"I conjure you--however severe the conflict, gratitude shall ever be the predominant passion of my soul--oh! fly this instant."
— Stevens, George Alexander (1710?-1784)
Work Title
Place of Publication
Lynn
Publisher
Printed by W. Whittingham, for W. Nicoll and R. Baldwin
Date
1771
Metaphor
"I conjure you--however severe the conflict, gratitude shall ever be the predominant passion of my soul--oh! fly this instant."
Metaphor in Context
LAURA
This is too muc. --rise, dear Sir John,--I am ashamed of this humiliation--alas! I find myself too interested in your distress--I fear --oh! I fear I love you too muc. --I feel a struggle within me, which till now I have been a stranger to--what will become of us?--we must both be wretched--how shall I appear before my lord, so prepossessed in your favor?-- what can I say to my dear lady Worthy?--my looks, my actions will betray me--O let me go--let us instantly separate--the power of sympathy, tho' a solace to our little hearts before, will now involve us in inextricable miseries.
SIR JOHN WORTHY
Generous girl--
LAURA
Nay, not a word more, as you value my future repose--leave me this moment, I conjure you--however severe the conflict, gratitude shall ever be the predominant passion of my soul--oh! fly this instant--I see his lordship coming down yon walk--run, tell her ladyship he is come--and, as I must see him alone, I'll wait his coming, here, as if by accident--the sooner the better--the delay of persecution gives scope to reflection, and doubly tortures, because we suffer in idea also.
SIR JOHN WORTHY
First, let me seal, on that fair hand, a testimony of my unfortunate passion, and I obey.
(I.xii)
This is too muc. --rise, dear Sir John,--I am ashamed of this humiliation--alas! I find myself too interested in your distress--I fear --oh! I fear I love you too muc. --I feel a struggle within me, which till now I have been a stranger to--what will become of us?--we must both be wretched--how shall I appear before my lord, so prepossessed in your favor?-- what can I say to my dear lady Worthy?--my looks, my actions will betray me--O let me go--let us instantly separate--the power of sympathy, tho' a solace to our little hearts before, will now involve us in inextricable miseries.
SIR JOHN WORTHY
Generous girl--
LAURA
Nay, not a word more, as you value my future repose--leave me this moment, I conjure you--however severe the conflict, gratitude shall ever be the predominant passion of my soul--oh! fly this instant--I see his lordship coming down yon walk--run, tell her ladyship he is come--and, as I must see him alone, I'll wait his coming, here, as if by accident--the sooner the better--the delay of persecution gives scope to reflection, and doubly tortures, because we suffer in idea also.
SIR JOHN WORTHY
First, let me seal, on that fair hand, a testimony of my unfortunate passion, and I obey.
(I.xii)
Provenance
Searching "predominant passion" in HDIS (Drama)
Citation
At least 2 entries in the ESTC (1771).
See The Fair Orphan, a Comic Opera, of Three Acts: As performed at the Theatre in Lynn, by Mr. G. A. Stevens's Company of Comedians. (Lynn: Printed by W. Whittingham, for W. Nicoll, in St. Paul's Church-Yard, and R. Baldwin, in Pater-Noster-Row, London, 1771). <Link to ESTC>
See The Fair Orphan, a Comic Opera, of Three Acts: As performed at the Theatre in Lynn, by Mr. G. A. Stevens's Company of Comedians. (Lynn: Printed by W. Whittingham, for W. Nicoll, in St. Paul's Church-Yard, and R. Baldwin, in Pater-Noster-Row, London, 1771). <Link to ESTC>
Theme
Ruling Passion
Date of Entry
06/07/2004
