work_id,theme,provenance,created_at,text,reviewed_on,id,comments,metaphor,dictionary,updated_at,context
3321,"","Searching ""mind"" and ""impression"" in HDIS (Poetry)",2005-05-16 00:00:00 UTC,The Man whose Judgement Joynd with force of Witt
The lives of Popes & lives of Heroes writt
Who sung true Pleasure showd ye Golden mean
And taught Wild Youth to shun ye Lovers pain
Who wrote all this--Who more than this designd
All fine impressions of Celestial mind
That Man that Platina so lately fled
From earth to silent Darkness is not dead
Evn Death is here restraind ye stroke he gives
has killd the man ye Writer ever lives.,2008-12-03,8589,
,"""Who wrote all this--Who more than this designd / All fine impressions of Celestial mind.""",Impression,2009-09-14 19:33:39 UTC,I've included the entire poem
4359,"",Searching poems at the Swift Society,2005-06-21 00:00:00 UTC,"When first the squire and tinker Wood
Gravely consulting Ireland's good,
Together mingled in a mass
Smith's dust, and copper, lead, and brass;
The mixture thus by chemic art
United close in ev'ry part,
In fillets roll'd, or cut in pieces,
Appear'd like one continued species;
And, by the forming engine struck,
On all the same impression took.
So, to confound this hated coin,
All parties and religions join;
Whigs, Tories, Trimmers, Hanoverians,
Quakers, Conformists, Presbyterians,
Scotch, Irish, English, French, unite,
With equal interest, equal spite
Together mingled in a lump,
Do all in one opinion jump;
And ev'ry one begins to find
The same impression on his mind.
(p. 201).",2009-08-06,11456,"•Poem continues elaborating the conceit of a golden chain replaced by a brazen one. Wood is cast in the part of Prometheus. The consequences are politically disastrous: ""But sure, if nothing else must pass / Betwixt the king and us but brass, / Although the chain will never crack, / Yet our devotion may grow slack.""","""And ev'ry one begins to find / The same impression on his mind.""",Coinage,2009-09-14 19:35:55 UTC,""
4370,"","Searching in HDIS (Prose); found again searching ""blot"" and ""mind;"" found again reading.",2005-03-10 00:00:00 UTC,"If I have here touch'd a young Lady's Vanity and Levity, it was to show her how beautiful she is without those Blots, which certainly stain the Mind, and stamp Deformity where the greatest Beauties would shine, were they banish'd. I believe every body will join with my Opinion, that the English Ladies are the most accomplish'd Women in the World; that, generally speaking, their Behaviour is so exact, that even Envy itself cannot strike at their Conduct: but even you yourselves must own, that there are some few among you of a different stamp, who change their Gold for Dross, and barter the highest Perfections for the lowest Weaknesses. Would but this latter sort endeavour as much to act like Angels, as they do to look like them, the Men instead of Reproaches, would heap them with Praises, and their cold Indifference would be turn'd to Idolatry. But who can forsake a Fault, till they are convinc'd they are guilty? Vanity is a lurking subtile Thief, that works itself insensibly into our Bosoms, and while we declare our dislike to it, know not 'tis so near us; every body being (as a witty Gentleman has somewhere said) provided with a Racket to strike it from themselves.",2011-07-27,11482,"•I've included four times: Blot, Stain, Stamp, and Banish","""If I have here touch'd a young Lady's Vanity and Levity, it was to show her how beautiful she is without those Blots, which certainly stain the Mind, and stamp Deformity where the greatest Beauties would shine, were they banish'd.""",Impression and Writing,2013-05-31 16:16:53 UTC,Dedication
4375,"","Searching in ""heart"" and 'wax"" in HDIS (Prose)",2005-03-11 00:00:00 UTC,"Said the ingenious Sir John Denham, who learn'd his Lesson from Experience, and paid the highest Price for't too. Deliver me from Cupid's random Shots, and make my firm Resolution a Racket to repel 'em. I wou'd have all those soft-hearted Ladies that are impress'd like Wax, read Quevedo's Vision of Loving-Fools; I dare say, some of 'em wou'd find their own Characters very fairly display'd: but then the dismal Effects of not loving, to be call'd Ill-natur'd, and an old Maid, who wou'd not rather chuse to be undone, than lie under such scandalous Epithets? I have dwelt a little longer upon this Subject than I shou'd have done, because I think and fearArtander seem'd in his last Letter to lean a little that way. When once we approve of a thing, we implicitly act it; and if you be brought to think a Man happy in a fine Wife, the next Work will be to get one yourself: which, if you do, poor Berina may say she had a Friend; for Artander is lost past Recovery. I desire, in your next, you will either make a generous Confession, or give me some Assurance my Thoughts are ill grounded. I own, I grow impatient to be satisfy'd; for as I make but few Friends, I wou'd not lose them I have. You seem not pleas'd I writ no more last time, but you forget Women always talk more than they write, as Men always write more than they think: Your Sex seldom complain for want of Impertinence from ours, it being one of your chiefest Plagues: However, I did design to have fill'd up the empty Space of this Paper, but am interrupted by two or three Ladies who are just come in, and my Correspondence must give place to the Tea-Table; tho' nothing shall ever interrupt the Friendship of
BERINA.
