"What worlds of worth lay crowded in that breast! / Too strait the mansion for th'illustrious guest."

— Watts, Isaac (1674-1748)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for Richard Ford and Richard Hett
Date
1734
Metaphor
"What worlds of worth lay crowded in that breast! / Too strait the mansion for th'illustrious guest."
Metaphor in Context
[1]Here lie the ruins of a lowly tent,
Where the seraphic soul of Harvey spent
Its mortal years. How did his genius shine,
Like heav'n's bright envoy, clad in pow'rs divine!
When from his lips the grace or vengeance broke,
'Twas majesty in arms, 'twas melting mercy spoke.
What worlds of worth lay crowded in that breast!
Too strait the mansion for th'illustrious guest.

Zeal, like a flame shot from the realms of day,
Aids the slow fever to consume the clay,
And bears the saint up through the starry road
Triumphant. So Elijah went to God.
What happy prophet shall his mantle find,
Heir to the double portion of his mind?

Sic musâ jam veterascenti
Inter justissimos amicorum & ecclesiæ
Fletus Harvæo suo parentat.

I. W.
Provenance
Searching in HDIS (Poetry)
Citation
Isaac Watts, Reliquiæ juveniles: miscellaneous thoughts in prose and verse, on natural, moral, and divine subjects; written chiefly in younger years. By I. Watts, D.D. (London: printed for Richard Ford at the Angel, and Richard Hett at the Bible and Crown, 1734). <Link to ECCO>

Text from The Works of the Reverend and Learned Isaac Watts, D. D., 6 vols. (London: Printed by and for John Barfield, 1810).
Date of Entry
03/09/2006

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