"Like Twigs, entrusted to the Planter's Pains, / Who prunes, engrafts, indulges, or restrains, / Till in the Garden Ornament they yield, / And Fruit, which else had cumber'd up the Field: / Or that rich Ore we from the Indies bring, / Which bears, refin'd, the Image of the King; / But mix'd for-ever with ignobler Mold, / Would lie conceal'd, had we no Taste for Gold: / Thus human Soul, neglected, will not shine; / But, cultur'd well, approaches to divine!"

— Bancks, John (1709-1751)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
James Hodges
Date
1738, 1739
Metaphor
"Like Twigs, entrusted to the Planter's Pains, / Who prunes, engrafts, indulges, or restrains, / Till in the Garden Ornament they yield, / And Fruit, which else had cumber'd up the Field: / Or that rich Ore we from the Indies bring, / Which bears, refin'd, the Image of the King; / But mix'd for-ever with ignobler Mold, / Would lie conceal'd, had we no Taste for Gold: / Thus human Soul, neglected, will not shine; / But, cultur'd well, approaches to divine!"
Metaphor in Context
Like Twigs, entrusted to the Planter's Pains,
Who prunes, engrafts, indulges, or restrains,
Till in the Garden Ornament they yield,
And Fruit, which else had cumber'd up the Field:
Or that rich Ore we from the Indies bring,
Which bears, refin'd, the Image of the King;
But mix'd for-ever with ignobler Mold,
Would lie conceal'd, had we no Taste for Gold:
Thus human Soul, neglected, will not shine;
But, cultur'd well, approaches to divine!
(ll. 47-56, p. 45)
Provenance
Reading in Google Books
Citation
At least 2 entries in ECCO and ESTC (1738, 1739, 1748, 1752).

See Miscellaneous Works, in Verse and Prose, of John Bancks. Adorned With Sculptures and Illustrated With Notes. (London: printed by T. Aris, in Red-Lyon-Court, Fleet-Street, for the author; and sold by C. Corbett, at Addison’s-Head, over-against St. Dunstan’s Church, in Fleet-Street; J. Brindley, in New-Bond-Street; Mess. Gilliver and Clarke, in Westminster-Hall; J. James, under the Royal Exchange; Mess. Ward and Chandler, without Temple-Bar; and at their Shops in Coney-Street, York, and at Scarborough Spaw, 1738). <Link to ESTC>

See also Miscellaneous Works in Verse and Prose of Mr. John Bancks, 2nd ed., vol. I (London: James Hodges, 1739). <Link to Google Books>
Date of Entry
04/10/2012

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