"Pitty would not now at least /Have been a stranger to her Breast"

— Oldmixon, John (1672/3-1742)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for R. Parker [etc.]
Date
1696
Metaphor
"Pitty would not now at least /Have been a stranger to her Breast"
Metaphor in Context
Heaven, Lucinda, could not long,
Suffer one so Fair and Young,
Little able to sustain,
All the injury of pain;
To be toucht with a disease,
Which might interrupt her Ease,
Heaven always guards the fair,
Beauty's always heavens care.
Yes, Lucinda is we find,
Still the Same in face and mind.
See her Beauties how they shine,
Perfect all and all divine.
See how each returning grace,
Points her eyes and paints her face;
The Lilly and the rose succeed
The sickly white and Glowing Red,
Ah! but see that cruel Pride,
Which we only wish had dy'd,
Waits at every glance again,
Little mortifi'd by Pain,
Settles in her eyes and shows,
Love and she will still be foes;
Had her Sickness with its smart
Toucht and mollifi'd her Heart,
Then her illness would have prov'd
Happy ills for such as Lov'd;
Had it made her undergo
Half the Torments Lovers know,
Pitty would not now at least
Have been a stranger to her Breast;

And pitty when it comes so near,
Tells us Passion is not far,
Unconcern'd at Health or Pain,
Still she flatters her disdain,
Ever fixt to be severe,
Se it Lovers and Despair.
Provenance
Searching "breast" and "stranger" in HDIS (Poetry)
Date of Entry
03/06/2006

The Mind is a Metaphor is authored by Brad Pasanek, Assistant Professor of English, University of Virginia.