Thoughts Suggested By A College Examination Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCDAA EEFF GGAAGGGGHH GGAAIIJJAAGGKKLLGG MMGGGGAA GGNNAAAAGGOOPPJJGGAA GGAA| High in the midst surrounded by his peers | A |
| Magnus his ample front sublime uprears | A |
| Plac'd on his chair of state he seems a God | B |
| While Sophs and Freshmen tremble at his nod | B |
| As all around sit wrapt in speechless gloom | C |
| His voice in thunder shakes the sounding dome | D |
| Denouncing dire reproach to luckless fools | A |
| Unskill'd to plod in mathematic rules | A |
| - | |
| Happy the youth in Euclid's axioms tried | E |
| Though little vers'd in any art beside | E |
| Who scarcely skill'd an English line to pen | F |
| Scans Attic metres with a critic's ken | F |
| - | |
| What though he knows not how his fathers bled | G |
| When civil discord pil'd the fields with dead | G |
| When Edward bade his conquering bands advance | A |
| Or Henry trampled on the crest of France | A |
| Though marvelling at the name of Magna Charta | G |
| Yet well he recollects the laws of Sparta | G |
| Can tell what edicts sage Lycurgus made | G |
| While Blackstone's on the shelf neglected laid | G |
| Of Grecian dramas vaunts the deathless fame | H |
| Of Avon's bard rememb'ring scarce the name | H |
| - | |
| Such is the youth whose scientific pate | G |
| Class honours medals fellowships await | G |
| Or even perhaps the declamation prize | A |
| If to such glorious height he lifts his eyes | A |
| But lo no common orator can hope | I |
| The envied silver cup within his scope | I |
| Not that our heads much eloquence require | J |
| Th' ATHENIAN'S glowing style or TULLY'S fire | J |
| A manner clear or warm is useless since | A |
| We do not try by speaking to convince | A |
| Be other orators of pleasing proud | G |
| We speak to please ourselves not move the crowd | G |
| Our gravity prefers the muttering tone | K |
| A proper mixture of the squeak and groan | K |
| No borrow'd grace of action must be seen | L |
| The slightest motion would displease the Dean | L |
| Whilst every staring Graduate would prate | G |
| Against what he could never imitate | G |
| - | |
| The man who hopes t' obtain the promis'd cup | M |
| Must in one posture stand and ne'er look up | M |
| Nor stop but rattle over every word | G |
| No matter what so it can not be heard | G |
| Thus let him hurry on nor think to rest | G |
| Who speaks the fastest's sure to speak the best | G |
| Who utters most within the shortest space | A |
| May safely hope to win the wordy race | A |
| - | |
| The Sons of Science these who thus repaid | G |
| Linger in ease in Granta's sluggish shade | G |
| Where on Cam's sedgy banks supine they lie | N |
| Unknown unhonour'd live unwept for die | N |
| Dull as the pictures which adorn their halls | A |
| They think all learning fix'd within their walls | A |
| In manners rude in foolish forms precise | A |
| All modern arts affecting to despise | A |
| Yet prizing Bentley's Brunck's or Porson's note | G |
| More than the verse on which the critic wrote | G |
| Vain as their honours heavy as their Ale | O |
| Sad as their wit and tedious as their tale | O |
| To friendship dead though not untaught to feel | P |
| When Self and Church demand a Bigot zeal | P |
| With eager haste they court the lord of power | J |
| Whether 'tis PITT or PETTY rules the hour | J |
| To him with suppliant smiles they bend the head | G |
| While distant mitres to their eyes are spread | G |
| But should a storm o'erwhelm him with disgrace | A |
| They'd fly to seek the next who fill'd his place | A |
| Such are the men who learning's treasures guard | G |
| Such is their practice such is their reward | G |
| This much at least we may presume to say | A |
| The premium can't exceed the price they pay | A |
George Gordon Lord Byron
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