"It is true, that I have the dear little babes of some particular friends more immediately in view; but my heart glows at the idea of smoothing the thorny paths of a thousand little innocents—of sparing the tears of helpless infants."
— Fenn [née Frere], Ellenor (1744-1813)
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
John Marshall
Date
1785
Metaphor
"It is true, that I have the dear little babes of some particular friends more immediately in view; but my heart glows at the idea of smoothing the thorny paths of a thousand little innocents—of sparing the tears of helpless infants."
Metaphor in Context
But I too have my joys;—if it were not a pleasure to me to facilitate the progress of children, I should not engage in preparing this apparatus for them.—It is true, that I have the dear little babes of some particular friends more immediately in view; but my heart glows at the idea of smoothing the thorny paths of a thousand little innocents—of sparing the tears of helpless infants. But I am wandering from my purpose, which was this—to hint, that a sprightly female must exert herself beyond what my diffidence will allow be to do;—she must (if she would be very successful) expatiate in a mirthful manner on the subject; and vary her frolics as occasion requires. (page 23)
Provenance
Contributed by PC Fleming
Citation
4 entries in ESTC (1785, c. 1790, c. 1799, 1798).
Fenn, Ellenor. The Art of Teaching in Sport; Designed As a Prelude to a Set of Toys, for Enabling Ladies to Instill the Rudiments of Spelling Reading, Grammar, and Arithmetic, Under the Idea of Amusement. (London: printed and sold by John Marshall and Co. at No. 4, Aldermary Church Yard, Bow-Lane, 1785). Eighteenth Century Collections Online. Gale. <Link to ESTC>
Fenn, Ellenor. The Art of Teaching in Sport; Designed As a Prelude to a Set of Toys, for Enabling Ladies to Instill the Rudiments of Spelling Reading, Grammar, and Arithmetic, Under the Idea of Amusement. (London: printed and sold by John Marshall and Co. at No. 4, Aldermary Church Yard, Bow-Lane, 1785). Eighteenth Century Collections Online. Gale. <Link to ESTC>
Date of Entry
07/14/2010
