"With reason, said I; for if it is a good one, 'tis pity it should be stolen: 'tis a little treasure to thee, and gives a better air to your face, than if it was dress'd out with pearls."

— Sterne, Laurence (1713-1768)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for T. Becket and P. A. De Hondt
Date
1768
Metaphor
"With reason, said I; for if it is a good one, 'tis pity it should be stolen: 'tis a little treasure to thee, and gives a better air to your face, than if it was dress'd out with pearls."
Metaphor in Context
--And what have you to do, my dear, said I, with The Wanderings of the Heart, who scarce know yet you have one? nor till love has first told you it, or some faithless shepherd has made it ache, can'st thou ever be sure it is so.-- Le Dieu m'en guard! said the girl.--With reason, said I; for if it is a good one, 'tis pity it should be stolen: 'tis a little treasure to thee, and gives a better air to your face, than if it was dress'd out with pearls.
(II, pp. 3-4)
Provenance
Searching in LION
Citation
Over 86 entries in ESTC (1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, 1773, 1774, 1775, 1776, 1778, 1779, 1780, 1782, 1783, 1784, 1785, 1787, 1790, 1791, 1792, 1793, 1794, 1795, 1796, 1798, 1800).

First edition published February 27, 1768, in two issues (standard paper and large "imperial" paper issue).

See A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy. By Mr. Yorick., 2 vols. 2nd ed. (London: Printed for T. Becket and P. A. De Hondt, 1768). <Link to ESTC>

Reading Laurence Sterne, A Sentimental Journey, ed. Paul Goring (New York and London: Penguin, 2001)
Date of Entry
10/26/2013

The Mind is a Metaphor is authored by Brad Pasanek, Assistant Professor of English, University of Virginia.