"How often has that tender bosom, whose glory it would have been to melt at another's woe, and to rejoice in acts of kindness and benevolence to her fellow-creatures, been armed by herself ... not with defensive, but offensive, steel"

— Richardson, Samuel (bap. 1689, d. 1761)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for S. Richardson; And Sold by C. Hitch and L. Hawes
Date
[1753] 1754
Metaphor
"How often has that tender bosom, whose glory it would have been to melt at another's woe, and to rejoice in acts of kindness and benevolence to her fellow-creatures, been armed by herself ... not with defensive, but offensive, steel"
Metaphor in Context
How has the unhappy Olivia, though but a subject, dared! --How often has that tender bosom, whose glory it would have been to melt at another's woe, and to rejoice in acts of kindness and benevolence to her fellow-creatures, been armed by herself (not the mistress, but the slave, of her passions) not with defensive, but offensive, steel(a)[1]! Hitherto Providence has averted any remediless mischief; but Providence will not be tempted.
Provenance
Searching "passion" and "steel" in HDIS (Prose)
Citation
At least 31 entries in ESTC (1753, 1754, 1756, 1762, 1765, 1766, 1770, 1776, 1780, 1781, 1783, 1785, 1786, 1793, 1795, 1796).

See The History of Sir Charles Grandison. In a Series of Letters Published from the Originals, by the Editor of Pamela and Clarissa. In Seven Volumes. (London: Printed for S. Richardson; and sold by C. Hitch and L. Hawes, in Pater-noster Row; by J. and J. Rivington, in St. Paul’s Church-Yard; by Andrew Millar, in the Strand; by R. and J. Dodsley, in Pall-Mall; and by J. Leake, at Bath, 1754). <Link to ESTC><Link to Vol. 1 ECCO-TCP><Vol. 2><Vol. 3><Vol. 4><Vol. 5><Vol. 6><Vol. 7>
Date of Entry
06/09/2005

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