"I wage not War with fair ones; / But wish you would efface those ugly Thoughts, / That live in your Remembrance to perplex you; / Let Joy, the native of your Soul return, / And Love's gay God sit smiling in your Eyes, / As e'rst he did."

— Rowe, Nicholas (1674-1718)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for R. Wellington and Thomas Osborne
Date
1700, 1702
Metaphor
"I wage not War with fair ones; / But wish you would efface those ugly Thoughts, / That live in your Remembrance to perplex you; / Let Joy, the native of your Soul return, / And Love's gay God sit smiling in your Eyes, / As e'rst he did."
Metaphor in Context
MIRZA.
In pity to your Form asswage those Tears,
Sorrow is Beauty's Bane; nor let your Breast
Harbour a Fear; I wage not War with fair ones;
But wish you would efface those ugly Thoughts,
That live in your Remembrance to perplex you;
Let Joy, the native of your Soul return,
And Love's gay God sit smiling in your Eyes,
As e'rst he did
; I wish you wondrous well,
And would so fully Recompence the Loss
You fondly mourn, that when you count the Gains,
Your self should own your Fortunes are well chang'd.
(V.i, pp. 57-8)
Provenance
C-H Lion
Citation
First performed December, 1700. Twenty-three entries in ESTC (1701, 1702, 1714, 1715, 1720, 1726, 1727, 1728, 1733, 1735, 1760, 1761, 1764, 1777, 1781, 1790, 1792, 1795).

The second edition includes "the addition of a new scene." The Ambitious Step-Mother. A Tragedy. As it is Acted at the New Theatre in Little-Lincolns-Inn-Fields. By Her Majesties Servants. Written by N. Rowe, 2nd edition (London: Printed for R. Wellington and Thomas Osborne, 1702). <Link to ECCO>
Date of Entry
07/22/2013

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