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"She ran to meet him as he alighted; her young Face, over-spread with blushing Joys! his transport exceeded hers! he took her in his Arms with eagerness! he exchang'd all his Pains for Pleasures! there was the Cure of his past Anguish! her Kisses were the Balm to his wounded Mind!"

— Manley, Delarivier (c. 1670-1724)

Author

Manley, Delarivier (c. 1670-1724)

Work Title

Secret Memoirs and Manners of Several Persons of Quality, of Both Sexes. From the New Atalantis

Place of Publication

London

Publisher

Printed for John Morphew and J. Woodward

Date

1709

Metaphor

"She ran to meet him as he alighted; her young Face, over-spread with blushing Joys! his transport exceeded hers! he took her in his Arms with eagerness! he exchang'd all his Pains for Pleasures! there was the Cure of his past Anguish! her Kisses were the Balm to his wounded Mind!"

Metaphor in Context

The Duke vainly strugled in the Snare; he wou'd live without seeing Charlot, but then he must live in Pain, in inexplicable Torture! he applies the relief of Business, the Pleasures of Woman! Charlot's Kisses were still upon his Lips, and made all others insipid to him. In short, he try'd so much to divert his Thoughts from her, that it but more perfectly confirm'd him of the vanity and the unsucuessfulness of the attempt: He could neither eat or sleep! love and restlessness rais'd Vapours in him to that degree, he was no longer Master of his Business! Wearied with all things, hurry'd by a secret Principle of Self-Love, and Self-Preservation, the Law of Nature! he orders his Coach to carry him down once more to his Villa, there to see his Dear! this dangerous Charlot! that little innocent Sweetness! that imbitter'd his Happiness. She lov'd him tenderly, as a Benefactor, a Father, or something more; that she had been us'd to love without that severe mixture of Fear that mingles in the love we bear to Parents: She ran to meet him as he alighted; her young Face, over-spread with blushing Joys! his transport exceeded hers! he took her in his Arms with eagerness! he exchang'd all his Pains for Pleasures! there was the Cure of his past Anguish! her Kisses were the Balm to his wounded Mind! he wonder'd at the immediate alteration! she caress'd and courted him; shew'd him all things that cou'd divert or entertain. He knew not what to resolve upon; he cou'd not prudently marry her, and how to attempt to corrupt her! those excellent Principles that had been early infused into her, were all against him; but yet he must love her! he found he cou'd not live without her! he open'd a Machiavel, and read there a Maxim, That none but great Souls can be compleatly Wicked: He took it for a kind of Oracle to him: He wou'd be loath to tell himself, his Soul was not great enough for any attempt. He clos'd the Book, took some turns about the Gallery to digest what he had read, and from thence concluded, that neither Religion, Honour, Gratitude, nor Friendship, were ties sufficient to deprive us of an essential Good! Charlot was necessary to his very Being! all his Pleasures faded without her! and, which was worse, he was in torture! in actual pain as well as want of pleasure! therefore Charlot he would have; he had strugled more than sufficient, Virtue ought to be satisfied with the terrible Conflict he had suffered! but Love was become Master, and 'twas time for her to abscond. [...]
(pp. 60-1)