"Such contraries almighty wisdom finds, / And stamps on human minds."
— Hill, Aaron (1685-1750)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Date
1726, 1753
Metaphor
"Such contraries almighty wisdom finds, / And stamps on human minds."
Metaphor in Context
Yet, as within the all-enlight'ning sun,
Some spots our glasses find, amidst the blaze,
Too small, tho' visible, to look on, long,
Because encircled, with eye-dazzling rays;
So thou, great king of fancy! led astray,
By thy high-melted muse, uncurb'd and gay,
And prancing proudly on, in wit's unmeasur'd way!
Ha'st err'd, in judgment, where thou did'st design,
Thy judgment, most should shine!
But all that's human, in thy verse, is lost, in the divine.
Immortal man! thou dost, too rashly, blame
The wasteful spirit of thy gloomy times,
Ev'n of that age of crimes,
Which gave the fate of suff'ring Charles to fame!
Short-sighted man, scarce ever aiming right,
Tho' eagle-ey'd, in mortal sight,
Oft, thus mistakes, for chance, heav'n's well-resolv'd decree,
And does, against it, fight!
That, which lights, to shadows, are,
Or peace, to war;
Such was that age, to thee!
Such contraries almighty wisdom finds,
And stamps on human minds;
That virtue's visage made, thereby, more bright,
May, when set opposite to sin's black night,
To strike all eyes, that shall her lustre see,
Shine out, with double force, and doubly charming be.
(Cf. pp. 94-6 in 1726 collection)
Some spots our glasses find, amidst the blaze,
Too small, tho' visible, to look on, long,
Because encircled, with eye-dazzling rays;
So thou, great king of fancy! led astray,
By thy high-melted muse, uncurb'd and gay,
And prancing proudly on, in wit's unmeasur'd way!
Ha'st err'd, in judgment, where thou did'st design,
Thy judgment, most should shine!
But all that's human, in thy verse, is lost, in the divine.
Immortal man! thou dost, too rashly, blame
The wasteful spirit of thy gloomy times,
Ev'n of that age of crimes,
Which gave the fate of suff'ring Charles to fame!
Short-sighted man, scarce ever aiming right,
Tho' eagle-ey'd, in mortal sight,
Oft, thus mistakes, for chance, heav'n's well-resolv'd decree,
And does, against it, fight!
That, which lights, to shadows, are,
Or peace, to war;
Such was that age, to thee!
Such contraries almighty wisdom finds,
And stamps on human minds;
That virtue's visage made, thereby, more bright,
May, when set opposite to sin's black night,
To strike all eyes, that shall her lustre see,
Shine out, with double force, and doubly charming be.
(Cf. pp. 94-6 in 1726 collection)
Categories
Provenance
Searching "mind" and "stamp" in HDIS (Poetry); confirmed in ECCO.
Citation
At least 4 entries in ECCO and ESTC (1726, 1753, 1754).
See Miscellaneous Poems and Translations. By Several Hands. Publish’d by Richard Savage, Son of the Late Earl Rivers. (London: Printed for Samuel Chapman, at the Angel in Pall-Mall, 1726). <Link to ESTC>
Text from The Works of the Late Aaron Hill, Esq; in Four Volumes. Consisting of Letters on Various Subjects, and of Original Poems, Moral and Facetious. With an Essay on the Art of Acting. (London: Printed for the benefit of the family, 1753). <Link to ESTC>
See Miscellaneous Poems and Translations. By Several Hands. Publish’d by Richard Savage, Son of the Late Earl Rivers. (London: Printed for Samuel Chapman, at the Angel in Pall-Mall, 1726). <Link to ESTC>
Text from The Works of the Late Aaron Hill, Esq; in Four Volumes. Consisting of Letters on Various Subjects, and of Original Poems, Moral and Facetious. With an Essay on the Art of Acting. (London: Printed for the benefit of the family, 1753). <Link to ESTC>
Date of Entry
04/07/2005
