work_id,theme,provenance,created_at,text,reviewed_on,id,comments,metaphor,dictionary,updated_at,context
5612,"",Reading,2003-07-29 00:00:00 UTC,"O, Montagu! forgive me, if I sing
Thy wisdom tempered with the milder ray
Of soft humanity, and kindness bland:
So wide its influence, that the bright beams
Reach the low vale where mists of ignorance lodge,
Strike on the innate spark which lay immersed,
Thick-clogged, and almost quenched in total night--
On me it fell, and cheered my joyless heart.
Unwelcome is the first bright dawn of light
To the dark soul; impatient, she rejects,
And fain would push the heavenly stranger back;
She loathes the cranny which admits the day;
Confused, afraid of the intruding guest;
Disturbed, unwilling to receive the beam,
Which to herself her native darkness shows.
The effort rude to quench the cheering flame
Was mine, and e'en on Stella could I gaze
With sullen envy, and admiring pride,
Till, doubly roused by Montagu, the pair
Conspire to clear my dull, imprisoned sense,
And chase the mists which dimmed my visual beam.
Oft as I trod my native wilds alone,
Strong gusts of thought would rise, but rise to die;
The portals of the swelling soul ne'er oped
By liberal converse, rude ideas strove
Awhile for vent, but found it not, and died.
Thus rust the Mind's best powers. Yon starry orbs,
Majestic ocean, flowery vales, gay groves,
Eye-wasting lawns, and heaven-attempting hills
Which bound th' horizon, and which curb the view;
All those, with beauteous imagery, awaked
My ravished soul to ecstasy untaught,
To all the transport the rapt sense can bear;
But all expired, for want of powers to speak;
All perished in the mind as soon as born,
Erased more quick than cyphers on the shore,
O'er which cruel waves, unheedful roll.
Such timid rapture as young Edwin seized,
When his lone footsteps on the Sage obtrude,
Whose noble precept charmed his wondering
Such rapture filled Lactilla's vacant soul,
When the bright Moralist, in softness dressed,
Opes all the glories of the mental world,
Deigns to direct the infant thought, to prune
The budding sentiment, uprear the stalk
Of feeble fancy, bid idea live,
Woo the abstracted spirit form its cares,
And gently guide her to scenes of peace.
Mine was than balm, and mine the grateful heart,
Which breathes its thanks in rough, but timid strains.
(ll. 30-79, pp. 395-6)",,14997,•I've included all the stanzas but the first because of the density of metaphors (8 entries total).,"""Yon starry orbs, / Majestic ocean, flowery vales, gay groves, / Eye-wasting lawns, and heaven-attempting hills / Which bound th' horizon, and which curb the view; / All those, with beauteous imagery, awaked / My ravished soul to ecstasy untaught, / To all the transport the rapt sense can bear; / But all expired, for want of powers to speak; / All perished in the mind as soon as born, / Erased more quick than cyphers on the shore, / O'er which cruel waves, unheedful roll.""",Writing,2013-11-17 17:14:56 UTC,""
5628,"",Searching in HDIS (Poetry),2005-03-07 00:00:00 UTC,"This is the sullen curse of surly souls,
To disbelieve the virtues which they feel not.
Ah, Stella! I'm a convert; thou hast tun'd
My rusting powers to the bright strain of joy:
My chill'd ideas quit their frozen pole
Of blank Despair, and, gently usher'd in
By grateful Rapture, meet thy genial warmth:
'Tis more than joy, or joy to an extreme;
Then teach my honest heart to feel more faint,
More moderate in her grateful change, or lend
Fair Elocution, who the Mimic aids,
To paint in brightest hues the unfelt joy.
",,15054,•Not easy to categorize.,"One's ""chill'd ideas [may] quit their frozen pole / Of blank Despair""","",2009-09-14 19:42:39 UTC,""
5634,"",Searching in HDIS (Poetry),2005-04-19 00:00:00 UTC,"Ah! cruel state! where hope is rack'd with fear,
That seals our bondage, as it prompts our care.
