The Author Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFFGGHHIIJJ KKLLMMNNOOJJFFPPQQDD RRSSTTUUVVWWXXNNYYZZ A2A2B2B2C2C2FFD2D2MM E2E2WWF2G2EEPPH2H2E2 E2I2I2J2J2K2L2M2M2N2 N2HHO2O2P2P2IIQ2Q2JJ R2R2S2S2T2T2P2P2P2P2 U2U2V2V2P2P2W2X2Y2Y2 Z2Z2AVJ2J2A3A3B3B3C3 C3D3D3E3E3GGE2E2F3F3 G3G3JJC3X2RH3D3D3EEI 3I3J3J3UUY2Y2D3D3K3K 3D3

Accursed the man whom Fate ordains in spiteA
And cruel parents teach to read and writeA
What need of letters wherefore should we spellB
Why write our names A mark will do as wellB
Much are the precious hours of youth misspentC
In climbing Learning's rugged steep ascentC
When to the top the bold adventurer's gotD
He reigns vain monarch o'er a barren spotD
Whilst in the vale of Ignorance belowE
Folly and Vice to rank luxuriance growE
Honours and wealth pour in on every sideF
And proud Preferment rolls her golden tideF
O'er crabbed authors life's gay prime to wasteG
To cramp wild genius in the chains of tasteG
To bear the slavish drudgery of schoolsH
And tamely stoop to every pedant's rulesH
For seven long years debarr'd of liberal easeI
To plod in college trammels to degreesI
Beneath the weight of solemn toys to groanJ
Sleep over books and leave mankind unknownJ
To praise each senior blockhead's threadbare taleK
And laugh till reason blush and spirits failK
Manhood with vile submission to disgraceL
And cap the fool whose merit is his placeL
Vice Chancellors whose knowledge is but smallM
And Chancellors who nothing know at allM
Ill brook'd the generous spirit in those daysN
When learning was the certain road to praiseN
When nobles with a love of science bless'dO
Approved in others what themselves possess'dO
But now when Dulness rears aloft her throneJ
When lordly vassals her wide empire ownJ
When Wit seduced by Envy starts asideF
And basely leagues with Ignorance and PrideF
What now should tempt us by false hopes misledP
Learning's unfashionable paths to treadP
To bear those labours which our fathers boreQ
That crown withheld which they in triumph woreQ
When with much pains this boasted learning's gotD
'Tis an affront to those who have it notD
In some it causes hate in others fearR
Instructs our foes to rail our friends to sneerR
With prudent haste the worldly minded foolS
Forgets the little which he learn'd at schoolS
The elder brother to vast fortunes bornT
Looks on all science with an eye of scornT
Dependent brethren the same features wearU
And younger sons are stupid as the heirU
In senates at the bar in church and stateV
Genius is vile and learning out of dateV
Is this oh death to think is this the landW
Where Merit and Reward went hand in handW
Where heroes parent like the poet view'dX
By whom they saw their glorious deeds renew'dX
Where poets true to honour tuned their laysN
And by their patrons sanctified their praiseN
Is this the land where on our Spenser's tongueY
Enamour'd of his voice Description hungY
Where Jonson rigid Gravity beguiledZ
Whilst Reason through her critic fences smiledZ
Where Nature listening stood whilst Shakspeare play'dA2
And wonder'd at the work herself had madeA2
Is this the land where mindful of her chargeB2
And office high fair Freedom walk'd at largeB2
Where finding in our laws a sure defenceC2
She mock'd at all restraints but those of senseC2
Where Health and Honour trooping by her sideF
She spread her sacred empire far and wideF
Pointed the way Affliction to beguileD2
And bade the face of Sorrow wear a smileD2
Bade those who dare obey the generous callM
Enjoy her blessings which God meant for allM
Is this the land where in some tyrant's reignE2
When a weak wicked ministerial trainE2
The tools of power the slaves of interest plann'dW
Their country's ruin and with bribes unmann'dW
Those wretches who ordain'd in Freedom's causeF2
Gave up our liberties and sold our lawsG2
When Power was taught by Meanness where to goE
Nor dared to love the virtue of a foeE
When like a leprous plague from the foul headP
To the foul heart her sores Corruption spreadP
Her iron arm when stern Oppression rear'dH2
And Virtue from her broad base shaken fear'dH2
The scourge of Vice when impotent and vainE2
