"Gentler shapes, and softer scenes disclose, / To melt the feeling heart, yet soothe its tenderest woes"
— Dodsley, Robert (1703-1764)
Author
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for J. Dodsley
Date
1757, 1758, 1771, 1777
Metaphor
"Gentler shapes, and softer scenes disclose, / To melt the feeling heart, yet soothe its tenderest woes"
Metaphor in Context
XIII.
He said, and stalk'd away.--Ah Goddess! cease
Thus with terrific forms to rack my brain;
These horrid phantoms shake the throne of peace,
And Reason calls her boasted powers in vain:
Then change thy magic wand,
Thy dreadful troops disband,
And gentler shapes, and softer scenes disclose,
To melt the feeling heart, yet soothe its tenderest woes.
(p. 9 in 1757 edition)
He said, and stalk'd away.--Ah Goddess! cease
Thus with terrific forms to rack my brain;
These horrid phantoms shake the throne of peace,
And Reason calls her boasted powers in vain:
Then change thy magic wand,
Thy dreadful troops disband,
And gentler shapes, and softer scenes disclose,
To melt the feeling heart, yet soothe its tenderest woes.
(p. 9 in 1757 edition)
Categories
Provenance
HDIS
Citation
See Melpomene, or The Regions of Terror and Pity. An Ode. (London: [s.n.], 1757) <Link to Hathi Trust>. I count 9 entries for this title in the ESTC (1757, 1758, 1771, 1777).
The poem was printed with Cleone. A Tragedy. As it is Acted at the Theatre Royal in Covent-Garden. Written by R. Dodsley (London, 1758) <Link to ECCO> and collected in Trifles: viz. Cleone. A Tragedy. Melpomene: or, the Regions of Terror and Pity. A Poem. Agriculture. A Poem. The Oeconomy of Human Life. Vol. II. Written by R. Dodsley. (London: J. Dodsley, 1771). <Link to ECCO>
Dodsley's Trifles were first published in 1745 in one volume. James Dodsley seems to have issued so-called "second" editions in 1771 and in 1777. The second volume of Trifles contains works written after 1745.
I have taken my text from the edition of Trifles, issued in 1777 <Link to ECCO> and checked metaphors against the 1757 printing available through the Hathi Trust.
The poem was printed with Cleone. A Tragedy. As it is Acted at the Theatre Royal in Covent-Garden. Written by R. Dodsley (London, 1758) <Link to ECCO> and collected in Trifles: viz. Cleone. A Tragedy. Melpomene: or, the Regions of Terror and Pity. A Poem. Agriculture. A Poem. The Oeconomy of Human Life. Vol. II. Written by R. Dodsley. (London: J. Dodsley, 1771). <Link to ECCO>
Dodsley's Trifles were first published in 1745 in one volume. James Dodsley seems to have issued so-called "second" editions in 1771 and in 1777. The second volume of Trifles contains works written after 1745.
I have taken my text from the edition of Trifles, issued in 1777 <Link to ECCO> and checked metaphors against the 1757 printing available through the Hathi Trust.
Date of Entry
07/19/2004