(pp. 297-8)",,11488,"","""I wou'd have all those soft-hearted Ladies that are impress'd like Wax, read Quevedo's 'Vision of Loving-Fools.'""",Impressions,2013-06-21 14:29:20 UTC,Letter 15
4380,"",Searching in C-H Lion,2013-06-21 14:25:03 UTC,"For my part, I had not the least thought of Love; yet the sweetness and affability of this little Orphan's Disposition made an early Impression on my Heart: And tho' she was a most diverting agreeable Creature in all particulars, yet nothing moved me so much to Love, as did her unparallel'd Humour. I often made it my study to make her angry, and did things in order to it, which I myself was asham'd of, tho' I could never accomplish my design; for she bore all my Tryals with such evenness of Temper, as if she had been her own Prophetess, and had known before-hand that she was made to suffer.
(p. 235)",,21085,"","""For my part, I had not the least thought of Love; yet the sweetness and affability of this little Orphan's Disposition made an early Impression on my Heart.""",Impressions,2013-06-21 14:25:03 UTC,""
4380,"",Searching in C-H Lion,2013-06-21 14:26:53 UTC,"Octavio, who had listned to the few Words she had spoken, thought himself very well acquainted with that Voice, but cou'd not persuade himself that he had ever seen the Face in his Life. Sir, said he to Lorenzo, you promis'd to shew me a Place fit only for the wretched, and surely this is it. The poor Woman, who had never rais'd her Eyes from the Ground, hearing Octavio speak, lifted 'em up, and looking on him, cry'd out aloud, Octavio ! and then fell to the Ground. Octavio, who knew her not, was much at a loss to know how she came by his Name; however he ran to her, and with the help of his Companions, brought her to herself; and then asked her how she came to know him. Alas! said she, are Poverty and Rags disguise enough to make Octavio forget his Clara? And is it possible that any thing can alter me past your knowledge? My Misfortunes are doubly such, if you resolve to forsake and despise me for them. No, said Octavio, if thou art Clara, thou art still the only Creature upon Earth that can give relief to my distracted Mind and wounded Heart; thy Wrongs have cost me too many Months repose, and I have given up my self too much to the thoughts of thee, to slight or despise thee now I have found thee: but the Thoughts and almost Certainty of thy Death, are so impressed upon my Mind, and thou art so very unlike thy self, that still methinks, I doubt my own Happiness. If you consider the difference, said she, between Want and Plenty, Rest and Labour, Ease and Pain, between Quiet of Mind, and distracted racking Thoughts, you will no longer wonder at the alteration you see in me. If Octavio still loves Clara, and can love her in the midst of so much Poverty, he may yet be as happy as she can make him; and need no longer doubt, but that he has infallibly recover'd what has been so long lost, both to him and herself.
