"Universal benevolence: the chain of reason in which we all, willingly, bind ourselves. Nature gave us the links, and civiliz'd humanity has polish'd them."

— Colman, George, the younger (1762-1836)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for Longman, Hurst, Rees
Date
April 18, 1805
Metaphor
"Universal benevolence: the chain of reason in which we all, willingly, bind ourselves. Nature gave us the links, and civiliz'd humanity has polish'd them."
Metaphor in Context
TORRENT
I give you joy of them; for, according to your own account, they must make you very comfortable. But you have deprived yourself of that, which your worst enemy's malice should never have taken from you.

BARFORD
What is it?

TORRENT
Universal benevolence: the chain of reason in which we all, willingly, bind ourselves. Nature gave us the links, and civiliz'd humanity has polish'd them.

BARFORD
And how often are the links of Reason and Nature broken by sophistry and art!
(I.ii)
Categories
Provenance
Act I, scene ii
Citation
George Colman, Who Wants a Guinea? A Comedy, in Five Acts, as perform'd at the Theatre-Royal, Covent-Garden. First acted April 18, 1805 (London: Printed for Longman, Hurst, Rees, 1805).
Date of Entry
07/30/2011

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