The Lawyers First Tale Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BBCCDDBBC CCEEFFCCGGHHIIBBJJKL MMCCNNFFOOPPQQRRDDSS QQTTUUDDVVWWXXYZA2A2 SFB2C2D2D2E2E2F2G2H2 H2I2I2J2J2K2K2L2L2QQ M2M2HHHHN2N2O2P2HHQ2 Q2HHHBBR2R2N2N2CCN2N 2N2N2N2N2DDCCS2S2FQ2 T2T2DDN2N2N2N2L2L2U2 U2V2V2TTTBBBCCN2N2CC CW2W2N2N2N2N2X2X2HHN 2N2CCBBWWDDDN2N2CCTT N2N2CCQ2Q2N2N2N2N2DD N2N2FSTTO2Y2N2N2BB N2N2N2N2DDN2N2N2N2N2 N2N2N2HHX2X2HHN2N2X2 X2X2HHTTDDCCX2X2EEDD BBTTBBZ2F TA3A3DDDTTTTHHHTTN2N 2N2 N2N2DDDB3B3 N2N2N2N2TTTTN2N2TTTH HTTN2N2N2HHDDDDN2N2N 2N2P2O2C3C3TTBBBN2N2 N2DDHHTTDDN2N2TTN2N2 N2N2N2 TTN2N2Y2O2D3D3HHDDN2 N2N2N2E3E3DDN2N2N2N2 N2N2HHSSTTHHB3B3M2M2 DDD3D3DDN2N2 F3F3G3G3HHDDN2N2H3H3 HHTTI3J3TTTHHHN2N2TT TTTHHN2N2HHN2N2 TTDDN2N2TTK3K3N2N2 N2N2TTN2N2TTTTT TTL3L3Q2Q2TTN2N2TTDD TT HHHN2N2TTT TTHHHDDDD L3 TTDDDDN2N2HHFQ2TTN2N 2HHDDN2N2TTP2P2TTTTD DN2N2N2N2HHY2Y2TTHHN 2N2M3M3DDN2N2N2N2N2N 2TTN2N2N2N3B3HHL3L3H HTTTDDDDN2N2DDP2O2 DTB3N3L3L3HHHHH2H2N2 N2HHHHN2DHHFFDDDO3P3 N2N2 DHHDDDDT HHL3L3N2N2N2N2N2N2DD DHHP2O2HHN2N2N2 D O2P2L3L3N2N2 DDN3B3N2N2N2N2HHL3L3 TTTTDDHHL3L3 N2N2H3H3TTTM2 N2N2N2 DDN2N2 DDN2N2 DDDW2W2T N2N2DDDN2N2L3 N2N2DD TTT DDDDHHH TTQ2Q2T TTTK2K2DDDDS2S2TTHHN 2N2H TDL3 N2N2Q3 N2N2

Primiti or Third Cousins	A
	-
I	-
	-
'Dearest of boys please come to day	B
Papa and mama have bid me say	B
They hope you'll dine with us at three	C
They will be out till then you see	C
But you will start at once you know	D
And come as fast as you can go	D
Next week they hope you'll come and stay	B
Some time before you go away	B
Dear boy how pleasant it will be	C
Ever your dearest Emily '	-
Twelve years of age was I and she	C
Fourteen when thus she wrote to me	C
A schoolboy with an uncle spending	E
My holidays then nearly ending	E
My uncle lived the mountain o'er	F
A rector and a bachelor	F
The vicarage was by the sea	C
That was the home of Emily	C
The windows to the front looked down	G
Across a single streeted town	G
Far as to where Worms head was seen	H
Dim with ten watery miles between	H
The Carnedd mountains on the right	I
With stony masses filled the sight	I
To left the open sea the bay	B
In a blue plain before you lay	B
A garden full of fruit extends	J
Stone walled above the house and ends	J
With a locked door that by a porch	K
Admits to churchyard and to church	L
Farm buildings nearer on one side	M
And glebe and then the countrywide	M
I and my cousin Emily	C
Were cousins in the third degree	C
My mother near of kin was reckoned	N
To hers who was my mother's second	N
My cousinship I held from her	F
Such an amount of girls there were	F
At first one really was perplexed	O
'Twas Patty first and Lydia next	O
And Emily the third and then	P
Philippa Phoebe Mary Gwen	P
Six were they you perceive in all	Q
And portraits fading on the wall	Q
Grandmothers heroines of old	R
And aunts of aunts with scrolls that told	R
Their names and dates were there to show	D
Why these had all been christened so	D
The crowd of blooming daughters fair	S
Scarce let you see the mother there	S
And by her husband large and tall	Q
She looked a little shrunk and small	Q
Although my mother used to tell	T
That once she was a county belle	T
Busied she seemed and half distress'd	U
For him and them to do the best	U
The vicar was of bulk and thewes	D
Six feet he stood within his shoes	D
And every inch of all a man	V
Ecclesiast on the ancient plan	V
Unforced by any party rule	W
His native character to school	W
In ancient learning not unread	X
But had few doctrines in his head	X
Dissenters truly he abhorr'd	Y
They never had his gracious word	Z
He ne'er was bitter or unkind	A2
But positively spoke his mind	A2
Their piety he could not bear	S
A sneaking snivelling set they were	F
Their tricks and meanness fired his blood	B2
Up for his Church he stoutly stood	C2
No worldly aim had he in life	D2
To set him with himself at strife	D2
A spade a spade he freely named	E2
And of his joke was not ashamed	E2
Made it and laughed at it be sure	F2
With young and old and rich and poor	G2
His sermons frequently he took	H2
