"Souls only can, sedate, receive / Th'Impression such a vast Delight does give"
— Gould, Robert (b. 1660?, d. in or before 1709)
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for W. Lewis
Date
1709
Metaphor
"Souls only can, sedate, receive / Th'Impression such a vast Delight does give"
Metaphor in Context
Where is Mirtillo? where?
The Nymph has done him wrong
To let him wait so long;
But soon a sure Revenge he'll take,
What e'er Resistance she can make,
And rifle the rich Cabinet, tho' barr'd up ne'er so strong.
But see! he comes! and in good Time he's here,
For now the chast Amynta does appear,
And on her Eye-lid hangs a Tear;
What does it now do there?
But Joy as well as Grief can bring
That Moisture from its Briny Spring.
Two Fountains from that Spring there go,
One for Pleasure, one for Woe,
Delight, like Pain, does oft unruly grow,
And in the Rapid Course its Banks o'erflow.
But now the Drop is fall'n, and in its Place
A Blush does mount the Face,
And adds to it one more Resistless Grace;
Tho' he that saw her just before,
Wou'd swear that Heav'n cou'd add no more.
Mirtillo sees her pleasing Care,
And his Instinctive Heart
In the Transporting Anguish has its Part:
Such Perfect Bliss Mortality has scarce the Power to bear,
Infirmity will enter there,
And in disorder'd Bounds of Joy appear:
Souls only can, sedate, receive
Th'Impression such a vast Delight does give;
It is almost too bright to look upon and Live!
So pure a Love does oft o'er pow'r the Sense,
And tho' we fetch Desire and Vigor thence,
Makes us sometimes, resign to very Impotence.
Fixt on her Eyes, he cou'd for ever gaze!
But Time reproves these vain Delays,
And his own Genius whispers him--Be gone!--
Suggesting something Nobler coming on
In the dear Contemplation of Anon--
Anon! Anon!
The Nymph has done him wrong
To let him wait so long;
But soon a sure Revenge he'll take,
What e'er Resistance she can make,
And rifle the rich Cabinet, tho' barr'd up ne'er so strong.
But see! he comes! and in good Time he's here,
For now the chast Amynta does appear,
And on her Eye-lid hangs a Tear;
What does it now do there?
But Joy as well as Grief can bring
That Moisture from its Briny Spring.
Two Fountains from that Spring there go,
One for Pleasure, one for Woe,
Delight, like Pain, does oft unruly grow,
And in the Rapid Course its Banks o'erflow.
But now the Drop is fall'n, and in its Place
A Blush does mount the Face,
And adds to it one more Resistless Grace;
Tho' he that saw her just before,
Wou'd swear that Heav'n cou'd add no more.
Mirtillo sees her pleasing Care,
And his Instinctive Heart
In the Transporting Anguish has its Part:
Such Perfect Bliss Mortality has scarce the Power to bear,
Infirmity will enter there,
And in disorder'd Bounds of Joy appear:
Souls only can, sedate, receive
Th'Impression such a vast Delight does give;
It is almost too bright to look upon and Live!
So pure a Love does oft o'er pow'r the Sense,
And tho' we fetch Desire and Vigor thence,
Makes us sometimes, resign to very Impotence.
Fixt on her Eyes, he cou'd for ever gaze!
But Time reproves these vain Delays,
And his own Genius whispers him--Be gone!--
Suggesting something Nobler coming on
In the dear Contemplation of Anon--
Anon! Anon!
Categories
Provenance
Searching "soul" and "impression" in HDIS (Poetry)
Citation
Only 1 entry in ESTC (1709).
The Works of Mr. Robert Gould: In Two Volumes. Consisting of those Poems and Satyrs Which were formerly Printed, and Corrected since by the Author; As also of the many more which He Design'd for the Press. Publish'd from his Own Original Copies (London: W. Lewis, 1709). <Link to ESTC><Link to ECCO>
The Works of Mr. Robert Gould: In Two Volumes. Consisting of those Poems and Satyrs Which were formerly Printed, and Corrected since by the Author; As also of the many more which He Design'd for the Press. Publish'd from his Own Original Copies (London: W. Lewis, 1709). <Link to ESTC><Link to ECCO>
Date of Entry
05/17/2005
