"But these golden Ideas presently vanished"
— Fielding, Henry (1707-1754)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for A. Millar
Date
1752
Metaphor
"But these golden Ideas presently vanished"
Metaphor in Context
'The first Uneasiness which attacked us after our Marriage was on my Aunt's Account. It was very disagreeable to live under the Nose of so near a Relation, who did not acknowledge us; but, on the contrary, was ever doing us all the ill Turns in her Power; and making a Party against us in the Parish, which is always easy enough to do amongst the Vulgar, against Persons who are their Superiors in Rank, and, at the same Time, their Inferiors in Fortune. This made Mr. Bennet think of procuring an Exchange, in which Intention he was soon after confirmed by the Arrival of the Rector. It was the Rector's Custom to spend three Months every Year at his Living; for which Purpose he reserved an Apartment in his Parsonage-House, which was full large enough for two such little Families as then occupied it: We, at first, promised [Page 50] ourselves some little Convenience from his boarding with us; and Mr.Bennet began to lay aside his Thoughts of leaving his Curacy, at least for some Time. But these golden Ideas presently vanished: For tho' we both used our utmost Endeavours to please him, we soon found the Impossibility of succeeding. He was, indeed, to give you his Character in a Word, the most peevish of Mortals. This Temper, notwithstanding that he was both a good and a pious Man, made his Company so insufferable, that nothing could compensate it. If his Breakfast was not ready to a Moment, if a Dish of Meat was too much or too little done; in short, if any thing failed of exactly hitting his Taste, he was sure to be out of Humour all that Day; so that, indeed, he was scarce ever in a good Temper a whole Day together: For Fortune seems to take a Delight in thwarting this Kind of Disposition, to which Human Life, with its many Crosses and Accidents, is in Truth by no Means fitted.
(pp. 49-50)
(pp. 49-50)
Categories
Provenance
Searching "idea" and "gold" in HDIS (Prose)
Citation
13 entries in ESTC (1752, 1762, 1771, 1775, 1777, 1780, 1790, 1793).
See Amelia. By Henry Fielding, 4 vols. (London: A. Millar, 1752). <Link to ECCO>
Reading Henry Fielding, Amelia, ed. David Blewett (London: Penguin Books, 1987).
See Amelia. By Henry Fielding, 4 vols. (London: A. Millar, 1752). <Link to ECCO>
Reading Henry Fielding, Amelia, ed. David Blewett (London: Penguin Books, 1987).
Date of Entry
06/02/2005
