"The thinking Sculpture helps to raise / Deep thoughts, the Genii of the place: / To the minds ear, and inward sight, / There silence speaks, and shade gives light:"
— Green, Matthew (1696-1737) [pseud. Peter Drake, a Fisherman of Brentford]
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Date
1733
Metaphor
"The thinking Sculpture helps to raise / Deep thoughts, the Genii of the place: / To the minds ear, and inward sight, / There silence speaks, and shade gives light:"
Metaphor in Context
Needless it is in terms unskill'd
To praise whatever Boyle shall build;
Needless it is the Busts to name
Of men, Monopolists of Fame;
Four Chiefs adorn the modest stone,
For Virtue as for Learning known;
The thinking Sculpture helps to raise
Deep thoughts, the Genii of the place:
To the minds ear, and inward sight,
There silence speaks, and shade gives light:
While insects from the threshold preach,
And minds dispos'd to musing teach:
Proud of strong limbs and painted hues:
They perish by the slightest bruise;
Or Maladies begun within
Destroy more slow life's frail machine;
From Maggot-youth thrô change of state
They feel like us the turns of Fate;
Some born to creep have liv'd to fly,
And change Earth-cells for dwellings high;
And some that did their six wings keep,
Before they dy'd been forc'd to creep.
They politicks like ours profess,
The greater prey upon the less;
Some strain on foot huge loads to bring;
Some toil incessant on the wing;
And in their different ways explore
Wise sense of want by future store;
Nor from their vigorous schemes desist
Till death, and then are never mist.
Some, frolick, toil, marry, increase,
Are sick and well, have war and peace,
And broke with Age, in half a day
Yield to successors, and away.
To praise whatever Boyle shall build;
Needless it is the Busts to name
Of men, Monopolists of Fame;
Four Chiefs adorn the modest stone,
For Virtue as for Learning known;
The thinking Sculpture helps to raise
Deep thoughts, the Genii of the place:
To the minds ear, and inward sight,
There silence speaks, and shade gives light:
While insects from the threshold preach,
And minds dispos'd to musing teach:
Proud of strong limbs and painted hues:
They perish by the slightest bruise;
Or Maladies begun within
Destroy more slow life's frail machine;
From Maggot-youth thrô change of state
They feel like us the turns of Fate;
Some born to creep have liv'd to fly,
And change Earth-cells for dwellings high;
And some that did their six wings keep,
Before they dy'd been forc'd to creep.
They politicks like ours profess,
The greater prey upon the less;
Some strain on foot huge loads to bring;
Some toil incessant on the wing;
And in their different ways explore
Wise sense of want by future store;
Nor from their vigorous schemes desist
Till death, and then are never mist.
Some, frolick, toil, marry, increase,
Are sick and well, have war and peace,
And broke with Age, in half a day
Yield to successors, and away.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "mind" and "ear" in HDIS (Poetry)
Date of Entry
02/14/2005
