"[S]he suffers me to believe every thing, and glories in every thing; and at the same Time, my Heart is still cowardly enough, not to break the Chain that binds it, not to arm it self with a generous Disdain against the ungrateful Object it is but too much smitten with!"
— Baker, Henry (1698-1774); Miller, James (1706-1744)
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed by and for John Watts
Date
1739
Metaphor
"[S]he suffers me to believe every thing, and glories in every thing; and at the same Time, my Heart is still cowardly enough, not to break the Chain that binds it, not to arm it self with a generous Disdain against the ungrateful Object it is but too much smitten with!"
Metaphor in Context
ALCESTES
[aside]
Heav'ns! Can any thing be invented more cruel? And was ever Heart treated in this manner? What! Here I am justly in a Passion with her, 'tis I come to make my Complaints, and I must bear the Blame! She aggravates to the last Degree my Sorrow, and my Suspicions; she suffers me to believe every thing, and glories in every thing; and at the same Time, my Heart is still cowardly enough, not to break the Chain that binds it, not to arm it self with a generous Disdain against the ungrateful Object it is but too much smitten with!
[to Celimene]
Ah! perfidious Creature! how well you know to make your Advantage of my extreme Weakness even against my self; and manage to your own Ends that prodigious Excess of this fatal Love which took rise from those traiterous Eyes! Clear your self at least, from the Crime which bears too hard upon me, and no longer affect being guilty of it: If it can be done, make me this Letter innocent, my Fondness consents to lend you a helping Hand, strive to appear true in this Case, and I will strive to believe you such.
(IV.iii)
[aside]
Heav'ns! Can any thing be invented more cruel? And was ever Heart treated in this manner? What! Here I am justly in a Passion with her, 'tis I come to make my Complaints, and I must bear the Blame! She aggravates to the last Degree my Sorrow, and my Suspicions; she suffers me to believe every thing, and glories in every thing; and at the same Time, my Heart is still cowardly enough, not to break the Chain that binds it, not to arm it self with a generous Disdain against the ungrateful Object it is but too much smitten with!
[to Celimene]
Ah! perfidious Creature! how well you know to make your Advantage of my extreme Weakness even against my self; and manage to your own Ends that prodigious Excess of this fatal Love which took rise from those traiterous Eyes! Clear your self at least, from the Crime which bears too hard upon me, and no longer affect being guilty of it: If it can be done, make me this Letter innocent, my Fondness consents to lend you a helping Hand, strive to appear true in this Case, and I will strive to believe you such.
(IV.iii)
Categories
Provenance
Searching "heart" and "chain" in HDIS (Drama)
Citation
At least 3 entries in ESTC (1739, 1748, 1755).
Trans. Henry Baker and James Miller, The Works of Moliere, French and English, 10 vols. (London: Printed by and for John Watts, 1739). <Link to ECCO>
Trans. Henry Baker and James Miller, The Works of Moliere, French and English, 10 vols. (London: Printed by and for John Watts, 1739). <Link to ECCO>
Date of Entry
07/28/2011
