Fielding, Henry (1707-1754)

A Journey from this World to the Next [from Miscellanies]

London

Printed for the Author

1743

"Upon this, my Son Swane invaded the Coasts with several Ships, and committed many outragious Cruelties; which, indeed, did his business, as they served me to apply to the Fear of this King, which I had long since discovered to be his predominant Passion."

'The first great Perplexity I fell into, was on the account of my Son Swane, who had deflowered the Abbess of Leon, since called Leominster in Herefordshire. After this Fact, he retired into Denmark, whence he sent to me, to obtain his Pardon. The King at first refused it; being moved thereto, as I afterwards found, by some Churchmen, particularly by one of his Chaplains, whom I had prevented from obtaining a Bishoprick. Upon this, my Son Swane invaded the Coasts with several Ships, and committed many outragious Cruelties; which, indeed, did his business, as they served me to apply to the Fear of this King, which I had long since discovered to be his predominant Passion. And at last, he who had refused Pardon to his first Offence, submitted to give it him, after he had committed many other more monstrous Crimes; by which his Pardon lost all Grace to the Offended, and received double Censure from all others.
(I.xx)

Government::Rule and Subjection::Rule of Passion

Searching HDIS (Prose) for "predominant passion"

At least 9 entries in ECCO and ESTC (1743, 1754, 1758, 1762, 1783, 1798).

See Miscellanies, by Henry Fielding, 3 vols. (London: Printed for the Author, 1743).

Ruling Passion

06/05/2004