The "Trading Mind" must voyage over an Ocean, but "Resisting Rocks oppose th' Inquiring Soul, / And adverse Waves retard it as they Rowl."

— Pomfret, John (1667-1702)


Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed and are to be sold by J. Nutt
Date
1700
Metaphor
The "Trading Mind" must voyage over an Ocean, but "Resisting Rocks oppose th' Inquiring Soul, / And adverse Waves retard it as they Rowl."
Metaphor in Context
Those who wou'd Learning's glorious Kingdom find,
The dear bought Purchase of the Trading Mind;
From many Dangers must themselves acquit,
And more than Scylla and Charibdis meet;
Oh! What an Ocean must be Voyag'd o're,
To Gain a Prospect of the shining Shore;
Resisting Rocks oppose th' Inquiring Soul,
And adverse Waves retard it as they Rowl
.
(p. 9)
Provenance
Reading
Citation
At least 8 entries in ECCO and ESTC (1700, 1720, 1726, 1735, 1746, 1758, 1773, 1779, 1794).

John Pomfret, Reason: A Poem (London: J. Nutt, 1700). <Link to EEBO><Link to Google Books>

Poem originally discovered searching in HDIS (Poetry): see Poems upon Several Occasions. By the Reverend Mr. John Pomfret. The Sixth Edition, Corrected. With some Account Of his Life and Writings. To which are added, His Remains (London: Printed for D. Brown, J. Walthoe, A. Bettesworth, and E. Taylor, and J. Hooke [etc.], 1724). <Link to 8th edition in Google Books>
Date of Entry
07/18/2011

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