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"Endeavour at least, to throw each darling Failing from thy Soul; and those Reflections which, in thy coolest Hours of Thought, Reason inspires, retain about thee always; then canst thou never be by any ill Passion sway'd, nor do a Deed which Conscience can condemn: Conscience and Reason still go hand in hand; and when thou dost amiss, the one is they Accuser, the other is thy Judge."

— Haywood [née Fowler], Eliza (1693?-1756)

Author

Haywood [née Fowler], Eliza (1693?-1756)

Work Title

Memoirs of a Certain Island Adjacent to the Kingdom of Utopia

Place of Publication

London

Publisher

Printed, and Sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster

Date

[1726]

Metaphor

"Endeavour at least, to throw each darling Failing from thy Soul; and those Reflections which, in thy coolest Hours of Thought, Reason inspires, retain about thee always; then canst thou never be by any ill Passion sway'd, nor do a Deed which Conscience can condemn: Conscience and Reason still go hand in hand; and when thou dost amiss, the one is they Accuser, the other is thy Judge."

Metaphor in Context

While the Divine Historian was thus employ'd, a great Number of Persons passed by, whose Characters the Stranger expecting to be told, could not forbear testifying some little Surprize at the omission; which the other observing, You wonder (said he) that I have seem'd to forget the Business on which I brought you to this Place;--but know, that those whom I have not now pointed to your notice, are either such who have nothing in their Lives worthy the Repetition; or such whose Vices, or whose Virtues I shall with more ease convey to your Apprehension hereafter at their own Houses, than in this Place. -- I have yet in store for your discovery new Wonders, which to-morrow shall bring forth; in the mean time, would have you retire to that Repose which is necessary to Humanity; and in your intervals of waking, let Contemplation supply the place of Sight. Review with the Mind’s Eye the various scenes of Life which this Day’s Progress has presented. -- Make that Use which Heaven demands of thee, of these Discoveries, to imitate the Virtues and avoid the Vices of thy Fellow-Creatures. -- Refine frail Nature: -- Endeavour at least, to throw each darling Failing from thy Soul; and those Reflections which, in thy coolest Hours of Thought, Reason inspires, retain about thee always; then canst thou never be by any ill Passion sway'd, nor do a Deed which Conscience can condemn: Conscience and Reason still go hand in hand; and when thou dost amiss, the one is they Accuser, the other is thy Judge. What they approve, the Gods will ratify.--Let those then be thy Guides; and while the dangerous Path of Life thou tread'st, stray not one Step beyond the Bounds they set. -- Let what I have said be written in thy Heart, and keep it ever treasured in thy Mind. -- This Night allow to Rest and Cogitation; soon as the Morning dawns, we will revisit these pompous Towers, and stately Palaces, and explore the hidden Vices of their haughty Owners.
(pp. 273-4)