"Grief, Sorrow, each unwelcom Guest, / Take Lodgings in his anxious Breast:"
— Higden, Henry (bap. 1645)
Author
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for Jacob Tonson [etc.]
Date
1686
Metaphor
"Grief, Sorrow, each unwelcom Guest, / Take Lodgings in his anxious Breast:"
Metaphor in Context
Whoever but designs a Crime,
Is guilty, at the self same time,
Altho perhaps he ne'er proceeds
To ripen his intent to Deeds;
If the foul Crime he perpetrate,
Perpetual horrors on him wait;
Th' Effects of black, Despair he feels
That haunt and dog him at the heels;
Grief, Sorrow, each unwelcom Guest,
Take Lodgings in his anxious Breast:
If to divert his Pangs he try
Choice Musick, Mirth or Company,
Like Bancoe's Ghost, his ugly Sin,
To marr his Jollity, stalks in;
At Costly Banquet, 'twill not cease
To haunt, and to disturb his peace;
And tho the chief Guest at the Treat
He nauseats all, and cannot eat,
The Morsel chew'd he cannot swallow,
As if his Teeth were clog'd with Tallow:
To rowse him from his Dumps, they try
A Glass of noble Burgundy;
That friendly God's a sure relief,
From ev'ry Soul to banish Grief.
His vitiated Tast (alas!)
Receives no pleasure from the Glass;
And at old Hock makes as severe
A face, as if 'twere Vinegar.
Is guilty, at the self same time,
Altho perhaps he ne'er proceeds
To ripen his intent to Deeds;
If the foul Crime he perpetrate,
Perpetual horrors on him wait;
Th' Effects of black, Despair he feels
That haunt and dog him at the heels;
Grief, Sorrow, each unwelcom Guest,
Take Lodgings in his anxious Breast:
If to divert his Pangs he try
Choice Musick, Mirth or Company,
Like Bancoe's Ghost, his ugly Sin,
To marr his Jollity, stalks in;
At Costly Banquet, 'twill not cease
To haunt, and to disturb his peace;
And tho the chief Guest at the Treat
He nauseats all, and cannot eat,
The Morsel chew'd he cannot swallow,
As if his Teeth were clog'd with Tallow:
To rowse him from his Dumps, they try
A Glass of noble Burgundy;
That friendly God's a sure relief,
From ev'ry Soul to banish Grief.
His vitiated Tast (alas!)
Receives no pleasure from the Glass;
And at old Hock makes as severe
A face, as if 'twere Vinegar.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "guest" and "breast" in HDIS (Poetry)
Date of Entry
03/15/2006
