The Borough. Letter Xvii: The Hospital And Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABBCCDDEEFFAAGGHHIJA AKKCCL CMMNOAAPPAAAAAAAAQQG GRRSSTTEEUUVVPPWWX UUKKYIZZWWA2A2B2B2DD C2D2GGE2F2CCT AAAAEERG2 RUUH2I2TAWWAAQQAAWWJ 2J2DDUUK2L2CCA M2M2GGN2N2T XXAAO2O2CCQQP2P2Q2Q2 VVHHXXFFR2R2CCS2T2U2 V2NNW2BAAE2F2 AAX2X2Y2Y2Z2Z2QQA3A3 EB3

GovenorsA
AN ardent spirit dwells with Christian loveB
The eagle's vigour in the pitying doveB
'Tis not enough that we with sorrow sighC
That we the wants of pleading man supplyC
That we in sympathy with sufferers feelD
Nor hear a grief without a wish to healD
Not these suffice to sickness pain and woeE
The Christian spirit loves with aid to goE
Will not be sought waits not for want to pleadF
But seeks the duty nay prevents the needF
Her utmost aid to every ill appliesA
And plans relief for coining miseriesA
Hence yonder Building rose on either sideG
Far stretch'd the wards all airy warm and wideG
And every ward has beds by comfort spreadH
And smooth'd for him who suffers on the bedH
There all have kindness most relief for someI
Is cure complete it is the sufferer's homeJ
Fevers and chronic ills corroding painsA
Each accidental mischief man sustainsA
Fractures and wounds and wither'd limbs and lameK
With all that slow or sudden vex our frameK
Have here attendance here the sufferers lieC
Where love and science every aid applyC
And heal'd with rapture live or soothed by comfortL
-
dieC
See one relieved from anguish and to dayM
Allow'd to walk and look an hour awayM
Two months confined by fever frenzy painN
He comes abroad and is himself againO
'Twas in the spring when carried to the placeA
The snow fell down and melted in his faceA
'Tis summer now all objects gay and newP
Smiling alike the viewer and the viewP
He stops as one unwilling to advanceA
Without another and another glanceA
With what a pure and simple joy he seesA
Those sheep and cattle browsing at their easeA
Easy himself there's nothing breathes or movesA
But he would cherish all that lives he lovesA
Observing every ward as round he goesA
He thinks what pain what danger they incloseA
Warm in his wish for all who suffer thereQ
At every view he meditates a prayerQ
No evil counsels in his breast abideG
There joy and love and gratitude resideG
The wish that Roman necks in one were foundR
That he who form'd the wish might deal the woundR
This man had never heard but of the kindS
Is that desire which rises in his mindS
He'd have all English hands for further heT
Cannot conceive extends our charityT
All but his own in one right hand to growE
And then what hearty shake would he bestowE
'How rose the Building ' Piety first laidU
A strong foundation but she wanted aidU
To Wealth unwieldy was her prayer address'dV
Who largely gave and she the donor bless'dV
Unwieldy Wealth then to his couch withdrewP
And took the sweetest sleep he ever knewP
Then busy Vanity sustained her partW
'And much ' she said 'it moved her tender heartW
To her all kinds of man's distress were knownX
And all her heart adopted as its own '-
Then Science came his talents he display'dU
And Charity with joy the dome survey'dU
Skill Wealth and Vanity obtain the fameK
And Piety the joy that makes no claimK
Patrons there are and Governors from whomY
The greater aid and guiding orders comeI
Who voluntary cares and labours takeZ
The sufferers' servants for the service' sakeZ
Of these a part I give you but a partW
Some hearts are hidden some have not a heartW
First let me praise for so I best shall paintA2
That pious moralist that reasoning saintA2
Can I of worth like thine Eusebius speakB2
The man is willing but the Muse is weakB2
'Tis thine to wait on woe to soothe to healD
With learning social and polite with zealD
In thy pure breast although the passions dwellC2
They're train'd by virtue and no more rebelD2
But have so long been active on her sideG
That passion now might be itself the guideG
Law conscience honour all obey'd all giveE2
Th' approving voice and make it bliss to liveF2
While faith when life can nothing more supplyC
Shall strengthen hope and make it bliss to dieC
He preaches speaks and writes with manlyT
-
senseA
No weak neglect no labour'd eloquenceA
