"Tho' now, 'tis true, the strong Temptation's Force / Suspends Religion, and diverts its Course; / Yet still the Pow'r that chiefly rules your Soul, / And will I trust your future Life controul, / Is heav'nly Virtue, which, tho' now opprest / It sleeps a while unactive in your Breast, / Will, rous'd and waken'd by a conscious Sting, / From its elastick self-recov'ring Spring / New Strength acquire, and re-instated gain / Its former Empire and o'er Passion reign."

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed by W. Botham, for James Knapton
Date
1723
Metaphor
"Tho' now, 'tis true, the strong Temptation's Force / Suspends Religion, and diverts its Course; / Yet still the Pow'r that chiefly rules your Soul, / And will I trust your future Life controul, / Is heav'nly Virtue, which, tho' now opprest / It sleeps a while unactive in your Breast, / Will, rous'd and waken'd by a conscious Sting, / From its elastick self-recov'ring Spring / New Strength acquire, and re-instated gain / Its former Empire and o'er Passion reign."
Metaphor in Context
Tho' now, 'tis true, the strong Temptation's Force
Suspends Religion, and diverts its Course;
Yet still the Pow'r that chiefly rules your Soul,
And will I trust your future Life controul,
Is heav'nly Virtue, which, tho' now opprest
It sleeps a while unactive in your Breast,
Will, rous'd and waken'd by a conscious Sting,
From its elastick self-recov'ring Spring
New Strength acquire, and re-instated gain
Its former Empire and o'er Passion reign.
Provenance
Searching "empire" and "passion" in HDIS (Poetry)
Citation
Only 1 entry in ESTC (1723).

Richard Blackmore, Alfred. An Epick Poem. In Twelve Books (London: Printed by W. Botham, for James Knapton, 1723). <Link to ECCO><Link to LION>
Date of Entry
08/22/2004
Date of Review
01/11/2012

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