"[P]erhaps, said I, it may be some poor Widow like me, that had pack'd up these Goods to go and sell them for a little Bread for herself and a poor Child, and are now starving and breaking their Hearts, for want of that little they would have fetch'd, and this Thought tormented me worse than all the rest, for three or four Days."
— Defoe, Daniel (1660?-1731)
Author
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
W. Chetwood and T. Edling
Date
1722
Metaphor
"[P]erhaps, said I, it may be some poor Widow like me, that had pack'd up these Goods to go and sell them for a little Bread for herself and a poor Child, and are now starving and breaking their Hearts, for want of that little they would have fetch'd, and this Thought tormented me worse than all the rest, for three or four Days."
Metaphor in Context
All the while I was opening these things I was under such dreadful Impressions of Fear, and in such Terror of Mind, tho' I was perfectly safe, that I cannot express the manner of it; I sat me down and cried most vehemently; Lord, said I, what am I now? a Thief! why I shall be taken next time and be carried to Newgate and be Try'd for my Life! and with that I cry'd again a long time, and I am sure, as poor as I was, if I had durst for fear, I would certainly have carried the Things back again; but that went off after a while: Well, I went to Bed for that Night, but slept little, the Horror of the Fact was upon my Mind, and, I knew not what I said or did all Night, and all the next Day: Then I was impatient to hear some News of the Loss; and would fain know how it was, whether they were a Poor Bodies Goods, or a Rich; perhaps, said I, it may be some poor Widow like me, that had pack'd up these Goods to go and sell them for a little Bread for herself and a poor Child, and are now starving and breaking their Hearts, for want of that little they would have fetch'd, and this Thought tormented me worse than all the rest, for three or four Days.
(p. 200)
(p. 200)
Categories
Provenance
HDIS
Citation
At least 13 entries in the ESTC (1722, 1741, 1753, 1761, 1765, 1770, 1773, 1776, 1799). [Abridgments not included in foregoing list: see, for example, Fortune's Fickle Distribution]
Daniel Defoe, The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders, & c. Who was Born in Newgate, And during a Life of continu'd Variety for Threescore Years, besides her Childhood, was Twelve Years a Whore, five Times a Wife (whereof once to her own Brother) Twelve years a Thief, Eight Years a Transported Felon in Virginia, at last grew Rich, liv'd Honest, and died a Penitent. Written from her own Memorandums (London: W. Chetwood, at Cato's-Head in Russel-street, Covent Garden and T. Edling, at the Prince's-Arms, over against Exeter Change in the Strand, 1722).
Daniel Defoe, The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders, & c. Who was Born in Newgate, And during a Life of continu'd Variety for Threescore Years, besides her Childhood, was Twelve Years a Whore, five Times a Wife (whereof once to her own Brother) Twelve years a Thief, Eight Years a Transported Felon in Virginia, at last grew Rich, liv'd Honest, and died a Penitent. Written from her own Memorandums (London: W. Chetwood, at Cato's-Head in Russel-street, Covent Garden and T. Edling, at the Prince's-Arms, over against Exeter Change in the Strand, 1722).
Date of Entry
01/21/2004
