"For then first throbb'd an heart of steel."
— O'Keeffe, John (1747-1833)
Author
Place of Publication
Dublin
Publisher
Printed by John Whitworth
Date
1797
Metaphor
"For then first throbb'd an heart of steel."
Metaphor in Context
AIR,
Redmond.
When young they call'd me roaring boy,
For blows I took delight in,
My dram I thought a darling toy,
Game chicks I set to fighting;
My play was lusty cudgel raps,
When not my gig top lashing,
The girls I set to pulling caps,
My work was barley thrashing;
The gossips say, ay, they'll be sworn,
A dreadful night, when I was born,
The moon in clouds her face did muffle,
The elements were all at scuffle;
The brook into a torrent swelled,
A rock was split, an oak was felled;
The neighbours scream'd "the houses shake,"
The banshee moan'd, the earth did quake;
A raven sung a thunder peal!
For then first throbb'd an heart of steel.
At speed I ride, it does me good,
If on a horse that's vicious,
From wrangling bull a slice my food,
Such beef-stake how delicious!
Of all my liquors punch I love,
Sweet contradiction jumble,
With joy the craggy cliffs I rove,
So winds and waters rumble.
The gossips say, ay, they'll be sworn, &c.
[Exit.
Redmond.
When young they call'd me roaring boy,
For blows I took delight in,
My dram I thought a darling toy,
Game chicks I set to fighting;
My play was lusty cudgel raps,
When not my gig top lashing,
The girls I set to pulling caps,
My work was barley thrashing;
The gossips say, ay, they'll be sworn,
A dreadful night, when I was born,
The moon in clouds her face did muffle,
The elements were all at scuffle;
The brook into a torrent swelled,
A rock was split, an oak was felled;
The neighbours scream'd "the houses shake,"
The banshee moan'd, the earth did quake;
A raven sung a thunder peal!
For then first throbb'd an heart of steel.
At speed I ride, it does me good,
If on a horse that's vicious,
From wrangling bull a slice my food,
Such beef-stake how delicious!
Of all my liquors punch I love,
Sweet contradiction jumble,
With joy the craggy cliffs I rove,
So winds and waters rumble.
The gossips say, ay, they'll be sworn, &c.
[Exit.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "heart" and "steel" in HDIS (Drama)
Citation
First performed on April 13, 1796. Only 1 entry in ESTC (1797).
The Wicklow Mountains; or the Lad of The Hills, a Comic Opera, in Two Acts. Written by O'Keefe (Dublin: Printed by John Whitworth, 1797). <Link to ESTC>
The Wicklow Mountains; or the Lad of The Hills, a Comic Opera, in Two Acts. Written by O'Keefe (Dublin: Printed by John Whitworth, 1797). <Link to ESTC>
Date of Entry
06/13/2005
