"[I]'th' ductile Wax he'd stampt his mind / The Name his Mother gave, surpriz'd we find."
— Wesley, Samuel, The Elder (bap. 1662, d. 1735)
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for Charles Harper ... and Benj. Motte [etc.]
Date
1693
Metaphor
"[I]'th' ductile Wax he'd stampt his mind / The Name his Mother gave, surpriz'd we find."
Metaphor in Context
These, more than Friendly Salutations paid,
With old Elizabeth a while we staid,
Till thrice we saw the Silver Cynthia's wane,
And thrice she fill'd her various Orb again;
When the good Matrons welcom pains begun,
Who in her Arms soon held a wond'rous Son:
Her kindred much admiring round her sate,[2]
And her so rare a Bliss congratulate:
And when they saw the eighth blest Sun arise,[3]
Prepare the wond'rous Child to circumcise:
His Father's Name they gave, with kind presage,[4]
As Hope and Staff of his declining Age:
And add their Prayers, that he as well might be
Heir of his Virtues, as his Family.
Well pleas'd Eliza bow'd, and wish'd the same,
With thanks, to all agreeing, but the Name,
All wond'ring, thus did she inspir'd proceed,
It must be John, for so high Heav'n decreed:
His Father askt, with speaking Eyes and Hands
Of those around Tablet and Style demands;
And when i'th' ductile Wax he'd stampt his mind,
The Name his Mother gave, surpriz'd we find:
Yet more, his Lips unloos'd when Hymns he sung,
And all the House with Hallelujahs rung:
Trembling we ask, on his reply intent,
What his strange Speech, and stranger Silence meant!
He thus--
With old Elizabeth a while we staid,
Till thrice we saw the Silver Cynthia's wane,
And thrice she fill'd her various Orb again;
When the good Matrons welcom pains begun,
Who in her Arms soon held a wond'rous Son:
Her kindred much admiring round her sate,[2]
And her so rare a Bliss congratulate:
And when they saw the eighth blest Sun arise,[3]
Prepare the wond'rous Child to circumcise:
His Father's Name they gave, with kind presage,[4]
As Hope and Staff of his declining Age:
And add their Prayers, that he as well might be
Heir of his Virtues, as his Family.
Well pleas'd Eliza bow'd, and wish'd the same,
With thanks, to all agreeing, but the Name,
All wond'ring, thus did she inspir'd proceed,
It must be John, for so high Heav'n decreed:
His Father askt, with speaking Eyes and Hands
Of those around Tablet and Style demands;
And when i'th' ductile Wax he'd stampt his mind,
The Name his Mother gave, surpriz'd we find:
Yet more, his Lips unloos'd when Hymns he sung,
And all the House with Hallelujahs rung:
Trembling we ask, on his reply intent,
What his strange Speech, and stranger Silence meant!
He thus--
Categories
Provenance
Searching "mind" and "wax" in HDIS (Poetry); Found again searching "stamp" and "mind"
Citation
Samuel Wesley, The Life of Our Blessed Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ. An Heroic Poem: Dedicated to Her Most Sacred Majesty. In Ten Books. Attempted by Samuel Wesley ... Each Book illustrated by necessary Notes, explaining all the more difficult Matters in the whole History: Also a Prefatory Discourse concerning Heroic Poetry. With Sixty Copper-Plates (London: Printed for Charles Harper ... and Benj. Motte, 1693).
Date of Entry
03/27/2005
