The Borough. Letter Iii: The Vicar--the Curate Poem Rhyme Scheme

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THE VICAR	A
	-
WHERE ends our chancel in a vaulted space	B
Sleep the departed Vicars of the place	B
Of most all mention memory thought are past	C
But take a slight memorial of the last	C
To what famed college we our Yicar owe	D
To what fair county let historians show	D
Few now remember when the mild young man	E
Ruddy and fair his Sunday task began	E
Few live to speak of that soft soothing look	F
He cast around as he prepared his book	F
It was a kind of supplicating smile	G
But nothing hopeless of applause the while	G
And when he finished his corrected pride	H
Felt the desert and yet the praise denied	H
Thus he his race began and to the end	I
His constant care was no man to offend	I
No haughty virtues stirr'd his peaceful mind	J
Nor urged the Priest to leave the Flock behind	J
He was his Master's Soldier but not one	K
To lead an army of his Martyrs on	L
Fear was his ruling passion yet was Love	M
Of timid kind once known his heart to move	N
It led his patient spirit where it paid	O
Its languid offerings to a listening Maid	O
She with her widow'd Mother heard him speak	P
And sought awhile to find what he would seek	P
Smiling he came he smiled when he withdrew	Q
And paid the same attention to the two	Q
Meeting and parting without joy or pain	R
He seem'd to come that he might go again	S
The wondering girl no prude but something nice	T
At length was chill'd by his unmelting ice	T
She found her tortoise held such sluggish pace	B
That she must turn and meet him in the chase	B
This not approving she withdrew till one	K
Came who appear'd with livelier hope to run	K
Who sought a readier way the heart to move	N
Than by faint dalliance of unfixing love	M
Accuse me not that I approving paint	U
Impatient Hope or Love without restraint	U
Or think the Passions a tumultuous throng	V
Strong as they are ungovernably strong	V
But is the laurel to the soldier due	Q
Who cautious comes not into danger's view	Q
What worth has Virtue by Desire untried	H
When Nature's self enlists on Duty's side	H
The married dame in vain assail'd the truth	W
And guarded bosom of the Hebrew youth	W
But with the daughter of the Priest of On	L
The love was lawful and the guard was gone	X
But Joseph's fame had lessened in our view	Q
Had he refusing fled the maiden too	Q
Yet our good priest to Joseph's praise aspired	Y
As once rejecting what his heart desired	Z
'I am escaped ' he said when none pursued	A2
When none attack'd him 'I am unsubdued '	-
'Oh pleasing pangs of love ' he sang again	S
Cold to the joy and stranger to the pain	R
E'en in his age would he address the young	B2
'I too have felt these fires and they are strong '	-
But from the time he left his favourite maid	O
To ancient females his devoirs were paid	O
And still they miss him after Morning prayer	C2
Nor yet successor fills the Vicar's chair	C2
Where kindred spirits in his praise agree	D2
A happy few as mild and cool as he	D2
The easy followers in the female train	R
Led without love and captives without chain	R
Ye Lilies male think as your tea you sip	E2
While the town small talk flows from lip to lip	E2
Intrigues half gather'd conversation scraps	F2
Kitchen cabals and nursery mishaps	F2
If the vast world may not some scene produce	G2
Some state where your small talents might have use	G2
Within seraglios you might harmless move	N
'Mid ranks of beauty and in haunts of love	M
There from too daring man the treasures guard	H2
An easy duty and its own reward	I2
Nature's soft substitutes you there might save	J2
From crime the tyrant and from wrong the slave	J2
But let applause be dealt in all we may	K2
Our Priest was cheerful and in season gay	K2
His frequent visits seldom fail'd to please	L2
Easy himself he sought his neighbour's ease	L2
To a small garden with delight he came	M2
And gave successive flowers a summer's fame	M2
These he presented with a grace his own	N2
To his fair friends and made their beauties known	N2
Not without moral compliment how they	K2
'Like flowers were sweet and must like flowers decay '	-
Simple he was and loved the simple truth	W
