"For suppose we could find a Hero, in whom all the Virtues met, and little inferior to the Celestial Genii, he certainly would both merit and possess a Throne in every honest Heart."
— Haywood [née Fowler], Eliza (1693?-1756)
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for S. Baker
Date
1736
Metaphor
"For suppose we could find a Hero, in whom all the Virtues met, and little inferior to the Celestial Genii, he certainly would both merit and possess a Throne in every honest Heart."
Metaphor in Context
Will of one of their own Species, and whose Intellects are perchance weaker than any of the servile Throng?--Or can any thing be more injurious to the immortal Gods, than to give to a created Being those Marks of Adoration, which are due only to themselves? who, if they pleased, could strike dead in a moment this Ape of their Divinity, or render him a more piteous, and at the same time a more dreadful Example of the Folly of Human Grandeur: Nor does it at all answer the Objections made against monarchical Government, that there have been many very excellent Princes, true Fathers of their People, and strict Observers of the Laws; our Quarrel is not to the Person, but the Function of a King: for suppose we could find a Hero, in whom all the Virtues met, and little inferior to the Celestial Genii, he certainly would both merit and possess a Throne in every honest Heart: He would be loved and respected; which is as much as any Man can deserve, or ought to desire from his Fellow-Creature; but we should be well satisfied he was something more than Man, before we paid him divine Honours, made him a Sacrifice of those dear Rights given us by Heaven and Nature, and levied Contributions from the Bowels of our Posterity, to dress him up a gaudy Shew, and maintain a vast number of People in Idleness, who might, by their Industry, be useful to their Country, meerly to fill the pageant Pomp of Royalty. His Courage, his Prudence, his every good Quality would be at least of the same Service without all this Expence; and, as I before observ'd, there are too many Temptations in the Power of doing whatever we will, for the best to confine himself always to the doing what he ought.
Categories
Provenance
Searching in WWO
Citation
4 entries in ESTC (1736, 1741). Retitled in second edition as The Unfortunate Princess: or the Life and Surprizing Adventures of the Princess of Ijaveo.
See Adventures of Eovaai. Princess of Ijaveo. A Pre-Adamitical History. Interspersed with a great Number of remarkable Occurrences, which happened, and may again happen, to several Empires, Kingdoms, Republicks, and particular Great Men. With some Account of the Religion, Laws, Customs, and Policies of those Times. Written originally in the Language of Nature, (of later Years but little understood.) First translated into Chinese, at the command of the Emperor, by a Cabal of Seventy Philosophers; and now retranslated into English, by the Son of a Mandarin, residing in London. (London: Printed for S. Baker, 1736). <Link to ESTC><Link to ECCO>
Text from Women Writers Online. <Link to WWO>
See Adventures of Eovaai. Princess of Ijaveo. A Pre-Adamitical History. Interspersed with a great Number of remarkable Occurrences, which happened, and may again happen, to several Empires, Kingdoms, Republicks, and particular Great Men. With some Account of the Religion, Laws, Customs, and Policies of those Times. Written originally in the Language of Nature, (of later Years but little understood.) First translated into Chinese, at the command of the Emperor, by a Cabal of Seventy Philosophers; and now retranslated into English, by the Son of a Mandarin, residing in London. (London: Printed for S. Baker, 1736). <Link to ESTC><Link to ECCO>
Text from Women Writers Online. <Link to WWO>
Date of Entry
09/23/2013