Out of some standard reverend book	H2
They seemed a little strange indeed	I2
But were not likely to mislead	I2
Others he gave that were his own	J2
The difference could be quickly known	J2
Though sorry not to have a boy	K2
His daughters were his perfect joy	K2
He plagued them oft drew tears from each	L2
Was bold and hasty in his speech	L2
All through the house you heard him call	Q
He had his vocatives for all	Q
Patty Patina Pat became	M2
Lydia took Languish with her name	M2
Philippa was the Gentle Queen	H
And Phoebe Madam Proserpine	H
The pseudonyms for Mary Gwen	H
Varied with every week again	H
But Emily of all the set	N2
Emilia called was most the pet	N2
Soon as her messenger had come	O2
I started from my uncle's home	P2
On an old pony scrambling down	H
Over the mountain to the town	H
My cousins met me at the door	Q2
And some behind and some before	Q2
Kissed me all round and kissed again	H
The happy custom there and then	H
From Patty down to Mary Gwen	H
Three hours we had and spent in play	B
About the garden and the hay	B
We sat upon the half built stack	R2
And when 'twas time for hurrying back	R2
Slyly away the others hied	N2
And took the ladder from the side	N2
Emily there alone with me	C
Was left in close captivity	C
But down the stack at last I slid	N2
And found the ladder they had hid	N2
I left at six again I went	N2
Soon after and a fortnight spent	N2
Drawing by Patty I was taught	N2
But could not be to music brought	N2
I showed them how to play at chess	D
I argued with the governess	D
I called them stupid why to me	C
'Twas evident as A B C	C
Were not the reasons such and such	S2
Helston my schoolfellow but much	S2
My senior in a yacht came o'er	F
His uncle with him from the shore	Q2
Under Worms head to take a sail	T2
He pressed them but could not prevail	T2
Mania was timid durst not go	D
Papa was rather gruff with no	D
Helston no sooner was afloat	N2
We made a party in a boat	N2
And rowed to Sea Mew Island out	N2
And landed there and roved about	N2
And I and Emily out of reach	L2
Strayed from the rest along the beach	L2
Turning to look into a cave	U2
She stood when suddenly a wave	U2
Ran up I caught her by the frock	V2
And pulled her out and o'er a rock	V2
So doing stumbled rolled and fell	T
She knelt down I remember well	T
Bid me where I was hurt to tell	T
And kissed me three times as I lay	B
But I jumped up and limped away	B
The next was my departing day	B
Patty arranged it all with me	C
To send next year to Emily	C
A valentine I wrote and sent	N2
For the fourteenth it duly went	N2
On the fourteenth what should there be	C
But one from Emily to me	C
The postmark left it plain to see	C
Mine though they praised it at the time	W2
Was but a formal piece of rhyme	W2
She sent me one that she had bought	N2
'Twas stupid of her as I thought	N2
Why not have written one She wrote	N2
However soon this little note	N2
'Dearest of boys of course 'twas you	X2
You printed but your hand I knew	X2
And verses too how did you learn	H
I can't send any in return	H
Papa declares they are not bad	N2
That's praise from him and I'm so glad	N2
Because you know no one can be	C
I'd rather have to write to me	C
'Our governess is going away	B
We're so distressed she cannot stay	B
Mama had made it quite a rule	W
We none of us should go to school	W
But what to do they do not know	D
Papa protests it must be so	D
Lydia and I may have to go	D
Patty will try to teach the rest	N2
Mama agrees it will be best	N2
Dear boy good bye I am you see	C
Ever your dearest Emily	C
We want to know so write and tell	T
If you'd a valentine as well'	T
	-
	-
	-
II	-
	-
Five tardy years were fully spent	N2
Ere next my cousins' way I went	N2
With Christmas then I came to see	C
My uncle in his rectory	C
But they the town had left no more	Q2
Were in the vicarage of yore	Q2
When time his sixtieth year had brought	N2
An easier cure the vicar sought	N2
A country parsonage was made	N2
Sufficient amply with the aid	N2
Of mortar here and there and bricks	D
For him and wife and children six	D
