"Philosophy ... raises [one] above the rest of human Kind, and gives the sovereign Empire to Reason, subjecting the animal Part to its Laws, the gross Appetite of which debases us to Beasts"
— Baker, Henry (1698-1774); Miller, James (1706-1744)
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed by and for John Watts
Date
1739
Metaphor
"Philosophy ... raises [one] above the rest of human Kind, and gives the sovereign Empire to Reason, subjecting the animal Part to its Laws, the gross Appetite of which debases us to Beasts"
Metaphor in Context
ARMANDA.
Lard! what a grov'ling Mind is yours! What a mean Part do you act in the World to immure your self with Family-Affairs, and not to discover more sensible Pleasures than an Idol of a Husband, and Monkeys of Children! Leave the low Amusements of these kind of Affairs to gross Creatures and vulgar People; elevate your Desires to more lofty Objects; endeavour to get a Taste for more noble Pleasures; and, treating Sense and Matter with Contempt, give yourself, like us, entirely up to Understanding. You have our Mother for an Example before your Eyes, who is every where honour'd with the Title of Learned; endeavour like me to shew your self her Daughter; aspire to the Brightness which is in the Family, and bring your self to be sensible of the charming Pleasures which the Love of Study pours into the Heart. Instead of being in servile Bondage to the Will of a Man, marry your self, Sister, to Philosophy, which raises you above the rest of human Kind, and gives the sovereign Empire to Reason, subjecting the animal Part to its Laws, the gross Appetite of which debases us to Beasts. These are the lovely Flames, the soft Attachments which ought to employ the Moments of Life; and the Cares which I see so many Women affected with, appear in my Eyes most horrible Meannesses.
Lard! what a grov'ling Mind is yours! What a mean Part do you act in the World to immure your self with Family-Affairs, and not to discover more sensible Pleasures than an Idol of a Husband, and Monkeys of Children! Leave the low Amusements of these kind of Affairs to gross Creatures and vulgar People; elevate your Desires to more lofty Objects; endeavour to get a Taste for more noble Pleasures; and, treating Sense and Matter with Contempt, give yourself, like us, entirely up to Understanding. You have our Mother for an Example before your Eyes, who is every where honour'd with the Title of Learned; endeavour like me to shew your self her Daughter; aspire to the Brightness which is in the Family, and bring your self to be sensible of the charming Pleasures which the Love of Study pours into the Heart. Instead of being in servile Bondage to the Will of a Man, marry your self, Sister, to Philosophy, which raises you above the rest of human Kind, and gives the sovereign Empire to Reason, subjecting the animal Part to its Laws, the gross Appetite of which debases us to Beasts. These are the lovely Flames, the soft Attachments which ought to employ the Moments of Life; and the Cares which I see so many Women affected with, appear in my Eyes most horrible Meannesses.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "reason" and "empire" in HDIS (Drama)
Citation
At least 3 entries in ESTC (1739, 1748, 1755).
Trans. Henry Baker and James Miller, The Works of Moliere, French and English, 10 vols. (London: Printed by and for John Watts, 1739). <Link to ECCO>
Trans. Henry Baker and James Miller, The Works of Moliere, French and English, 10 vols. (London: Printed by and for John Watts, 1739). <Link to ECCO>
Date of Entry
08/16/2004
