"Thus his own eyes the Bigot blinds, / To shut out light from human minds."

— Lloyd, Robert (bap. 1733, d. 1764)


Work Title
Date
December, 1763; 1774
Metaphor
"Thus his own eyes the Bigot blinds, / To shut out light from human minds."
Metaphor in Context
Thus his own eyes the Bigot blinds,
To shut out light from human minds
,
And the clear truth (an emanation
From the great Author of creation,
A beam transmitted from on high,
To bring us nearer to the sky,
While ev'ry path by science trod,
Leads us with wonder up to God)
Is doom'd by Ignorance to make
Atonement at the Martyr's stake;
Tho', like pure gold, th' illustrious dame,
Comes forth the brighter from the flame.
No persecution will avail,
No inquisition racks, nor gaol;
When Learning's more enlight'ned ray
Shall drive these sickly fogs away;
A thankful age shall pay her more,
Than all her troubles hurt before.
See Shame and Scorn await on those
Who poorly dar'd to be her foes,
But will the grateful voice of fame
Sink Truth, and Galilæo's name?
(p. 163-4; cf. 241 in magazine)
Categories
Provenance
Reading
Citation
At least 7 entries in ECCO and ESTC (1764, 1774, 1790). Appears in volume 3 of The Beauties of All the Magazines and in The Works of the English Poets.

See "Charity. A Satyre. Inscribed to the Rev. Mr. Hanbury, by Robert Lloyd" in The St. James's Magazine. By Robert Lloyd, A.M. (London [England]: Printed for W[illiam]. Flexney, near Gray's-Inn-Gate, Holborn; T[homas]. Davies, in Russel-Street, Covent-Garden; and J[ohn]. Coote, in Pater-noster-Row, 1764). -- from vol. III. pp. 235-242. "Volumes 1-3 were edited, by Robert Lloyd, who was also a contributor. After Feb. 1764, the editorship was taken over by the playwright William Kenrick" <Link to ESTC>

Text from The Poetical Works of Robert Lloyd, A.M. to Which Is Prefixed an Account of the Life and Writings of the Author. by W. Kenrick, LL.D. in Two Volumes. (London: printed for T. Evans in the Strand, 1774). <Link to ESTC> -- Titled "Charity. A Fragment."
Date of Entry
06/12/2014

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