The Candidate Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABCADEFAG BHIIJJKLMMNNOOPPQQRR SSSSTTSSSSUUVVWWXXYY ZZA2B2C2C2SSXXD2YE2E 2F2F2YYG2G2SSH2H2SSV VSSC2C2YYYYYYSSSSI2I 2YYC2C2J2J2K2K2I2I2A 2B2SSL2L2YYYYM2M2N2N 2YYSSSSYYO2O2YYYYL2L 2P2P2Q2Q2CCR2R2SSC2C 2YYYYB2A2YYYYHHYYS S SSNNSSIIL2SThis poem was written in on occasion of the contest between the | A |
Earls of Hardwicke and Sandwich for the High stewardship of the | A |
University of Cambridge vacant by the death of the Lord Chancellor | B |
Hardwicke The spirit of party ran high in the University and no | C |
means were left untried by either candidate to obtain a majority The | A |
election was fixed for the th of March when after much | D |
altercation the votes appearing equal a scrutiny was demanded | E |
whereupon the Vice Chancellor adjourned the senate sine die On | F |
appeal to the Lord High Chancellor he determined in favour of the | A |
Earl of Hardwicke and a mandamus issued accordingly | G |
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Enough of Actors let them play the player | B |
And free from censure fret sweat strut and stare | H |
Garrick abroad what motives can engage | I |
To waste one couplet on a barren stage | I |
Ungrateful Garrick when these tasty days | J |
In justice to themselves allow'd thee praise | J |
When at thy bidding Sense for twenty years | K |
Indulged in laughter or dissolved in tears | L |
When in return for labour time and health | M |
The town had given some little share of wealth | M |
Couldst thou repine at being still a slave | N |
Darest thou presume to enjoy that wealth she gave | N |
Couldst thou repine at laws ordain'd by those | O |
Whom nothing but thy merit made thy foes | O |
Whom too refined for honesty and trade | P |
By need made tradesmen Pride had bankrupts made | P |
Whom Fear made drunkards and by modern rules | Q |
Whom Drink made wits though Nature made them fools | Q |
With such beyond all pardon is thy crime | R |
In such a manner and at such a time | R |
To quit the stage but men of real sense | S |
Who neither lightly give nor take offence | S |
Shall own thee clear or pass an act of grace | S |
Since thou hast left a Powell in thy place | S |
Enough of Authors why when scribblers fail | T |
Must other scribblers spread the hateful tale | T |
Why must they pity why contempt express | S |
And why insult a brother in distress | S |
Let those who boast the uncommon gift of brains | S |
The laurel pluck and wear it for their pains | S |
Fresh on their brows for ages let it bloom | U |
And ages past still flourish round their tomb | U |
Let those who without genius write and write | V |
Versemen or prosemen all in Nature's spite | V |
The pen laid down their course of folly run | W |
In peace unread unmention'd be undone | W |
Why should I tell to cross the will of Fate | X |
That Francis once endeavour'd to translate | X |
Why sweet oblivion winding round his head | Y |
Should I recall poor Murphy from the dead | Y |
Why may not Langhorne simple in his lay | Z |
Effusion on effusion pour away | Z |
With friendship and with fancy trifle here | A2 |
Or sleep in pastoral at Belvidere | B2 |
Sleep let them all with Dulness on her throne | C2 |
Secure from any malice but their own | C2 |
Enough of Critics let them if they please | S |
Fond of new pomp each month pass new decrees | S |
Wide and extensive be their infant state | X |
Their subjects many and those subjects great | X |
Whilst all their mandates as sound law succeed | D2 |
With fools who write and greater fools who read | Y |
What though they lay the realms of Genius waste | E2 |
Fetter the fancy and debauch the taste | E2 |
Though they like doctors to approve their skill | F2 |
Consult not how to cure but how to kill | F2 |
Though by whim envy or resentment led | Y |
They damn those authors whom they never read | Y |
Though other rules unknown one rule they hold | G2 |
To deal out so much praise for so much gold | G2 |
Though Scot with Scot in damned close intrigues | S |
Against the commonwealth of letters leagues | S |
Uncensured let them pilot at the helm | H2 |
And rule in letters as they ruled the realm | H2 |
Ours be the curse the mean tame coward's curse | S |
Nor could ingenious Malice make a worse | S |
To do our sense and honour deep despite | V |
To credit what they say read what they write | V |
Enough of Scotland let her rest in peace | S |
The cause removed effects of course should cease | S |
Why should I tell how Tweed too mighty grown | C2 |
And proudly swell'd with waters not his own | C2 |
