"It dethrones the reason, extinguishes all noble and heroick sentiments, and subjects the mind to the slavery of every present passion."
— Addison, Joseph (1672-1719)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for J. Tonson
Date
1730
Metaphor
"It dethrones the reason, extinguishes all noble and heroick sentiments, and subjects the mind to the slavery of every present passion."
Metaphor in Context
The thought, that our Existence terminates with this life, doth naturally check the soul in any generous pursuit, contract her views, and fix them on temporary and selfish ends. It dethrones the reason, extinguishes all noble and heroick sentiments, and subjects the mind to the slavery of every present passion. The wise Heathens of antiquity were not ignorant of this; hence they endeavoured by fables, and conjectures, and the glimmerings of nature, to possess the minds of men with the belief of a future state, which has been since brought to light by the Gospel, and is now most inconsistently decry'd by a few weak men, who would have us believe that they promote Virtue by turning Religion into ridicule.
(p. 192)
(p. 192)
Provenance
ECCO-TCP
Citation
27 entries in the ESTC (1730, 1733, 1742, 1745, 1751, 1753, 1755, 1758, 1759, 1761, 1763, 1764, 1766, 1767, 1772, 1776, 1777, 1790, 1791, 1792, 1795, 1796, 1799, 1800).
The Evidences of the Christian Religion: by the Right Honorable Joseph Addison, Esq; To which are added, Several Discourses against Atheism and Infidelity, ... Occasionally Published by Him and Others (London: Printed for J. Tonson, 1730). <Link to ECCO-TCP>
The Evidences of the Christian Religion: by the Right Honorable Joseph Addison, Esq; To which are added, Several Discourses against Atheism and Infidelity, ... Occasionally Published by Him and Others (London: Printed for J. Tonson, 1730). <Link to ECCO-TCP>
Date of Entry
08/18/2013
