"Long my imprison'd spirit lay, / Fast bound in sin and nature's night: / Thine eye diffused a quickening ray; / I woke; the dungeon flamed with light; / My chains fell off, my heart was free, / I rose, went forth, and follow'd Thee."

— Wesley, John and Charles


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed by William Strahan
Date
1739
Metaphor
"Long my imprison'd spirit lay, / Fast bound in sin and nature's night: / Thine eye diffused a quickening ray; / I woke; the dungeon flamed with light; / My chains fell off, my heart was free, / I rose, went forth, and follow'd Thee."
Metaphor in Context
Long my imprison'd spirit lay,
  Fast bound in sin and nature's night:
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray;
  I woke; the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and follow'd Thee.
(ll. 19-24)
Provenance
Hymn pointed out to me by David Vander Meulen
Citation
More than 15 entries in ESTC (1739, 1740, 1742, 1743, 1745, 1747, 1749, 1755, 1756). See also the many other collections of hymns which select from or incorporate hymns from the original.

3 editions in 1739. See John and Charles Wesley, Hymns and Sacred Poems. Published by John Wesley, M. A. Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford; and Charles Wesley, M. A. Student of Christ-Church, Oxford. (London: Printed by William Strahan, 1739). <Link to first edition in ESTC><Link to ECCO><Link to ECCO-TCP>

See also 1742 Bristol Edition of Hymns and Sacred Poems (Bristol: Printed and sold by Felix Farley, in Castle-Green; J. Wilson in Wine-Street; and at the School-Room in the Horse-Fair: in Bath, by W. Frederick, Bookseller: and in London, by T. Harris on the Bridge; also, at the Foundery in Upper-Moor-Fields, 1742). <Link to ESTC><Link to Google Books>

Found searching in The Poetical Works of John and Charles Wesley, ed. G. Osborn, 13 vols. (London: The Wesleyan-Methodist Conference Office, 1868). <Link to Hathi Trust>
Date of Entry
10/27/2010
Date of Review
05/26/2011

The Mind is a Metaphor is authored by Brad Pasanek, Assistant Professor of English, University of Virginia.