"John Bull, 'tis said, and 'tis most truly said, / Has evermore a windmill in his head: / Which still, as fashions, factions, fancies sway, / With every puff, is whiffled every way"

— Bishop, Samuel (1731-1795)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed by A. Strahan
Date
1796
Metaphor
"John Bull, 'tis said, and 'tis most truly said, / Has evermore a windmill in his head: / Which still, as fashions, factions, fancies sway, / With every puff, is whiffled every way"
Metaphor in Context
Qualis ab Incepto

John Bull, 'tis said, and 'tis most truly said,
Has evermore a windmill in his head:
Which still, as fashions, factions, fancies sway,
With every puff, is whiffled every way
.
Yet all his changes no amendment note;
They're different trimmings to the same fool's coat.
In each fantastick turn, John Bull you read:
--Should John grow wiser, 'twould be change indeed
Provenance
HDIS
Citation
2 hits in ECCO and ESTC (1796, 1800).

Text from The Poetical Works of the Rev. Samuel Bishop, A. M. Late Head-Master of Merchant-Taylors' School, Rector of St. Martin Outwich, London, and of Ditton in the County of Kent, and Chaplain to the Bishop of Bangor. To Which Are Prefixed, Memoirs of the Life of the Author, by the Rev. Thomas Clare, A. M. (London: Printed by A. Strahan; and sold by Messrs. Cadell and Davies, in the Strand; Mr. Robson, New Bond Street; Mr. Walter, Charing Cross; Mr. Dilly, Poultry; Messrs. White, Fleet Street; Messrs. Rivington, St. Paul’s Church Yard; Mr. Payne, Mews Gate; Messrs. Fletcher and Hanwell, and Mr. Cooke, at Oxford; Mr. Deighton, and Mr. Lunn, at Cambridge; and Mr. Bulgin, at Bristol, 1796). <Link to ESTC><Link to Google Books>
Date of Entry
08/24/2004

The Mind is a Metaphor is authored by Brad Pasanek, Assistant Professor of English, University of Virginia.