"Through ev'ry Age some Tyrant Passion reigns: / Now Love prevails, and now Ambition gains / Reason's lost Throne, and sov'reign Rule maintains."

— Finch [née], Anne, Countess of Winchilsea (1666-1720)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for J. B. and sold by Benj. Tooke
Date
1713
Metaphor
"Through ev'ry Age some Tyrant Passion reigns: / Now Love prevails, and now Ambition gains / Reason's lost Throne, and sov'reign Rule maintains."
Metaphor in Context
Through ev'ry Age some Tyrant Passion reigns:
Now Love prevails, and now Ambition gains
Reason's lost Throne, and sov'reign Rule maintains.

Tho' beyond Love's, Ambition's Empire goes;
For who feels Love, Ambition also knows,
And proudly still aspires to be possest
Of Her, he thinks superior to the rest.
As cou'd be prov'd, but that our plainer Task
Do's no such Toil, or Definitions ask;
But to be so rehears'd, as first 'twas told,
When such old Stories pleas'd in Days of old.
(pp. 166-7)
Provenance
Searching "rule" and "reason" in HDIS (Poetry); found again searching "throne" and "reason" (7/19/2004); confirmed in ECCO.
Citation
At least 2 entries in ESTC (1713).

Anne Kingsmill Finch, Countess of, Winchilsea, Miscellany Poems, on Several Occasions. Written by a Lady. (London: Printed for J. B. and sold by Benj. Tooke at the Middle-Temple-Gate, William Taylor in Pater-Noster-Row, and James Round in Exchange-Alley, Cornhil, 1713). <Link to ESTC>
Theme
Ruling Passion
Date of Entry
06/15/2004
Date of Review
04/04/2012

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