« back to search

"Though you may imagine she had no mean ones of her own, since (being but a private Gentlewoman) she could by their help alone make so sudden a Conquest over the Heart of a Prince, who had certainly (in so many Courts as he had been in) seen very agreeable Faces, set off with the additional Splendor of Quality, yet none of them had that effect over him, which hers gained without those advantages."

— Anonymous

Author

Anonymous

Work Title

Vertue Rewarded; or, the Irish Princess. A New Novel

Place of Publication

London

Publisher

Printed for R. Bentley

Date

1693

Metaphor

"Though you may imagine she had no mean ones of her own, since (being but a private Gentlewoman) she could by their help alone make so sudden a Conquest over the Heart of a Prince, who had certainly (in so many Courts as he had been in) seen very agreeable Faces, set off with the additional Splendor of Quality, yet none of them had that effect over him, which hers gained without those advantages."

Metaphor in Context

This Novel throws it self at your Feet, and pays you Homage as its Master's Representative: It has been the product of some leisure hours, and will I hope do me this second kindness, to divert you in the Reading, as it did me in the Making. I need not, as others, give any reason for the Dedication; since to be made by me, is sufficient to entitle it yours: But that is not the only claim it can lay to your Favour; for in describing the Marinda of this Novel, I borrow from you, not only her Name, but some of the chief Beauties I adorn her with: Though you may imagine she had no mean ones of her own, since (being but a private Gentlewoman) she could by their help alone make so sudden a Conquest over the Heart of a Prince, who had certainly (in so many Courts as he had been in) seen very agreeable Faces, set off with the additional Splendor of Quality, yet none of them had that effect over him, which hers gained without those advantages. Besides, her true Character suits very well with you: She was an Innocent Country Virgin, ignorant of the Intrigues and Tricks of the Court Ladies; her Vertue, like yours, untainted and undecayed, needed none of their Artificial Embellishments to guild it over; and that Innocence which appears eminently in both of you, as little wants these Ladies Artifices to set it off, as you do their Fucus for your Faces; since true Innocence is as far beyond Dissimulation, as your Colour is beyond all the Paint of the Town; in both of these you give Nature as signal a Triumph over Art, as ever she had in any two things whatsoever.
(pp. 2-4)