Neither reason nor advice can rule love
— Duncombe, John (1729-1786) [Editor]
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for R. and J. Dodsley [etc.]
Date
1757-9
Metaphor
Neither reason nor advice can rule love
Metaphor in Context
Offer an Apple to a peevish Boy;
He will refuse. 'My Darling take it.' 'No!'
Yet dies to have it, when it is deny'd.
How differs from this Boy th'excluded Lover,
Whose Picture on our Stage so lively shines?
Where with himself he argues, if he shall,
Or shall not to his Mistress' House return;
Though conscious he will surely go, unask'd;
And still he lingers near her hated Door.
'Shall I not go, ev'n now, when I am call'd?
'Or shall I end at once this Weight of Woes?
'She thrust me out; invites: Shall I return?
'No! I'd not go, were she herself to come.'
But thus the wiser Slave his Master chides:
'Love, which the Bounds of Reason and Advice
'Disclaims, not Reason nor Advice can rule,
'Nor any Curb restrain: Here, Peace and War
'Alternately succeed: And he, who strives
'These changeful things to fix, which on Caprice
'Alone depend, still veering like the Winds,
'No better will prevail, than should he strive
'To run by Reason, Mood, and Figure, mad.'
He will refuse. 'My Darling take it.' 'No!'
Yet dies to have it, when it is deny'd.
How differs from this Boy th'excluded Lover,
Whose Picture on our Stage so lively shines?
Where with himself he argues, if he shall,
Or shall not to his Mistress' House return;
Though conscious he will surely go, unask'd;
And still he lingers near her hated Door.
'Shall I not go, ev'n now, when I am call'd?
'Or shall I end at once this Weight of Woes?
'She thrust me out; invites: Shall I return?
'No! I'd not go, were she herself to come.'
But thus the wiser Slave his Master chides:
'Love, which the Bounds of Reason and Advice
'Disclaims, not Reason nor Advice can rule,
'Nor any Curb restrain: Here, Peace and War
'Alternately succeed: And he, who strives
'These changeful things to fix, which on Caprice
'Alone depend, still veering like the Winds,
'No better will prevail, than should he strive
'To run by Reason, Mood, and Figure, mad.'
Provenance
Searching rule and reason in HDIS (Poetry)
Citation
The Works of Horace in English verse. By several Hands. Collected and published by Mr. Duncombe. With notes Historical and Critical, 2 vols. (London: R. and J. Dodsley, 1757)<Link to ECCO>
Date of Entry
06/15/2004
