"But when he consider'd how much he had struggled, and how far he had been from being able to repel Desire, he began to wonder that it cou'd ever enter into his Thoughts, that there was even a Possibility for Woman, so much stronger in her Fancy, and weaker in her Judgment, to suppress the Influence of that powerful Passion, against which, no Laws, no Rules, no Force of Reason, or Philosophy, are sufficient Guard."

— Haywood [née Fowler], Eliza (1693?-1756)


Place of Publication
London
Date
1719-1720, 1725
Metaphor
"But when he consider'd how much he had struggled, and how far he had been from being able to repel Desire, he began to wonder that it cou'd ever enter into his Thoughts, that there was even a Possibility for Woman, so much stronger in her Fancy, and weaker in her Judgment, to suppress the Influence of that powerful Passion, against which, no Laws, no Rules, no Force of Reason, or Philosophy, are sufficient Guard."
Metaphor in Context
The Count knew by Experience, the unutterable Perturbations of Suspence, and what agonizing Tortures rend an amorous Soul, divided betwixt Hope and Fear: Despair itself is not so cruel as Uncertainty, and in all Ills, especially in those of Love, it is less Misery, to know than dread the worst. The Remembrance of what he had suffered, thus agitated, in the Beginning of his Passion for Melliora, made him extremely pity the unknown Lady, and regret her sudden Departure; because it had prevented him from letting her into so much of his Circumstances, as he believ'd were necessary to induce her to recall her Heart. But when he consider'd how much he had struggled, and how far he had been from being able to repel Desire, he began to wonder that it cou'd ever enter into his Thoughts, that there was even a Possibility for Woman, so much stronger in her Fancy, and weaker in her Judgment, to suppress the Influence of that powerful Passion, against which, no Laws, no Rules, no Force of Reason, or Philosophy, are sufficient Guard.
Provenance
Searching HDIS (Prose)
Citation
At least 12 entries in ESTC (1719, 1720, 1721, 1722, 1724, 1725, 1732, 1742).

Published in 3 parts in 1719-1720. <Part 1, ESTC><Part 2, ESTC><Part 3, ESTC>

See Eliza Haywood, Love in Excess: or the Fatal Enquiry, a Novel (London: Printed for W. Chetwood; and R. Francklin; and sold by J. Roberts, 1719). <Link to ECCO>

Text from Vol. 1 of Secret Histories, Novels and Poems. In Four Volumes. Written by Mrs. Eliza Haywood. (London: Printed [partly by Samuel Aris] for Dan. Browne, jun. at the Black Swan without Temple-Bar; and S. Chapman, at the Angel in Pall-Mall, 1725). <Link to ESTC><Link to LION>
Date of Entry
06/09/2004

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