"The busie Crowd fills all the labouring Brain, / Bright Fancy's Work-house, where close Cells contain / Of Forms and Images an endless Train, / Which thither thro' the waking Senses glide, / And in fair Mem'ry's Magazine abide."

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for Awnsham and John Churchil
Date
1695
Metaphor
"The busie Crowd fills all the labouring Brain, / Bright Fancy's Work-house, where close Cells contain / Of Forms and Images an endless Train, / Which thither thro' the waking Senses glide, / And in fair Mem'ry's Magazine abide."
Metaphor in Context
Now her brown Wings the silent Night displays,
Light sprinkled o'er with Cynthia's silver Rays.
Silence and Darkness all to Rest invite,
And sleep's soft Chains make fast the Gates of Light.
Prince Arthur sleeps, by Summons from on high,
From trembling Joynts, his active Spirits fly
To the round Palace of th' Immortal Soul,
And thro' the Rooms and dark Apartments roll.
The busie Crowd fills all the labouring Brain,
Bright Fancy's Work-house, where close Cells contain
Of Forms and Images an endless Train,
Which thither thro' the waking Senses glide,
And in fair Mem'ry's Magazine abide.

Compos'd of these, light Scenes and Shows appear,
Which still employ the restless Theater.
Divinely mov'd, the Airy Figures take
Their several Ranks, and this bright Vision make.
Prince Arthur, on a verdant Eminence
Conversing with King Uter stood, from whence,
He views with wondring Eyes, great Lords and States,
Crown'd Heads, Victorious Princes, Potentates,
Heroes and Heroines, a glorious Train,
which in long Order fill'd the subject Plain.
Prince Arthur on the Royal Scene intent,
Demands what this August Assembly meant:
For what end thither come, and who they were
That at th' Illustrious Congress did appear.
Provenance
Searching in HDIS (Poetry); found again "fancy" and "crowd"
Citation
Text from Richard Blackmore. Prince Arthur. An Heroick Poem. (London: Printed for Awnsham and John Churchil, 1695). <Link to EEBO-TCP>

Six entries in ESTC. A popular work: third edition in 1697.
Date of Entry
08/28/2005

The Mind is a Metaphor is authored by Brad Pasanek, Assistant Professor of English, University of Virginia.