The Dunciad: Book Iii Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBBCDDEEFF AAGGHHIIJJKKBBAALLMM BN OOIIFFPP QQIRAABBAASSTTUVAABB AAUU WWXXAAPPYYZZA2A2BBBB A2A2B2B2C2C2FFBBIIC2 C2D2D2 IIAAE2F2C2C2F2F2AA AAC2C2G2H2AAI2I2 LLUVC2C2AABBAAAAC2C2 C2C2F2F2J2J2NNF2E2K2 BL2L2M2M2C2C2FFC2C2N 2O2BB C2C2AAP2P2BBI2I2IIII AAAAZR AAAAAAQ2Q2AAR2R2CCC2 C2S2S2UUI2I2C2C2BBC2 C2AAFFC2C2C2C2AAA BBRT2AAAAC2C2ZIU2U2B B J2J2C2C2C2C2C2C2A AAAAC2C2AARRC2C2V2V2 ZZAAH2H2C2C2 J2J2XXAAC2C2C2C2C2C2 W2PRZC2C2AAJ2W2LLAAA ALLI2I2IIAAX2X2RRZZA A Y2Y2C2C2P2P2C2C2AABB C2C2AA IILLAAC2C2

But in her Temple's last recess inclos'dA
On Dulness' lap th' Anointed head repos'dA
Him close she curtains round with Vapours blueB
And soft besprinkles with Cimmerian dewB
Then raptures high the seat of Sense o'erflowB
Which only heads refin'd from Reason knowC
Hence from the straw where Bedlam's Prophet nodsD
He hears loud Oracles and talks with GodsD
Hence the Fool's Paradise the Statesman's SchemeE
The air built Castle and the golden DreamE
The Maid's romantic wish the Chemist's flameF
And Poet's vision of eternal FameF
-
And now on Fancy's easy wing convey'dA
The King descending views Elysian ShadeA
A slip shod Sibyl led his steps alongG
In lofty madness meditating songG
Her tresses staring from Poetic dreamsH
And never wash'd but in Castalia's streamsH
Taylor their better Charon lends an oarI
Once swan of Thames tho' now he sings no moreI
Benlowes propitious still to blockheads bowsJ
And Shadwell nods the Poppy on his browsJ
Here in a dusky vale where Lethe rollsK
Old Bavius sits to dip poetic soulsK
And blunt the sense and fit it for a skullB
Of solid proof impenetrably dullB
Instant when dipt away they wing their flightA
Where Brown and Mears unbar the gates of LightA
Demand new bodies and in Calf's arrayL
Rush to the world impatient for the dayL
Millions and millions on these banks he viewsM
Thick as the stars of night or morning dewsM
As thick as bees o'er vernal blossoms flyB
As thick as eggs at Ward in PilloryN
-
Wond'ring he gaz'd When lo a Sage appearsO
By his broad shoulders known and length of earsO
Known by the band and suit which Settle woreI
His only suit for twice three years beforeI
All as the vest appear'd the wearer's frameF
Old in new state another yet the sameF
Bland and familiar as in life begunP
Thus the great Father to the greater SonP
-
Oh born to see what none can see awakeQ
Behold the wonders of th' oblivious LakeQ
Thou yet unborn hast touch'd this sacred shoreI
The hand of Bavius drench'd thee o'er and o'erR
But blind to former as to future fateA
What mortal knows his pre existent stateA
Who knows how long thy transmigrating soulB
Might from Boeotian to Boeotian rollB
How many Dutchmen she vouchsaf'd to thridA
How many stages thro' old Monks she ridA
And all who since in mild benighted daysS
Mix'd the Owl's ivy with the Poet's baysS
As man's Maeanders to the vital springT
Roll all their tides then back their circles bringT
Or whirligigs twirl'd round by skilful swainU
Suck the thread in then yield it out againV
All nonsense thus of old or modern dateA
Shall in thee centre from thee circulateA
For this our Queen unfolds to vision trueB
Thy mental eye for thou hast much to viewB
Old scenes of glory times long cast behindA
Shall first recall'd rush forward to thy mindA
Then stretch thy sight o'er all her rising reignU
And let the past and future fire thy brainU
-
Ascend this hill whose cloudy point commandsW
Her boundless empire over seas and landsW
See round the Poles where keener spangles shineX
Where spices smoke beneath the burning LineX
Earth's wide extremes her sable flag display'dA
And all the nations cover'd in her shadeA
Far eastward cast thine eye from whence the SunP
And orient Science their bright course begunP
One god like Monarch all that pride confoundsY
He whose long wall the wand'ring Tartar boundsY
