much Tasso is still the glory and delight of Italy But as in this hasty Muster of Poet● and listing their confederates I shall by omitting many deprive them of that pay which is due from Fame so I may now by the opinion of some Divines whom notwithstanding I will reverence in all their distinct habits and fashions of the mind ●e held partiall and too bold by adding to the first number though I range them upon holy ground and aside Moses David and Solomon for their Songs Psalmes and Anthemes the second being the acknowledg'd Favourite of God whom he had gain'd by excellent Praises in sacred Poesie And I fear since Poesie is the clearest light by which they find the soul who seek it that Poets have in their fluent kindnesse diverted from the right use and spent too much of that spirituall talent in the honour of mortall Princes for divine Praise when in the high perfection as in Poets and onely in them is so much the uttermost and whole of Religious worship that all other parts of Devotion serve but to make it up Gondibert lib. 2. Canto 6. 89. Praise is Devotion fit for mighty Minds The diff'ring World's agreeing Sacrifice Where Heaven divided Faiths united finds But Pray'r in various discord upward flies 90. For Pray'r the Ocean is where diversly Men steer their course each to a sev'rall Coast Where all our Int'rests so discordant be That half beg winds by which the rest are lost 91. By Penitence when We our selves for sake 'T is but in wise designe on pileous Heaven In Praise We nobly give what God may take And are without a Beggars blus● forgiven 92. It s utmost force like Powder 's is unknown And though weak Kings excesse of Praise may fear Yet when 't is here like Powder dang'rous grown Heaven's Vault receives what would The Palace tear After this contemplation how acceptable the voyce of Poesie hath been to God we may by descending from Heaven to Earth consider how usefull it is to Men and among Men Divines are the chief because ordain'd to temper the rage of humane power by spirituall menaces as by sudden and strange threatnings madnesse is frighted into reason and they are ●ent hither as Liegers from God to conserve in stedfast motion the slippery joynts of Government and to perswade an amity in divided Nations therefore to Divines I first addresse my self and presume to ask them why ever since their Dominion was first allow'd at the great change of Religions though ours more then any inculcates obedience as an easie Medicine to coole the impatient and raging World into a quiet rest mankind hath been more unruly then before it being visible that Empire decreas'd with the encrease of Christianity and that one weak Prince did antiently su●fice to govern many strong Nations but now one little Province is too hard for their own wise King and a small Republick hath seventy years maintein'd thei● revolt to the disquiet of many Monarchs Or if Divines reply we cannot expect the good effects of their o●fice because their spirituall Dominion is not allow'd as absolute then it may be ask'd them more severely why 't is not allow'd for whereever there hath been great degrees of power which hath been often and long in the Church it discovers though worldly vicissitude be objected as an excuse that the Mannagers of such power since they endeavour'd not to enlarge it believ'd the increase unrighteous or were in acting or contriving that endeavour either negligent or weak For Power like the hasty Vine climbs up apace to the Supporter but if not skilfully attended and dr●ss'd instead of spreading and bearing fruit grows high and naked and then like empty title being soon uselesse to others becomes neglected and unable to support it self But if Divines have fail'd in governing Princes that is of being intirely believ'd by them yet they might obliquely have rul'd them in ruling the People by whom of late Princes have been govern'd and they might probably rule the People because the Heads of the Church where ever Christianity is preach'd are Te●ra●chs of Time of which they command the fourth Division for to no lesse the Sabbaths and Dayes of Saints amount and during those dayes of spirituall triumph Pulpits are Thrones and the people oblig'd to open their Ears and let in the ordinances and commands of Preachers who likewise are not without some little Regency throughout the rest of the Year for then they may converse with the Laity from whom they have commonly such respect and respect soon opens the door to perswasion as shew's their Congregations not deaf in those holy seasons when Speaking predominates But notwithstanding these advantages the Pulpit hath

languages found by experience most grave and for an Epique Poem most decent was their Hexameter a Verse limited not onely in the length of the line but also in the quantity of the syllables In stead of which we use the line of ten syllables recompensing the neglect of their quantity with the diligence of Rime And this measure is so proper for an Heroick Poem as without some losse of gravity and dignity it was never changed A longer is not farre from ill prose and a shorter is a kind of whisking you know like the unlacing rather then the singing of a Muse In an Epigramme or a Sonnet a man may vary his measures and seek glory from a needlesse difficulty as he that contrived verses into the forms of an Organ a Hatchet an Egg an Altar and a pair of Wings but in so great and noble a work as is an Epick Poeme for a man to obstruct his own way with unprofitable difficulties is great imprudence So likewise to chuse a needlesse and difficult correspondence of Rime is but a difficult toy and forces a man sometimes for the stopping of a chink to