"The conscious Mind is its own awful World."
— Thomson, James (1700-1748)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for A. Millar
Date
1745
Metaphor
"The conscious Mind is its own awful World."
Metaphor in Context
SIGISMUNDA.
The World approve!--What is the World to me?
The conscious Mind is its own awful World.--
And yet, perhaps, if thou wert not a King,
I know not, Tancred, what I might have done.
Then, then, my Conduct, sanctify'd by Love,
Could not be deem'd, by the severest Judge,
The mean Effect of Interest, or Ambition.
But now not all my partial Heart can plead,
Shall ever shake th' unalterable Dictates
That tyrannize my Breast.
(V.vi, 98-107)
The World approve!--What is the World to me?
The conscious Mind is its own awful World.--
And yet, perhaps, if thou wert not a King,
I know not, Tancred, what I might have done.
Then, then, my Conduct, sanctify'd by Love,
Could not be deem'd, by the severest Judge,
The mean Effect of Interest, or Ambition.
But now not all my partial Heart can plead,
Shall ever shake th' unalterable Dictates
That tyrannize my Breast.
(V.vi, 98-107)
Categories
Provenance
C-H Lion
Citation
At least 29 entries in ESTC (1745, 1748, 1749, 1752, 1755, 1758, 1759, 1761, 1764, 1766, 1767, 1768, 1770, 1774, 1775, 1776, 1777, 1779, 1784, 1787, 1790, 1792). [Robert Hume lists among the "few considerable new plays mounted" between 1737 and 1760.]
See Tancred and Sigismunda. A Tragedy. As it is Acted at the Theatre-Royal In Drury-Lane, By His Majesty's Servants. By James Thomson (London: Printed for A. Millar, 1745). <Link to ECCO>
See Tancred and Sigismunda. A Tragedy. As it is Acted at the Theatre-Royal In Drury-Lane, By His Majesty's Servants. By James Thomson (London: Printed for A. Millar, 1745). <Link to ECCO>
Theme
Microcosm
Date of Entry
06/28/2013
