Strange fancies may haunt the mind (and one may be pursued by jealous cares)
— Armstrong, John (1708/9-1779)
Place of Publication
London
Date
1770
Metaphor
Strange fancies may haunt the mind (and one may be pursued by jealous cares)
Metaphor in Context
OLYMPIA.
'Tis no such wonder. For this generous exile,
The hardly-used ALPHONSO, scarce had left
The gates of Naples, when my father hurried me
Down to these ancient melancholy walls,
Remote from Naples and all neighbourhood.
The real aim of this retreat, as from
Th' event appears too plain, was to cut off
All correspondence with ALPHONSO, and those
That might promote intelligence between us;
While this insidious rival should be favoured
With all advantages to undermine
My absent love. For ever since I have known
This sad retirement, this confinement rather,
My correspondence has been strictly watched
Like one in gaol for treason. No company
This twelvemonth have I seen but ALPHONSO,
And those who with his odious praises chafe
My persecuted ears. I have been afraid
Of every morning's light; for every day
Has seen me flattered, threatened, and cajoled,
Tortured and teized, to what I most abhor.
What's worse than these, strange fancies haunt my mind,
And jealous cares pursue me, that my breast
Pants with perpetual terrors and alarms.
My health in sickly languor pines away:
Kind sleep forsakes me; and when harrass'd Nature
Sinks in imperfect rest, distracted dreams,
Worse than my waking miseries, shake me from
My frighted slumbers. Gracious Heaven defend me!
'Tis horrible to think how near the verge
Of madness I have been.
'Tis no such wonder. For this generous exile,
The hardly-used ALPHONSO, scarce had left
The gates of Naples, when my father hurried me
Down to these ancient melancholy walls,
Remote from Naples and all neighbourhood.
The real aim of this retreat, as from
Th' event appears too plain, was to cut off
All correspondence with ALPHONSO, and those
That might promote intelligence between us;
While this insidious rival should be favoured
With all advantages to undermine
My absent love. For ever since I have known
This sad retirement, this confinement rather,
My correspondence has been strictly watched
Like one in gaol for treason. No company
This twelvemonth have I seen but ALPHONSO,
And those who with his odious praises chafe
My persecuted ears. I have been afraid
Of every morning's light; for every day
Has seen me flattered, threatened, and cajoled,
Tortured and teized, to what I most abhor.
What's worse than these, strange fancies haunt my mind,
And jealous cares pursue me, that my breast
Pants with perpetual terrors and alarms.
My health in sickly languor pines away:
Kind sleep forsakes me; and when harrass'd Nature
Sinks in imperfect rest, distracted dreams,
Worse than my waking miseries, shake me from
My frighted slumbers. Gracious Heaven defend me!
'Tis horrible to think how near the verge
Of madness I have been.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "haunt" and "mind" in HDIS (Poetry)
Date of Entry
06/08/2004
