"But Anger once let loose, quarrels with every thing, even a Spot falling upon the Angry Person's Cloaths, though but of Rain, by the common Courses of Nature is a sufficient subject for it to insist upon, till a Tempest rises in the Mind, and Heaven is cavell'd withal for not restraining the Drops of the Clouds, till she was under a secure shelter."
— Dunton, John (1659-1732)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for John Dunton
Date
1694
Metaphor
"But Anger once let loose, quarrels with every thing, even a Spot falling upon the Angry Person's Cloaths, though but of Rain, by the common Courses of Nature is a sufficient subject for it to insist upon, till a Tempest rises in the Mind, and Heaven is cavell'd withal for not restraining the Drops of the Clouds, till she was under a secure shelter."
Metaphor in Context
Anger in Ladies,
&c. discommendable and hurtful, and by what means to be avoided and remedied.—Anger is unseemly and discommendable in all, but more especially in Young Ladies, who like Doves, should be without the Gall that ferments and stirs up these kind of Passions to disturb and hurt the Mind, and spot the Names of those that indulge them with the Epethits of rash, pievish, revengeful and inconsiderate Anger, is a professed Enemy to Reason, Council, or found Advice; it is a storm and loudness in which none of these can be heard, nor is it to be surpressed but by something that is as inward as it self, and more habitual: So that we may conclude, that of all Passions this chiefly endeavours to render Reason useless. It surpasses Envy, for there are many things in the World so miserable and contemptible, that they are below that; but Anger once let loose, quarrels with every thing, even a Spot falling upon the Angry Person's Cloaths, though but of Rain, by the common Courses of Nature is a sufficient subject for it to insist upon, till a Tempest rises in the Mind, and Heaven is cavell'd withal for not restraining the Drops of the Clouds, till she was under a secure shelter. But if it proceeds from a greater Cause, it turns to Fury; and so is always either terrible or ridiculous; it makes a beauteous Face in a little time Monstrously deformed and contemptible, rendring the Voice of an unpleasing Sound, the Eyes fiery and staring, and seperates the the lovely mixture of Roses and Lillies, by quite removing one or the other out of the Ladies Cheeks. Anger in some causes a Paleness, and in others a fiery Red, the Mein and Gesture is fierce and threatning, yet frequently very Antick, the Speech loud and clamourous, it is neither Heroick nor Ingenious, always, or for the most part proceeding from Pusilanimity or softness of Spirit, which makes the Fair-Sex frequently more subject to Anger than the other, by reason the Passions of their Minds are sooner moved and agitated; and this is the reason likewise that old People are more pievish and angry than the younger sort. [...]
(p. 15)
&c. discommendable and hurtful, and by what means to be avoided and remedied.—Anger is unseemly and discommendable in all, but more especially in Young Ladies, who like Doves, should be without the Gall that ferments and stirs up these kind of Passions to disturb and hurt the Mind, and spot the Names of those that indulge them with the Epethits of rash, pievish, revengeful and inconsiderate Anger, is a professed Enemy to Reason, Council, or found Advice; it is a storm and loudness in which none of these can be heard, nor is it to be surpressed but by something that is as inward as it self, and more habitual: So that we may conclude, that of all Passions this chiefly endeavours to render Reason useless. It surpasses Envy, for there are many things in the World so miserable and contemptible, that they are below that; but Anger once let loose, quarrels with every thing, even a Spot falling upon the Angry Person's Cloaths, though but of Rain, by the common Courses of Nature is a sufficient subject for it to insist upon, till a Tempest rises in the Mind, and Heaven is cavell'd withal for not restraining the Drops of the Clouds, till she was under a secure shelter. But if it proceeds from a greater Cause, it turns to Fury; and so is always either terrible or ridiculous; it makes a beauteous Face in a little time Monstrously deformed and contemptible, rendring the Voice of an unpleasing Sound, the Eyes fiery and staring, and seperates the the lovely mixture of Roses and Lillies, by quite removing one or the other out of the Ladies Cheeks. Anger in some causes a Paleness, and in others a fiery Red, the Mein and Gesture is fierce and threatning, yet frequently very Antick, the Speech loud and clamourous, it is neither Heroick nor Ingenious, always, or for the most part proceeding from Pusilanimity or softness of Spirit, which makes the Fair-Sex frequently more subject to Anger than the other, by reason the Passions of their Minds are sooner moved and agitated; and this is the reason likewise that old People are more pievish and angry than the younger sort. [...]
(p. 15)
Categories
Provenance
Searching in EEBO-TCP
Citation
The Ladies Dictionary, Being a General Entertainment of the Fair-Sex a Work Never Attempted Before in English. (London: Printed for John Dunton, 1694). <Link to EEBO-TCP>
Date of Entry
09/24/2013