(pp. 244-5)
",,21086,"","""No, said Octavio, if thou art Clara, thou art still the only Creature upon Earth that can give relief to my distracted Mind and wounded Heart; thy Wrongs have cost me too many Months repose, and I have given up my self too much to the thoughts of thee, to slight or despise thee now I have found thee: but the Thoughts and almost Certainty of thy Death, are so impressed upon my Mind, and thou art so very unlike thy self, that still methinks, I doubt my own Happiness.""",Impressions,2013-06-21 14:26:53 UTC,""
4375,"",Searching in C-H Lion,2013-06-21 14:46:17 UTC,"It is now six whole Days since I left the Pleasures of the Town, and the more agreeable Amusement of Berina's Company, for a lonely Retreat into the dull Country, where Solitude indulges Melancholy, and Time, that used to fly, goes only a Foot-pace. Thought is now my only Companion, and it often diverts me with the pleasing Remembrance of your Promise of an eternal Friendship; but, as human Nature is very frail, it may possibly want the Supports of Correspondence to keep it up: I therefore earnestly sue for a speedy Answer to every Letter I write; which will greatly alleviate my present Disorder, and take off the Edge of my Chagrin. I have often told myself, it is much better never to know a Satisfaction, than lose it as soon as acquainted; since nothing can give a Man a greater Damp than a Reflection upon past Pleasures, when he has no View to their return. How much this is my Case, Berina will easily guess, if she has Friendship enough herself to regret the Absence of a Friend. You will say, I am very spightful, when I have told you, the only Pleasure I have had since I left you, was in seeing one of your Sex mortify'd. Certainly the God of Pride himself has not a greater Share of that Quality than a young Lady with a superior Beauty: She thinks all Mankind born to do her Homage, and despises the tasteless Fool that can resist her Charms. One of this sort lives hard by me, who is a Lady of a good Family, but small Fortune, and has been address'd by a Gentleman of a very good Estate: He (contrary to the Advice of all his Friends) would have made her a Jointure of the greatest part of it; and his Folly in every thing shew'd his Love. She, on the other hand, depending upon new Conquests, repuls'd him with Scorn, and (ungenerous as she was) made him a publick Jest where-ever she came; which at last, from many Hands, came to his Ears, and rais'd one Passion to subvert another. He from thence grew indifferent, and forbore his Visits, resolving to try whether Absence could not do what Discretion had attempted in vain. She finding him cool, thought it the greatest Slur upon her Beauty to lose a Slave, and therefore, by a Female Engineer, sent him a little Encouragement; which he turn'd to the right Use, and made subservient to his Revenge. Have I (said he) offer'd my Heart and Estate to one, who has, in return, made me ridiculous; and instead of common Civility for my Love, used me with Revilings and Contempt? Believe me, Madam (said he) you shall be a Sharer with me in something; and since you have refus'd what I would so honourably have given you, it is but reason I send back part of what you have forc'd upon me. While he was thus expostulating with himself, a Relation of hers came in, and told him, he had at last prevail'd with the Lady to comply; which our revolted Lover seem'd pleas'd at, and desir'd the next Day might end all Disputes. A speedy Preparation was accordingly made, and the whole Country, for two or three Miles round, invited to this Wedding: They obey'd the Summons, and were punctual to the Hour; where, after a little time waiting for the Bridegroom, he came booted and spurr'd, with a grave elderly Genwoman, whom he brought to the young Lady, saying, Madam, here is a Person come to teach you Good-nature and Manners; when I hear you are a Proficient in both, you may possibly hear farther from your humble Servant. In the mean time, be a good Girl, and mind your Lesson; I am going from home for some time, and shall be glad, at my return, to find you improv'd. Which said, he paid a Compliment to the Company, and took Horse at the very Door. How much this has mortify'd the Bride Elect, Berina will never guess, because she knows nothing of her Pride and Vanity; but had you seen the Consternation of the Company, and the Looks of the Lady, they wou'd, I dare say, have made the same comical Impression upon your Fancy which they did upon mine. How happy are you and I, who have made the strongest Resolves against the Follies of Love! Be sure, Berina, keep your Friendship inviolate, and you shall find I will keep my Promise, in never desiring more.
(pp. 265-7) ",,21087,"","""How much this has mortify'd the Bride Elect, Berina will never guess, because she knows nothing of her Pride and Vanity; but had you seen the Consternation of the Company, and the Looks of the Lady, they wou'd, I dare say, have made the same comical Impression upon your Fancy which they did upon mine.""",Impressions,2013-06-21 14:46:17 UTC,""
4375,"",Searching in C-H Lion,2013-06-21 14:48:59 UTC,"All Men have Follies, which they blindly trace
Thro' the dark Turnings of a dubious Maze:
But few, my Friend, in spite of all their Care,
Retreat betimes from Love's inviting Snare:
The eldest Sons of Wisdom were not free
From the same Failings you condemn in me;
They lov'd, and by that glorious Passion led,
Forgot what Plato and themselves had said:
My Faults, you too severely reprehend,
More like a rigid Censor than a Friend.
You own'd my Delia once divinely fair,
When in the Bud her native Beauties were:
Your Praises did her early Charms confess,
Yet you'd persuade me now to love her less;
Since to her Height of Bloom the Fair is grown,
And every Charm in its full Vigour shown:
Her whole Composure's of so fine a Frame,
Pride cannot hope to mend, nor Envy blame.
My Delia's Words still bear the Stamp of Wit,
Impress'd too plainly to be counterfeit:
Which, with the Weight of massy Reason join'd,
Declare the Strength and Quickness of her Mind;
Her Thoughts are noble, and her Sense refin'd.