Goodness and wisdom are in all his waysA
The rude revere him and the wicked praiseA
Upon humility his virtues growE
And tower so high because so fix'd belowE
As wider spreads the oak his boughs aroundR
When deeper with his roots he digs the solidG2
-
groundR
By him from ward to ward is every aidU
The sufferer needs with every care convey'dU
Like the good tree he brings his treasure forthH2
And like the tree unconscious of his worthI2
Meek as the poorest Publican is heT
And strict as lives the straitest PhariseeA
Of both in him unite the better partW
The blameless conduct and the humble heartW
Yet he escapes not he with some is wiseA
In carnal things and loves to moralizeA
Others can doubt if all that Christian careQ
Has not its price there's something he may shareQ
But this and ill severer he sustainsA
As gold the fire and as unhurt remainsA
When most reviled although he feels the smartW
It wakes to nobler deeds the wounded heartW
As the rich olive beaten for its fruitJ2
Puts forth at every bruise a bearing shootJ2
A second friend we have whose care and zealD
But few can equal few indeed can feelD
He lived a life obscure and profits madeU
In the coarse habits of a vulgar tradeU
His brother master of a hoy he lovedK2
So well that he the calling disapprovedL2
'Alas poor Tom ' the landman oft would sighC
When the gale freshen'd and the waves ran highC
And when they parted with a tear he'd sayA
'No more adventure here in safety stay '-
Nor did he feign with more than half he hadM2
He would have kept the seaman and been gladM2
Alas how few resist when strongly triedG
A rich relation's nearer kinsman diedG
He sicken'd and to him the landman wentN2
And all his hours with cousin Ephraim spentN2
This Thomas heard and cared not 'I ' quoth heT
'Have one in port upon the watch for me '-
So Ephraim died and when the will was shownX
Isaac the landman had the whole his ownX
Who to his brother sent a moderate purseA
Which he return'd in anger with his curseA
Then went to sea and made his grog so strongO2
He died before he could forgive the wrongO2
The rich man built a house both large and highC
He enter'd in and set him down to sighC
He planted ample woods and gardens fairQ
And walk'd with anguish and compunction thereQ
The rich man's pines to every friend a treatP2
He saw with pain and he refused to eatP2
His daintiest food his richest wines were allQ2
Turn'd by remorse to vinegar and gallQ2
The softest down by living body press'dV
The rich man bought and tried to take his restV
But care had thorns upon his pillow spreadH
And scatter'd sand and nettles in his bedH
Nervous he grew would often sigh and groanX
He talk'd but little and he walk'd aloneX
Till by his priest convinced that from one deedF
Of genuine love would joy and health proceedF
He from that time with care and zeal beganR2
To seek and soothe the grievous ills of manR2
And as his hands their aid to grief applyC
He learns to smile and he forgets to sighC
Now he can drink his wine and taste his foodS2
And feel the blessings Heav'n has dealt are goodT2
And since the suffering seek the rich man's doorU2
He sleeps as soundly as when young and poorV2
Here much he gives is urgent more to gainN
He begs rich beggars seldom sue in vainN
Preachers most famed he moves the crowd to moveW2
And never wearies in the work of loveB
He rules all business settles all affairsA
He makes collections he directs repairsA
And if he wrong'd one brother Heav'n forgiveE2
The man by whom so many brethren liveF2
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-
-
Then 'mid our Signatures a name appearsA
Of one for wisdom famed above his yearsA
And these were forty he was from his youthX2
A patient searcher after useful truthX2
To language little of his time he gaveY2
To science less nor was the Muse's slaveY2
Sober and grave his college sent him downZ2
A fair example for his native townZ2
Slowly he speaks and with such solemn airQ
You'd thing a Socrates or Solon thereQ
For though a Christian he's disposed to drawA3
His rules from reason's and from nature's lawA3
'Know ' he exclaims 'my fellow mortals knowE
Virtue alonB3

George Crabbe



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