Yet had some useful cunning from his youth	W
A cunning never to dishonour lent	O2
And rather for defence than conquest meant	O2
'Twas fear of power with some desire to rise	P2
But not enough to make him enemies	L2
He ever aim'd to please and to offend	I
Was ever cautious for he sought a friend	I
Yet for the friendship never much would pay	K2
Content to bow be silent and obey	K2
And by a soothing suff'rance find his way	K2
Fiddling and fishing were his arts at times	Q2
He alter'd sermons and he aim'd at rhymes	Q2
And his fair friends not yet intent on cards	R2
Oft he amused with riddles and charades	S2
Mild were his doctrines and not one discourse	T2
But gain'd in softness what it lost in force	T2
Kind his opinions he would not receive	U2
An ill report nor evil act believe	U2
'If true 'twas wrong but blemish great or small	V2
Have all mankind yea sinners are we all '	-
If ever fretful thought disturb'd his breast	W2
If aught of gloom that cheerful mind oppress'd	W2
It sprang from innovation it was then	S
He spake of mischief made by restless men	S
Not by new doctrines never in his life	X2
Would he attend to controversial strife	X2
For sects he cared not ' They are not of us	Y2
Nor need we brethren their concerns discuss	Y2
But 'tis the change the schism at home I feel	Z2
Ills few perceive and none have skill to heal	Z2
Not at the altar our young brethren read	A3
Facing their flock the decalogue and creed	B3
But at their duty in their desks they stand	C3
With naked surplice lacking hood and band	C3
Churches are now of holy song bereft	D3
And half our ancient customs changed or left	D3
Few sprigs of ivy are at Christmas seen	E3
Nor crimson berry tips the holly's green	E3
Mistaken choirs refuse the solemn strain	R
Of ancient Sternhold which from ours amain	R
Comes flying forth from aisle to aisle about	F3
Sweet links of harmony and long drawn out '	-
These were to him essentials all things new	R
He deemed superfluous useless or untrue	R
To all beside indifferent easy cold	G3
Here the fire kindled and the woe was told	G3
Habit with him was all the test of truth	W
'It must be right I've done it from my youth '	-
Questions he answer'd in as brief a way	K2
'It must be wrong it was of yesterday '	-
Though mild benevolence our Priest possess'd	W2
'Twas but by wishes or by words expressed	W2
Circles in water as they wider flow	D
The less conspicuous in their progress grow	D
And when at last they touch upon the shore	H3
Distinction ceases and they're view'd no more	H3
His love like that last circle all embraced	I3
But with effect that never could be traced	I3
Now rests our Vicar They who knew him best	W2
Proclaim his life t'have been entirely rest	W2
Free from all evils which disturb his mind	J
Whom studies vex and controversies blind	J
The rich approved of them in awe he stood	J3
The poor admired they all believed him good	J3
The old and serious of his habits spoke	K3
The frank and youthful loved his pleasant joke	K3
Mothers approved a safe contented guest	W2
And daughters one who back'd each small request	W2
In him his flock found nothing to condemn	R
Him sectaries liked he never troubled them	R
No trifles fail'd his yielding mind to please	L2
And all his passions sunk in early ease	L2
Nor one so old has left this world of sin	R
More like the being that he entered in	R
	-
THE CURATE	L3
	-
ASK you what lands our Pastor tithes Alas	M3
But few our acres and but short our grass	M3
In some fat pastures of the rich indeed	B3
May roll the single cow or favourite steed	B3
Who stable fed is here for pleasure seen	R
His sleek sides bathing in the dewy green	R
But these our hilly heath and common wide	H
Yield a slight portion for the parish guide	H
No crops luxuriant in our borders stand	C3
For here we plough the ocean not the land	C3
Still reason wills that we our Pastor pay	K2
And custom does it on a certain day	K2
Much is the duty small the legal due	R
And this with grateful minds we keep in view	R
Each makes his	N3

George Crabbe

The Borough. Letter Iii: The Vicar--the Curate Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

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