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"O Heavens! how a thousand little Circumstances crowd into my Mind"

— Fielding, Henry (1707-1754)

Author

Amelia

Place of Publication

London

Publisher

Printed for A. Millar

Date

1752

Metaphor

"O Heavens! how a thousand little Circumstances crowd into my Mind"

Metaphor in Context

When Booth had finished his Story, a Silence ensued of some Minutes; an Interval which the Painter would describe much better than the Writer. Some Readers may however be able to make pretty pertinent Conjectures, by what I have said above, especially when they are told that Miss Mathews broke the Silence by a Sigh, and cried, 'why is Mr. Booth unwilling to allow me the Happiness of thinking my Misfortunes have been of some little Advantage to him? Sure the happy Amelia would not be so selfish to envy me that Pleasure. No; not if she was as much the fondest as she is the happiest of Women. Good Heavens! Madam,' said he, 'do you call my poor Amelia the happiest of Women?' 'Indeed I do,' answered she briskly. --'O Mr. Booth, there is a Speck of White in her Fortune, which when it falls to the Lot of a sensible Woman, makes her full Amends for all the Crosses which can attend her--Perhaps she may be sensible of it; but if it had been my blest Fate--O Mr. Booth, could I have thought when we were first acquainted, that the most agreeable Man in the World had been capable of making the kind, the tender, the affectionate Husband--[Page 3] the happy Amelia in those Days was unknown; Heaven had not then given her a Prospect of the Happiness it intended her--but yet it did intend it her: For sure there is a Fatality in the Affairs of Love; and the more I reflect on my own Life, the more I am convinced of it. O Heavens! how a thousand little Circumstances crowd into my Mind. When you first marched into our Town, you had then the Colours in your Hand; as you passed under the Window where I stood, my Glove by accident dropt into the Street; you stopt, took up my Glove, and putting it upon the Spike belonging to your Colours, lifted it up to the Window. Upon this, a young Lady, who stood by, said, So, Miss, the young Officer hath accepted your Challenge. I blush'd then, and I blush now, when I confess to you, I thought you the prettiest young Fellow I had ever seen; and, upon my Soul, I believe you was then the prettiest Fellow in the World'--Booth here made a low Bow, and cried--'O dear Madam, how ignorant was I of my own Happiness!' 'Would you really have thought so?' answered she, 'however, there is some Politeness, if there be no Sincerity in what you say.' Here the Governor of the enchanted [Page 4] Castle interrupted, and entering the Room without any Ceremony, acquainted the Lady and Gentleman, that it was locking-up time; and addressing Booth, by the Name of Captain, asked him if he would not please to have a Bed; adding, that he might have one in the next Room to the Lady, but that it would come dear; for that he never let a Bed in that Room under a Guinea, nor could he afford it cheaper to his Father.
(II.iv.1)