"Why should you study to conceal or excuse it, and fondly cherish that viper in your bosom?"
— Mason, John (1706-1763)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed by J. Waugh
Date
1745
Metaphor
"Why should you study to conceal or excuse it, and fondly cherish that viper in your bosom?"
Metaphor in Context
Do not therefore shut your eyes against your darling sin, or be averse to find it out. Why should you study to conceal or excuse it, and fondly cherish that viper in your bosom?--'Some men deal by their sins as some ladies do by their persons. When their beauty is decayed, they seek to hide it from themselves by false glasses, and from others by paint. So, many seek to hide their sins from themselves by false glosses, and from others by excuses or false colours.' But the greatest cheat they put upon themselves. They that cover their sins shall not prosper. It is dangerous self-flattery to give soft and smoothing names to sins, in order to disguise their nature. Rather lay your hand upon your heart, and thrust it into your bosom, though it come out (as Moses' did) leprous as snow.
(I.vii, p. 60)
(I.vii, p. 60)
Categories
Provenance
Reading
Citation
20 entries in ESTC (1745, 1746, 1748, 1753, 1754, 1755, 1758, 1760, 1764, 1767, 1769, 1774, 1778, 1784, 1788, 1791, 1792, 1794, 1797).
Self-Knowledge. A Treatise, Shewing the Nature and Benefit of that Important Science, and The Way to attain it. Intermixed with various Reflections and Observations on Human Nature. By John Mason, A.M. (London: J. Waugh, 1745). <Link to Google>
Self-Knowledge. A Treatise, Shewing the Nature and Benefit of that Important Science, and The Way to attain it. Intermixed with various Reflections and Observations on Human Nature. By John Mason, A.M. (London: J. Waugh, 1745). <Link to Google>
Date of Entry
06/11/2013
