"Mrs. Leason has one child, blessed with good natural abilities, and educated by a less indulgent parent, she might have shone in a domestic character, but when the idea is instilled in the youthful mind, that it is to be indulged in all its wishes, let the disposition be ever so pleasing, the soil is contaminated, and instead of producing a grateful vegetation, is over-run with a spontaneous exuberance of pride, which choaks every fragrant sprout."
— Anonymous [By an American Lady]
Place of Publication
Boston
Date
1793
Metaphor
"Mrs. Leason has one child, blessed with good natural abilities, and educated by a less indulgent parent, she might have shone in a domestic character, but when the idea is instilled in the youthful mind, that it is to be indulged in all its wishes, let the disposition be ever so pleasing, the soil is contaminated, and instead of producing a grateful vegetation, is over-run with a spontaneous exuberance of pride, which choaks every fragrant sprout."
Metaphor in Context
In this city we have taken lodgings at a widow Leason's. She is polite and agreeable; but as no one is without their particular characteristic, we cannot expect our landlady to be an exception. Mrs. Leason has one child, blessed with good natural abilities, and educated by a less indulgent parent, she might have shone in a domestic character, but when the idea is instilled in the youthful mind, that it is to be indulged in all its wishes, let the disposition be ever so pleasing, the soil is contaminated, and instead of producing a grateful vegetation, is over-run with a spontaneous exuberance of pride, which choaks every fragrant sprout.
(p. 46)
(p. 46)
Categories
Provenance
Reading in Google Books
Citation
Anonymous, The Hapless Orphan; Or, Innocent Victim of Revenge. A Novel, Founded on Incidents of Real Life. In a Series of Letters from Caroline Francis to Maria B—. (Dublin: Printed for P. Wogan, P. Byrne, and J. Rice, 1793). <Link to Google Books>
Date of Entry
04/18/2011
