"Nor can the narrow Cells of human Brain / The vast immeasurable Thought contain"
— Hughes, John (1678?-1720)
Author
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for J. Tonson and J. Watts
Date
1735
Metaphor
"Nor can the narrow Cells of human Brain / The vast immeasurable Thought contain"
Metaphor in Context
But see where the mild Sovereign sits prepar'd
His better Subjects to reward!
Where am I now! what Pow'r Divine
Transports me! what immortal Splendors shine!
Torrents of Glory that oppress the Sight!
What Joys, coelestial King! thy Throne surround!
The Sun, who with thy borrow'd Beams so bright,
Sees not his Peer in all the Starry Round,
Wou'd here diminish'd fade away,
Like his pale Sister of the Night,
When she resigns her delegated Light,
Lost in the Blaze of Day.
Here Wonder only can take Place;--
Then Muse, th'adventrous Flight forbear!
These Mystick Scenes thou canst no farther trace;
Hope may some boundless Future Bliss embrace,
But What, or When, or How, or Where,
Are Mazes all, which Fancy runs in vain;
Nor can the narrow Cells of human Brain
The vast immeasurable Thought contain.
His better Subjects to reward!
Where am I now! what Pow'r Divine
Transports me! what immortal Splendors shine!
Torrents of Glory that oppress the Sight!
What Joys, coelestial King! thy Throne surround!
The Sun, who with thy borrow'd Beams so bright,
Sees not his Peer in all the Starry Round,
Wou'd here diminish'd fade away,
Like his pale Sister of the Night,
When she resigns her delegated Light,
Lost in the Blaze of Day.
Here Wonder only can take Place;--
Then Muse, th'adventrous Flight forbear!
These Mystick Scenes thou canst no farther trace;
Hope may some boundless Future Bliss embrace,
But What, or When, or How, or Where,
Are Mazes all, which Fancy runs in vain;
Nor can the narrow Cells of human Brain
The vast immeasurable Thought contain.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "thought" and "cell" in HDIS (Poetry); found again "fancy"; and again "brain"
Citation
John Hughes, Poems on Several Occasions. With Some Select Essays in Prose. In Two Volumes. By John Hughes; Adorn'd with Sculptures. (London: Printed by J. Tonson and J. Watts, 1735). <Link to vol. I in Google Books> <Link to vol. II in Google Books><See also 1779 edition in Google Books><Link to ECCO>
Date of Entry
08/28/2005
