"But what is conscience?--a thin empty name, / That terrifies, like ghosts, by fancy rais'd."
— Savage, Richard (1697/8-1743)
Work Title
Place of Publication
Printed for Samuel Chapman
Publisher
London
Date
1724
Metaphor
"But what is conscience?--a thin empty name, / That terrifies, like ghosts, by fancy rais'd."
Metaphor in Context
NORTHAMPTON.
Wisely, you call on rage for its assistance;
Justice would be too slow for your revenge,
And conscience bids us give it up for ever!
But what is conscience?--a thin empty name,
That terrifies, like ghosts, by fancy rais'd.
Ev'n the most brave use stratagems in war;
And what are plots against a private foe,
But self-defence?--the first great rule of nature!
(I.i, p. 122)
Wisely, you call on rage for its assistance;
Justice would be too slow for your revenge,
And conscience bids us give it up for ever!
But what is conscience?--a thin empty name,
That terrifies, like ghosts, by fancy rais'd.
Ev'n the most brave use stratagems in war;
And what are plots against a private foe,
But self-defence?--the first great rule of nature!
(I.i, p. 122)
Categories
Provenance
Searching in LION
Citation
4 entries in ESTC (1724, 1777, 1779).
See The Tragedy of Sir Thomas Overbury: As it is Acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane (London: Printed for Samuel Chapman, 1724). <Link to ECCO-TCP>
Searching The Works of Richard Savage(London: Printed for T. Evans, 1777), from which the text is drawn.
See The Tragedy of Sir Thomas Overbury: As it is Acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane (London: Printed for Samuel Chapman, 1724). <Link to ECCO-TCP>
Searching The Works of Richard Savage(London: Printed for T. Evans, 1777), from which the text is drawn.
Date of Entry
08/16/2013
