"Long since alas! the airy Vision's fled, / And I with wandring Flames my Passion feed."
— Cibber, Colley (1671-1757)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for H. Rhodes, R. Parker, and S. Briscoe
Date
1696
Metaphor
"Long since alas! the airy Vision's fled, / And I with wandring Flames my Passion feed."
Metaphor in Context
MASQUE
The SCENE Draws, and Discovers Love Seated on a Throne, attended with a CHORUS.
FAME.
Hail! hail! Victorious Love!
To whom all Hearts below,
With no less Pleasure bow,
Than to the Thundring Jove,
The Happy Souls above.
CHORUS.
Hail, &c.
Enter Reason.
REASON.
Cease, cease fond Fools your Empty Noise,
And follow not such Joys,
Love gives you but a short-liv'd Bliss,
But I bestow immortal Happiness.
LOVE.
Rebellious Reason, talk no more,
Of all my Slaves, I thee abhor:
But thou, alas! dost strive in vain
To free the Lover from a pleasing Chain,
In Spight of Reason, Love shall live and reign.
CHORUS.
In Spight, &c.
A Martial Symphony.
Enter Honor.
HONOR.
What Wretch wou'd follow Loves alarms.
When Honors Trumpet sounds to Arms:
Hark! how the Warlike Notes inspire
In ev'ry Breast a glowing Fire.
LOVE.
Hark how it swells with Love and soft Desire.
HONOR.
Behold, behold the married State
By thee too soon betray'd,
Repenting now too late.
Enter Marriage with his Yoke.
MARRIAGE.
O! tell me cruel God of Love,
Why didst thou my thoughts possess
With an Eternal Round of Happiness,
And yet alas! I lead a wretched Life,
Doom'd to this Galling Yoke--the Emblem of a Wife.
LOVE.
Ungratefull Wretch! how dar'st thou Love upbraid?
I gave thee Raptures in the Bridal-Bed.
MARRIAGE.
Long since alas! the airy Vision's fled,
And I with wandring Flames my Passion feed.
O! tell me pow'rfull God
Where I shall find
My former Peace of Mind!
LOVE.
Where first I promis'd thee a happy Life,
There thou shalt find it in a Vertuous Wife.
LOVE, & FAME.
Go home unhappy Wretch, and mourn
For all thy Guilty Passion past,
There thou shalt those Joys return,
Which shall for ever, ever last.
End with the First Chorus.
(pp. 101-3)
The SCENE Draws, and Discovers Love Seated on a Throne, attended with a CHORUS.
FAME.
Hail! hail! Victorious Love!
To whom all Hearts below,
With no less Pleasure bow,
Than to the Thundring Jove,
The Happy Souls above.
CHORUS.
Hail, &c.
Enter Reason.
REASON.
Cease, cease fond Fools your Empty Noise,
And follow not such Joys,
Love gives you but a short-liv'd Bliss,
But I bestow immortal Happiness.
LOVE.
Rebellious Reason, talk no more,
Of all my Slaves, I thee abhor:
But thou, alas! dost strive in vain
To free the Lover from a pleasing Chain,
In Spight of Reason, Love shall live and reign.
CHORUS.
In Spight, &c.
A Martial Symphony.
Enter Honor.
HONOR.
What Wretch wou'd follow Loves alarms.
When Honors Trumpet sounds to Arms:
Hark! how the Warlike Notes inspire
In ev'ry Breast a glowing Fire.
LOVE.
Hark how it swells with Love and soft Desire.
HONOR.
Behold, behold the married State
By thee too soon betray'd,
Repenting now too late.
Enter Marriage with his Yoke.
MARRIAGE.
O! tell me cruel God of Love,
Why didst thou my thoughts possess
With an Eternal Round of Happiness,
And yet alas! I lead a wretched Life,
Doom'd to this Galling Yoke--the Emblem of a Wife.
LOVE.
Ungratefull Wretch! how dar'st thou Love upbraid?
I gave thee Raptures in the Bridal-Bed.
MARRIAGE.
Long since alas! the airy Vision's fled,
And I with wandring Flames my Passion feed.
O! tell me pow'rfull God
Where I shall find
My former Peace of Mind!
LOVE.
Where first I promis'd thee a happy Life,
There thou shalt find it in a Vertuous Wife.
LOVE, & FAME.
Go home unhappy Wretch, and mourn
For all thy Guilty Passion past,
There thou shalt those Joys return,
Which shall for ever, ever last.
End with the First Chorus.
(pp. 101-3)
Categories
Provenance
C-H Lion
Citation
Loves Last Shift; or The Fool in Fashion. A Comedy. As it is Acted at the Theatre Royal by His Majesty's Servants. Written by C. Cibber (London: Printed for H. Rhodes, R. Parker, and S. Briscoe,1696). <Link to EEBO-TCP>
Date of Entry
07/08/2013
