One may have "a most insidious principle of self-love, that grew up with him from the cradle, and left no room in his heart for the least particle of social virtue"
— Smollett, Tobias (1721-1777)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for T. Johnson
Date
1753
Metaphor
One may have "a most insidious principle of self-love, that grew up with him from the cradle, and left no room in his heart for the least particle of social virtue"
Metaphor in Context
In vain did all the females of the family propose to him young Fathom, as a pattern and reproach: he remained unaltered by all their efforts and expostulations, and allowed our adventurer to enjoy the triumph of his praise, while he himself was conscious of his own superiority in those qualifications which seemed of more real importance than the meer exteriors and forms of life. His present ambition was, not to make a figure at his father's table, but to eclipse his rivals at school, and to acquire an influence and authority among these confederates. Nevertheless, Fathom might possibly have fallen under his displeasure or contempt, had not that pliant genius found means to retain [Page 25] his friendship by seasonable compliances and submission; for the sole study, or at least the chief aim of Ferdinand, was to make himself necessary and agreeable to those on whom his dependance was placed: his talent was in this particular suited to his inclination; he seemed to have inherited it from his mother's womb; and without all doubt, would have raised upon it a most admirable superstructure of fortune and applause, had not it been inseparably yoked with a most insidious principle of self-love, that grew up with him from the cradle, and left no room in his heart for the least particle of social virtue. This last, however, he knew so well how to counterfeit, by means of a large share of ductility and dissimulation, that, surely, he was calculated by nature, to dupe even the most cautious, and gratify his appetites by levying contributions on all mankind.
Categories
Provenance
Searching in HDIS (Prose)
Citation
14 entries in ESTC (1753, 1760, 1771, 1772, 1780, 1782, 1784, 1786, 1789, 1792, 1795, 1796).
Smollett, Tobias. The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom. By the Author of Roderick Random. (London: printed for T. Johnson, 1753).
Smollett, Tobias. The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom. By the Author of Roderick Random. (London: printed for T. Johnson, 1753).
Date of Entry
09/03/2005
