"On a shelf, / (Yclept a mantle-piece) a phial stands, / Half fill'd with potent spirits!--haunt the poet's restless brain, / And fill his mind with fancies whimsical."
— Robinson [Née Darby], Mary [Perdita] (1758-1800)
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for Richard Phillips
Date
1806
Metaphor
"On a shelf, / (Yclept a mantle-piece) a phial stands, / Half fill'd with potent spirits!--haunt the poet's restless brain, / And fill his mind with fancies whimsical."
Metaphor in Context
On a shelf,
(Yclept a mantle-piece) a phial stands,
Half fill'd with potent spirits!--spirits strong,
Which sometimes haunt the poet's restless brain,
And fill his mind with fancies whimsical.
Poor poet! happy art thou, thus remov'd
From pride and folly! for in thy domain
Thou can'st command thy subjects; fill thy lines;
Wield th' all-conqu'ring weapon heav'n bestows
On the grey goose's wing! which, tow'ring high,
Bears thy sick fancy to immortal fame!
(Yclept a mantle-piece) a phial stands,
Half fill'd with potent spirits!--spirits strong,
Which sometimes haunt the poet's restless brain,
And fill his mind with fancies whimsical.
Poor poet! happy art thou, thus remov'd
From pride and folly! for in thy domain
Thou can'st command thy subjects; fill thy lines;
Wield th' all-conqu'ring weapon heav'n bestows
On the grey goose's wing! which, tow'ring high,
Bears thy sick fancy to immortal fame!
Categories
Provenance
Searching "haunt" and "mind" in HDIS (Poetry)
Citation
Text from The Poetical Works of the Late Mrs Mary Robinson: Including Many Pieces Never Before Published. 3 vols. (London: Printed for Richard Phillips, 1806). <Link to vol. I in Google Books><Vol. II><Vol. III>
Date of Entry
06/08/2004
