"Contemplation is but an Overture to Madness, a discontented Temper renders the World Odious; and Melancholy, like Sleep, steals insensibly upon our Spirits; and when Solitude has contracted our Thoughts into a too serious Meditation, we fall into a Labyrinth of foolish Notions, that quite craze our Understandings."
— Baker, Thomas (b. 1680-1)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for R. Wellington and B. Bernard Lintott
Date
1701
Metaphor
"Contemplation is but an Overture to Madness, a discontented Temper renders the World Odious; and Melancholy, like Sleep, steals insensibly upon our Spirits; and when Solitude has contracted our Thoughts into a too serious Meditation, we fall into a Labyrinth of foolish Notions, that quite craze our Understandings."
Metaphor in Context
RAILTON
That Opinion, Tremilia, denotes a diseas'd Mind, which is as naturally averse to every thing that's pleasant, and agreeable, as a Diseas'd Body is to wholsom Food. Contemplation is but an Overture to Madness, a discontented Temper renders the World Odious; and Melancholy, like Sleep, steals insensibly upon our Spirits; and when Solitude has contracted our Thoughts into a too serious Meditation, we fall into a Labyrinth of foolish Notions, that quite craze our Understandings. The Philosophers run upon Fancies, which not only confront Reason, and Sense, but plain Matter of Fact: And the Poets Flights of the Sun, the Stars, and the Elements, are manifest Distraction; as if Apollo , for their Impertinence, had canted 'em thro' the Globe, and they had a giddy Idea of every thing they just pass'd by. Such stuff is the effect of studious Vapours, and Fops that are learnedly rediculous, ought more to be laugh'd at, than Fools that talk downright Nonsense.
(III.i, p. 26)
That Opinion, Tremilia, denotes a diseas'd Mind, which is as naturally averse to every thing that's pleasant, and agreeable, as a Diseas'd Body is to wholsom Food. Contemplation is but an Overture to Madness, a discontented Temper renders the World Odious; and Melancholy, like Sleep, steals insensibly upon our Spirits; and when Solitude has contracted our Thoughts into a too serious Meditation, we fall into a Labyrinth of foolish Notions, that quite craze our Understandings. The Philosophers run upon Fancies, which not only confront Reason, and Sense, but plain Matter of Fact: And the Poets Flights of the Sun, the Stars, and the Elements, are manifest Distraction; as if Apollo , for their Impertinence, had canted 'em thro' the Globe, and they had a giddy Idea of every thing they just pass'd by. Such stuff is the effect of studious Vapours, and Fops that are learnedly rediculous, ought more to be laugh'd at, than Fools that talk downright Nonsense.
(III.i, p. 26)
Categories
Provenance
Searching in C-H Lion
Citation
At least 2 entries in the ESTC (1701).
Thomas Baker, The Humour of the Age. A Comedy. As it is Acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane by His Majesty's Servants. (London: Printed for R. Wellington and B. Bernard Lintott, 1701). <Link to ECCO>
Thomas Baker, The Humour of the Age. A Comedy. As it is Acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane by His Majesty's Servants. (London: Printed for R. Wellington and B. Bernard Lintott, 1701). <Link to ECCO>
Date of Entry
06/18/2013
