"The Will its easie Neck to Bondage gave, / And to the ruling Faculty became a Slave."

— Oldham, John (1653-1683)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for Jo. Hindmarsh
Date
1684
Metaphor
"The Will its easie Neck to Bondage gave, / And to the ruling Faculty became a Slave."
Metaphor in Context
  Yet had this Friendship no advantage been,
    Unless 'twere exercis'd within;
  What did thy Love to other Objects tie,
    The same made thy own Pow'rs agree,
    And reconcil'd thy self to thee.
    No Discord in thy Soul did rest,
    Save what its Harmony increast.
  Thy mind did with such regular Calmness move,
As held resemblance with the greater Mind above.
    Reason there fix'd its peaceful Throne,
       And reign'd alone.
  The Will its easie Neck to Bondage gave,
  And to the ruling Faculty became a Slave.

    The Passions rais'd no Civil Wars,
  Nor discompos'd thee with intestine Jars:
       All did obey,
And paid Allegiance to its rightful Sway.
    All threw their resty Tempers by,
       And gentler Figures drew,
Gentle as Nature in its Infancy,
As when themselves in their first Beings grew.
Provenance
Searching in HDIS (Poetry)
Citation
20 entries in ESTC (1684, 1686, 1692, 1693, 1694, 1695, 1698, 1703, 1704, 1710, 1722, 1770).

Text from The Works of Mr. John Oldham, Together with his Remains (London: Printed for Jo. Hindmarsh, 1684).
Date of Entry
07/07/2004
Date of Review
08/31/2011

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