work_id,theme,provenance,created_at,text,reviewed_on,id,comments,metaphor,dictionary,updated_at,context
3963,"","Searching ""breast"" and ""guest"" in HDIS (Poetry)",2006-03-15 00:00:00 UTC,"Thus into Nature's Secrets Men descend,
And may to Knowledge in her Works pretend;
But who can Heav'n's deep Counsels comprehend?
Who can inform th' Enquirer, who can tell
Where Skill Divine, and Heav'nly Wisdom dwell?
For sensless Man its value does not know,
'Tis never found midst Mortals here below.
The Land exclaims aloud, I am not blest
To be th' abode of this Celestial Guest.
The Sea and all its noisy Waves, declare,
In vain you seek the sacred Stranger here.
Th' Infernal Deep cries with a hollow Sound,
Here's no Apartment for her under ground.
Th' unvaluable Blessing can't be bought,
With all the golden Wealth from Ophir brought.
He that has Wisdom Rubies will despise,
And Pearl, if tender'd as an equal Price.
Saphires and Diamonds, with vast labour sought,
The Topaz fetch'd from Countries far remote;
Which worn by mighty Kings, attract regard,
Are worthless Toys, with this bright Gem compar'd.
Who can instruct us then whence Wisdom flows?
And who the place of Understanding knows:
Since after strict enquiry we despair
To find it in the Land, the Sea, or Air?
Death and Destruction cry, midst all our Slaves
We ne'r saw Wisdom; to our secret Caves
We the Celestial Stranger ne'er convey'd,
Nor hid her in our solitary Shade.
We only are acquainted with her Name,
Have only heard of her Immortal Fame.
Only the Great All-penetrating God
Knows his own Offspring, Wisdom's blest abode.
For he surveys from Heav'n's bright Crystal brow,
The vast expanded Universe below;
The spacious liquid Vales of Sky and Air,
And all his Worlds, that hang in order there.
The Bounds of Nature, Chaos, and old Night,
Limit the Sun's, but not its Maker's Sight:
He has in Prospect this Terrestrial Isle,
And sees th' extreamest Bound'rys of its Soil.
He forms the various Meteors which appear
Thro' the low Regions of the Atmosphere.
He deals out to the Winds their proper weight,
Gives them their Wings, and then directs their Flight.
He measures out the drops with wondrous Skill,
Which the black Clouds his floating Bottles fill.
When he decreed the manner of the Rain,
And did the Lightning's crooked Path ordain;
When he appointed Nature's course and way,
And gave command that thence she should not stray;
Then Wisdom he beheld, he search'd with care
His own All-seeing Mind, and found it there.
He oft reflected on the sacred Guest,
Which had her fixt abode within his Breast,
And in his Works her God-like Form exprest.
But then to Man, to whom he had deny'd
The perfect Knowledge of his Ways, he cry'd,
The Fear of God is Wisdom, to depart
From Evil, this is Science, this is Art.
Attempt to know no more than God reveals,
Search not the Secrets which his Breast conceals.
In this Abyss trust not thy vent'rous Oar,
Wouldst thou be safe, then keep upon the Shore,
And from afar this awful Deep adore.
Thy Happiness in being Righteous lies,
Be Good, and in Perfection thou art wise.
Justly thou mayst despise the boastful Schools,
And learned Cant of grave, disputing Fools.",,10327,•I've included twice: Guest and Abode,"""He oft reflected on the sacred Guest, / Which had her fixt abode within his Breast, / And in his Works her God-like Form exprest.""",Inhabitants,2009-09-14 19:34:53 UTC,""
4038,"","Searching ""throne"" and ""soul"" in HDIS (Poetry); confirmed in ECCO.",2004-07-28 00:00:00 UTC,"Here too did Clifford's Course of Glory end,
A Man of Honour, and a faithful Friend.
None the Theorbo with a softer Hand,
Few with a stronger did the Sword command.
Whene'er he took the Lute, or grasp'd the Spear,
He touch'd the Heart with Pleasure, or with Fear.
By the same Hand, the Lute, the Lance, the Foe,
Did tremble in their turn, and like Emotion show.
The envious Ball pass'd thro' from Ear to Ear,
And did the tuneful Drums to pieces tear,
Which aeiey Accents beat, to make us hear.
It did the curious Instruments confound,
And all the winding Labarynths of Sound,
The charming Musick-Rooms, that entertain
The Soul high seated in her Throne the Brain.
