"Children have Masters to teach them to Dance and Sing, &c. but few or none to form their Minds, and teach them good Sense; that is not thought of; which is therefore the only Reason why most Men are more govern'd by Caprice and Fancy, than by the Guide of their Reason, which is not sufficiently cultivated."

— Manley, Delarivier (c. 1670-1724)


Place of Publication
London
Date
1705
Metaphor
"Children have Masters to teach them to Dance and Sing, &c. but few or none to form their Minds, and teach them good Sense; that is not thought of; which is therefore the only Reason why most Men are more govern'd by Caprice and Fancy, than by the Guide of their Reason, which is not sufficiently cultivated."
Metaphor in Context
The little Care taken in forming the Reasons of some Men, is the Cause why they produce so little in their Actions; Children have Masters to teach them to Dance and Sing, &c. but few or none to form their Minds, and teach them good Sense; that is not thought of; which is therefore the only Reason why most Men are more govern'd by Caprice and Fancy, than by the Guide of their Reason, which is not sufficiently cultivated. It must be observ'd too, that few Men are willing to curb their Passions, for all their Applications are only to find out Means to justifie them, and when they are forc'd to own themselves to be in the wrong, they answer they cannot help it.
(II, pp. 126-7)
Provenance
Searching in C-H Lion
Citation
At least 15 entries in the ESTC (1705, 1708, 1711, 1712, 1713, 1743, 1745, 1749).

Joseph Browne [ascribed to Delariviere Manley], The Secret History of Queen Zarah, and the Zarazians; Being a Looking-glass for In the Kingdom of Albigion. Faithfully Translated from the Italian Copy now lodg'd in the Vatican at Rome and never before Printed in any Language (Albigion [i.e. London]: Printed in the year 1705). <Link to ECCO>
Date of Entry
06/21/2013

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