Tale Xviii Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BBCCDDEFGGHHIIJJKKLL HHMNOOP P KKNNNMMQQRRIISST UUVVWWXXYZA2A2B2B2C2 D2D2E2E2F2F2EG2H2H2I 2J2HHE2E2K2K2JJL2L2M 2M2N2N2O2 P2 IIQ2Q2R2R2S S2S2R2R2DD KT2T2J2 NNU2V2R2R2W2 X2X2Y2Y2K Z2Z2 A2A2UUA3B3YZC3C3D3E3 R2R2IIK F3F3B2 G3G3H RRC3 H3H3I3I3JJH J3 FK3 GGXXL3L3IIM3M3N3N3O3 IIDD| THE WAGER | A |
| - | |
| Counter and Clubb were men in trade whose pains | B |
| Credit and prudence brought them constant gains | B |
| Partners and punctual every friend agreed | C |
| Counter and Clubb were men who must succeed | C |
| When they had fix'd some little time in life | D |
| Each thought of taking to himself a wife | D |
| As men in trade alike as men in love | E |
| They seem'd with no according views to move | F |
| As certain ores in outward view the same | G |
| They show'd their difference when the magnet came | G |
| Counter was vain with spirit strong and high | H |
| 'Twas not in him like suppliant swain to sigh | H |
| 'His wife might o'er his men and maids preside | I |
| And in her province be a judge and guide | I |
| But what he thought or did or wish'd to do | J |
| She must not know or censure if she knew | J |
| At home abroad by day by night if he | K |
| On aught determined so it was to be | K |
| How is a man ' he ask'd 'for business fit | L |
| Who to a female can his will submit | L |
| Absent a while let no inquiring eye | H |
| Or plainer speech presume to question why | H |
| But all be silent and when seen again | M |
| Let all be cheerful shall a wife complain | N |
| Friends I invite and who shall dare t'object | O |
| Or look on them with coolness or neglect | O |
| No I must ever of my house be head | P |
| And thus obey'd I condescend to wed ' | - |
| Clubb heard the speech 'My friend is nice said | P |
| - | |
| he | K |
| A wife with less respect will do for me | K |
| How is he certain such a prize to gain | N |
| What he approves a lass may learn to feign | N |
| And so affect t'obey till she begins to reign | N |
| A while complying she may vary then | M |
| And be as wives of more unwary men | M |
| Beside to him who plays such lordly part | Q |
| How shall a tender creature yield her heart | Q |
| Should he the promised confidence refuse | R |
| She may another more confiding choose | R |
| May show her anger yet her purpose hide | I |
| And wake his jealousy and wound his pride | I |
| In one so humbled who can trace the friend | S |
| I on an equal not a slave depend | S |
| If true my confidence is wisely placed | T |
| And being false she only is disgraced ' | - |
| Clubb with these notions cast his eye around | U |
| And one so easy soon a partner found | U |
| The lady chosen was of good repute | V |
| Meekness she had not and was seldom mute | V |
| Though quick to anger still she loved to smile | W |
| And would be calm if men would wait a while | W |
| She knew her duty and she loved her way | X |
| More pleased in truth to govern than obey | X |
| She heard her priest with reverence and her spouse | Y |
| As one who felt the pressure of her vows | Z |
| Useful and civil all her friends confess'd | A2 |
| Give her her way and she would choose the best | A2 |
| Though some indeed a sly remark would make | B2 |
| Give it her not and she would choose to take | B2 |
| All this when Clubb some cheerful months had | C2 |
| - | |
| spent | D2 |
| He saw confess'd and said he was content | D2 |
| Counter meantime selected doubted weigh'd | E2 |
| And then brought home a young complying maid | E2 |
| A tender creature full of fears as charms | F2 |
| A beauteous nursling from its mother's arms | F2 |
| A soft sweet blossom such as men must love | E |
| But to preserve must keep it in the stove | G2 |
| She had a mild subdued expiring look | H2 |
| Raise but the voice and this fair creature shook | H2 |
| Leave her alone she felt a thousand fears | I2 |
| Chide and she melted into floods of tears | J2 |
| Fondly she pleaded and would gently sigh | H |
| For very pity or she knew not why | H |
| One whom to govern none could be afraid | E2 |
| Hold up the finger this meek thing obey'd | E2 |
| Her happy husband had the easiest task | K2 |
| Say but his will no question would she ask | K2 |
| She sought no reasons no affairs she knew | J |
| Of business spoke not and had nought to do | J |
| Oft he exclaim'd 'How meek how mild how kind | L2 |
| With her 'twere cruel but to seem unkind | L2 |
| Though ever silent when I take my leave | M2 |
| It pains my heart to think how hers will grieve | M2 |
| 'Tis heaven on earth with such a wife to dwell | N2 |
| I am in raptures to have sped so well | N2 |
| But let me not my friend your envy raise | O2 |
| No on my life your patience has my praise ' | - |
| His Friend though silent felt the scorn | P2 |
| - | |
| implied | I |
| 'What need of patience ' to himself he cried | I |
| 'Better a woman o'er her house to rule | Q2 |
