"Are Ladies Hearts more hard than Stone, / Are Wolves and Bears less fierce?"

— Gay, John (1685-1732)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for Bernard Lintott
Date
1713
Metaphor
"Are Ladies Hearts more hard than Stone, / Are Wolves and Bears less fierce?"
Metaphor in Context
I.
Daphne, a coy and foolish Dame,
Flew from Apollo's Charms,
Had he confess'd in Verse his Flame,
She had flown into his Arms.

II.
Whenever Orpheus touch'd the Lyre,
Or sung melodious Airs,
He made the very Stones admire,
And tam'd the fiercest Bears.

III.
Are Ladies Hearts more hard than Stone,
Are Wolves and Bears less fierce?

Then, prithee, Nymph, no longer frown,
But own the Pow'r of Verse.
(V.i, p. 50)
Categories
Provenance
LION
Citation
First performed May 12, 1713. At least 3 entries in ESTC (1713, 1730).

The Wife of Bath. A Comedy. As it is Acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, by Her Majesty's Servants. By Mr Gay (London: Printed for Bernard Lintott, 1713).
Date of Entry
08/17/2013

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