"And besides who knows but the Same Observation may hold true in Men, which is in Metals, That those of the strongest and noblest Substance, are hardest to be Polisht."

— Blount, Thomas Pope, Sir (1649-1697)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for Richard Bently
Date
1691
Metaphor
"And besides who knows but the Same Observation may hold true in Men, which is in Metals, That those of the strongest and noblest Substance, are hardest to be Polisht."
Metaphor in Context
[...] And this brings to my Mind the Observation of a great Man, viz. That that which had in all Ages kept the English so Free a people, and from being Enslav'd like some of their Neighbouring Nations, was (next to Gods particular Goodness) that natural Churlishness, and Roughness of Temper, which is inherent in a true right English Man. This Character may (possibly) seem to bear a little hard upon us: But let us set the Good against the Bad, and for my part I think (if from so bad a Cause we have found so good an Effect) we have no reason to Repine, but to be Thankful. And besides who knows but the Same Observation may hold true in Men, which is in Metals, That those of the strongest and noblest Substance, are hardest to be Polisht. But begging Pardon for this long Digression, I shall now proceed.
(pp. 78-9)
Provenance
Reading in EEBO
Citation
Text from Sir Tho. Pope Blount's Essays on Several Subjects, 3rd impression (London: Printed for Richard Bently, 1697). <Link to EEBO>
Date of Entry
01/12/2012

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