"As if thy thrifty Soul foreknew, / Like a wise Envoy, Heav'n's Intent / Soon to recall whom it had sent, / And all its Task resolv'd at once to do."
— Hughes, John (1678?-1720)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for J. Tonson and J. Watts
Date
1735
Metaphor
"As if thy thrifty Soul foreknew, / Like a wise Envoy, Heav'n's Intent / Soon to recall whom it had sent, / And all its Task resolv'd at once to do."
Metaphor in Context
Then look, Eliza, happy Saint, look down!
Pause from Immortal Joys a-while
To hear, and gracious with a Smile
The dedicated Numbers own;
Say how in thy Life's scanty Space,
So short a Space, so wondrous bright,
Bright as a Summer's Day, short as a Summer's Night,
Cou'dst thou find Room for ev'ry crouded Grace?
As if thy thrifty Soul foreknew,
Like a wise Envoy, Heav'n's Intent
Soon to recall whom it had sent,
And all its Task resolv'd at once to do.
Or wert thou but a Traveller below,
That hither didst a-while repair,
Curious our Customs and our Laws to know?
And, sick'ning in our grosser Air,
And tir'd of vain repeated Sights,
Our foolish Cares, our false Delights,
Back to thy native Seats wou'dst go?
Oh! since to us thou wilt no more return,
Permit thy Friends, the faithful Few
Who best thy numerous Virtues knew,
Themselves, not Thee to mourn.
Pause from Immortal Joys a-while
To hear, and gracious with a Smile
The dedicated Numbers own;
Say how in thy Life's scanty Space,
So short a Space, so wondrous bright,
Bright as a Summer's Day, short as a Summer's Night,
Cou'dst thou find Room for ev'ry crouded Grace?
As if thy thrifty Soul foreknew,
Like a wise Envoy, Heav'n's Intent
Soon to recall whom it had sent,
And all its Task resolv'd at once to do.
Or wert thou but a Traveller below,
That hither didst a-while repair,
Curious our Customs and our Laws to know?
And, sick'ning in our grosser Air,
And tir'd of vain repeated Sights,
Our foolish Cares, our false Delights,
Back to thy native Seats wou'dst go?
Oh! since to us thou wilt no more return,
Permit thy Friends, the faithful Few
Who best thy numerous Virtues knew,
Themselves, not Thee to mourn.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "soul" and "room" in HDIS (Poetry)
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
