an infant in a cradle
Preserved but no longer current.
A shepherd playing a flute. An old man meditating on two skulls. According to Lucretius also there are three ages, distinguished by the materials employed in implements (v. 1282), viz.: The age of stone, when celts or implements of stone were employed. The age of bronze, when imple- ments were made of copper or brass. The age of iron, when implements were made of iron, as at present.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “an infant in a cradle” mean?
A shepherd playing a flute. An old man meditating on two skulls. According to Lucretius also there are three ages, distinguished by the materials employed in implements (v. 1282), viz.: The age of stone, when celts or implements of stone were employed. The age of bronze, when imple- ments were made of copper or brass. The age of iron, when implements were made of iron, as at present.
Is “an infant in a cradle” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.