say somewhat he did never think I cannot therefore but very much approve your Stanza wherein the syllables in every verse are ten and the Rime Alternate For the choice of your subject you have sufficiently justified your self in your Preface But because I have observed in Virgil that the Honour done to AEneas and his companions has so bright a reflection upon Augustus Cesar and other great Romanes of that time as a man may suspect him not constantly possessed with the noble spirit of those his Heroes and believe you are not acquainted with any great man of the Race of Gondibert I adde to your Justification the purity of your purpose in having no other motive of your labour but to adorn virtue and procure her Lovers then which there cannot be a worthier design more becoming noble Poesie In that you make so small account of the example of almost all the approved Poets antient and moderne who thought fit in the beginning and sometimes also in the progresse of their Poemes to invoke a Muse or some other Deitie that should dictate to them or assist them in their writings they that take not the laws of Art from any reason of their own but from the fashion of precedent times will perhaps accuse your singularity For my part I neither subscribe to their accusation nor yet condem●e that Heathen custome otherwise then as necessary to their false Religion For their Poets were their Divines had the name of Prophets Exercised amongst the people a kind of Spirituall Authority would be thought to speak by a Divine spirit have their works which they writ in Verse the Divine stile passe for the word of God and not of man and to be harkened to with reverence Do not our Divines excepting the stile do the same and by us that are of the same Religion cannot justly be reprehended for it Besides in the use of the spirituall calling of Divines there is danger sometimes to be feared from want of skill such as is reported of unskilfull Conjurers that mistaking the rites and ceremonious points of their art call up such spirits as they cannot at their pleasure allay again by whom storms are raised that overthrow buildings and are the cause of miserable wracks at Sea Unskilfull Divines do oftentimes the like For when they call unseasonably for Zeal there appears a spirit of Cruelty and by the like errour instead of Truth they raise Discord instead of Wisdome Fraud instead of Reformation Tumult and Controversie instead of Religion Whereas in the Heathen Poets at least in those whose works have lasted to the time we are in there are none of those indiscretions to be found that tended to subversion or disturbance of the Common-wealths wherein they lived But why a Christian should think it an ornament to his Poem either to profane the true God or invoke a false one I can imagine no cause but a reasonlesse imitation of custome of a foolish custome by which a man enabled to speak wisely from the principles of nature and his own meditation loves rather to be thought to speak by inspiration like a Bag-pipe Time and education beget experience Experience begets Memory Memory begets Judgement and Fancy Judgement begets the strength and structure and Fancy begets the ornaments of a Poem The Antients therefore fabled not absurdly in making memory the mother of the Muses For memory is the World though not really yet so as in a looking-glass in which the Judgement the severer Sister busieth her self in a grave and rigid examination of all the parts of Nature and in registring by Letters their order causes uses differences and resemblances Whereby the Fancy when any work of Art is to be performed findeth her materials at hand and prepared for use and needs no more then a swift motion over them that what she wants and is there to be had may not lye too long unespied So that when she seemeth to fly from one Indies to the other and from Heaven to Earth and to penetrate into the hardest matter and obscurest places into the future and into her self and all this in a point of time the voyage is not very great her self being all she seeks and her wonderfull celerity consisteth not so much in motion as in copious Imagery discreetly ordered and perfectly registred in the memory which most men under the name of Philosophy have a glimpse of and is pretended to by many that grossely mistaking her embrace contention in her place But so farre forth as the Fancy of man has traced the wayes of true Philosophy so farre it hath produced very marvellous effects to the benefit of mankind All that is beautifull or defensible in building or mervellous in Engines and Instruments of motion Whatsoever commodity men receive from the observation of the Heavens from the description of the Earth from the account of Time from walking on the Seas and whatsoever distinguisheth the civility of Europe from the Barbarity of the American salvages is the workmanship of Fancy but guided by the Preceps of true Philosophy But where these precepts fail as they have hitherto failed in the doctrine of Morall virtue there the Architect Fancy must take the Philosophers part upon her self He therefore that undertakes an Heroick Poem which is to exhibite a venerable and amiable Image of Heroick virtue must not onely be the Poet to place and connex but also the Philosopher to furnish and square his matter that is to make both body and soul colour and shadow of his Poem out of his own store which how well you have performed I am now considering Observing how few the persons be you introduce in the beginning and how in the course of the actions of these the number increasing after severall confluences they run all at last into the two principall streams of your Poem