Heav'ns what a pile whole ages perish thereZ
And one bright blaze turns Learning into airZ
Thence to the south extend thy gladden'd eyesA2
There rival flames with equal glory riseA2
From shelves to shelves see greedy Vulcan rollB
And lick up all the Physic of the SoulB
How little mark that portion of the ballB
Where faint at best the beams of Science fallB
Soon as they dawn from Hyperborean skiesA2
Embody'd dark what clouds of Vandals riseA2
Lo where Maeotis sleeps and hardly flowsB2
The freezing Tanais thro' a waste of snowsB2
The North by myriads pours her mighty sonsC2
Great nurse of Goths of Alans and of HunsC2
See Alaric's stern port the martial frameF
Of Genseric and Attila's dread nameF
See the bold Ostrogoths on Latium fallB
See the fierce Visigoths on Spain and GaulB
See where the morning gilds the palmy shoreI
The soil that arts and infant letters boreI
His conqu'ring tribes th' Arabian prophet drawsC2
And saving Ignorance enthrones by LawsC2
See Christians Jews one heavy sabbath keepD2
And all the western world believe and sleepD2
-
Lo Rome herself proud mistress now no moreI
Of arts but thund'ring against heathen loreI
Her grey hair'd Synods damning books unreadA
And Bacon trembling for his brazen headA
Padua with sighs beholds her Livy burnE2
And ev'n th' Antipodes Virgilius mournF2
See the Cirque falls th' unpillar'd Temple nodsC2
Streets pav'd with Heroes Tiber chok'd with GodsC2
'Till Peter's keys some christ'ned Jove adornF2
And Pan to Moses lends his pagan hornF2
See graceless Venus to a Virgin turn'dA
Or Phidias broken and Apelles burn'dA
-
Behold yon' Isle by Palmers Pilgrims trodA
Men bearded bald cowl'd uncowl'd shod unshodA
Peel'd patch'd and pyebald linsey wolse brothersC2
Grave Mummers sleeveless some and shirtless othersC2
That once was Britain Happy had she seenG2
No fiercer sons had Easter never beenH2
In peace great Goddess ever be adorn'dA
How keen the war if Dulness draw the swordA
Thus visit not thy own on this blest ageI2
Oh spread thy Influence but restrain thy RageI2
-
And see my son the hour is on its wayL
That lifts our Goddess to imperial swayL
This fav'rite Isle long sever'd from her reignU
Dove like she gathers to her wings againV
Now look thro' Fate behold the scene she drawsC2
What aids what armies to assert her causeC2
See all her progeny illustrious sightA
Behold and count them as they rise to lightA
As Berecynthia while her offspring vieB
In homage to the mother of the skyB
Surveys around her in the blest abodeA
An hundred sons and ev'ry son a GodA
Not with less glory mighty Dulness crown'dA
Shall take thro' Grubstreet her triumphant roundA
And her Parnassus glancing o'er at onceC2
Behold an hundred sons and each a DunceC2
-
Mark first that youth who takes the foremost placeC2
And thrust his person full into your faceC2
With all thy Father's virtues blest be bornF2
And a new Cibber shall the stage adornF2
A second see by meeker manners knownJ2
And modest as the maid that sips aloneJ2
From the strong fate of drams if thou get freeN
Another Durfrey Ward shall sing in theeN
Thee shall each ale house thee each gill house mournF2
And answ'ring gin shops sourer sights returnE2
Jacob the scourge of Grammar mark with aweK2
Nor less revere him blunderbuss of LawB
Lo P l le's brow tremendous to the townL2
Horneck's fierce eye and Roome's funeral frownL2
Lo sneering Goode half mallice and half whimM2
A friend in glee ridiculously grimM2
Each Cygnet sweet of Bath and Tunbridge raceC2
Whose tuneful whistling makes the waters passC2
Each Songster Riddler ev'ry nameless nameF
All crowd who foremost shall be damn'd to FameF
Some strain in rhyme the Muses on their racksC2
Seream like the winding of ten thousand jacksC2
Some free from rhyme or reason rule or cheekN2
Break Priscian's head and Pegasus's neckO2
Down down they larum with impetuous whirlB
The Pindars and the Miltons of a CurlB
-
Silence ye Wolves while Ralph to Cynthia howlsC2
