The Borough. Letter Ix: Amusements Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AAABBCCDEFFGGEEHHIIJ JKLMMNOPPQQRRSSTTUUL LLAAVVLLMMWWKKX WWYYZZWWA2A2B2B2WWTT SSWWLLC2C2VVLLD2D2XX E2E2K F2F2WWG2G2H2H2WWI2I2 ZLJ2J2LLI2I2WWQQI2I2 J2J2I2I2I2I2TTI2I2PP LLLLI2 MMI2I2WWI2I2I2I2I2I2 I2LK2 I2I2WWI2I2WWL2L2I2I2 WWI2I2I2I2WWI2I2L WWM2M2N2N2W

OF our Amusements ask you We amuseA
Ourselves and friends with seaside walks and viewsA
Or take a morning ride a novel or the newsA
Or seeking nothing glide about the streetB
And so engaged with various parties meetB
Awhile we stop discourse of wind and tideC
Bathing and books the raffle and the rideC
Thus with the aid which shops and sailing giveD
Life passes on 'tis labour but we liveE
When evening comes our invalids awakeF
Nerves cease to tremble heads forbear to acheF
Then cheerful meals the sunken spirits raiseG
Cards or the dance wine visiting or playsG
Soon as the season comes and crowds arriveE
To their superior rooms the wealthy driveE
Others look round for lodging snug and smallH
Such is their taste they've hatred to a hallH
Hence one his fav'rite habitation getsI
The brick floor'd parlour which the butcher letsI
Where through his single light he may regardJ
The various business of a common yardJ
Bounded by backs of buildings form'd of clayK
By stable sties and coops et caeteraL
The needy vain themselves awhile to shunM
For dissipation to these dog holes runM
Where each assuming petty pomp appearsN
And quite forgets the shopboard and the shearsO
For them are cheap amusements they may slipP
Beyond the town and take a private dipP
When they may urge that to be safe they meanQ
They've heard there's danger in a light machineQ
They too can gratis move the quays aboutR
And gather kind replies to every doubtR
There they a pacing lounging tribe may viewS
The stranger's guides who've little else to doS
The Borough's placemen where no more they gainT
Than keeps them idle civil poor and vainT
Then may the poorest with the wealthy lookU
On ocean glorious page of Nature's bookU
May see its varying views in every hourL
All softness now then rising with all powerL
As sleeping to invite or threat'ning to devourL
'Tis this which gives us all our choicest viewsA
Its waters heal us and its shores amuseA
See those fair nymphs upon that rising strandV
Yon long salt lake has parted from the landV
Well pleased to press that path so clean so pureL
To seem in danger yet to feel secureL
Trifling with terror while they strive to shunM
The curling billows laughing as they runM
They know the neck that joins the shore and seaW
Or ah how changed that fearless laugh would beW
Observe how various Parties take their wayK
By seaside walks or make the sand hills gayK
There group'd are laughing maids and sighingX
-
swainsW
And some apart who feel unpitied painsW
Pains from diseases pains which those who feelY
To the physician not the fair revealY
For nymphs propitious to the lover's sighZ
Leave these poor patients to complain and dieZ
Lo where on that huge anchor sadly leansW
That sick tall figure lost in other scenesW
He late from India's clime impatient sail'dA2
There as his fortune grew his spirits fail'dA2
For each delight in search of wealth he wentB2
For ease alone the wealth acquired is spentB2
And spent in vain enrich'd aggrieved he seesW
The envied poor possess'd of joy and easeW
And now he flies from place to place to gainT
Strength for enjoyment and still flies in vainT
Mark with what sadness of that pleasant crewS
Boist'rous in mirth he takes a transient viewS
And fixing then his eye upon the seaW
Thinks what has been and what must shortly beW
Is it not strange that man should health destroyL
For joys that come when he is dead to joyL
Now is it pleasant in the Summer eveC2
When a broad shore retiring waters leaveC2
Awhile to wait upon the firm fair sandV
When all is calm at sea all still at landV
And there the ocean's produce to exploreL
As floating by or rolling on the shoreL
Those living jellies which the flesh inflameD2
Fierce as a nettle and from that its nameD2
Some in huge masses some that you may bringX
