"Who was the first that forg'd the deadly Blade? / Of rugged Steel his savage Soul was made."
— Grainger, James (1721-1766)
Author
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for A. Millar
Date
1759
Metaphor
"Who was the first that forg'd the deadly Blade? / Of rugged Steel his savage Soul was made."
Metaphor in Context
Who was the first that forg'd the deadly Blade?
Of rugged Steel his savage Soul was made;
By him, his bloody Flag Ambition wav'd;
And grisly Carnage thro' the Battle rav'd:
Yet wherefore blame him? we're ourselves to blame;
Arms first were forg'd to kill the savage Game:
Death-dealing Battles were unknown of old;
Death-dealing Battles took their rise from Gold:
When beachen Bowls, on oaken Tables stood,
When temperate Acorns were our Fathers food;
The Swain slept peaceful, with his Flocks around,
No Trench was open'd, and no Fortress frown'd.
Of rugged Steel his savage Soul was made;
By him, his bloody Flag Ambition wav'd;
And grisly Carnage thro' the Battle rav'd:
Yet wherefore blame him? we're ourselves to blame;
Arms first were forg'd to kill the savage Game:
Death-dealing Battles were unknown of old;
Death-dealing Battles took their rise from Gold:
When beachen Bowls, on oaken Tables stood,
When temperate Acorns were our Fathers food;
The Swain slept peaceful, with his Flocks around,
No Trench was open'd, and no Fortress frown'd.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "soul" and "steel" in HDIS (Poetry)
Date of Entry
06/12/2005
