A Discourse of Man’s Pride, or Seeming Prerogative

¹
What creature’s² in the world, besides mankind,
That can such arts and new inventions find?
Or has such fancies³ as to similize,
Or can so rule and⁴ govern as the wise?
Or that can by his wit⁵ his mind indite,                                      5
Can⁶ numbers set, and subtle letters write?⁷
What creature else but man can speak true sense?⁸
At distance give, and take intelligence?
What creature else, by reason can abate
All passions, can raise⁹ doubts, hopes, love, and hate?           10
And can so many countenances show,¹⁰
Which¹¹ are the ground by which affections grow?¹²
They’re several dresses which the mind puts on;
Some serve as veils, which over it are¹³ thrown.
What creature is’t, that has¹⁴ such piercing eyes,                    15
That mingles souls, and in fast friendship ties?¹⁵
What creature else but man has¹⁶ such delights,
So various, and such strong, odd appetites?
Man can distill, and is a chymist rare,
Divides and sep’rates¹⁷ water, fire, and air.                              20
He can divide, and doth asunder take,¹⁸
All Nature’s works, whatever she doth make,¹⁹
Can take the breadth, depth, length, and height²⁰ of things,
And know the virtue of each plant²¹ that springs,
Make²² creatures all submit unto his will,                                 25
And live by fame,²³ though death his body kill.
What else but man can Nature imitate,
With pen and pencil²⁴ can new worlds create?
There’s none like man, for like the²⁵ gods is he.
Then let the world his slave and vassal be.                               30

1. Man’s Pride, or Seeming Prerogative] Pride. 1653
2. creature’s] Creature 1653
3. has such fancies] hath such Fancy, 1653
4. can so rule and] that can rule, or 1653
5. Or that can by his wit] And by his Wit he can 1653
6. Can] As 1653
7. write?] write. 1653
8. sense?] Sense, 1664, 1668
9. can raise] raise 1653
10. show,] shew? 1653
11. Which] They 1653
12. grow?] grow. 1653
13. are] is 1653
14. is’t, that has] is there hath 1653; is, that has 1664
15. in fast friendship ties?] a fast Friend-ship tyes? 1653
16. has] hath 1653
17. sep’rates] separates, 1653
18. He can divide, and doth asunder take,] Thus can hee divide, and separate 1653
19. works, whatever she doth make,] work, what ere she made: 1653
20. depth, length, and height] and Heighth 1653
21. And know the virtue of each plant] Or know the Vertue of all Plants 1653
22. Make] Makes 1653
23. And live by fame,] Makes Fame to live, 1653
24. pen and pencil] th’Pen and Pencil 1664; th’ Pen and Pencil, 1668
25. the] to 1653