Though neighbours now there scarce was light	N2
To see them and return ere night	N2
Emily wrote how glad they were	F
To hear of my arrival there	S
Mama had bid her say that all	T
The house was crowded for the ball	T
Till Tuesday but if I would come	O2
She thought that they could find me room	Y2
The week with them I then should spend	N2
But really must the ball attend	N2
'Dear cousin you have been away	B
For such an age pray don't delay	B
But come and do not lose a day '	-
A schoolboy still but now indeed	N2
About to college to proceed	N2
Dancing was let it be confess'd	N2
To me no pleasure at the best	N2
Of girls and of their lovely looks	D
I thought not busy with my books	D
Still though a little ill content	N2
Upon the Monday morn I went	N2
My cousins each and all I found	N2
Wondrously grown They kissed me round	N2
And so affectionate and good	N2
They were it could not be withstood	N2
Emily I was so surprised	N2
At first I hardly recognised	N2
Her face so formed and rounded now	H
Such knowledge in her eyes and brow	H
For all I read and thought I knew	X2
She could divine me through and through	X2
Where had she been and what had done	H
I asked such victory to have won	H
She had not studied had not read	N2
Seemed to have little in her head	N2
Yet of herself the right and true	X2
As of her own experience knew	X2
Straight from her eyes her judgments flew	X2
Like absolute decrees they ran	H
From mine on such a different plan	H
A simple county country ball	T
It was to be not grand at all	T
And cousins four with me would dance	D
And keep me well in countenance	D
And there were people there to be	C
Who knew of old my family	C
Friends of my friends I heard and knew	X2
And tried but no it would not do	X2
Somehow it seemed a sort of thing	E
To which my strength I could not bring	E
The music scarcely touched my ears	D
The figures fluttered me with fears	D
I talked but had not aught to say	B
Danced my instructions to obey	B
E'en when with beautiful good will	T
Emilia through the long quadrille	T
Conducted me alas the day	B
Ten times I wished myself away	B
But she invested with a dower	Z2
Of conscious scarce exerted power	F
Emilia so I know not why	-
They called her now not Emily	T
Amid the living heaving throng	A3
Sedately somewhat moved along	A3
Serenely somewhat in the dance	D
Mingled divining at a glance	D
And reading every countenance	D
Not stately she nor grand nor tall	T
Yet looked as if controlling all	T
The fluctuations of the ball	T
Her subjects ready at her call	T
All others she a queen her throne	H
Preparing and her title known	H
Though not yet taken as her own	H
O wonderful I still can see	T
And twice she came and danced with me	T
She asked me of my school and what	N2
Those prizes were that I had got	N2
And what we learnt and 'oh ' she said	N2
'How much to carry in one's head '	-
And I must be upon my guard	N2
And really must not work too hard	N2
Who were my friends I and did I go	D
Ever to balls I told her no	D
She said 'I really like them so	D
But then I am a girl and dear	B3
You like your friends at school I fear	B3
Better than anybody here '	-
How long had she left school I asked	N2
Two years she told me and I tasked	N2
My faltering speech to learn about	N2
Her life but could not bring it out	N2
This while the dancers round us flew	T
Helston whom formerly I knew	T
My schoolfellow was at the ball	T
A man full statured fair and tall	T
Helston of Helston now they said	N2
Heir to his uncle who was dead	N2
In the army too he danced with three	T
Of the four sisters Emily	T
Refused him once to dance with me	T
How long it seemed and yet at one	H
We left before 'twas nearly done	H
How thankful I the journey through	T
I talked to them with spirits new	T
And the brief sleep of closing night	N2
Brought a sensation of delight	N2
Which when I woke was exquisite	N2
The music moving in my brain	H
I felt in the gay crowd again	H
Half felt half saw the girlish bands	D
On their white skirts their white gloved hands	D