And makes night hideous Answer him ye OwlsC2
Sense speech and measure living tongues and deadA
Let all give way and Morris may be readA
Flow Welsted flow like thine inspirer BeerP2
Tho' stale not ripe tho' thin yet never clearP2
So sweetly mawkish and so smoothly dullB
Heady not strong o'erflowing tho' not fullB
Ah Dennis Gildon ah what ill starr'd rageI2
Divides a friendship long confirm'd by ageI2
Blockheads with reason wicked wits abhorI
But fool with fool is barb'rous civil warI
Embrace embrace my sons be foes no moreI
Nor glad vile Poets with true Critics' goreI
Behold yon Pair in strict embraces join'dA
How like in manners and how like in mindA
Equal in wit and equally politeA
Shall this a Pasquin that a Grumbler writeA
Like are their merits like rewards they shareZ
That shines a Consul this CommissionerR
-
But who is he in closet close y pentA
Of sober face with learned dust besprentA
Right well mine eyes arede the myster wightA
On parchment scraps y fed and Wormius hightA
To future ages may thy dulness lastA
As thou preserv'st the dulness of the pastA
There dim in clouds the poring Scholiasts markQ2
Wits who like owls see only in the darkQ2
A Lumber house of books in ev'ry headA
For ever reading never to be readA
But where each Science lifts its modern typeR2
Hist'ry her Pot Divinity her PipeR2
While proud Philosophy repines to showC
Dishonest sight his breeches rent belowC
Embrown'd with native bronze lo Henley standsC2
Turning his voice and balancing his handsC2
How fluent nonsense trickles from his tongueS2
How sweet the periods neither said nor sungS2
Still break the benches Henley with thy strainU
While Sherlock Hare and Gibson preach in vainU
Oh great Restorer of the good old StageI2
Preacher at once and Zany of thy ageI2
Oh worthy thou of AEgypt's wise abodesC2
A decent priest where monkeys were the godsC2
But fate with butchers placed thy priestly stallB
Meek modern faith to murder hack and maulB
And bade thee live to crown Britannia's praiseC2
In Toland's Tindal's and in Woolston's daysC2
Yet oh my sons a father's words attendA
So may the fates preserve the ears you lendA
'Tis yours a Bacon or a Locke to blameF
A Newton's genius or a Milton's flameF
But oh with One immortal One dispenseC2
The source of Newton's Light of Bacon's SenseC2
Content each Emanation of his firesC2
That beams on earth each Virtue he inspiresC2
Each Art he prompts each Charm he can createA
Whate'er he gives are giv'n for you to hateA
Persist by all divine in Man unaw'dA
But 'Learn ye Dunces not to scorn your God '-
-
Thus he for then a ray of Reason stoleB
Half thro' the solid darkness of his soulB
But soon the cloud return'd and thus the SireR
See now what Dulness and her sons admireT2
See what the charms that smite the simple heartA
Not touch'd by Nature and not reach'd by ArtA
His never blushing head he turn'd asideA
Not half so pleas'd when Goodman prophesy'dA
And look'd and saw a sable Sorc'rer riseC2
Swift to whose hand a winged volume fliesC2
All sudden Gorgons hiss and Dragons glareZ
And ten horn'd fiends and Giants rush to warI
Hell rises Heav'n descends and dance on EarthU2
Goods imps and monsters music rage and mirthU2
A fire a jig a battle and a ballB
'Till one wide conflagration swallows allB
-
Thence a new world to Nature's laws unknownJ2
Breaks our refulgent with a heav'n its ownJ2
Another Cynthia her new journey runsC2
And other planets circle other sunsC2
The forests dance the rivers upward riseC2
Whales sport in woods and dolphins in the skiesC2
And last to give the whole creation graceC2
Lo one vast Egg produces human raceC2
Joy fills his soul joy innocent of thoughtA
'What pow'r ' he cries 'what pow'r these wonders wrought '-
Son what thou seek'st is in thee Look and findA
Each monster meets his likeness in thy mindA
Yet would'st thou more in yonder cloud beholdA
Whose sars'net skirts are edg'd with flamy goldA
