"When holy Trances first inspire his Breast, / And the God enters there to be a Guest."
— Oldham, John (1653-1683)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for Jo. Hindmarsh [etc.]
Date
1684
Metaphor
"When holy Trances first inspire his Breast, / And the God enters there to be a Guest."
Metaphor in Context
What follow'd was above the pow'r of Verse,
Above the reach of Fancy to rehearse:
Not dying Saints enjoy such Extasies,
When they in Vision antedate their Bliss;
Not Dreams of a young Prophet are so bless'd,
When holy Trances first inspire his Breast,
And the God enters there to be a Guest.
Let duller Mortals other Pleasures prize,
Pleasures which enter at the waking Eyes,
Might I each Night such sweet Enjoyments find,
I'd wink for ever, be for ever blind.
Above the reach of Fancy to rehearse:
Not dying Saints enjoy such Extasies,
When they in Vision antedate their Bliss;
Not Dreams of a young Prophet are so bless'd,
When holy Trances first inspire his Breast,
And the God enters there to be a Guest.
Let duller Mortals other Pleasures prize,
Pleasures which enter at the waking Eyes,
Might I each Night such sweet Enjoyments find,
I'd wink for ever, be for ever blind.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "guest" and "breast" in HDIS (Poetry)
Date of Entry
03/15/2006
