A Miller, His Son, And Their Ass Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCD EEFFGHHIJKKLLMMNNOPQ Q RRSS TTUUVVWXYZA2A2B2B2C2 C2B2B2D2E2F2F2B2B2G2 G2B2B2H2H2G2G2G2G2G2 G2B2B2I2NG2G2G2G2B2B 2B2B2J2J2JJG2G2B2B2G 2G2 B2B2G2G2G2G2K2K2 C2FL2L2| THO' to Antiquity the Praise we yield | A |
| Of pleasing Arts and Fable's earli'st Field | A |
| Own to be fruitful Greece yet not so clean | B |
| Those Ears were reap'd but still there's some to glean | B |
| And from the Lands of vast Invention come | C |
| Daily new Authors with Discov'ries home | D |
| - | |
| This curious Piece which I shall now impart | E |
| Fell from Malherbe a Master in his Art | E |
| To Racan fill'd with like poetick Fire | F |
| Both tuneful Servants of Apollo's Choir | F |
| Rivals and Heirs to the Horatian Lyre | G |
| Who meeting him one Day free and alone | H |
| For still their Thoughts were to each other known | H |
| Thus ask'd his Aid Some useful Counsel give | I |
| Thou who by living long hast learnt to live | J |
| Whose Observation nothing can escape | K |
| Tell me how I my course of Life shall shape | K |
| To something I wou'd fix ere't be too late | L |
| You know my Birth my Talents my Estate | L |
| Shall I with these content all Search resign | M |
| And to the Country my Desires confine | M |
| Or in the Court or Camp advancement gain | N |
| The World's a mixture of Delight and Pain | N |
| Tho' rough it seems there's Pleasure in the Wars | O |
| And Hymen's Joys are not without their Cares | P |
| I need not ask to what my Genius tends | Q |
| But wou'd content the World the Court my Friends | Q |
| - | |
| - | |
| Please all the World in haste Malherbe replies | R |
| How vain th' Attempt will prove in him that tries | R |
| Learn from a Fable I have somewhere found | S |
| Before I answer all that you propound | S |
| - | |
| - | |
| A Miller and his Son the Father old | T |
| The Boy about some fifteen Years had told | T |
| Designed their Ass to sell and for the Fair | U |
| Some distance off accordingly prepare | U |
| But lest she in the walk should lose her Flesh | V |
| And not appear for Sale so full and fresh | V |
| Her Feet together ty'd between them two | W |
| They heav'd her up and on the Rusticks go | X |
| Till those who met them bearing thus the Ass | Y |
| Cry'd Are these Fools about to act a Farce | Z |
| Surely the Beast howe'er it seem to be | A2 |
| Is not the greatest Ass of all the Three | A2 |
| The Miller in their Mirth his Folly finds | B2 |
| And down he sets her and again unbinds | B2 |
| And tho' her grumbling shew'd she lik'd much more | C2 |
| The lazy way she travell'd in before | C2 |
| He minds her not but up the Boy he sets | B2 |
| Upon her Back and on the Crupper gets | B2 |
| Thus on they jog when of Three Men that pass'd | D2 |
| The eldest thinking Age to be disgrac'd | E2 |
| Call'd to the Youth ho you young Man for shame | F2 |
| Come down lest Passengers your Manners blame | F2 |
| And say it ill becomes your tender Years | B2 |
| To ride before a Grandsire with grey Hairs | B2 |
| Truly the Gentlemen are in the right | G2 |
| The Miller cries and makes the Boy alight | G2 |
| Then forward slides himself into his place | B2 |
| And with a Mind content renews his pace | B2 |
| But much he had not gain'd upon his way | H2 |
| Before a Troop of Damsels neat and gay | H2 |
| Partial to Youth to one another cry'd | G2 |
| See how with walking by that Dotard's side | G2 |
| The Boy is tir'd whilst with a Prelate's state | G2 |
| He rides alone and dangling in the Seat | G2 |
| Hangs like a Calf thrown up across the Beast | G2 |
| The Miller thinking to have spoiled that Jest | G2 |
| Reply'd he was too Old for Veal to pass | B2 |
| But after more on him and on his Ass | B2 |
| He stands convinc'd and takes his Son again | I2 |
| To ride at ease himself still next the Mane | N |
| Yet ere he'd thirty Paces borne the Lad | G2 |
| The next they met cry'd Are these Fellows mad | G2 |
| Have they no Pity thus t'o'erload the Jade | G2 |
| Sure at the Fair they for her Skin may trade | G2 |
| See how's she spent and sinks beneath their strokes | B2 |
| The Miller whom this most of all provokes | B2 |
| Swears by his Cap he shews his want of Brains | B2 |
| Who thus to please the World bestows his Pains | B2 |
| Howe'er we'll try if this way't may be done | J2 |
| And off he comes and fetches down his Son | J2 |
| Behind they walk and now the Creature drive | J |
| But cou'd no better in their Purpose thrive | J |
| Nor scape a Fellow's Censure whom they meet | G2 |
| That cries to spare the Ass they break their Feet | G2 |
| And whilst unladen at her ease she goes | B2 |
| Trudge in the Dirt and batter out their Shooes | B2 |
| As if to burthen her they were afraid | G2 |
| And Men for Beasts not Beasts for Men were made | G2 |
| - | |
| The Proverb right the Cart before the Horse | B2 |
| The Miller finding things grow worse and worse | B2 |
| Cries out I am an Ass it is agreed | G2 |
| And so are all who wou'd in this succeed | G2 |
| Hereafter tho' Reproof or Praise I find | G2 |
| I'll neither heed but follow my own Mind | G2 |
| Take my own Counsel how my Beast to sell | K2 |
| This he resolv'd and did it and did well | K2 |
| - | |
| - | |
| For you Sir Follow Love the Court the War | C2 |
| Obtain the Crosier or the City's Furr | F |
| Live single all your Days or take a Wife | L2 |
| Trust me a Censure waits each state of Life | L2 |
Anne Kingsmill Finch
(1)
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