Eust. Sir, though it be unusual in the Court,
(Since 'tis the Courtiers garbe) I bend my knee,
And do expect what followes. Bri. Courtly begg'd.
My blessing! take it. Eust. Your Lordships vow'd adorer: to Lew.
What a thing this brother is! yet Ile vouchsafe him
The new Italian shrug— How clownishly
The book-worme does return it! Ch. I'm glad y'are well; reads.
Eust. Pray you be happy in the knowledge of This paire of accomplish't Mounsieurs. They are Gallants that have seen both Tropicks.
Br. I embrace their love. Egr. which wee'l repay with servulating.
Cow. And will report your bounty in the Court.
Bri. I pray you make deserving use on't first: Eustace, give entertainment to your friends, What's in my house is theirs. Eust. Which wee'l make use of; Let's warme our braines with half a dozen healths, And then hang cold discourse, for wee'll speak fire-workes. Exe.
Lew. What at his book already? Bri. Fy, Fy, Charles,
No hour of interruption? Cha. Plato differs
From Socrates in this. Bri. Come lay them by;
Let them agree at leasure. Cha. Mans life Sir, being
So short, and then the way that leades unto
The knowledg of our selves, so long and tedious,
Each minute should be precious. Bri. In our care
To manage worldly business, you must part with
This bookish contemplation, and prepare
Your self for action; to thrive in this age,
Is held the blame of learning; you must study
To know what part of my land's good for th' plough,
And what for pasture; how to buy and sell
To the best advantage; how to cure my Oxen
When they're oregrown with labour. Cha. I may do this
From what I've read Sir; for what concerns tillage?
Who better can deliver it than Virgil
In his Georgicks? and to cure your herds,
His Bucolicks is a masterpeece; but when
He does discribe the Commonwealth of Bees,
Their industry and knowledge of the herbs,
From which they gather honey, with their care
To place it with decorum in the Hive,
Their gover[n]ment among themselves, their order
In going forth and comming loaden home,
Their obedience to their King, and his rewards
To such as labour, with his punishments
Onely inflicted on the slothful Drone,
I'm ravished with it, and there reap my harvest,
And there receive the gaine my Cattle bring me,
And there find wax and honey. Bri. And grow rich
In your imagination; heyday heyday,
Georgicks, Bucolicks, and Bees! Art mad?
Cha. No Sir, the knowledge of these guards me from it.
Bri. But can you find among your bundle of bookes
(And put in all your Dictionaries that speak all tongu's)
What pleasure they enjoy, that do embrace
A well shap'd wealthy Bride? Answer me that.
Cha. Tis frequent Sir in story, there I read of
All kinde of vertuous and vitious women;
The ancient Spartan Dames, and Roman Ladyes,
Their beauties and deformities, and when
I light upon a Portia or Cornelia,
Crown'd with still-flourishing leaves of truth and goodness,
With such a feeling I peruse their fortunes,
As if I then had liv'd, and freely tasted
Their ravishing sweetness; at the present loving
The whole sexe for their goodness and example.
But on the contrary when I looke on
A Clytemnestra, or a Tullia;
The first bath'd in her husbands blood; The latter,
Without a touch of piety, driving on
Her Chariot ore her fathers breathless trunk,
Horrour invades my faculties; and comparing
The multitudes o' th' guilty, with the few
That did dye Innocents, I detest, and loathe 'm
As ignorance or Atheisme. Bri. You resolve then
Nere to make payment of the debt you owe me.
Cha. What debt, good Sir? Bri. A debt I payd my father
When I begat thee, and made him a Grandsir,
Which I expect from you. Cha. The children Sir,
Which I will leave to all posterity,
Begot and brought up by my painefull studies,
Shall be my living issue. Bri. Very well.
And I shall have a general collection
Of all the quiddits from Adam to this time
To be my Grandchild. Ch. And such a one I hope Sir
As shall not shame the family. Bri. Nor will you
Take care of my estate? Cha. But in my wishes;
For know Sir, that the wings on which my Soul
Is mounted, have long since born her too high
To stoope to any prey that scares not upwards.
Sordid and dunghil minds compos'd of earth,
In that grosse Element fix all their happiness;
But purer spirits, purg'd and refin'd, shake off
That clog of humane frailtie; give me leave
T'injoy my selfe; that place that does containe
My Bookes (the best Companions) is to me
A glorious Court, where hourely I converse
With the old Sages and Philosophers,
And sometimes for variety, I conferre
With Kings and Emperours, and weigh their Counsels,
Calling their Victories (if unjustly got)
Unto a strict accompt, and in my phancy,
Deface their ill-plac'd Statues; Can I then
Part with such constant pleasures, to embrace
Uncertaine vanities? No, be it your care
T'augment your heap of wealth; It shall be mine
T'encrease in knowledg—Lights there for my study. Exit.