"Frequent repetitions made him familiar with sin, and his bosom became proof against the stings of conscience."

— Lewis, Matthew Gregory (1775-1818)


Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for J. Bell
Date
1796
Metaphor
"Frequent repetitions made him familiar with sin, and his bosom became proof against the stings of conscience."
Metaphor in Context
The same pleasures were frequently repeated. The monks rejoiced in the feigned Rosario's unexpected recovery, and none of them suspected his real sex. The abbot possessed his mistress in tranquillity, and, perceiving his frailty unsuspected, abandoned himself to his passions in full security. Shame and remorse no longer tormented him. Frequent repetitions made him familiar with sin, and his bosom became proof against the stings of conscience. In these sentiments he was encouraged by Matilda; but she soon was aware that she had satiated her lover by the unbounded freedom of her caresses. Her charms becoming accustomed to him, they ceased to excite the same desires which at first they had inspired. The delirium of passion being past, he had leisure to observe every trifling defect; where none were to be found, satiety made him fancy them. The monk was glutted with the fullness of pleasure. A week had scarcely elapsed, before he was wearied of his paramour: his warm constitution still made him seek in her arms the gratification of his lust. But when the moment of passion was over, he quitted her with disgust, and his humour, naturally inconstant, made him sigh impatiently for variety.
(II, pp. 201-3)
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>
Date of Entry
03/12/2014

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