"I shall see his outward form 'tis true, / But that is nothing lest I see his interior too."
— Anonymous; Corneille (1606-1684)
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for Simon Neale [etc.]
Date
1685
Metaphor
"I shall see his outward form 'tis true, / But that is nothing lest I see his interior too."
Metaphor in Context
CLA.
I am Isabella; but alas! what can I judge of him by seeing of him so?
I shall see his outward form 'tis true,
But that is nothing lest I see his interior too.
our eyes are but flattering glasses, to make things appear far fairer than they are; but pleasing impostures that shew them without, far contrary to what they are within; and oftentimes we find a noble Presence with an ignoble mind: Our eyes then are to have the first choice still, but not the last; and we are not to displease them, on pain of our disquiet, nor to please e'm so again to be wholly rul'd by 'em; finally 'tis more safe To believe them when they refuse,
Then oftimes when they choose;
especially in choice of this marriage chain,
(May bind us all our lives perhaps to one,
From whom we may have horror and aversion)
(which well consider'd Isabella shou'd make us more fear, than desire it,) we had need of more faithful Councellors than our Eyes; as for me, being to choose a Master, I'm resolved to see him before I make choice of him; and see him so that I may behold both his exterior and interior.
I am Isabella; but alas! what can I judge of him by seeing of him so?
I shall see his outward form 'tis true,
But that is nothing lest I see his interior too.
our eyes are but flattering glasses, to make things appear far fairer than they are; but pleasing impostures that shew them without, far contrary to what they are within; and oftentimes we find a noble Presence with an ignoble mind: Our eyes then are to have the first choice still, but not the last; and we are not to displease them, on pain of our disquiet, nor to please e'm so again to be wholly rul'd by 'em; finally 'tis more safe To believe them when they refuse,
Then oftimes when they choose;
especially in choice of this marriage chain,
(May bind us all our lives perhaps to one,
From whom we may have horror and aversion)
(which well consider'd Isabella shou'd make us more fear, than desire it,) we had need of more faithful Councellors than our Eyes; as for me, being to choose a Master, I'm resolved to see him before I make choice of him; and see him so that I may behold both his exterior and interior.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "interio" in HDIS (Drama)
Theme
Inwardness
Date of Entry
08/09/2005
Date of Review
03/23/2009
