"Pride, panting, still, for some superior sway-- / Lust, prowling, like a savage Beast, for prey-- / Dark Passions, propagating feuds, and strife, / Lay waste, or swallow up, the sweets of Life."
— Woodhouse, James (bap. 1735, d. 1820)
Work Title
Date
1814, 1816, 1896
Metaphor
"Pride, panting, still, for some superior sway-- / Lust, prowling, like a savage Beast, for prey-- / Dark Passions, propagating feuds, and strife, / Lay waste, or swallow up, the sweets of Life."
Metaphor in Context
When Tyrants pause, and persecutions cease,
And Christians share a temporary Peace;
While fierce convulsions in such Crowd subside,
Each Soul still swells with Passions, Lusts, and Pride!
Pride, panting, still, for some superior sway--
Lust, prowling, like a savage Beast, for prey--
Dark Passions, propagating feuds, and strife,
Lay waste, or swallow up, the sweets of Life--
Strangle Content, or lay frail Pleasure low,
Like Turkish Tyrant's brac'd, or unbrac'd, bow;
Or Earth's gross vapours, labouring to get loose,
O'erturns what tends to happiness or use!
Hate's--Envy's--Anger's--virulence, or rage,
Convulse each individual's every stage;
Like a corroding canker, Life consume,
Or, like a dagger, antedate their doom!
Care--Fear--Anxiety--or Dread--or Doubt,
Spare no rash Spirit in this Rabble-rout,
But jilt their Hearts of every earthly joy,
Till dark despondence love of Life destroy;
While private Wretchedness and public Wrongs,
By Soul-exacerbations thin the Throngs!
Illegal licence, and oppressive Pow'r,
With murderous deaths vast multitudes devour!
Pride--Pomp--Extortion--sacrifice their Slaves--
Replenish prisons--glut untimely graves--
'Mid meaner Slaves whom Fortune's goods beguile,
Crowds are cut off with trouble, care, and toil!
And Christians share a temporary Peace;
While fierce convulsions in such Crowd subside,
Each Soul still swells with Passions, Lusts, and Pride!
Pride, panting, still, for some superior sway--
Lust, prowling, like a savage Beast, for prey--
Dark Passions, propagating feuds, and strife,
Lay waste, or swallow up, the sweets of Life--
Strangle Content, or lay frail Pleasure low,
Like Turkish Tyrant's brac'd, or unbrac'd, bow;
Or Earth's gross vapours, labouring to get loose,
O'erturns what tends to happiness or use!
Hate's--Envy's--Anger's--virulence, or rage,
Convulse each individual's every stage;
Like a corroding canker, Life consume,
Or, like a dagger, antedate their doom!
Care--Fear--Anxiety--or Dread--or Doubt,
Spare no rash Spirit in this Rabble-rout,
But jilt their Hearts of every earthly joy,
Till dark despondence love of Life destroy;
While private Wretchedness and public Wrongs,
By Soul-exacerbations thin the Throngs!
Illegal licence, and oppressive Pow'r,
With murderous deaths vast multitudes devour!
Pride--Pomp--Extortion--sacrifice their Slaves--
Replenish prisons--glut untimely graves--
'Mid meaner Slaves whom Fortune's goods beguile,
Crowds are cut off with trouble, care, and toil!
Categories
Provenance
Searching "beast" and "passion" in HDIS (Poetry)
Citation
Poem first published in its entirety in 1896. The 1814 first edition receives notice in The New Monthly Magazine (March 1815); the poem was written "in the last century" (w. 1795-1820?).
Text from The Life and Poetical Works of James Woodhouse, ed. R. I. Woodhouse, 2 vols. (London: The Leadenhall Press, 1896). <Link to Hathi Trust> <Link to LION>
Text from The Life and Poetical Works of James Woodhouse, ed. R. I. Woodhouse, 2 vols. (London: The Leadenhall Press, 1896). <Link to Hathi Trust> <Link to LION>
Date of Entry
07/03/2012