Advance retreat and yet advance	D
And mingle in the mingling dance	D
The impulse had arrived at last	N2
When the opportunity was past	N2
Breakfast my soft sensations first	N2
With livelier passages dispersed	N2
Reposing in his country home	P2
Which half luxurious had become	O2
Gay was their father loudly flung	C3
His guests and blushing girls among	C3
His jokes and she their mother too	T
Less anxious seemed with less to do	T
Her daughters aiding As the day	B
Advanced the others went away	B
But I must absolutely stay	B
The girls cried out I stayed and let	N2
Myself be once more half their pet	N2
Although a little on the fret	N2
How ill our boyhood understands	D
Incipient manhood's strong demands	D
Boys have such troubles of their own	H
As none they fancy e'er have known	H
Such as to speak of or to tell	T
They hold were unendurable	T
Religious social of all kinds	D
That tear and agitate their minds	D
A thousand thoughts within me stirred	N2
Of which I could not speak a word	N2
Strange efforts after something new	T
Which I was wretched not to do	T
Passions ambitions lay and lurked	N2
Wants counter wants obscurely worked	N2
Without their names and unexplained	N2
And where had Emily obtained	N2
Assurance and had ascertained	N2
How strange how far behind was I	-
And how it came I asked and why	-
How was it and how could it be	T
And what was all that worked in me	T
They used to scold me when I read	N2
And bade me talk to them instead	N2
When I absconded to my room	Y2
To fetch me out they used to come	O2
Oft by myself I went to walk	D3
But by degrees was got to talk	D3
The year had cheerfully begun	H
With more than winter's wonted sun	H
Mountains in the green garden ways	D
Gleamed through the laurel and the bays	D
I well remember letting out	N2
One day as there I looked about	N2
While they of girls discoursing sat	N2
This one how sweet how lovely that	N2
That I could greater pleasure take	E3
In looking on Llynidwil lake	E3
Than on the fairest female face	D
They could not understand a place	D
Incomprehensible it seemed	N2
Philippa looked as if she dreamed	N2
Patty and Lydia loud exclaimed	N2
And I already was ashamed	N2
When Emily asked half apart	N2
If to the lake I'd given my heart	N2
And did the lake she wished to learn	H
My tender sentiment return	H
For music too I would not care	S
Which was an infinite despair	S
When Lydia took her seat to play	T
I read a book or walked away	T
I was not quite composed I own	H
Except when with the girls alone	H
Looked to their father still with fear	B3
Of how to him I must appear	B3
And was entirely put to shame	M2
When once some rough he cousins came	M2
Yet Emily from all distress	D
Could reinstate me more or less	D
How pleasant by her side to walk	D3
How beautiful to let her talk	D3
How charming I yet by slow degrees	D
I got impatient ill at ease	D
Half glad half wretched when at last	N2
The visit ended and 't was past	N2
	-
	-
	-
III	-
	-
Next year I went and spent a week	F3
And certainly had learnt to speak	F3
My chains I forcibly had broke	G3
And now too much indeed I spoke	G3
A mother sick and seldom seen	H
A grief for many months had been	H
Their father too was feebler years	D
Were heavy and there had been fears	D
Some months ago and he was vexed	N2
With party heats and all perplexed	N2
With an upheaving modern change	H3
To him and his old wisdom strange	H3
The daughters all were there not one	H
Had yet to other duties run	H
Their father people used to say	T
Frightened the wooers all away	T
As vines around an ancient stem	I3
They clung and clustered upon him	J3
Him loved and tended above all	T
Emilia ever at his call	T
But I was intellectual	T
I talked in high superior tone	H
Of things the girls had never known	H
Far wiser to have let alone	H
Things which the father knew in short	N2
By country clerical report	N2
I talked of much I thought I knew	T
Used all my college wit anew	T
A little on my fancy drew	T
Religion politics O me	T
No subject great enough could be	T
In vain more weak in spirit grown	H
