"Madam, excuse this Absence of Mind; my animal Spirits had deserted the Avenues of my Senses, and retired to the Recesses of the Brain, to contemplate a beautiful Idea. I could not force the vagrant Creatures back again into their Posts, to move those Parts of the Body that express Civility."
— Gay, John (1685-1732); Pope, Alexander (1688-1744); Arbuthnot, John (bap. 1677, d. 1735)
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for Bernard Lintot
Date
January 16, 1717
Metaphor
"Madam, excuse this Absence of Mind; my animal Spirits had deserted the Avenues of my Senses, and retired to the Recesses of the Brain, to contemplate a beautiful Idea. I could not force the vagrant Creatures back again into their Posts, to move those Parts of the Body that express Civility."
Metaphor in Context
FOSSILE.
Niece, why Niece, Niece! Oh, Melpomene, thou Goddess of Tragedy, suspend thy Influence for a Moment, and suffer my Niece to give me a rational Answer. This Lady is a Friend of mine; her present Circumstances oblige her to take Sanctuary in my House; treat her with the utmost Civility. Let the Tea-Table be made ready.
CLINKET.
Madam, excuse this Absence of Mind; my animal Spirits had deserted the Avenues of my Senses, and retired to the Recesses of the Brain, to contemplate a beautiful Idea. I could not force the vagrant Creatures back again into their Posts, to move those Parts of the Body that express Civility.
TOWNLEY.
A rare Affected Creature this! If I mistake not, Flattery will make her an useful Tool for my Purpose.
[Aside]
(I, p. 8 in Erie edition)
Niece, why Niece, Niece! Oh, Melpomene, thou Goddess of Tragedy, suspend thy Influence for a Moment, and suffer my Niece to give me a rational Answer. This Lady is a Friend of mine; her present Circumstances oblige her to take Sanctuary in my House; treat her with the utmost Civility. Let the Tea-Table be made ready.
CLINKET.
Madam, excuse this Absence of Mind; my animal Spirits had deserted the Avenues of my Senses, and retired to the Recesses of the Brain, to contemplate a beautiful Idea. I could not force the vagrant Creatures back again into their Posts, to move those Parts of the Body that express Civility.
TOWNLEY.
A rare Affected Creature this! If I mistake not, Flattery will make her an useful Tool for my Purpose.
[Aside]
(I, p. 8 in Erie edition)
Provenance
Searching in HDIS (Drama)
Citation
See also Three Hours After Marriage, ed. Richard Morton and William Peterson (Painesville, OH: Lake Erie College Press, 1961)
Date of Entry
06/29/2012