In the small compass of a lady's ringX
Figured by hand divine there's not a gemE2
Wrought by man's art to be compared to themE2
Soft brilliant tender through the wave theyK
-
glowF2
And make the moonbeam brighter where they flowF2
Involved in sea wrack here you find a raceW
Which science doubting knows not where to placeW
On shell or stone is dropp'd the embryo seedG2
And quickly vegetates a vital breedG2
While thus with pleasing wonder you inspectH2
Treasures the vulgar in their scorn rejectH2
See as they float along th' entangled weedsW
Slowly approach upborne on bladdery beadsW
Wait till they land and you shall then beholdI2
The fiery sparks those tangled fronds infoldI2
Myriads of living points th' unaided eyeZ
Can but the fire and not the form descryL
And now your view upon the ocean turnJ2
And there the splendour of the waves discernJ2
Cast but a stone or strike them with an oarL
And you shall flames within the deep exploreL
Or scoop the stream phosphoric as you standI2
And the cold flames shall flash along your handI2
When lost in wonder you shall walk and gazeW
On weeds that sparkle and on waves that blazeW
The ocean too has Winter views sereneQ
When all you see through densest fog is seenQ
When you can hear the fishers near at handI2
Distinctly speak yet see not where they standI2
Or sometimes them and not their boat discernJ2
Or half conceal'd some figure at the sternJ2
The view's all bounded and from side to sideI2
Your utmost prospect but a few ells wideI2
Boys who on shore to sea the pebble castI2
Will hear it strike against the viewless mastI2
While the stern boatman growls his fierce disdainT
At whom he knows not whom he threats in vainT
Tis pleasant then to view the nets float pastI2
Net after net till you have seen the lastI2
And as you wait till all beyond you slipP
A boat comes gliding from an anchor'd shipP
Breaking the silence with the dipping oarL
And their own tones as labouring for the shoreL
Those measured tones which with the scene agreeL
And give a sadness to serenityL
All scenes like these the tender Maid shouldI2
-
shunM
Nor to a misty beach in autumn runM
Much should she guard against the evening coldI2
And her slight shape with fleecy warmth infoldI2
This she admits but not with so much easeW
Gives up the night walk when th' attendants pleaseW
Her have I seen pale vapour'd through the dayI2
With crowded parties at the midnight playI2
Faint in the morn no powers could she exertI2
At night with Pam delighted and alertI2
In a small shop she's raffled with a crowdI2
Breath'd the thick air and cough'd and laugh'dI2
-
aloudI2
She who will tremble if her eye exploreL
'The smallest monstrous mouse that creeps onK2
-
floor '-
Whom the kind doctor charged with shaking headI2
At early hour to quit the beaux for bedI2
She has contemning fear gone down the danceW
Till she perceived the rosy morn advanceW
Then has she wonder'd fainting o'er her teaI2
Her drops and julep should so useless beI2
Ah sure her joys must ravish every senseW
Who buys a portion at such vast expenseW
Among those joys 'tis one at eve to sailL2
On the broad River with a favourite galeL2
When no rough waves upon the bosom rideI2
But the keel cuts nor rises on the tideI2
Safe from the stream the nearer gunwale standsW
Where playful children trail their idle handsW
Or strive to catch long grassy leaves that floatI2
On either side of the impeded boatI2
What time the moon arising shows the mudI2
A shining border to the silver floodI2
When by her dubious light the meanest viewsW
Chalk stones and stakes obtain the richest huesW
And when the cattle as they gazing standI2
Seem nobler objects than when view'd from landI2
Then anchor'd vessels in the way appearL
And sea boys greet them as they pass 'What cheer '-
The sleeping shell ducks at the sound ariseW
And utter loud their unharmonious criesW
Fluttering they move their weedy beds amongM2
Or instant diving hide their plumeless youngM2
Along the wall returning from the townN2
The weary rustic homeward wanders downN2
Who stopsW

George Crabbe



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