"The Preservation of Life, the defending the human Body from Decay, and of rendering it a fit Tenement for the Soul to inhabit, in that Season in which she is most capable of exerting her noblest Faculties, are grave and ferious Subjects; with which no trivial Matters ought to mingle."
— Campbell, John (1708-75)
Author
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
J. Nourse
Date
1744
Metaphor
"The Preservation of Life, the defending the human Body from Decay, and of rendering it a fit Tenement for the Soul to inhabit, in that Season in which she is most capable of exerting her noblest Faculties, are grave and ferious Subjects; with which no trivial Matters ought to mingle."
Metaphor in Context
I know very well it may, and I doubt not but it will be objected, if Hermippus was so wise a Man, why, instead of drawing old Age to such a Length, did he not preserve the Vigour of his Youth? This surely would have been by far a nobler Discovery, and to which the young Ladies would with the greatest Readiness have contributed. But I must put such People as these in mind, that as, in this Treatise, I have inserted nothing which may not be some way or other serviceable, either to the Instruction or Entertainment of Mankind, so I shall not think myself at all obliged to take Notice of any ludicrous Reflections. The Preservation of Life, the defending the human Body from Decay, and of rendering it a fit Tenement for the Soul to inhabit, in that Season in which she is most capable of exerting her noblest Faculties, are grave and ferious Subjects; with which no trivial Matters ought to mingle. Besides, to speak my Opinion freely, though I think the Method of Hermippus extremely proper for repairing the Wastes of Nature, and preventing the Incommodities which usually attend on Years; yet I am far from believing, that this Method would contribute at all to the Extention of Youth, but rather the contrary; and for this, I think, I am able to offer some very probable reasons.
(pp. 108-9)
Categories
Provenance
Searching in Google Books
Citation
At least 7 entries in ECCO and ESTC (1744, 1748, 1749, 1760, 1771).
See Johann Heinrich Cohausen, Hermippus Redivivus: or, The Sage's Triumph over Old Age and the Grave, trans. John Campbell (London: J. Nourse, 1744). <Link to ECCO> <Link 1748 edition in Google Books>
Text from 1748 printing.
See Johann Heinrich Cohausen, Hermippus Redivivus: or, The Sage's Triumph over Old Age and the Grave, trans. John Campbell (London: J. Nourse, 1744). <Link to ECCO> <Link 1748 edition in Google Books>
Text from 1748 printing.
Date of Entry
10/26/2011
