"So, because I woud'n't be uncivil, I made a great Supper, and invited an old Aunt of mine, that she know'd, and half a score young Women, besides herself, to take Part of it: for it burnt in my Mind, strangely."

— Hill, Aaron (1685-1750)


Date
Friday, April 10. 1724
Metaphor
"So, because I woud'n't be uncivil, I made a great Supper, and invited an old Aunt of mine, that she know'd, and half a score young Women, besides herself, to take Part of it: for it burnt in my Mind, strangely."
Metaphor in Context
Now you must know, she had told a Friend of mine, that wish'd me to her, not once, nor twice, but that very Day, that he was leading her Home from Draper's Gardens, That she thought, as how no Man could fall in Love with a Red-Hair'd Woman. But, to see how strangely Mistakes will come about! this was all but her own Fancy; for I never once thought of it; nor was never the Man, that had ever concern'd my self, with any Thing she had about her. So, because I woud'n't be uncivil, I made a great Supper, and invited an old Aunt of mine, that she know'd, and half a score young Women, besides herself, to take Part of it: for it burnt in my Mind, strangely. In the middle of the Supper, I watch'd my Time, to drink to her; and told her, before 'em all, That she might be sure, by my having no Body to Supper, but Folks with Red Hair, as how I shou'dn't like her a Crum the worse, for That: For I didn't care a Pin, for that matter, if she was as red as a Fox, all over. To be sure, she look'd, all Night, after it, as the Devil lookt over Lincoln: And when I went, the Afternoon after, to make Love to her, as I us'd to do, nothing vex'd me, but her sending me down word, by that pert Gossip, Mrs. Briget, (that, I am sure, has had of me, at Times, in Presents, besides Good Words, to the Value of Five Pieces!) and yet, she bid Her, forsooth, to go and tell me, That I had no need for giving my self any more Trouble to come there; for her Mistress would have nothing to say to a Hoop-driver.
(pp. 40-1)
Categories
Provenance
Searching ECCO-TCP
Citation
Text from The Plain Dealer: Being Select Essays on Several Curious Subjects: Relating to Friendship, ... Poetry, and Other Branches of Polite Literature. Publish'd originally in the year 1724. And Now First Collected into Two Volumes (London: Printed for S. Richardson, and A. Wilde, 1730.) <Link to Vol. I in ECCO-TCP><Link to Vol. II in ECCO-TCP>
Date of Entry
08/17/2013

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