(Bk IV, pp. 104-5)
",2012-01-12,10455,•I've included twice: Government and Architecture,"""It did the curious Instruments confound, / And all the winding Labarynths of Sound, / The charming Musick-Rooms, that entertain / The Soul high seated in her Throne the Brain.""",Inhabitants and Throne,2014-07-02 16:49:58 UTC,Book IV
4038,"","Searching ""fancy"" and ""crowd"" in HDIS (Poetry)",2006-03-08 00:00:00 UTC,"Haughton, for finer Conversation nam'd,
For shining Wit, and Erudition fam'd,
Lay, helpless Man! extended on the Ground,
And pour'd his vital Purple from his Wound.
The deadly Bullet thro' his Forehead past,
An Inch above the Eye-brows, and effac'd
The Haunts and Tracks of Learning in the Brain,
The num'rous Lodgings, which did entertain
All Mem'ry's crowded Guests, and Fancy's aeiry Train.",,10470,"•Great passage. INTEREST.
•I've included four times: Lodging, Crowd, Guest, Train","A bullet may efface ""The num'rous Lodgings, which did entertain / All Mem'ry's crowded Guests, and Fancy's aeiry Train.""",Inhabitants,2009-09-14 19:35:01 UTC,""
4153,Interiority,"Searching ""soul"" and ""room"" in HDIS (Poetry)",2005-08-29 00:00:00 UTC,"Here proper Ferments animate the Blood,
And give just Vigour to the bounding Flood.
The vital Streams with due impulsive Force
Spring from the Heart, and triumph in their Course;
Rarely a dull unagitated Mass
Do's lazy linger in its circling Race:
Nor do's a flaming rapid Torrent fry
The winding Tubes, and leave the Muscles dry;
While the mild Dews, forc'd with too great a Fire,
Desert the Limbs, and thro' the Pores perspire.
The Purple Streams, warm to a just Degree,
From Dregs and unconcocted Juices free,
As they pervade the Channels of the Brain,
Their purer Parts thro' the fine Meshes strain.
These active Liquors, which Admission find
Thro' the strait Paths, and leave the coarse behind,
Swift to the inmost Rooms their Passage beat,
And crowd around the Soul's Imperial Seat;
Of subtile Matter form'd, refin'd and bright,
As Light'ning sprightly, and serene as Light,
Watching their Soveraign's Nod, they ready stand
Apt to perform the Mind's supream Command.
Such noble Vital Instruments are fit
For Reason's Works, and beauteous Turns of Wit.
With finer Strokes they move the tender Strings
Tun'd in the Brain, whence clear Perception springs.
When Fancy makes superior Flight her Aim,
Wing'd with this vig'rous, clear seraphick Flame,
She ranges Nature's universal Frame;
Bright Seeds of Thought from various Objects takes,
Whence her fair Scenes and Images she makes:
Spirits so swift, so fine, so bold, so strong,
Gave Milton Genius fit for Milton's Song.",2009-05-26,10715,"•I've included thrice: Rooms, Crowd, Seat","""These active Liquors, which Admission find / Thro' the strait Paths, and leave the coarse behind, / Swift to the inmost Rooms their Passage beat, / And crowd around the Soul's Imperial Seat.""",Rooms,2009-09-14 19:35:13 UTC,""
4153,"","Searching ""breast"" and ""guest"" in HDIS (Poetry)",2006-03-13 00:00:00 UTC,"And hence, ye various Nations dull of Thought,
To near the Solar Orb, or too remote,
Stupid of Mind, and obstinate of Will,
Unconscious of the Rules of Good and Ill,
Rarely your Souls to pious Acts incline,
Or feel th' impulsive Force of Light Divine:
Obdurate, rarely in your yielding Breast,
You entertain the Beatifick Guest.
Your Hearts, as barren as your Rocks and Sand,
Her Charms and pow'rful Influence withstand;
Whose heav'nly Rays defeated thence recoil,
Like Sun-Beams wasted on unfruitful Soil.",,10727,"","""Obdurate, rarely in your yielding Breast, / You entertain the Beatifick Guest.""",Inhabitant,2009-09-14 19:35:13 UTC,""
4167,"",Searching in HDIS (Poetry),2005-05-17 00:00:00 UTC,"Objects, which thro' the Senses make their Way,
And just Impressions to the Soul convey,
Give her Occasion first her self to move,
And to exert her Hatred, or her Love.
Ideas, which to some impulsive seem,
Act not upon the Mind, but That on them.
When she to foreign Objects Audience gives,
Their Strokes and Motions in the Brain perceives,
As these Perceptions we Ideas name,
From her own Pow'r and active Nature came,
So when discern'd by Intellectual Light,
Her self her various Passions does excite,
To Ill her Hate, to Good her Appetite:
To shun the first, the latter to procure,
She chuses Means by free Elective Pow'r.
She can their various Habitudes survey,
Debate their Fitness, and their Merit weigh,
And while the Means suggested she compares,
She to the Rivals This or That prefers.
