"If she were yet on earth, where cou'd she find / A nobler palace than a brother's breast?"
— Fenton, Elijah (1683-1730)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for J. Tonson
Date
February 22, 1723
Metaphor
"If she were yet on earth, where cou'd she find / A nobler palace than a brother's breast?"
Metaphor in Context
SOHEMUS
Restrain this flood of unavailing tears!
For if they flow for pity or remorse,
They flow in vain. In distant ages past
Pity dy'd young; of grief, they say, to see
An eagle wreak his malice on a wren.
If she were yet on earth, where cou'd she find
A nobler palace than a brother's breast?
But there you found her not; the more's the shame!
Since pity's fled to heav'n, we'll send remorse
To howl in hell; it has no business here!--
But if these tears flow from the nobler source
Of indignation, and the generous shame
Of injur'd merit; if they relish strong
The bitterness of soul from which they stream;
O, let increasing fury swell the tide,
Ev'n whilst we put in act our great revenge!
So weeps the storm, while the devouring waves
Close o'er the wrecks it made.
(p. 39)
Restrain this flood of unavailing tears!
For if they flow for pity or remorse,
They flow in vain. In distant ages past
Pity dy'd young; of grief, they say, to see
An eagle wreak his malice on a wren.
If she were yet on earth, where cou'd she find
A nobler palace than a brother's breast?
But there you found her not; the more's the shame!
Since pity's fled to heav'n, we'll send remorse
To howl in hell; it has no business here!--
But if these tears flow from the nobler source
Of indignation, and the generous shame
Of injur'd merit; if they relish strong
The bitterness of soul from which they stream;
O, let increasing fury swell the tide,
Ev'n whilst we put in act our great revenge!
So weeps the storm, while the devouring waves
Close o'er the wrecks it made.
(p. 39)
Categories
Provenance
LION
Citation
First performed February 22, 1723. Over 16 entries in the ESTC (1723, 1726, 1728, 1735, 1745, 1759, 1760, 1768, 1774, 1777, 1781, 1794).
Mariamne. A Tragedy. Acted at the Theatre Royal in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields. Written by Mr. Fenton (London: Printed for J. Tonson, 1723). <Link to ECCO-TCP>
Mariamne. A Tragedy. Acted at the Theatre Royal in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields. Written by Mr. Fenton (London: Printed for J. Tonson, 1723). <Link to ECCO-TCP>
Date of Entry
08/20/2013