Why then, Dear Thirsis, wou'd you strive to move
A Heart like mine from its Commander, Love?
The very last Word of this Poem, will, I dare say, give you a Disrelish for all the rest: I will not byass your Opinion by giving mine, but leave it wholly to a Judgment which cannot err: Let me know in your next how you like it. And pray let me have a little London News: I mean, such as the Tea-Table affords; for the rest, I refer myself to the publick Prints, and expect nothing from Berina, but what she can answer to Justice and Good-nature; and what I may, without a Breach in either, read.
(pp. 284-5)",,21089,"","""My Delia's Words still bear the Stamp of Wit, / Impress'd too plainly to be counterfeit: / Which, with the Weight of massy Reason join'd, / Declare the Strength and Quickness of her Mind; / Her Thoughts are noble, and her Sense refin'd.""",Impressions,2013-06-21 14:48:59 UTC,""
4375,"",Searching in C-H Lion,2013-06-21 14:50:50 UTC,"I ever been a Disciple of Artemedorus, I shou'd have been very uneasy at my last Night's Dream, which made so dreadful an Impression upon my Fancy, that I have hardly yet recovered it. I thought I saw Artander blind; and when I wou'd have led him, he pull'd out my Eyes too. Pray Heaven avert the fatality of it, if there be any depending. I had a young Relation came this Morning to breakfast with me, who is just at Age, but so deeply engag'd in an Amour, that poor Coz languish'd over his Tea, and sigh'd over his Bread and Butter like a School-Boy going to face a whipping Master in a Morning without his Exercise. The Lady he dies for, is turn'd of Fourteen, and has left off her Bib and her Babies a considerable time. Her Father is lately dead, and left her 8000 Pounds, which, with herself, is put into the hands of two Guardians, who have each a Son design'd for pretty Miss: they have made Proposals about the Matter to one another, and have offer'd each other a thousand Pounds for his Consent; but they are so much of a mind, that 'tis impossible they should agree, which you will call a Paradox. However, the careful young Lady, who neither lov'd to lose her own time, or see her Guardians fall out, is, to prevent both Misfortunes, just ran away with her Father's Butler; who is a very well bred Man, drinks, whores, and games, and has just as much Estate as will qualify him for a Vote. Of all the Gods, either Heathens or Poets ever made, there is none so silly as this blinking God of Love: he makes mere Idiots of Mankind, and puts them upon such ridiculous Actions, that one wou'd think we were made for nothing but to laugh at one another.
(pp. 296-7)",,21090,"","""I ever been a Disciple of Artemedorus, I shou'd have been very uneasy at my last Night's Dream, which made so dreadful an Impression upon my Fancy, that I have hardly yet recovered it.""",Impressions,2013-06-21 14:50:50 UTC,""
7509,"","Reading Dennis Todd's Imagining Monsters (University of Chicago Press, 1995), 137.
",2013-07-08 19:49:43 UTC,"I now proceed to Memory, which is nothing but the same Imagination acting without the assistance of exterior Objects. To explain this, we must consider that the first Image which an outward Object imprints on our Brain is very slight; it resembles a thin Vapour which dwindles into nothing, without leaving the least track after it. But if the same Object successively offers itself several times, the Image it occasions thereby increases and strengthens itself by degrees, till at last it acquires such a consistency (if I may so call it) as makes it subsist as long as the Machine itself. A Stock of Images having been thus acquired, they each have their respective little Cell or Lodge, where they go and hide. Yet we must not suppose that they are continually in their Retirement; they would become useless if they were so. But on the contrary, great Numbers of them are always going to and fro; and if one of them chances to go by the Cell or Lodge of another which has the least real or imaginary conformity with it, out pops the retired Image, and immediately joins the wandering one. This never so obviously happens, as when a new Image is introduced into the Brain, who as soon as he appears, occasions great Commotions among all the old Inhabitants who either have, or think they have, any resemblance or relation to the new Comers.
(pp. 186-7)",,21523,"","""To explain this, we must consider that the first Image which an outward Object imprints on our Brain is very slight; it resembles a thin Vapour which dwindles into nothing, without leaving the least track after it. But if the same Object successively offers itself several times, the Image it occasions thereby increases and strengthens itself by degrees, till at last it acquires such a consistency (if I may so call it) as makes it subsist as long as the Machine itself. A Stock of Images having been thus acquired, they each have their respective little Cell or Lodge, where they go and hide.""",Impressions and Rooms,2013-07-08 19:53:17 UTC,""