"This Speech, I own, gave me the first Reflection I ever had in my Life, and lock'd up all my Faculties for a long Time; nor was I able, for the Variety of Ideas that crowded my Brain, to make a Word of Answer, but stood like an Image of Stone"

— Paltock, Robert (1697-1767)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for J. Robinson, ... and R. Dodsley, [etc.]
Date
1751
Metaphor
"This Speech, I own, gave me the first Reflection I ever had in my Life, and lock'd up all my Faculties for a long Time; nor was I able, for the Variety of Ideas that crowded my Brain, to make a Word of Answer, but stood like an Image of Stone"
Metaphor in Context
--This Speech, I own, gave me the first Reflection I ever had in my Life, and lock'd up all my Faculties for a long Time; nor was I able, for the Variety of Ideas that crowded my Brain, to make a Word of Answer, but stood like an Image of Stone; till Patty, seeing my Confusion, desired me to recollect my Reason, for as it was too late to undo what had been done, it remained now only to act with that Prudence, and Caution, which the Nature of the Case required; and that, for her Part, she would concur in every reasonable Measure I should approve of; but, I must remember, she was only a Servant, and had very little due to her for Wages, and not a Penny besides that; and, [Page 10] that there must necessarily be a Preparation made for the Reception of the Infant, when Time should produce it. --I now began to see the absolute Necessity of all she said; but, how to accomplish it, was not in me to comprehend. -- My own small Matter of Money was gone, and had been so a long Time; we therefore agreed, I should write to my Mother for a fresh Supply; I did so, and, to my great Confusion, was answered by my former Friend, in the following Words.
Provenance
Searching "idea" and "crowd" in HDIS (Prose); again "brain"
Date of Entry
03/13/2006

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