""Reason with Inclination why at war? / Why sense of guilt? Why Conscience up in arms?"
— Young, Edward (bap. 1683, d. 1765)
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for G. Hawkins
Date
1744
Metaphor
""Reason with Inclination why at war? / Why sense of guilt? Why Conscience up in arms?"
Metaphor in Context
"Why life, a moment? infinite, desire?
"Our wish, eternity? our home, the grave?
"Heaven's promise dormant lies in human hope;
"Who wishes life immortal, proves it too.
"Why happiness pursued, though never found?
"Man's thirst of happiness declares It is ;
"(For Nature never gravitates to nought;)
"That thirst unquench'd declares, It is not here.
"My Lucia, thy Clarissa, call to thought.
"Why cordial friendship riveted so deep,
"(As hearts, to pierce at first, at parting rend,)
"If friend and friendship vanish in an hour?
"Is not this Torment in the mask of Joy?
"Why by Reflection marr'd the joys of Sense?
"Why Past and Future preying on our hearts,
"And putting all our present joys to death?
"Why labours Reason? Instinct were as well;
"Instinct, far better; what can choose, can err:
"O how infallible the thoughtless brute!
"'Twere well His Holiness were half as sure.
"Reason with Inclination why at war?
"Why sense of guilt? Why Conscience up in arms?"
(ll. 606-627, pp. 194-5 in CUP edition)
"Our wish, eternity? our home, the grave?
"Heaven's promise dormant lies in human hope;
"Who wishes life immortal, proves it too.
"Why happiness pursued, though never found?
"Man's thirst of happiness declares It is ;
"(For Nature never gravitates to nought;)
"That thirst unquench'd declares, It is not here.
"My Lucia, thy Clarissa, call to thought.
"Why cordial friendship riveted so deep,
"(As hearts, to pierce at first, at parting rend,)
"If friend and friendship vanish in an hour?
"Is not this Torment in the mask of Joy?
"Why by Reflection marr'd the joys of Sense?
"Why Past and Future preying on our hearts,
"And putting all our present joys to death?
"Why labours Reason? Instinct were as well;
"Instinct, far better; what can choose, can err:
"O how infallible the thoughtless brute!
"'Twere well His Holiness were half as sure.
"Reason with Inclination why at war?
"Why sense of guilt? Why Conscience up in arms?"
(ll. 606-627, pp. 194-5 in CUP edition)
Categories
Provenance
Reading
Citation
Uniform title published in 9 volumes, from 1742 to 1745. At least 133 reprintings after 1745 in ESTC (1747, 1748, 1749, 1750, 1751, 1752, 1755, 1756, 1757, 1758, 1760, 1761, 1762, 1764, 1765, 1766, 1767, 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, 1773, 1774, 1775, 1776, 1777, 1778, 1779, 1780, 1782, 1783, 1785, 1786, 1787, 1788, 1789, 1790, 1791, 1792, 1793, 1794, 1795, 1796, 1797, 1798, 1800).
Edward Young, Night the Seventh. Being the Second Part of the Infidel Reclaimed. Containing the Nature, Proof, and Importance, of Immortality. (London: Printed for G. Hawkins, 1744).
Text from The Complete Works, Poetry and Prose, of the Rev. Edward Young, LL.D., 2 vols. (London: William Tegg, 1854). <Link to Google Books>
Reading Edward Young, Night Thoughts, ed. Stephen Cornford (New York: Cambridge UP, 1989).
Edward Young, Night the Seventh. Being the Second Part of the Infidel Reclaimed. Containing the Nature, Proof, and Importance, of Immortality. (London: Printed for G. Hawkins, 1744).
Text from The Complete Works, Poetry and Prose, of the Rev. Edward Young, LL.D., 2 vols. (London: William Tegg, 1854). <Link to Google Books>
Reading Edward Young, Night Thoughts, ed. Stephen Cornford (New York: Cambridge UP, 1989).
Date of Entry
06/12/2013
