"These upheld the soul, / As ribb'd with triple steel"
— Bruce, Michael (1746-1767)
Author
Place of Publication
Edinburgh
Publisher
Printed By John Paterson And Sold By All The Booksellers
Date
1796
Metaphor
"These upheld the soul, / As ribb'd with triple steel"
Metaphor in Context
A pause ensu'd. The fainting sun grew pale,
And seem'd to struggle through a shy of blood;
While dim eclipse impair'd his beam: The earth
Shook to her deepest centre: Ocean rag'd,
And dash'd his billows on the frighted shore.
All was confusion. Heartless, helpless, wild,
As flocks of timid sheep, or driven deer,
Wand'ring, th'inhabitants of earth appear'd
Terror in every look, and pale affright
Sat in each eye; amazed at the past,
And for the future trembling. All call'd great,
Or deem'd illustrions, by erring man,
Was now no more. The hero and the prince
Their grandeur lost, now mingled with the crowd;
And all distinctions, those except from faith
And virtue flowing: These upheld the soul,
As ribb'd with triple steel. All else were lost!
And seem'd to struggle through a shy of blood;
While dim eclipse impair'd his beam: The earth
Shook to her deepest centre: Ocean rag'd,
And dash'd his billows on the frighted shore.
All was confusion. Heartless, helpless, wild,
As flocks of timid sheep, or driven deer,
Wand'ring, th'inhabitants of earth appear'd
Terror in every look, and pale affright
Sat in each eye; amazed at the past,
And for the future trembling. All call'd great,
Or deem'd illustrions, by erring man,
Was now no more. The hero and the prince
Their grandeur lost, now mingled with the crowd;
And all distinctions, those except from faith
And virtue flowing: These upheld the soul,
As ribb'd with triple steel. All else were lost!
Categories
Provenance
Searching "soul" and "steel" in HDIS (Poetry)
Date of Entry
06/12/2005