At times he tried to put me down	H
I own it was the want in part	N2
Of any discipline of heart	N2
It was now hard at work again	H
The busy argufying brain	H
Of the prize schoolboy but indeed	N2
Much more if right the thing I read	N2
It was the instinctive wish to try	-
And above all things not be shy	-
Alas it did not do at all	T
Ill went the visit ill the ball	T
Each hour I felt myself grow worse	D
With every effort more perverse	D
I tried to change too hard indeed	N2
I tried and never could succeed	N2
Out of sheer spite an extra day	T
I stayed but when I went away	T
Alas the farewells were not warm	K3
The kissing was the merest form	K3
Emilia was distraite and sad	N2
And everything was bad as bad	N2
	-
O had some happy chance fall'n out	N2
To turn the thing just round about	N2
In time at least to give anew	T
The old affectionate adieu	T
A little thing a word a jest	N2
A laugh had set us all at rest	N2
But nothing came I went away	T
And could have really cried that day	T
So vexed for I had meant so well	T
Yet everything so ill befell	T
And why and how I could not tell	T
	-
Our wounds in youth soon close and heal	T
Or seem to close young people feel	T
And suffer greatly I believe	L3
But then they can't profess to grieve	L3
Their pleasures occupy them more	Q2
And they have so much time before	Q2
At twenty life appeared to me	T
A sort of vague infinity	T
And though of changes still I heard	N2
Real changes had not yet occurred	N2
And all things were or would be well	T
And nothing irremediable	T
The youth for his degrees that reads	D
Beyond it nothing knows or needs	D
Nor till 'tis over wakes to see	T
The busy world's reality	T
	-
One visit brief I made again	H
In autumn next but one and then	H
All better found With Mary Gwen	H
I talked a schoolgirl just about	N2
To leave this winter and come out	N2
Patty and Lydia were away	T
And a strange sort of distance lay	T
Betwixt me and Emilia	T
She sought me less and I was shy	-
And yet this time I think that I	-
More subtly felt more saw more knew	T
The beauty into which she grew	T
More understood the meanings now	H
Of the still eyes and rounded brow	H
And could perhaps have told you how	H
The intellect that crowns our race	D
To more than beauty in her face	D
Was changed But I confuse from hence	D
The later and the earlier sense	D
	-
	-
	-
IV	L3
	-
Have you the Giesbach seen a fall	T
In Switzerland you say that's all	T
That and an inn from which proceeds	D
A path that to the Faulhorn leads	D
From whence you see the world of snows	D
Few see how perfect in repose	D
White green the lake lies deeply set	N2
Where slowly purifying yet	N2
The icy river floods retain	H
A something of the glacier stain	H
Steep cliffs arise the waters o'er	F
The Giesbach leads you to a shore	Q2
And to one still sequestered bay	T
I found elsewhere a scrambling way	T
Above the loftier heights ascend	N2
And level platforms here extend	N2
The mountains and the cliffs between	H
With firs and grassy spaces green	H
And little dips and knolls to show	D
In part or whole the lake below	D
And all exactly at the height	N2
To make the pictures exquisite	N2
Most exquisite they seemed to me	T
When a year after my degree	T
Passing upon my journey home	P2
From Greece and Sicily and Rome	P2
I stayed at that minute hotel	T
Six days or eight I cannot tell	T
Twelve months had led me fairly through	T
The old world surviving in the new	T
From Rome with joy I passed to Greece	D
To Athens and the Peloponnese	D
Saluted with supreme delight	N2
The Parthenon surmounted height	N2
In huts at Delphi made abode	N2
And in Arcadian valleys rode	N2
Counted the towns that lie like slain	H
Upon the wide Boeotian plain	H
With wonder in the spacious gloom	Y2
Stood of the Mycen an tomb	Y2
From the Acrocorinth watched the day	T
Light the eastern and the western bay	T
Constantinople then had seen	H
Where by her cypresses the queen	H
Of the East sees flow through portals wide	N2
The steady streaming Scythian tide	N2
And after from Scamander's mouth	M3
