"Love is a generous Volunteer; Lust a Mercenary Slave"
— Johnson, Charles (1679?-1748)
Place of Publication
Dublin
Publisher
Printed by S. Powell, for George Rish, George Ewing
Date
1715
Metaphor
"Love is a generous Volunteer; Lust a Mercenary Slave"
Metaphor in Context
MODE.
Love, Love and Joy, old Wormwood; I have made a League with my Youth to get the better of Time; I have fast hold of his Fore-lock, and won't let a Moment pass without Enjoyment.
Impatient Sense, and Nature dies,
And Love a Second Life supplies.
Gentle Boy then fill my Cup,
A Bumper Cupid, fill it up
With Youth, and Wit, and noble Fires,
Vigorous Health, and young Desires.
FREE.
Humph!--a poetical Fop too; but let me tell you, Friend, you mistake your Passion; tis not Love, but Lust, Love is a generous Volunteer; Lust a Mercenary Slave. Love is a Court of Honour in the Heart; but what you call Love is only a scandalous Itching, a Rebellion in the Blood.
MODE.
I don't know what you wou'd have by Love and Desire; I think they are only different Words for the same Meaning. Liking begets Love, Love Desire, Desire Rage, and Rage Rapture.
FREE.
This Fellow's in a Blaze, his Blood has set him all on Fire.
Love, Love and Joy, old Wormwood; I have made a League with my Youth to get the better of Time; I have fast hold of his Fore-lock, and won't let a Moment pass without Enjoyment.
Impatient Sense, and Nature dies,
And Love a Second Life supplies.
Gentle Boy then fill my Cup,
A Bumper Cupid, fill it up
With Youth, and Wit, and noble Fires,
Vigorous Health, and young Desires.
FREE.
Humph!--a poetical Fop too; but let me tell you, Friend, you mistake your Passion; tis not Love, but Lust, Love is a generous Volunteer; Lust a Mercenary Slave. Love is a Court of Honour in the Heart; but what you call Love is only a scandalous Itching, a Rebellion in the Blood.
MODE.
I don't know what you wou'd have by Love and Desire; I think they are only different Words for the same Meaning. Liking begets Love, Love Desire, Desire Rage, and Rage Rapture.
FREE.
This Fellow's in a Blaze, his Blood has set him all on Fire.
Categories
Provenance
Searching HDIS
Citation
First performed February 4, 1715. At least 16 entries in the ESTC (1715, 1727, 1732, 1735, 1739, 1753, 1760, 1768, 1778, 1779, 1780, 1791, 1792, 1797, ). [Collected in Bell's British Theatre.]
See The Country Lasses; or, the Custom of the Manor. As It Is Acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, by His Majesty's Servants. Written by Mr. Johnson. (London: Printed for J. Tonson, at Shakespear’s Head, over-against Catherine street in the Strand, 1715). <Link to ESTC>
See also The Country Lasses: or, The Custom of the Manor. A Comedy. As it is Acted at the Theatres. Written by Mr. Johnson (Dublin: Printed by S. Powell, for George Rish, George Ewing, 1727).
See The Country Lasses; or, the Custom of the Manor. As It Is Acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, by His Majesty's Servants. Written by Mr. Johnson. (London: Printed for J. Tonson, at Shakespear’s Head, over-against Catherine street in the Strand, 1715). <Link to ESTC>
See also The Country Lasses: or, The Custom of the Manor. A Comedy. As it is Acted at the Theatres. Written by Mr. Johnson (Dublin: Printed by S. Powell, for George Rish, George Ewing, 1727).
Date of Entry
10/13/2004
