"Each keeps the other's Image in his Breast, / As Wax preserves the Form a Seal imprest."
— Duck, Stephen (1705-1756)
Author
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for the Author
Date
1736
Metaphor
"Each keeps the other's Image in his Breast, / As Wax preserves the Form a Seal imprest."
Metaphor in Context
What base, ungen'rous, selfish Souls are these?
Mere Quacks, who turn ev'n Health into Disease;
And but the darkest Side of Friendship find,
To all its radiant Beams and Beauties blind.
Two faithful Friends, in any State, may gain
Comfort to heighten Joy, or lessen Pain:
If weighty Cares the pensive Mind invade,
They make the Burden light with mutual Aid;
If Profit, or if Pleasure chears the Soul,
The Blessing's common, each enjoys the whole:
If Bus'ness calls them to some distant Place,
Swift-pinion'd Love contracts the lengthen'd Space;
Each keeps the other's Image in his Breast,
As Wax preserves the Form a Seal imprest.
Mere Quacks, who turn ev'n Health into Disease;
And but the darkest Side of Friendship find,
To all its radiant Beams and Beauties blind.
Two faithful Friends, in any State, may gain
Comfort to heighten Joy, or lessen Pain:
If weighty Cares the pensive Mind invade,
They make the Burden light with mutual Aid;
If Profit, or if Pleasure chears the Soul,
The Blessing's common, each enjoys the whole:
If Bus'ness calls them to some distant Place,
Swift-pinion'd Love contracts the lengthen'd Space;
Each keeps the other's Image in his Breast,
As Wax preserves the Form a Seal imprest.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "breast" and "wax" in HDIS (Poetry); found again "seal"
Citation
Poems on Several Occasions. By Stephen Duck. (London: Printed for the Author, 1736). <Link to ECCO>
Nine entries in ESTC (1730, 1736, 1737, 1738, 1753, 1764).
Nine entries in ESTC (1730, 1736, 1737, 1738, 1753, 1764).
Date of Entry
04/11/2005