A matchless youth his nod these words controlsC2
Wings the red lightning and the thunder rollsC2
Angel of Dulness sent to scatter roundA
Her magic charms o'er all unclassic groundA
Yon stars yon suns he rears at pleasure higherR
Illumes their light and sets their flames on fireR
Immortal Rich how calm he sits at easeC2
'Mid snows of paper and fierce hail of peaseC2
And proud his Mistress' orders to performV2
Rides in the whirlwind and directs the stormV2
But lo to dark encounter in mid airZ
New wizards rise I see my Cibber thereZ
Booth in his cloudy tabernacle shrin'dA
On grinning dragons thou shalt mount the windA
Dirge is the conflict dismal is the dinH2
Here shouts all Drury there all Lincoln's innH2
Contending Theatres our empire raiseC2
Alike their labours and alike their praiseC2
-
And are these wonders Son to thee unknownJ2
Unknown to thee these wonders are thy ownJ2
These Fate reserv'd to grace thy reign divineX
Foreseen by me but ah withheld from mineX
In Lud's old walls tho' long I rul'd renown'dA
Far as loud Bow's stupendous bells resoundA
Tho' my own Aldermen conferr'd the baysC2
To me committing their eternal praiseC2
Their full fed Heroes their pacific May'rsC2
Their annual trophies and their monthly warsC2
Tho' long my Party built on me their hopesC2
For writing Pamphlets and for roasting PopesC2
Yet lo in me what authors have to brag onW2
Reduc'd at last to hiss in my own dragonP
Avert it Heav'n that thou my Cibber e'erR
Should'st wag a serpent tail in Smithfield fairZ
Like the vile straw that's blown about the streetsC2
The needy Poet sticks to all he meetsC2
Coach'd carted trod upon now loose now fastA
And carry'd off in some Dog's tail at lastA
Happier thy fortunes like a rolling stoneJ2
Thy giddy dulness still shall lumber onW2
Safe in its heaviness shall never strayL
But lick up ev'ry blockhead in thy wayL
Thee shall the Patriot thee the Courtier tasteA
And ev'ry year be duller than the lastA
Till rais'd from booths to Theatre to CourtA
Her seat imperial Dulness shall transportA
Already Opera prepares the wayL
The sure fore runner of her gentle swayL
Let her thy heart next Drabs and Dice engageI2
The third mad passion of thy doting ageI2
Teach thou the warbling Polypheme to roarI
And scream thyself as none e'er scream'd beforeI
To aid our cause if Heav'n thou can'st not bendA
Hell thou shalt move for Faustus is our friendA
Pluto with Cato thou for this shalt joinX2
And link the Mourning Bride to ProsperineX2
Grubstreet thy fall should men and Gods conspireR
Thy stage shall stand ensure it but from FireR
Another AEschylus appears prepareZ
For new abortions all ye pregnant fairZ
In flames like Semele's be brought to bedA
While op'ning Hell spouts wild fire at your headA
-
Now Bavius take the poppy from thy browY2
And place it here here all ye Heroes bowY2
This this is he foretold by ancient rhymesC2
Th' Augustus born to bring Saturnian timesC2
Signs following signs lead on the mighty yearP2
See the dull stars roll round and re appearP2
See see our own true Phoebus wears the baysC2
Our Midas sits Lord Chancellor of PlaysC2
On Poets' Tombs see Benson's titles writA
Lo Ambrose Philips is preferr'd for WitA
See under Ripley rise a new White hallB
While Jones' and Boyle's united Labours fallB
While Wren with sorrow to the grave descendsC2
Gay dies unpension'd with a hundred friendsC2
Hibernian Politics O Swift thy fateA
And Pope's ten years to comment and translateA
-
Proceed great days till Learning fly the shoreI
Till Birch shall blush with noble blood no moreI
Till Thames see Eton's sons for ever playL
Till Westminster's whole year be holidayL
Till Isis' Elders reel their pupils' sportA
And Alma Mater lie dissolv'd in PortA
'Enough enough ' the raptur'd Monarch criesC2
And thro' the Iv'ry Gate the Vision fliesC2

Alexander Pope



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