"He closed his eyes, but strove in vain to banish her from his thoughts."
— Lewis, Matthew Gregory (1775-1818)
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for J. Bell
Date
1796
Metaphor
"He closed his eyes, but strove in vain to banish her from his thoughts."
Metaphor in Context
While she sung, Ambrosio listened with delight: never had he heard a voice more harmonious; and he wondered how such heavenly sounds could be produced by any but angels. But though he indulged the sense of hearing, a single look convinced him, that he must not trust to that of sight. The songstress sat at a little distance from his bed. The attitude in which she bent over her harp was easy and graceful: her cowl had fallen backwarder than usual: two coral lips were visible, ripe, fresh, and melting, and a chin, in whose dimples seemed to lurk a thousand Cupids. Her habit's long sleeve would have swept along the chords of the instrument: to prevent this inconvenience she had drawn it above her elbow; and by this means an arm was discovered, formed in the most perfect symmetry, the delicacy of whose skin might have contended with snow in whiteness. Ambrosio dared to look on her but once: that glance sufficed to convince him, how dangerous was the presence of this seducing object. He closed his eyes, but strove in vain to banish her from his thoughts. There she still moved before him, adorned with all those charms which his heated imagination could supply. Every beauty which he had seen appeared embellished; and those still concealed fancy represented to him in glowing colours. Still, however, his vows, and the necessity of keeping to them, were present to his memory. He struggled with desire, and shuddered when he beheld how deep was the precipice before him.
(I, pp. 135-7)
(I, pp. 135-7)
Categories
Provenance
ECCO-TCP
Citation
12 entries in ESTC (1795, 1796, 1797, 1798, 1799, 1800).
See The Monk: A Romance. In Three Volumes. (London: Printed for J. Bell, 1796). <Link to ESTC><Link to Vol. I in ECCO-TCP><Vol. II><Vol. III>
Pre-published as The Monk: A Romance. In Three Volumes. (London: Printed for J. Bell, 1795). <Link to ESTC>
See also the substantially revised fourth edition: Ambrosio, or the monk: a romance. By M.G. Lewis, Esq. M.P. In three volumes. The fourth edition, with considerable additions and alterations. (London: Printed for J. Bell, 1798). <Link to ESTC>
See The Monk: A Romance. In Three Volumes. (London: Printed for J. Bell, 1796). <Link to ESTC><Link to Vol. I in ECCO-TCP><Vol. II><Vol. III>
Pre-published as The Monk: A Romance. In Three Volumes. (London: Printed for J. Bell, 1795). <Link to ESTC>
See also the substantially revised fourth edition: Ambrosio, or the monk: a romance. By M.G. Lewis, Esq. M.P. In three volumes. The fourth edition, with considerable additions and alterations. (London: Printed for J. Bell, 1798). <Link to ESTC>
Date of Entry
03/11/2014