Went up to Troy and to the South	M3
To Lycia Caria pressed atwhiles	D
Outvoyaging to Egean isles	D
To see the things which sick with doubt	N2
And comment one had learnt about	N2
Was like clear morning after night	N2
Or raising of the blind to sight	N2
Aware it might be first and last	N2
I did it eagerly and fast	N2
And took unsparingly my fill	T
The impetus of travel still	T
Urged me but laden half oppress'd	N2
Here lighting on a place of rest	N2
I yielded asked not if 'twere best	N2
Pleasant it was reposing here	N3
To sum the experience of the year	B3
And let the accumulated gain	H
Assort itself upon the brain	H
Travel's a miniature life	L3
Travel is evermore a strife	L3
Where he must run who would obtain	H
'Tis a perpetual loss and gain	H
For sloth and error dear we pay	T
By luck and effort win our way	T
And both have need of every day	T
Each day has got its sight to see	D
Each day must put to profit be	D
Pleasant when seen are all the sights	D
To let them think themselves to rights	D
I on the Giesbach turf reclined	N2
Half watched this process in my mind	N2
Watched the stream purifying slow	D
In me and in the lake below	D
And then began to think of home	P2
And possibilities to come	O2
	-
Brienz on our Brienzer See	D
From Interlaken every day	T
A steamer seeks and at our pier	B3
Lets out a crowd to see things here	N3
Up a steep path they pant and strive	L3
When to the level they arrive	L3
Dispersing hither thither run	H
For all must rapidly be done	H
And seek with questioning and din	H
Some the cascade and some the inn	H
The waterfall for if you look	H2
You find it printed in the book	H2
That man or woman so inclined	N2
May pass the very fall behind	N2
So many feet there intervene	H
The rock and flying jet between	H
The inn 'tis also in the plan	H
For tourist is a hungry man	H
And a small salle repeats by rote	N2
A daily task of table d'h te	D
Where broth and meat and country wine	H
Assure the strangers that they dine	H
Do it they must while they have power	F
For in three quarters of an hour	F
Back comes the steamer from Brienz	D
And with one clear departure hence	D
The quietude is more intense	D
It was my custom at the top	O3
To stand and see them clambering up	P3
Then take advantage of the start	N2
And pass into the woods apart	N2
It happened and I know not why	-
I once returned too speedily	D
And seeing women still and men	H
Was swerving to the woods again	H
But for a moment stopped to seize	D
A glance at some one near the trees	D
A figure full but full of grace	D
Its movement beautified the place	D
It turns advances comes my way	T
What do I see what do I say I	-
Yet to a statelier beauty grown	H
It is it can be she alone	H
O mountains round O heaven above	L3
It is Emilia whom I love	L3
'Emilia whom I love ' the word	N2
Rose to my lips as yet unheard	N2
When she whose colour flushed to red	N2
In a soft voice 'My husband ' said	N2
And Helston came up with his hand	N2
And both of them took mine but stand	N2
And talk they could not they must go	D
The steamer rang her bell below	D
How curious that I did not know	D
They were to go and stay at Thun	H
Could I come there and see them soon	H
And shortly were returning home	P2
And when would I to Helston come	O2
Thus down we went I put them in	H
Off went the steamer with a din	H
And on the pier I stood and eyed	N2
The bridegroom seated by the bride	N2
Emilia closing to his side	N2
	-
	-
	-
V	D
	-
She wrote from Helston begged I'd come	O2
And see her in her husband's home	P2
I went and bound by double vow	L3
Not only wife but mother now	L3
I found her lovely as of old	N2
O rather lovelier manifold	N2
	-
Her wifely sweet reserve unbroke	D
Still frankly tenderly she spoke	D
Asked me about myself would hear	N3
What I proposed to do this year	B3
At college why was I detained	N2
Was it the fellowship I'd gained	N2
I told her that I was not tied	N2
Henceforward further to reside	N2
Yet very likely might stay on	H
And lapse into a college don	H
My fellowship itself would give	L3
A competence on which to live	L3
