"Disdainful of those little arts that bind, / In slavish trammels, the inferior mind, / No stage finesse her action shall disgrace, / To trick a generous audience out of praise; / But Truth, and Nature, shall still plead her cause, / And win the tribute of a just applause."

— Whalley, Thomas Sedgwick (1746-1828)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for T. Cadell
Date
1782
Metaphor
"Disdainful of those little arts that bind, / In slavish trammels, the inferior mind, / No stage finesse her action shall disgrace, / To trick a generous audience out of praise; / But Truth, and Nature, shall still plead her cause, / And win the tribute of a just applause."
Metaphor in Context
"I come, Melpomene, to sooth thy woes,
"And hush the stormy sorrows to repose.
"Let not the mumm'ries of this low-born race,
"Whose tricks my pow'r, far more than thine disgrace,
"Disturb thy soul, for soon their mimick art
"Shall lose its influence o'er the public heart:
"The day approaches, when thy eye shall trace,
"Delighted! all my charms in SIDDON's face,
"The while her soft, and energetic tongue,
"With all my sweetness, all my pathos strung,
"The noblest thoughts, with nobler tones shall grace,
"And lend each author's sense, a brighter face.
"In all her motions shall the Graces move,
"'Midst Joy, or Sorrow, 'midst Disdain, or Love,
"And all the various passions pointed lie,
"Within the magic circle of her eye.
"Bright as her charms, and lofty as her mien,
"Her talents shall illustrate every scene:
"No pompous paces, and no studied start,
"Shall speak the tutorings of th' adultress art;
"No labour'd emphasis offend the ear,
"Nor turgid accent speak the actress near,
"But just conception shall with spirit join,
"Simplicity, with energy combine;
"With ease united, dignity shall charm,
"And fire, with feeling blended, doubly warm;
"While Sensibility, thro' every part,
"Shall thrill in all the pulses of her heart;
"Throw a soft tremb'ling lustre o'er the whole,
"And grace the best emotions of the soul.--
"Disdainful of those little arts that bind,
"In slavish trammels, the inferior mind,
"No stage finesse her action shall disgrace,
"To trick a generous audience out of praise;
"But Truth, and Nature, shall still plead her cause,
"And win the tribute of a just applause
.
(pp. 15-16)
Categories
Provenance
Searching "trammel" in HDIS (Poetry)
Citation
Thomas Whalley, Verses addressed to Mrs. Siddons, on her being engaged at the Theatre-Royal, Drury-Lane, in 1782 (London: T. Cadell, 1782). <Link to ECCO>
Date of Entry
09/06/2011

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