"These sudden eruptions of the passions of the multitude, spread, like the lava of a volcano, throughout all France, nor could men of correct judgment, who aimed only at reform of abuses, and a renovation in all the departments, check the fury of the torrent."
— Warren, Mercy Otis (1728-1814)
Place of Publication
Boston
Publisher
Printed by Manning and Loring, for E. Larkin
Date
w. c. 1800, 1805
Metaphor
"These sudden eruptions of the passions of the multitude, spread, like the lava of a volcano, throughout all France, nor could men of correct judgment, who aimed only at reform of abuses, and a renovation in all the departments, check the fury of the torrent."
Metaphor in Context
These sudden eruptions of the passions of the multitude, spread, like the lava of a volcano, throughout all France, nor could men of correct judgment, who aimed only at the reform of abuses, and a renovation in all the departments, check the fury of the torrent. This confusion and terror within, and an army without, sent on by the combined despots of Europe, with the professed design of subjecting the nation, and re-establishing the monarchy of France, gave an opportunity to ambitious, unprincipled, corrupt, and ignorant men, to come forward, under pretence of supporting the rights and liberties of mankind, without any views but those of disorder and disorganization. Thus in the midst of tumult and confusion, was indulged every vicious propensity, peculation, revenge, and all the black passions of the soul. The guillotine was glutted with the blood of innocent victims, while the rapidity of execution, and their jealousy of each other, involved the most guilty, and cut down many of the blackest miscreants, as well as the most virtuous characters in the nation.
(III.xxxi, p. 407; p. 682-3 in OLL edition)
(III.xxxi, p. 407; p. 682-3 in OLL edition)
Categories
Provenance
Reading a chapter draft of Matt Garrett's dissertation (Chapt 1, p. 27); now published, see Episodic Poetics (Oxford UP, 2014), p. 38.
Citation
Text from Mrs. Mercy Warren, History of the Rise, Progressa and termination of the American Revolution. Insterspersed with biographical, Political, and Moral Observations. 3 vols. (Boston: Printed by Manning and Loring, for E. Larkin 1805). <Link to Google Books>
See also Mercy Otis Warren, History of the Rise, Progress and Termination of the American Revolution. Interspersed with Biographical, Political and Moral Observations, ed. Lester D. Cohen. 2 vols. (Indianapolis, Ind.: Liberty Fund, 1994). <Link to OLL>
See also Mercy Otis Warren, History of the Rise, Progress and Termination of the American Revolution. Interspersed with Biographical, Political and Moral Observations, ed. Lester D. Cohen. 2 vols. (Indianapolis, Ind.: Liberty Fund, 1994). <Link to OLL>
Date of Entry
03/02/2006