Poor Freedom bow'd the neck to Slavery's chainE2
Is this the land where in those worst of timesI2
The hardy poet raised his honest rhymesI2
To dread rebuke and bade Controlment speakJ2
In guilty blushes on the villain's cheekJ2
Bade Power turn pale kept mighty rogues in aweK2
And made them fear the Muse who fear'd not lawL2
How do I laugh when men of narrow soulsM2
Whom Folly guides and Prejudice controlsM2
Who one dull drowsy track of business trodN2
Worship their Mammon and neglect their GodN2
Who breathing by one musty set of rulesH
Dote from their birth and are by system foolsH
Who form'd to dulness from their very youthO2
Lies of the day prefer to gospel truthO2
Pick up their little knowledge from ReviewsP2
And lay out all their stock of faith in newsP2
How do I laugh when creatures form'd like theseI
Whom Reason scorns and I should blush to pleaseI
Rail at all liberal arts deem verse a crimeQ2
And hold not truth as truth if told in rhymeQ2
How do I laugh when Publius hoary grownJ
In zeal for Scotland's welfare and his ownJ
By slow degrees and course of office drawnR2
In mood and figure at the helm to yawnR2
Too mean the worst of curses Heaven can sendS2
To have a foe too proud to have a friendS2
Erring by form which blockheads sacred holdT2
Ne'er making new faults and ne'er mending oldT2
Rebukes my spirit bids the daring MuseP2
Subjects more equal to her weakness chooseP2
Bids her frequent the haunts of humble swainsP2
Nor dare to traffic in ambitious strainsP2
Bids her indulging the poetic whimU2
In quaint wrought ode or sonnet pertly trimU2
Along the church way path complain with GrayV2
Or dance with Mason on the first of MayV2
'All sacred is the name and power of kingsP2
All states and statesmen are those mighty thingsP2
Which howsoe'er they out of course may rollW2
Were never made for poets to control 'X2
Peace peace thou dotard nor thus vilely deemY2
Of sacred numbers and their power blasphemeY2
I tell thee wretch search all creation roundZ2
In earth in heaven no subject can be foundZ2
Our God alone except above whose heightA
The poet cannot rise and hold his stateV
The blessed saints above in numbers speakJ2
The praise of God though there all praise is weakJ2
In numbers here below the bard shall teachA3
Virtue to soar beyond the villain's reachA3
Shall tear his labouring lungs strain his hoarse throatB3
And raise his voice beyond the trumpet's noteB3
Should an afflicted country awed by menC3
Of slavish principles demand his penC3
This is a great a glorious point of viewD3
Fit for an English poet to pursueD3
Undaunted to pursue though in returnE3
His writings by the common hangman burnE3
How do I laugh when men by fortune placedG
Above their betters and by rank disgracedG
Who found their pride on titles which they stainE2
And mean themselves are of their fathers vainE2
Who would a bill of privilege preferF3
And treat a poet like a creditorF3
The generous ardour of the Muse condemnG3
And curse the storm they know must break on themG3
'What shall a reptile bard a wretch unknownJ
Without one badge of merit but his ownJ
Great nobles lash and lords like common menC3
Smart from the vengeance of a scribbler's pen 'X2
What's in this name of lord that I should fearR
To bring their vices to the public earH3
Flows not the honest blood of humble swainsD3
Quick as the tide which swells a monarch's veinsD3
Monarchs who wealth and titles can bestowE
Cannot make virtues in succession flowE
Wouldst thou proud man be safely placed aboveI3
The censure of the Muse Deserve her loveI3
Act as thy birth demands as nobles oughtJ3
Look back and by thy worthy father taughtJ3
Who earn'd those honours thou wert born to wearU
Follow his steps and be his virtue's heirU
But if regardless of the road to fameY2
You start aside and tread the paths of shameY2
If such thy life that should thy sire ariseD3
The sight of such a son would blast his eyesD3
Would make him curse the hour which gave thee birthK3
Would drive him shuddering from the face of earthK3
OnceD3

Charles Churchill



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