"For conscience like a fiery horse, / Will stumble if you check his course; / But ride him with an easy rein, / And rub him down with worldly gain, / He'll carry you through thick and thin, / Safe, although dirty, to your Inn." These poetic words of advice are attributed to Charles Ignatius Sancho in the eighteenth century. It is one of over 14,000 metaphorical pieces available on this website, curated by Brad Pasanek of the University of Virginia English Department. Visitors to this website can search for metaphors by a variety of criteria, including by literary period, by metaphor category (examples include "Government," "Body," and Impression"), or by the genre of literature these metaphors appear in (e.g. poetry, prose, drama, etc.). Visitors can also browse by the nationality of the author. Graphs of the ebb and flow of metaphorical topics - government, machines, population - over time provide insight into the evolution of culture and language. Fans of this website will also want to check out Pasanek's book by the same title.