"Oh! all ye Powers that virtuous Love inspire, / Assist me now: inform my Vocal Organs / With Angel Eloquence, such as can melt / His Heart of Flint, and move his former Kindness."

— Centlivre [née Freeman; other married name Carroll], Susanna (bap. 1669?, d. 1723)


Date
1700
Metaphor
"Oh! all ye Powers that virtuous Love inspire, / Assist me now: inform my Vocal Organs / With Angel Eloquence, such as can melt / His Heart of Flint, and move his former Kindness."
Metaphor in Context
PLACENTIA.
Oh! Bassino! Bassino!
Oh! wretched Woman! Oh! that I had dy'd
E'er I had known him false: Then I were happy:
And tho' contented with his second Choice,
He with a pitying Sigh, perhaps, had grac'd
My Memory--
Oh! all ye Powers that virtuous Love inspire,
Assist me now: inform my Vocal Organs
With Angel Eloquence, such as can melt
His Heart of Flint, and move his former Kindness.

(Aside.)
But if that fail, I will remove the Cause
Of both our Woes--Yes, that happy Charmer,
That Rival of my Love shall surely die.

ARMANDO.
Doubt not of the Success: What Heart of Steel
Could ere resist such Beauty drest in Tears?
(pp. 46-7)
Provenance
ECCO-TCP
Citation
3 entries in ESTC (1700, 1720, 1737)

See The Perjur'd Husband: or, the Adventures of Venice. A Tragedy. As 'Twas Acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, by His Majesty's Servants. Written by S. Carroll. (London: Printed for Bennet Banbury, at the Blue Anchor in the New Exchange in the Strand, 1700).<Link to ESTC>

Text from The Perjur'd Husband: or, the Adventures of Venice. A Tragedy. As It Is Acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane. by His Majesty's Servants. Written by Mrs. Centlivre. (London: Printed for W. Feales, 1737). <>
Date of Entry
03/12/2014

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