Burst o'er his banks and by Destruction led | Y |
O'er our fair England desolation spread | Y |
Whilst riding on his waves Ambition plumed | Y |
In tenfold pride the port of Bute assumed | Y |
Now that the river god convinced though late | Y |
And yielding though reluctantly to Fate | Y |
Holds his fair course and with more humble tides | S |
In tribute to the sea as usual glides | S |
Enough of States and such like trifling things | S |
Enough of kinglings and enough of kings | S |
Henceforth secure let ambush'd statesmen lie | I2 |
Spread the court web and catch the patriot fly | I2 |
Henceforth unwhipt of Justice uncontroll'd | Y |
By fear or shame let Vice secure and bold | Y |
Lord it with all her sons whilst Virtue's groan | C2 |
Meets with compassion only from the throne | C2 |
Enough of Patriots all I ask of man | J2 |
Is only to be honest as he can | J2 |
Some have deceived and some may still deceive | K2 |
'Tis the fool's curse at random to believe | K2 |
Would those who by opinion placed on high | I2 |
Stand fair and perfect in their country's eye | I2 |
Maintain that honour let me in their ear | A2 |
Hint this essential doctrine Persevere | B2 |
Should they which Heaven forbid to win the grace | S |
Of some proud courtier or to gain a place | S |
Their king and country sell with endless shame | L2 |
The avenging Muse shall mark each traitorous name | L2 |
But if to Honour true they scorn to bend | Y |
And proudly honest hold out to the end | Y |
Their grateful country shall their fame record | Y |
And I myself descend to praise a lord | Y |
Enough of Wilkes with good and honest men | M2 |
His actions speak much stronger than my pen | M2 |
And future ages shall his name adore | N2 |
When he can act and I can write no more | N2 |
England may prove ungrateful and unjust | Y |
But fostering France shall ne'er betray her trust | Y |
'Tis a brave debt which gods on men impose | S |
To pay with praise the merit e'en of foes | S |
When the great warrior of Amilcar's race | S |
Made Rome's wide empire tremble to her base | S |
To prove her virtue though it gall'd her pride | Y |
Rome gave that fame which Carthage had denied | Y |
Enough of Self that darling luscious theme | O2 |
O'er which philosophers in raptures dream | O2 |
Of which with seeming disregard they write | Y |
Then prizing most when most they seem to slight | Y |
Vain proof of folly tinctured strong with pride | Y |
What man can from himself himself divide | Y |
For me nor dare I lie my leading aim | L2 |
Conscience first satisfied is love of fame | L2 |
Some little fame derived from some brave few | P2 |
Who prizing Honour prize her votaries too | P2 |
Let all nor shall resentment flush my cheek | Q2 |
Who know me well what they know freely speak | Q2 |
So those the greatest curse I meet below | C |
Who know me not may not pretend to know | C |
Let none of those whom bless'd with parts above | R2 |
My feeble genius still I dare to love | R2 |
Doing more mischief than a thousand foes | S |
Posthumous nonsense to the world expose | S |
And call it mine for mine though never known | C2 |
Or which if mine I living blush'd to own | C2 |
Know all the world no greedy heir shall find | Y |
Die when I will one couplet left behind | Y |
Let none of those whom I despise though great | Y |
Pretending friendship to give malice weight | Y |
Publish my life let no false sneaking peer | B2 |
Some such there are to win the public ear | A2 |
Hand me to shame with some vile anecdote | Y |
Nor soul gall'd bishop damn me with a note | Y |
Let one poor sprig of bay around my head | Y |
Bloom whilst I live and point me out when dead | Y |
Let it may Heaven indulgent grant that prayer | H |
Be planted on my grave nor wither there | H |
And when on travel bound some rhyming guest | Y |
Roams through the churchyard whilst his dinner's dress'd | Y |
Let it hold up this comment to his eyes | S |
'Life to the last enjoy'd here Churchill lies ' | - |
Whilst oh what joy that pleasing flattery gives | S |
Reading my works he cries 'Here Churchill lives ' | - |
Enough of Satire in less harden'd times | S |
Great was her force and mighty were her rhymes | S |
I've read of men beyond man's daring brave | N |
Who yet have trembled at the strokes she gave | N |
Whose souls have felt more terrible alarms | S |
From her one line than from a world in arms | S |
When in her faithful and immortal page | I |
They saw transmitted down from age to age | I |
Recorded villains and each spotted name | L2 |
Branded with marks | S |
Charles Churchill
(1)
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