(VII, ll. 446-464, pp. 338-9)
",,10781,•INTEREST. RICH passage. I've cut and pasted the whole book for study.,"""When she to foreign Objects Audience gives, / Their Strokes and Motions in the Brain perceives, / As these Perceptions we Ideas name, / From her own Pow'r and active Nature came, / So when discern'd by Intellectual Light, / Her self her various Passions does excite, / To Ill her Hate, to Good her Appetite: /
To shun the first, the latter to procure, / She chuses Means by free Elective Pow'r.""",Empire and Inhabitants,2013-08-07 14:35:43 UTC,Book VII
4167,"",Searching in HDIS (Poetry),2005-05-18 00:00:00 UTC,"These Out-guards of the Mind are sent abroad,
And still patrolling beat the neighb'ring Road:
Or to the Parts remote obedient fly,
Keep Posts advanc'd, and on the Frontier lye.
The watchful Centinels at ev'ry Gate,
At ev'ry Passage to the Senses wait.
Still travel to and fro the Nervous way,
And their Impressions to the Brain convey,
Where their Report the Vital Envoys make,
And with new Orders are remanded back.
Quick, as a darted Beam of Light, they go,
Thro' diff'rent Paths to diff'rent Organs flow,
Whence they reflect as swiftly to the Brain,
To give it Pleasure, or to give it Pain.
(VI, ll. 670-683, pp. 305-6)",,10782,INTEREST,"""These Out-guards of the Mind are sent abroad, / And still patrolling beat the neighb'ring Road: / Or to the Parts remote obedient fly, / Keep Posts advanc'd, and on the Frontier lye.""",Empire and Inhabitants,2013-08-07 14:40:42 UTC,Book VI
4167,"",Searching in HDIS (Poetry),2005-05-18 00:00:00 UTC,"These Out-guards of the Mind are sent abroad,
And still patrolling beat the neighb'ring Road:
Or to the Parts remote obedient fly,
Keep Posts advanc'd, and on the Frontier lye.
The watchful Centinels at ev'ry Gate,
At ev'ry Passage to the Senses wait.
Still travel to and fro the Nervous way,
And their Impressions to the Brain convey,
Where their Report the Vital Envoys make,
And with new Orders are remanded back.
Quick, as a darted Beam of Light, they go,
Thro' diff'rent Paths to diff'rent Organs flow,
Whence they reflect as swiftly to the Brain,
To give it Pleasure, or to give it Pain.
(VI, ll. 670-683, pp. 305-6)",,10783,"","""The watchful Centinels at ev'ry Gate, / At ev'ry Passage to the Senses wait.""",Inhabitants,2013-08-07 14:43:02 UTC,Book VI
4167,"",Searching in HDIS (Poetry),2005-05-18 00:00:00 UTC,"These Out-guards of the Mind are sent abroad,
And still patrolling beat the neighb'ring Road:
Or to the Parts remote obedient fly,
Keep Posts advanc'd, and on the Frontier lye.
The watchful Centinels at ev'ry Gate,
At ev'ry Passage to the Senses wait.
Still travel to and fro the Nervous way,
And their Impressions to the Brain convey,
Where their Report the Vital Envoys make,
And with new Orders are remanded back.
Quick, as a darted Beam of Light, they go,
Thro' diff'rent Paths to diff'rent Organs flow,
Whence they reflect as swiftly to the Brain,
To give it Pleasure, or to give it Pain.
(VI, ll. 670-683, pp. 305-6)",,10784,"","""Still travel to and fro the Nervous way, / And their Impressions to the Brain convey, / Where their Report the Vital Envoys make, / And with new Orders are remanded back.""",Inhabitants,2013-08-07 14:45:08 UTC,Book VI
4255,"","Searching in HDIS (Poetry); found again ""passion"" and ""guest""; found again ""breast""",2005-05-04 00:00:00 UTC," But when the great Apostate's Art
Seduc'd the wav'ring Creature's Heart,
Man from his happy Region fell
To the destructive Gulph of Death and Hell;
Now Guilt's infernal Gloom, and horrid Night,
O'erwhelm his Intellectual Sight,
And Clouds, with Vengeance stor'd, his trembling Soul affright.
Darkness, like that in Central Caves beneath,
Like that, which spreads the lonesome Walks of Death,
Where never Ray one Inroad made,
The Rebels Mind did swift invade.
The Light, which he enjoy'd, abus'd withdrew,
And back to Heav'n, its Parent, flew.
His Breast of this Celestial Guest bereft,
Became a Den of salvage Passions, left
Without a Keeper, loose and unconfin'd,
Which now no Guide directs, nor Precepts bind.",,11088,"","Light may fly back to Heaven and leave one's breast bereft of its ""Celestial Guest""",Inhabitants,2009-09-14 19:35:33 UTC,Stanza IX