The Sixth Epistle Of The First Book Of Horace Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A B CC DDEEFF GGGHHII JJKLMMNNGG GGEEOAPPDDQQGGRRSSNN TUOOGG VVKKWWXXX NNXXKLYYGGXXZZA2A2GG RRXXXXNNGGXXGGGG OB2GGC2C2XXZ GGG GGNNGGA2D2 GGGGXXE2E2 VV F2 GGGG| TO MR MURRAY | A |
| - | |
| 'Not to admire is all the art I know | B |
| To make men happy and to keep them so ' | - |
| Plain truth dear Murray needs no flowers of speech | C |
| So take it in the very words of Creech | C |
| - | |
| This vault of air this congregated ball | D |
| Self centred sun and stars that rise and fall | D |
| There are my friend whose philosophic eyes | E |
| Look through and trust the Ruler with his skies | E |
| To Him commit the hour the day the year | F |
| And view this dreadful All without a fear | F |
| - | |
| Admire we then what earth's low entrails hold | G |
| Arabian shores or Indian seas infold | G |
| All the mad trade of fools and slaves for gold | G |
| Or popularity or stars and strings | H |
| The mob's applauses or the gifts of kings | H |
| Say with what eyes we ought at courts to gaze | I |
| And pay the great our homage of amaze | I |
| - | |
| If weak the pleasure that from these can spring | J |
| The fear to want them is as weak a thing | J |
| Whether we dread or whether we desire | K |
| In either case believe me we admire | L |
| Whether we joy or grieve the same the curse | M |
| Surprised at better or surprised at worse | M |
| Thus good or bad to one extreme betray | N |
| The unbalanced mind and snatch the man away | N |
| For virtue's self may too much zeal be had | G |
| The worst of madmen is a saint run mad | G |
| - | |
| Go then and if you can admire the state | G |
| Of beaming diamonds and reflected plate | G |
| Procure a taste to double the surprise | E |
| And gaze on Parian charms with learned eyes | E |
| Be struck with bright brocade or Tyrian dye | O |
| Our birthday nobles' splendid livery | A |
| If not so pleased at council board rejoice | P |
| To see their judgments hang upon thy voice | P |
| From morn to night at Senate Rolls and Hall | D |
| Plead much read more dine late or not at all | D |
| But wherefore all this labour all this strife | Q |
| For fame for riches for a noble wife | Q |
| Shall one whom nature learning birth conspired | G |
| To form not to admire but be admired | G |
| Sigh while his Chloe blind to wit and worth | R |
| Weds the rich dulness of some son of earth | R |
| Yet time ennobles or degrades each line | S |
| It brighten'd Craggs's and may darken thine | S |
| And what is fame the meanest have their day | N |
| The greatest can but blaze and pass away | N |
| Graced as thou art with all the power of words | T |
| So known so honour'd at the House of Lords | U |
| Conspicuous scene another yet is nigh | O |
| More silent far where kings and poets lie | O |
| Where Murray long enough his country's pride | G |
| Shall be no more than Tully or than Hyde | G |
| - | |
| Rack'd with sciatics martyr'd with the stone | V |
| Will any mortal let himself alone | V |
| See Ward by batter'd beaux invited over | K |
| And desperate misery lays hold on Dover | K |
| The case is easier in the mind's disease | W |
| There all men may be cured whene'er they please | W |
| Would ye be blest despise low joys low gains | X |
| Disdain whatever Cornbury disdains | X |
| Be virtuous and be happy for your pains | X |
| - | |
| But art thou one whom new opinions sway | N |
| One who believes as Tindal leads the way | N |
| Who virtue and a church alike disowns | X |
| Thinks that but words and this but brick and stones | X |
| Fly then on all the wings of wild desire | K |
| Admire whate'er the maddest can admire | L |
| Is wealth thy passion Hence from pole to pole | Y |
| Where winds can carry or where waves can roll | Y |
| For Indian spices for Peruvian gold | G |
| Prevent the greedy and outbid the bold | G |
| Advance thy golden mountain to the skies | X |
| On the broad base of fifty thousand rise | X |
| Add one round hundred and if that's not fair | Z |
| Add fifty more and bring it to a square | Z |
| For mark the advantage just so many score | A2 |
| Will gain a wife with half as many more | A2 |
| Procure her beauty make that beauty chaste | G |
| And then such friends as cannot fail to last | G |
| A man of wealth is dubb'd a man of worth | R |
| Venus shall give him form and Anstis birth | R |
| Believe me many a German prince is worse | X |
| Who proud of pedigree is poor of purse | X |
| His wealth brave Timon gloriously confounds | X |
| Ask'd for a groat he gives a hundred pounds | X |
| Or if three ladies like a luckless play | N |
| Takes the whole house upon the poet's day | N |
| Now in such exigencies not to need | G |
| Upon my word you must be rich indeed | G |
| A noble superfluity it craves | X |
| Not for yourself but for your fools and knaves | X |
| Something which for your honour they may cheat | G |
| And which it much becomes you to forget | G |
| If wealth alone then make and keep us bless'd | G |
| Still still be getting never never rest | G |
| - | |
| But if to power and place your passion lie | O |
| If in the pomp of life consist the joy | B2 |
| Then hire a slave or if you will a lord | G |
| To do the honours and to give the word | G |
| Tell at your levee as the crowds approach | C2 |
| To whom to nod whom take into your coach | C2 |
| Whom honour with your hand to make remarks | X |
| Who rules in Cornwall or who rules in Berks | X |
| 'This may be troublesome is near the chair | Z |
| That makes three members this can choose a mayor ' | - |
| Instructed thus you bow embrace protest | G |
| Adopt him son or cousin at the least | G |
| Then turn about and laugh at your own jest | G |
| - | |
| Or if your life be one continued treat | G |
| If to live well means nothing but to eat | G |
| Up up cries Gluttony 'tis break of day | N |
| Go drive the deer and drag the finny prey | N |
| With hounds and horns go hunt an appetite | G |
| So Russel did but could not eat at night | G |
| Call'd happy dog the beggar at his door | A2 |
| And envied thirst and hunger to the poor | D2 |
| - | |
| Or shall we every decency confound | G |
| Through taverns stews and bagnios take our round | G |
| Go dine with Chartres in each vice outdo | G |
| K l's lewd cargo or Ty y's crew | G |
| From Latian syrens French Circaean feasts | X |
| Return well travell'd and transform'd to beasts | X |
| Or for a titled punk or foreign flame | E2 |
| Renounce our country and degrade our name | E2 |
| - | |
| If after all we must with Wilmot own | V |
| The cordial drop of life is love alone | V |
| And Swift cry wisely 'Vive la bagatelle ' | - |
| The man that loves and laughs must sure do well | F2 |
| - | |
| Adieu if this advice appear the worst | G |
| E'en take the counsel which I gave you first | G |
| Or better precepts if you can impart | G |
| Why do I'll follow them with all my heart | G |
Alexander Pope
(1)
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