While fancy, dreaming of some better fate,
Beguiles the labour of the present state,
The fluctuant mind, by various passions tost,
Now rides aloft, and now immerg'd, is lost:
Yet after all our reason to complain,
We hug the fraud that justifies the pain;
And Hope refresh'd, like wheels fresh oil'd, pursues
Her daily task, and daily vows renews.
",,15064,•I've included twice: Ship and Ocean,"""The fluctuant mind, by various passions tost, / Now rides aloft, and now immerg'd, is lost""","",2009-09-14 19:42:40 UTC,""
5657,"","Reading Donald Greene's The Politics of Samuel Johnson, 2nd ed. (Athens and London: The University of Georgia Press, 1990), 2. Found again searching in C-H Lion.",2006-09-18 00:00:00 UTC,"There was as great a storm of wind and rain as I have almost ever seen, which necessarily confined us to the house; but we were fully compensated by Dr Johnson's conversation. He said, he did not grudge Burke's being the first man in the House of Commons, for he was the first man every where; but he grudged that a fellow who makes no figure in company, and has a mind as narrow as the neck of a vinegar cruet, should make a figure in the House of Commons, merely by having the knowledge of a few forms, and being furnished with a little occasional information. He told us, the first time he saw Dr Young was at the house of Mr Richardson, the author of Clarissa. He was sent for, that the doctor might read to him his Conjectures on Original Composition, which he did, and Dr Johnson made his remarks; and he was surprised to find Young receive as novelties, what he thought very common maxims. He said, he believed Young was not a great scholar, nor had studied regularly the art of writing; that there were very fine things in his Night Thoughts, though you could not find twenty lines together without some extravagance. He repeated two passages from his Love of Fame--the characters of Brunetta and Stella, which he praised highly. He said Young pressed him much to come to Wellwyn. He always intended it, but never went. He was sorry when Young died. The cause of quarrel between Young and his son, he told us, was, that his son insisted Young should turn away a clergyman's widow, who lived with him, and who, having acquired great influence over the father, was saucy to the son. Dr Johnson said, she could not conceal her resentment at him, for saying to Young, that 'an old man should not resign himself to the management of any body.' I asked him, if there was any improper connection between them. 'No, sir, no more than between two statues. He was past fourscore, and she a very coarse woman. She read to him, and, I suppose, made his coffee, and frothed his chocolate, and did such things as an old man wishes to have done for him.'
(pp. 323-4)",,15110,•Greene thinks this narrow fellow is Lord North.,"""He [Johnson] said, he did not grudge Burke's being the first man in the House of Commons, for he was the first man every where; but he grudged that a fellow who makes no figure in company, and has a mind as narrow as the neck of a vinegar cruet, should make a figure in the House of Commons, merely by having the knowledge of a few forms, and being furnished with a little occasional information.""","",2013-06-26 18:37:25 UTC,"Thursday, 30th September"
5661,Stream of Consciousness,"Searching HDIS for ""ruling passion""",2004-06-01 00:00:00 UTC,"GABRIEL
Lord, mun, your worship need no' be so shy, like--You do know, you ha' promised me a plac. --an places that are no' bought one way--mun be bought another.
SIR FREDERIC
Well said, friend Gabriel.
GABRIEL
An, as for keeping o' family secrets, donno' you fear me; becase why, I do find they be a sarvant's best parkizites--For, an it wur na for family secrets, how should so many poor country Johns so very soon become gentlemen?
SIR FREDERIC [aside]
This fellow's thoughts run all in one channel; his ruling passion is money; the love of that sharpens his intellects, and opens his eyes and ears.--Well, Gabriel, you shall find me generous as a Prince, provided--Here's somebody coming--go into the next room; I'll speak with you presently.
GABRIEL
Ees.--But I do hope your honour's worship wunna forget the place, like?
SIR FREDERIC
Never fear.",,15123,•Holcroft's translation of Choderlos de Laclos. First performed 12 March 1787; first published 31 March 1787.,Thoughts may run all in one channel,"",2009-09-14 19:42:50 UTC,"Act II, scene v"
5672,"",Searching in HDIS (Drama),2005-06-08 00:00:00 UTC,"HAIR.