And if I waited who could tell	T
I might be tutor too as well	T
Oh but she said I must not stay	T
College and school were only play	T
I might be sick perhaps of praise	D
But must not therefore waste my days	D
Fellows grow indolent and then	H
They may not do as other men	H
And for your happiness in life	L3
Sometime you'll wish to have a wife	L3
	-
Languidly by her chair I sat	N2
But my eyes rather flashed at that	N2
I said 'Emilia people change	H3
But yet I own I find it strange	H3
To hear this common talk from you	T
You speak and some believe it true	T
Just as if any wife would do	T
Whoe'er one takes 'tis much the same	M2
And love and so forth but a name '	-
She coloured 'What can I have said	N2
Or what could put it in your head	N2
Indeed I had not in my mind	N2
The faintest notion of the kind '	-
I told her that I did not know	D
Her tone appeared to mean it so	D
'Emilia when I've heard ' I said	N2
'How people match themselves and wed	N2
I've sometimes wished that both were dead '	-
She turned a little pale I woke	D
Some thought what thought but soft she spoke	D
'I'm sure that what you meant was good	N2
But really you misunderstood	N2
From point to point so quick you fly	-
And are so vehement and I	-
As you remember long ago	D
Am stupid certainly am slow	D
And yet some things I seem to know	D
I know it will be just a crime	W2
If you should waste your powers and time	W2
There is so much I think that you	T
And no one equally can do '	-
'It does not matter much ' said I	-
'The things I thought of are gone by	-
I'm quite content to wait to die '	-
	-
A sort of beauteous anger spread	N2
Over her face 'O me ' she said	N2
'That you should sit and trifle so	D
And you so utterly don't know	D
How greatly you have yet to grow	D
How wide your objects have to expand	N2
How much is yet an unknown land	N2
You're twenty three I'm twenty five	L3
And I am so much more alive '	-
My eyes I shaded with my hand	N2
And almost lost my self command	N2
I muttered something 'Yes I see	D
Two years have severed you from me	D
O Emily was it ever told '	-
I asked 'that souls are young and old '	-
But she continuing 'All the day	T
Were I to speak I could but say	T
The one same thing the one same way	T
Sometimes indeed I think you know '	-
And her tone suddenly was low	D
That in a day we yet shall see	D
You of my sisters and of me	D
And of the things that used to be	D
Will think as you look back again	H
With something not unlike disdain	H
So you your rightful place obtain	H
That will to me be joy not pain '	-
Her voice still lower lower fell	T
I heard just heard each syllable	T
'But ' in the tone she used before	Q2
'Don't stay at college any more	Q2
For others it perhaps may do	T
I'm sure it will be bad for you '	-
	-
She softened me The following day	T
We parted As I went away	T
Her infant on her bosom lay	T
And as a mother might her boy	K2
I think she would with loving joy	K2
Have kissed me but I turned to go	D
'Twas better not to have it so	D
Next year achieved me some amends	D
And once we met and met as friends	D
Friends yet apart I had not much	S2
Valued her judgment though to touch	S2
Her words had power yet strangely still	T
It had been cogent on my will	T
As she had counselled I had done	H
And a new effort was begun	H
Forth to the war of life I went	N2
Courageous and not ill content	N2
'Yours is the fault I opened thus again	H
A youthful ancient sentimental vein '	-
He said 'and like Munchausen's horn o'erflow	T
With liquefying tunes of long ago	D
My wiser friend who knows for what we live	L3
And what should seek will his correction give '	-
	-
We all made thanks 'My tale were quickly told '	-
The other said 'but the turned heavens behold	N2
The night two watches of the night is old	N2
The sinking stars their suasions urge for sleep	Q3
My story for to morrow night will keep '	-
	-
The evening after when the day was stilled	N2
His promise thus the clergyman fulfilled	N2

Arthur Hugh Clough

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