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"When Mrs. Montagu, in the purest and most elegant language, delivers sentiments equally just and sublime as his, we are surprised and delighted; the gracefulness of her manner seems to add beauty to her thoughts; her words sink into our hearts, like the softest sounds of the most perfect harmony, and produce the same placid effects."

— Griffith, Elizabeth (1720-1793)

Author

Griffith, Elizabeth (1720-1793)

Work Title

The Story of Lady Juliana Harley: A Novel

Place of Publication

London

Publisher

Printed for T. Cadell

Date

1776

Metaphor

"When Mrs. Montagu, in the purest and most elegant language, delivers sentiments equally just and sublime as his, we are surprised and delighted; the gracefulness of her manner seems to add beauty to her thoughts; her words sink into our hearts, like the softest sounds of the most perfect harmony, and produce the same placid effects."

Metaphor in Context

Yes, Stanley, Miss Harrison is very sensible; she has what I call a true feminine understanding, and is therefore more capable of inspiring love, than those ladies who are complimented with a masculine one. For I must dissent from your opinion, that there is no characteristic distinction between the understandings of the sexes--Manly sense has something awful in it. When Dr. Johnson speaks, we listen with respect and admiration, and feel our minds impressed with such an attentive kind of veneration, as I imagine was paid to the oracles of old. When Mrs. Montagu, in the purest and most elegant language, delivers sentiments equally just and sublime as his, we are surprised and delighted; the gracefulness of her manner seems to add beauty to her thoughts; her words sink into our hearts, like the softest sounds of the most perfect harmony, and produce the same placid effects.
(II, pp. 14-15)