"For who, but one that's rap't out of his wits, / Whose mind is troubled by invading fits, / Would make so great a noise?"
— Clark, William (fl. 1663-1685)
Place of Publication
Edinburgh
Publisher
Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson
Date
1685
Metaphor
"For who, but one that's rap't out of his wits, / Whose mind is troubled by invading fits, / Would make so great a noise?"
Metaphor in Context
When I reflect on this, and seriously
Observe thy carriage in this misery,
I think thou art so far from being more
Prudent, and knowing then thou wert before,
That thou art down-right mad.--
For who, but one that's rap't out of his wits,
Whose mind is troubled by invading fits,
Would make so great a noise? thus cry, and howl,
And in his anger tear his very Soul,
As thou dost now thy self in wrath expresse,
As though thou were't first Martyr in the case.
How from my Soul do I commiserat
A man in such a sad distracted state:
Why dost thou think but other men as well
As thou, my friend, the same afflictions feel?
Thy case indeed is no ways singular,
Nor are thy sufferings extraordinar:
Then why, my friend, art thou become so vain,
To think thou shouldst not feel, what other men
As good, as thee, do dayly undergo,
And make not half this noise of it, if so,
I do, with sorrow look upon thy state,
And think indeed it is more desperate
Then that of those shut up in Hospitals,
For most of these have lucid intervals,
But thou hast none; their fury may be tam'd,
By strength of Medicine, and they reclaim'd
By time to their own wits: thine doth encrease,
And seems to be a madness in excess.
Thy fury seizes on thee more, and more,
Beyond the approved cure of Hallebore.
For thou dost think that God, to favour thee,
Should alter his established decree,
And even be pleas'd, on thy account, to change
The so well ordred course of Nature:--strange
That any mortal man endu'd with reason,
Should dar to hatch within his breast such treason
Against Heavens King! dost think that God will make
The lofty Rocks within their Sockets shake,
Or mash the Frame of Nature, for thy sake?
Dost think he'll make the Earth turn desolate,
To complement thee in thy sad estate?
Or make Men, Beasts, Birds, Fishes in the Sea,
Endure the same afflictions with thee?
That the whole Universe, from Pole, to Pole,
Might, with one voice thy miseries condole.
Observe thy carriage in this misery,
I think thou art so far from being more
Prudent, and knowing then thou wert before,
That thou art down-right mad.--
For who, but one that's rap't out of his wits,
Whose mind is troubled by invading fits,
Would make so great a noise? thus cry, and howl,
And in his anger tear his very Soul,
As thou dost now thy self in wrath expresse,
As though thou were't first Martyr in the case.
How from my Soul do I commiserat
A man in such a sad distracted state:
Why dost thou think but other men as well
As thou, my friend, the same afflictions feel?
Thy case indeed is no ways singular,
Nor are thy sufferings extraordinar:
Then why, my friend, art thou become so vain,
To think thou shouldst not feel, what other men
As good, as thee, do dayly undergo,
And make not half this noise of it, if so,
I do, with sorrow look upon thy state,
And think indeed it is more desperate
Then that of those shut up in Hospitals,
For most of these have lucid intervals,
But thou hast none; their fury may be tam'd,
By strength of Medicine, and they reclaim'd
By time to their own wits: thine doth encrease,
And seems to be a madness in excess.
Thy fury seizes on thee more, and more,
Beyond the approved cure of Hallebore.
For thou dost think that God, to favour thee,
Should alter his established decree,
And even be pleas'd, on thy account, to change
The so well ordred course of Nature:--strange
That any mortal man endu'd with reason,
Should dar to hatch within his breast such treason
Against Heavens King! dost think that God will make
The lofty Rocks within their Sockets shake,
Or mash the Frame of Nature, for thy sake?
Dost think he'll make the Earth turn desolate,
To complement thee in thy sad estate?
Or make Men, Beasts, Birds, Fishes in the Sea,
Endure the same afflictions with thee?
That the whole Universe, from Pole, to Pole,
Might, with one voice thy miseries condole.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "mind" and "invad" in HDIS (Poetry)
Citation
William Clark, The Grand Tryal: or, Poetical Exercitations upon the Book of Job. Wherein, Suitable to Each Text of that Sacred Book, a Modest Explanation, and Continuation of the Several Discourses contained in it, is Attempted by William Clark (Edinburgh: Andrew Anderson, 1685). <Link to EEBO-TCP>
Date of Entry
05/04/2005
Date of Review
06/01/2010