| Than a poor child just hurried from her school | Q2 |
| Who has no care yet never lives at ease | R2 |
| Unfit to rule and indisposed to please | R2 |
| What if he govern there his boast should end | S |
| No husband's power can make a slave his friend ' | - |
| It was the custom of these Friends to meet | S2 |
| With a few neighbours in a neighbouring street | S2 |
| Where Counter ofttimes would occasion seize | R2 |
| To move his silent Friend by words like these | R2 |
| 'A man ' said he 'if govern'd by his wife | D |
| Gives up his rank and dignity in life | D |
| Now better fate befalls my Friend and me ' | - |
| He spoke and look'd th' approving smile to see | K |
| The quiet partner when he chose to speak | T2 |
| Desired his friend 'another theme to seek | T2 |
| When thus they met he judged that state affairs | J2 |
| And such important subjects should be theirs ' | - |
| But still the partner in his lighter vein | N |
| Would cause in Clubb affliction or disdain | N |
| It made him anxious to detect the cause | U2 |
| Of all that boasting 'Wants my friend applause | V2 |
| This plainly proves him not at perfect ease | R2 |
| For felt he pleasure he would wish to please | R2 |
| These triumphs here for some regrets atone | W2 |
| Men who are bless'd let other men alone ' | - |
| Thus made suspicious he observed and saw | X2 |
| His friend each night at early hour withdraw | X2 |
| He sometimes mention'd Juliet's tender nerves | Y2 |
| And what attention such a wife deserves | Y2 |
| 'In this ' thought Clubb 'full sure some mystery | K |
| - | |
| lies | Z2 |
| He laughs at me yet he with much complies | Z2 |
| And all his vaunts of bliss are proud apologies ' | - |
| With such ideas treasured in his breast | A2 |
| He grew composed and let his anger rest | A2 |
| Till Counter once when wine so long went round | U |
| That friendship and discretion both were drown'd | U |
| Began in teasing and triumphant mood | A3 |
| His evening banter 'Of all earthly good | B3 |
| The best ' he said 'was an obedient spouse | Y |
| Such as my friend's that every one allows | Z |
| What if she wishes his designs to know | C3 |
| It is because she would her praise bestow | C3 |
| What if she wills that he remain at home | D3 |
| She knows that mischief may from travel come | E3 |
| I who am free to venture where I please | R2 |
| Have no such kind preventing checks as these | R2 |
| But mine is double duty first to guide | I |
| Myself aright then rule a house beside | I |
| While this our friend more happy than the free | K |
| Resigns all power and laughs at liberty ' | - |
| 'By heaven ' said Clubb 'excuse me if I swear | F3 |
| I'll bet a hundred guineas if he dare | F3 |
| That uncontroll'd I will such freedoms take | B2 |
| That he will fear to equal there's my stake ' | - |
| 'A match ' said Counter much by wine inflamed | G3 |
| 'But we are friends let smaller stake be named | G3 |
| Wine for our future meeting that will I | H |
| Take and no more what peril shall we try ' | - |
| 'Let's to Newmarket ' Clubb replied 'or choose | R |
| Yourself the place and what you like to lose | R |
| And he who first returns or fears to go | C3 |
| Forfeits his cash ' Said Counter 'Be it so ' | - |
| The friends around them saw with much delight | H3 |
| The social war and hail'd the pleasant night | H3 |
| Nor would they further hear the cause discuss'd | I3 |
| Afraid the recreant heart of Clubb to trust | I3 |
| Now sober thoughts return'd as each withdrew | J |
| And of the subject took a serious view | J |
| ''Twas wrong ' thought Counter 'and will grieve my | H |
| - | |
| love ' | - |
| ''Twas wrong ' thought Clubb 'my wife will not | J3 |
| - | |
| approve | F |
| But friends were present I must try the thing | K3 |
| Or with my folly half the town will ring ' | - |
| He sought his lady 'Madam I'm to blame | G |
| But was reproach'd and could not bear the shame | G |
| Here in my folly for 'tis best to say | X |
| The very truth I've sworn to have my way | X |
| To that Newmarket though I hate the place | L3 |
| And have no taste or talents for a race | L3 |
| Yet so it is well now prepare to chide | I |
| I laid a wager that I dared to ride | I |
| And I must go by heaven if you resist | M3 |
| I shall be scorn'd and ridiculed and hiss'd | M3 |
| Let me with grace before my friends appear | N3 |
| You know the truth and must not be severe | N3 |
| He too must go but that he will of course | O3 |
| Do you consent I never think of force ' | - |
| 'You never need ' the worthy Dame replied | I |
| 'The husband's honour is the woman's pride | I |
| If I in trifles be the wilful wife | D |
| Still for your credit I would lose my lif | D |
George Crabbe
(1)
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About Tale Xviii
Tale Xviii is a poem by George Crabbe. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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