I'll ride in them all! Call 'em every one! Get within! And without! Upon the roof! Under the wheels! Mount your fiddlesticks and make a cavalcade. Five rounds of beef and as many butts of porter are yours! I'll regale you! Shout, rascals! --Silence! Once again silence! Be mute, villains, and obey! I am the Great Mogul! Take me to my friends! Quick! Quick, you iron-souled scoundrels! Don't you know he is in distress?",,15141,•Huh? Shakespeare given as a second author.,"""Quick, you iron-souled scoundrels! Don't you know he is in distress?""","",2009-09-14 19:42:52 UTC,"Act V, scene i"
7398,"",Reading,2013-06-05 16:42:40 UTC,"The agitated Caliph still wished to hear more; but she immediately retired with all her attendants. The fond monarch pursued her with his eyes till she was gone out of sight; and then continued like a bewildered and benighted traveller, from whom the clouds had obscured the constellation that guided his way. The curtain of night seemed dropped before him: every thing appeared discoloured. The falling waters filled his soul with dejection, and his tears trickled down the jasmines he had caught from Nouronihar, and placed in his inflamed bosom. He snatched up a few shining pebbles, to remind him of the scene where he felt the first tumults of love. Two hours were elapsed, and evening drew on, before he could resolve to depart from the place. He often, but in vain, attempted to go: a soft languor enervated the powers of his mind. Extending himself on the brink of the stream, he turned his eyes towards the blue summits of the mountain, and exclaimed, ""What concealest thou behind thee, pitiless rock? what is passing in thy solitudes? Whither is she gone? O heaven! perhaps she is now wandering in thy grottoes with her happy Gulchenrouz!""
(pp. 121-2)",,20374,"","""The falling waters filled his soul with dejection, and his tears trickled down the jasmines he had caught from Nouronihar, and placed in his inflamed bosom.""","",2013-06-05 16:42:40 UTC,""
7398,"",Reading,2013-06-05 16:53:02 UTC,"Vathek, too much cast down to express the indignation excited by such a discourse, ordered the afrit to remove Carathis from his presence, and continued immersed in thoughts which his companions durst not disturb.
(pp. 222-3)",,20382,"","""Vathek, too much cast down to express the indignation excited by such a discourse, ordered the afrit to remove Carathis from his presence, and continued immersed in thoughts which his companions durst not disturb.""","",2013-06-05 16:53:02 UTC,""
7424,"",Reading,2013-06-13 15:29:41 UTC,"Sonnet XXXV.
To Fortitude
Nymph of the rock! whose dauntless spirit braves
The beating storm, and bitter winds that howl
Round thy cold breast; and hear'st the bursting waves,
And the deep thunder with unshaken soul;
Oh come!--and shew how vain the cares that press
On my weak bosom--and how little worth
Is the false fleeting meteor, happiness,
That still misleads the wanderers of the earth!
Strengthen'd by thee, this heart shall cease to melt
O'er ills that poor humanity must bear;
Nor friends estrang'd, or ties dissolv'd be felt
To leave regret, and fruitless anguish there:
And when at length it heaves its latest sigh,
Thou and mild hope, shall teach me how to die!",,20614,"","""Strengthen'd by thee, this heart shall cease to melt / O'er ills that poor humanity must bear; / Nor friends estrang'd, or ties dissolv'd be felt / To leave regret, and fruitless anguish there.""","",2013-06-13 15:29:41 UTC,""
7840,"","Searching ""heart"" and ""steel"" in ECCO-TCP.",2014-03-12 17:04:07 UTC,"Whelm'd with such violence of woe,
Would melt a heart of steel,
Which only those who love can know,
Who lose can only feel.",,23646,"","""Whelm'd with such violence of woe, / Would melt a heart of steel, / Which only those who love can know, / Who lose can only feel.""",Metal,2014-03-12 17:04:07 UTC,""