The "venom'd shafts" of Cupid "empoison mortal joy," "Drawing from heav'n the soul of man to earth, / With foul alloy debasing purest treasure."
— Burges, Sir James Bland (1752-1824)
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for the Proprietor, by T. Bensley
Date
1823
Metaphor
The "venom'd shafts" of Cupid "empoison mortal joy," "Drawing from heav'n the soul of man to earth, / With foul alloy debasing purest treasure."
Metaphor in Context
Of Love I sing--not of that treach'rous Boy
To whom the impure Venus erst gave birth,
Whose venom'd shafts empoison mortal joy,
Confounding honour, virtue, rank, and worth;
Whose midnight orgies stamp on lawless mirth
The forged image of celestial pleasure,
Drawing from heav'n the soul of man to earth,
With foul alloy debasing purest treasure--
That Boy, and that Boy's deeds shall not pollute my measure!
To whom the impure Venus erst gave birth,
Whose venom'd shafts empoison mortal joy,
Confounding honour, virtue, rank, and worth;
Whose midnight orgies stamp on lawless mirth
The forged image of celestial pleasure,
Drawing from heav'n the soul of man to earth,
With foul alloy debasing purest treasure--
That Boy, and that Boy's deeds shall not pollute my measure!
Provenance
Searching "soul" and "alloy" in HDIS (Poetry)
Citation
The Birth and Triumph of Love. a Poem. By Sir James Bland Lamb: With the Original Designs by an Illustrious Personage. Engraved by P. W. Tomkins. (London: Printed for the proprietor, by T. Bensley, 1823)
Date of Entry
04/14/2005
