"And now his Spirits by the Impulse move / Of the new Guest [Love], while soft unpractis'd Pains / Throb in his Breast and thrill along his Veins."
— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed by W. Botham, for James Knapton
Date
1723
Metaphor
"And now his Spirits by the Impulse move / Of the new Guest [Love], while soft unpractis'd Pains / Throb in his Breast and thrill along his Veins."
Metaphor in Context
And now, this pow'rful Effort made, the Fair
Left Albion's Prince to struggle with the Snare.
Nor did the bright Aggressor miss her Aim,
For Britain's Son perceiv'd a secret Flame,
And felt the vital Force of quick'ning Love;
And now his Spirits by the Impulse move
Of the new Guest, while soft unpractis'd Pains
Throb in his Breast and thrill along his Veins.
Th' unknown Contagion with a pleasing Smart
Beats thro' his Nerves and vibrates in his Heart.
Now changing Cheeks, by Turns from pale to red,
Confess'd the gentle Wound that inward bled.
Sometimes he started up as in Surprize,
And sometimes rigid stood, and fix'd his Eyes;
While the new Pow'r impatient of Controul
Rais'd this seditious Tumult in his Soul,
Reason, thy Pow'rs imperious Love obey,
Or own at best a weak, divided Sway.
As when on Indian Plains a Rattle-Snake
Perches a Red-Bird in a shady Brake,
The wily Serpent from his Eyes conveys
A splendid Show'r of captivating Rays;
The Bird enchanted cannot turn his Sight,
Nor from the bright Destroyer take his Flight;
But to the Ground he falls, and panting lies
Still gazing on the Charmer, tho' he dies.
So Alfred felt th' Infection in his Heart,
And conscious of its Poison hugg'd the Dart,
Now Passion's Tide retires at Reason's Frown,
Now rushes back and bears Reflection down;
It this and that Way in his Bosom roll'd,
By Turns prevailing and by Turns controul'd.
Left Albion's Prince to struggle with the Snare.
Nor did the bright Aggressor miss her Aim,
For Britain's Son perceiv'd a secret Flame,
And felt the vital Force of quick'ning Love;
And now his Spirits by the Impulse move
Of the new Guest, while soft unpractis'd Pains
Throb in his Breast and thrill along his Veins.
Th' unknown Contagion with a pleasing Smart
Beats thro' his Nerves and vibrates in his Heart.
Now changing Cheeks, by Turns from pale to red,
Confess'd the gentle Wound that inward bled.
Sometimes he started up as in Surprize,
And sometimes rigid stood, and fix'd his Eyes;
While the new Pow'r impatient of Controul
Rais'd this seditious Tumult in his Soul,
Reason, thy Pow'rs imperious Love obey,
Or own at best a weak, divided Sway.
As when on Indian Plains a Rattle-Snake
Perches a Red-Bird in a shady Brake,
The wily Serpent from his Eyes conveys
A splendid Show'r of captivating Rays;
The Bird enchanted cannot turn his Sight,
Nor from the bright Destroyer take his Flight;
But to the Ground he falls, and panting lies
Still gazing on the Charmer, tho' he dies.
So Alfred felt th' Infection in his Heart,
And conscious of its Poison hugg'd the Dart,
Now Passion's Tide retires at Reason's Frown,
Now rushes back and bears Reflection down;
It this and that Way in his Bosom roll'd,
By Turns prevailing and by Turns controul'd.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "breast" and "guest" in HDIS (Poetry)
Citation
Only 1 entry in ESTC (1723).
Richard Blackmore, Alfred. An Epick Poem. In Twelve Books (London: Printed by W. Botham, for James Knapton, 1723). <Link to ECCO><Link to LION>
Richard Blackmore, Alfred. An Epick Poem. In Twelve Books (London: Printed by W. Botham, for James Knapton, 1723). <Link to ECCO><Link to LION>
Date of Entry
03/14/2006
