Playes written by the thrice noble, illustrious and excellent princess, the Lady Marchioness of Newcastle.

Scene. 16.

Enter the Lady Contemplation, and Sir Humphrey Interruption.

INterruption.

Lady, pray make me partaker of some of your conceptions.

Contempl.

My conceptions are like the tongue of an extemporary Oratour, that after he hath spoke, if he were to speak upon the same subject he could hardly do it, if it were not impossible just to speak as he did, as to express the same subjects in the same expressions, and way of his natural Rhetorick; for the sense may be the same, but the expressions, & way of Rhetorick wil hard∣ly be the same; but 'tis likely will be very different, and so differing, as not to be like the same, but the same premeditated Rhetorick, will many times

serve to many several designs, or preaching, pleading, or speaking, the Theam or cause being altered; This is the difference betwixt extemporary Orato∣ry, and premeditated Oratory, the one may be spoke, as many times as an O∣rator will, and make the same Oratory serve to many several Subjects; the o∣ther being not fixt, but voluntary, vanishes out of the remembrance, the same many times do my conceptions.

Interrup.

But I hope all are not vanished, some remain; wherefore pray expresse or present any one of your conceptions after what manner of way you please.

Contempl.

Why then I will tell you, I had a conception of a Monster, as a Creature that had a rational soul, yet was a Fool: It had had a beautiful and perfect shape, yet was deformed and ill-favoured; It had clear distinguish∣ing senses, and yet was sencelesse; It was produced from the Gods, but had the nature of a Devil; It had an eternal life, yet dyed as a Beast, It had a body, and no body.

Interrup.

What Monster call you this?

Contempl.

I call him Man.

Interrup.

This is a Man of your own conception.

Contemp.

A man of Natures creating is as monstrous for though man hath a rational soul, yet most men are fools, making no use of their reason; and though Man hath a beautiful and perfect shape, yet for the most part, they make themselves deformed and ill-favoured with antick postures, violent passions, or brutish vices; and man hath clear distinguishing Senses, yet in his sleep, or with sumes, or drink, he is sencelesse: Man was produced immediately from the Gods, yet man being wicked, and prone to evil, hath by evil wick∣ednesse the nature of a Devil; Man 'tis said, shall live for ever, as having an eternal life, yet betwixt this life and the other, he dyes like a Beast, and turns to dust as other Creatures do; but the only difference between the man Na∣ture creates, and the man my Conceptions create is, that Natures man hath a real substance as a real body; whereas my conceptive man is only an Idea, which is an incorporal man, so as the body of my concepted man, is as the soul of Natures created man, an incorporality.

Ex.