Fresh fields to conquer

Posted by ESC March 07, 2003In reply to Fresh fields to conquer posted by Harikrishnan Menon on March 07, 2003

Fresh fields to conquer
What is the origin of this fairly common phrase?

In 'Lycidas' , John Milton wrote: "At last he rose, and twitched his mantle blue; Tomorrow to fresh woods, and pastures new." This is commonly misquoted as "fresh fields", probably because of the alliteration. And 'She Stoops To Conquer' is a play by Oliver Goldsmith. Perhaps someone combined the two and came up with "fresh fields to conquer"!

I have heard "new worlds to conquer."