"Their minds were shackled with a set of notions concerning propriety, the fitness of things for the world's eye, trammels which always hamper weak people."
— Wollstonecraft, Mary (1759-1797)
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for J. Johnson
Date
1788
Metaphor
"Their minds were shackled with a set of notions concerning propriety, the fitness of things for the world's eye, trammels which always hamper weak people."
Metaphor in Context
They were people of rank; but unfortunately, though of an ancient family, the title had descended to a very remote branch---a branch they took care to be intimate with; and servilely copied the Countess's airs. Their minds were shackled with a set of notions concerning propriety, the fitness of things for the world's eye, trammels which always hamper weak people. What will the world say? was the first thing that was thought of, when they intended doing any thing they had not done before. Or what would the Countess do on such an occasion? And when this question was answered, the right or wrong was discovered without the trouble of their having any idea of the matter in their own heads. This same Countess was a fine planet, and the satellites observed a most harmonic dance around her.
(pp. 64-5)
(pp. 64-5)
Categories
Provenance
Searching in HDIS
Citation
Only one entry in ESTC (1788).
See Mary Wollstonecraft, Mary, A Fiction (Printed for J. Johnson, 1788). <Link to ECCO>
See Mary Wollstonecraft, Mary, A Fiction (Printed for J. Johnson, 1788). <Link to ECCO>
Date of Entry
03/23/2013
