"And light-wing'd Fancy danc'd and flam'd about her!"
— Hill, Aaron (1685-1750)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for L. Gilliver
Date
1731
Metaphor
"And light-wing'd Fancy danc'd and flam'd about her!"
Metaphor in Context
Edgar.
No, Athelwold;--I see, I hear, she cannot.
Else, had thy Eyes catch'd Fire, and stream'd it on me.
Else, had thy labouring Heart, oppress'd with Meaning,
Shook, like an Earthquake, in Discharge of Passion.--
Thou art a cold Describer!--Oh!--the Day!
The dear, remember'd Day! when, at the Altar,
Where, in Thanksgiving, I had bow'd to Heav'n,
Heav'n seem'd descending on me!--My rais'd Eye
Met her flash'd Charms, amidst a gazing Crowd,
Who, from the Scaffolded Cathedral's Sides,
Pour'd their bold Looks upon me: Greatness, and Languor,
Flow'd, in a soften'd Radiance, from her Mien,
And kindled every Shrine, with new Divinity!
Sweetness sat smiling, on her humid Eye-balls:
And light-wing'd Fancy danc'd and flam'd about her!
Scarce were the solemn Duties of the Place
Remember'd, while I saw her!--At last--with Pain,--
Slow--dragging my reluctant Eyes away.
I lost her;--e're Religion licens'd Love
To steal a second Wonder.
(p. 9)
No, Athelwold;--I see, I hear, she cannot.
Else, had thy Eyes catch'd Fire, and stream'd it on me.
Else, had thy labouring Heart, oppress'd with Meaning,
Shook, like an Earthquake, in Discharge of Passion.--
Thou art a cold Describer!--Oh!--the Day!
The dear, remember'd Day! when, at the Altar,
Where, in Thanksgiving, I had bow'd to Heav'n,
Heav'n seem'd descending on me!--My rais'd Eye
Met her flash'd Charms, amidst a gazing Crowd,
Who, from the Scaffolded Cathedral's Sides,
Pour'd their bold Looks upon me: Greatness, and Languor,
Flow'd, in a soften'd Radiance, from her Mien,
And kindled every Shrine, with new Divinity!
Sweetness sat smiling, on her humid Eye-balls:
And light-wing'd Fancy danc'd and flam'd about her!
Scarce were the solemn Duties of the Place
Remember'd, while I saw her!--At last--with Pain,--
Slow--dragging my reluctant Eyes away.
I lost her;--e're Religion licens'd Love
To steal a second Wonder.
(p. 9)
Categories
Provenance
ECCO-TCP
Citation
3 entries in the ESTC (1731, 1732, 1760).
Athelwold: a Tragedy. As it is Acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, by His Majesty's Servants. (London: Printed for L. Gilliver, 1731.) <Link to ECCO-TCP>
Athelwold: a Tragedy. As it is Acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, by His Majesty's Servants. (London: Printed for L. Gilliver, 1731.) <Link to ECCO-TCP>
Date of Entry
08/21/2013
