"How shall I, without wounding a passion which bears no restraint, hint to him my wishes, that he would sacrifice that love, which can only by its continuance make him wretched, to Lady Julia's peace of mind!"

— Brooke [née Moore], Frances (bap. 1724, d. 1789)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for R. and J. Dodsley
Date
1763
Metaphor
"How shall I, without wounding a passion which bears no restraint, hint to him my wishes, that he would sacrifice that love, which can only by its continuance make him wretched, to Lady Julia's peace of mind!"
Metaphor in Context
I have long, my dear Mr. Mandeville, suspected my Lord's design in favour of Lord Melvin, of which there is not now the least doubt. Our coming away from his father's, on his arrival, was a circumstance which then struck me extremely. Lady Julia's stay there, on this supposition, would have been ill suited to the delicacy of her sex and rank. Yet I am astonished my Lord has not sooner told her of it; but there is no accounting for the caprice of age. How shall I tell my dear Mr. Mandeville my sentiments on this discovery! How shall I, without wounding a passion which bears no restraint, hint to him my wishes, that he would sacrifice that love, which can only by its continuance make him wretched, to Lady Julia's peace of mind! That he would himself assist her to conquer an inclination which is incompatible with the views which the most indulgent of parents entertains for her happiness? Views, the disappointment of which, he has declared, will embitter his last hours! Make one generous effort, my amiable friend: it is glorious to conquer where conquest is most difficult: think of Lord Belmont's friendship; of his almost parental care of your fortune; of the pleasure with which he talks of your virtues; and it will be impossible for you to continue to oppose that design on which his hopes of a happy evening of life are founded. Would you deny a happy evening to that life to which thousands owe the felicity of theirs?
(II, pp. 27-9)
Categories
Provenance
HDIS
Citation
At least 10 entries in the ESTC (1763, 1765, 1767, 1769, 1773, 1775, 1782, 1788). [4th edition in 1765, 5th edition in 1769.]

See Frances Brooke, The History of Lady Julia Mandeville. In Two Volumes. By the Translator of Lady Catesby's Letters. (London: Printed for R. and J. Dodsley, 1763). <Link to ECCO-TCP><Link to ECCO>
Date of Entry
09/23/2004

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