"When a man gives himself up to the government of a ruling passion,--or, in other words, when his Hobby-Horse grows head-strong,--farewell cool reason and fair discretion!"
— Sterne, Laurence (1713-1768)
Author
Date
1760-7
Metaphor
"When a man gives himself up to the government of a ruling passion,--or, in other words, when his Hobby-Horse grows head-strong,--farewell cool reason and fair discretion!"
Metaphor in Context
WHEN a man gives himself up to the government of a ruling passion,--or, in other words, when his HOBBY-HORSE grows head-strong,--farewell cool reason and fair discretion!
My uncle Toby's wound was near well, and as soon as the surgeon recovered his surprize, and could get leave to say as much--he told him, 'twas just beginning to incarnate; and that if no fresh exfoliation happen'd, which there was no signs of,--it would be dried up in five or six weeks. The sound of as many olympiads twelve hours before, would have convey'd an idea of shorter duration to my uncle Toby's mind.--The succession of his ideas was now rapid,--he broil'd with impatience to put his design in execution;--and so, without consulting further with any soul living,--which, by the bye, I think is right, when you are predetermined to take no one soul's advice,--he privately ordered Trim, his man, to pack up a bundle of lint and dressings, and hire a chariot and four to be at the door exactly by twelve o'clock that day, when he knew my father would be upon 'Change.--So leaving a bank-note upon the table for the surgeon's care of him, and a letter of tender thanks for his brother's,--he pack'd up his maps, his books of fortification, his instruments, &c.--and, by the help of a crutch on one side, and Trim on the other,--my uncle Toby embark'd for Shandy-Hall.
(II.v, pp. 29-31)
My uncle Toby's wound was near well, and as soon as the surgeon recovered his surprize, and could get leave to say as much--he told him, 'twas just beginning to incarnate; and that if no fresh exfoliation happen'd, which there was no signs of,--it would be dried up in five or six weeks. The sound of as many olympiads twelve hours before, would have convey'd an idea of shorter duration to my uncle Toby's mind.--The succession of his ideas was now rapid,--he broil'd with impatience to put his design in execution;--and so, without consulting further with any soul living,--which, by the bye, I think is right, when you are predetermined to take no one soul's advice,--he privately ordered Trim, his man, to pack up a bundle of lint and dressings, and hire a chariot and four to be at the door exactly by twelve o'clock that day, when he knew my father would be upon 'Change.--So leaving a bank-note upon the table for the surgeon's care of him, and a letter of tender thanks for his brother's,--he pack'd up his maps, his books of fortification, his instruments, &c.--and, by the help of a crutch on one side, and Trim on the other,--my uncle Toby embark'd for Shandy-Hall.
(II.v, pp. 29-31)
Categories
Provenance
Searching HDIS (Prose) for "ruling passion"; text from ECCO-TCP.
Citation
At least 82 entries in ESTC (1759, 1760, 1761, 1762, 1763, 1765, 1767, 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, 1773, 1774, 1775, 1776, 1777, 1779, 1780, 1781, 1782, 1783, 1786, 1788, 1791, 1792, 1793, 1794, 1795, 1796, 1798, 1799, 1800). Complicated publication history: vols. 1 and 2 published in London January 1, 1760. Vols. 3, 4, 5, and 6 published in 1761. Vols. 7 and 8 published in 1765. Vol. 9 published in 1767.
See Laurence Sterne, The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, 9 vols. (London: Printed for D. Lynch, 1760-1767). <Link to ECCO><Link to 1759 York edition in ECCO>
First two volumes available in ECCO-TCP: <Vol. 1><Vol. 2>. Most text drawn from second (London) edition <Link to LION>.
For vols. 3-4, see ESTC T14705 <R. and J. Dodsley, 1761>. For vols. 5-6, see ESTC T14706 <T. Becket and P. A. Dehondt, 1762>. For vols. 7-8, see ESTC T14820 <T. Becket and P. A. Dehont, 1765>. For vol. 9, <T. Becket and P. A. Dehondt, 1767>.
Reading in Laurence Sterne, Tristram Shandy: An Authoritative Text, Backgrounds and Sources, Criticism, Ed. Howard Anderson (New York: Norton, 1980).
See Laurence Sterne, The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, 9 vols. (London: Printed for D. Lynch, 1760-1767). <Link to ECCO><Link to 1759 York edition in ECCO>
First two volumes available in ECCO-TCP: <Vol. 1><Vol. 2>. Most text drawn from second (London) edition <Link to LION>.
For vols. 3-4, see ESTC T14705 <R. and J. Dodsley, 1761>. For vols. 5-6, see ESTC T14706 <T. Becket and P. A. Dehondt, 1762>. For vols. 7-8, see ESTC T14820 <T. Becket and P. A. Dehont, 1765>. For vol. 9, <T. Becket and P. A. Dehondt, 1767>.
Reading in Laurence Sterne, Tristram Shandy: An Authoritative Text, Backgrounds and Sources, Criticism, Ed. Howard Anderson (New York: Norton, 1980).
Theme
Ruling Passion
Date of Entry
05/27/2004
Date of Review
09/23/2011
