"All within my breast was tumult, wildness, and delirium!"
— Equiano, Olaudah [Gustavus Vasa] (c. 1745-1797)
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed and sold for the author, by T. Wilkins
Date
1789
Metaphor
"All within my breast was tumult, wildness, and delirium!"
Metaphor in Context
I glorified God in my heart, in whom I trusted.'
These words had been impressed on my mind from the very day I was forced from Deptsord to the present hour, and I now saw them, as I thought, fulfilled and verified. My imagination was all rapture as I flew to the Register Office; and, in this respect, like the apostle Peter, (whose deliverance from prison was so sudden and extraordinary, that he thought he was in a vision) I could scarcely believe I was awake. Heavens! who could do justice to my feelings at this moment! Not conquering heroes themselves, in the midst of a triumph—Not the tender mother who has just regained her longlost infant, and presses it to her heart—Not the weary hungry mariner, at the sight of the desired friendly port—Not the lover, when he once more embraces his beloved mistress, after she has been ravished from his arms!—All within my breast was tumult, wildness, and delirium! My feet scarcely touched the ground, for they were winged with joy, and, like Elijah, as he rose to Heaven, they
'were with lightning sped as I went on.'
(II, pp. 15-6)
These words had been impressed on my mind from the very day I was forced from Deptsord to the present hour, and I now saw them, as I thought, fulfilled and verified. My imagination was all rapture as I flew to the Register Office; and, in this respect, like the apostle Peter, (whose deliverance from prison was so sudden and extraordinary, that he thought he was in a vision) I could scarcely believe I was awake. Heavens! who could do justice to my feelings at this moment! Not conquering heroes themselves, in the midst of a triumph—Not the tender mother who has just regained her longlost infant, and presses it to her heart—Not the weary hungry mariner, at the sight of the desired friendly port—Not the lover, when he once more embraces his beloved mistress, after she has been ravished from his arms!—All within my breast was tumult, wildness, and delirium! My feet scarcely touched the ground, for they were winged with joy, and, like Elijah, as he rose to Heaven, they
'were with lightning sped as I went on.'
(II, pp. 15-6)
Categories
Provenance
ECCO-TCP
Citation
11 entries in ESTC (1789, 1790, 1791, 1792, 1793, 1794).
See The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African. Written by Himself., 2 vols. (London: Printed and sold for the author, by T. Wilkins, 1789). <Link to Documenting the American South Edition><Link to Vol. I in ECCO-TCP><Link to Vol. II in ECCO-TCP>
See The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African. Written by Himself., 2 vols. (London: Printed and sold for the author, by T. Wilkins, 1789). <Link to Documenting the American South Edition><Link to Vol. I in ECCO-TCP><Link to Vol. II in ECCO-TCP>
Date of Entry
08/18/2013
