As music "certain Conquest makes, the Savage Soul refines"
— Mitchell, Joseph (c. 1684-1738)
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for Harmen Noorthouck [etc.]
Date
1732
Metaphor
As music "certain Conquest makes, the Savage Soul refines"
Metaphor in Context
Strange is the Force of modulated Sound,
That, like a Torrent, sweeps o'er ev'ry Mound!
It tunes the Heart, at ev'ry Turn;
With ev'ry Moment gives new Passions Birth;
Sometimes we take delight to Mourn;
Sometimes enchance our Mirth.
It sooths deep Sorrow in the Breast;
It lulls our waking Cares to Rest,
Fate's clouded Brow serenes with Ease,
And makes ev'n Madness please.
As much as Man can meaner Arts controul,
It manages his master'd Soul,
The most invet'rate Spleen disarms,
And, like Aurelia, Charms:
Aurelia! dear, distinguish'd Fair!
In whom the Graces center'd are!
Whose Beauty, Musick in Disguise!
Attracts the gazing Eyes,
Thrills thro' the Soul, like sad[1] Louisa's Lines,
And, as it certain Conquest makes, the Savage Soul refines.
That, like a Torrent, sweeps o'er ev'ry Mound!
It tunes the Heart, at ev'ry Turn;
With ev'ry Moment gives new Passions Birth;
Sometimes we take delight to Mourn;
Sometimes enchance our Mirth.
It sooths deep Sorrow in the Breast;
It lulls our waking Cares to Rest,
Fate's clouded Brow serenes with Ease,
And makes ev'n Madness please.
As much as Man can meaner Arts controul,
It manages his master'd Soul,
The most invet'rate Spleen disarms,
And, like Aurelia, Charms:
Aurelia! dear, distinguish'd Fair!
In whom the Graces center'd are!
Whose Beauty, Musick in Disguise!
Attracts the gazing Eyes,
Thrills thro' the Soul, like sad[1] Louisa's Lines,
And, as it certain Conquest makes, the Savage Soul refines.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "conque" and "soul" in HDIS (Poetry)
Citation
Joseph Mitchell, Poems on Several Occasions, 2 vols. (London: Harmen Noorthouck, 1732). <Link to ECCO>
Date of Entry
02/14/2005
