The Minstrel; Or, The Progress Of Genius (excerpts) Poem Rhyme Scheme

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THE FIRST BOOK excerpts	A
	-
Ah who can tell how hard it is to climb	B
The steep where Fame's proud temple shines afar	C
Ah who can tell how many a soul sublime	B
Hath felt the influence of malignant star	C
And wag'd with Fortune an eternal war	D
Check'd by the scoff of Pride by Envy's frown	E
And Poverty's unconquerable bar	C
In life's low vale remote hath pin'd alone	F
Then dropt into the grave unpitied and unknown	F
	-
And yet the languor of inglorious days	G
Not equally oppressive is to all	H
Him who ne'er listen'd to the voice of praise	G
The silence of neglect can ne'er appal	H
There are who deaf to mad Ambition's call	H
Would shrink to hear th' obstreperous trump of Fame	I
Supremely blest if to their portion fall	H
Health competence and peace Nor higher aim	I
Had he whose simple tale these artless lines proclaim	I
	-
This sapient age disclaims all classic lore	D
Else I should here in cunning phrase display	H
How forth The Minstrel far'd in days of yore	D
Right glad of heart though homely in array	H
His waving locks and beard all hoary grey	H
And from his bending shoulder decent hung	J
His harp the sole companion of his way	H
Which to the whistling wind responsive rung	J
And ever as he went some merry lay he sung	J
	-
Fret not yourselves ye silken sons of pride	K
That a poor Wanderer should inspire my strain	L
The Muses Fortune's fickle smile deride	K
Nor ever bow the knee in Mammon's fane	L
For their delights are with the village train	L
Whom Nature's laws engage and Nature's charms	M
They hate the sensual and scorn the vain	L
The parasite their influence never warms	N
Nor him whose sordid soul the love of wealth alarms	M
	-
Though richest hues the peacock's plumes adorn	O
Yet horror screams from his discordant throat	P
Rise sons of harmony and hail the morn	O
While warbling larks on russet pinions float	P
Or seek at noon the woodland scene remote	P
Where the grey linnets carol from the hill	H
O let them ne'er with artificial note	P
To please a tyrant strain the little bill	H
But sing what Heaven inspires and wander where they will	H
	-
Liberal not lavish is kind Nature's hand	Q
Nor was perfection made for man below	H
Yet all her schemes with nicest art are plann'd	Q
Good counteracting ill and gladness woe	H
With gold and gems if Chilian mountains glow	H
If bleak and barren Scotia's hills arise	R
There plague and poison lust and rapine grow	H
Here peaceful are the vales and pure the skies	R
And freedom fires the soul and sparkles in the eyes	R
	-
Then grieve not thou to whom th' indulgent Muse	S
Vouchsafes a portion of celestial fire	T
Nor blame the partial Fates if they refuse	S
Th' imperial banquet and the rich attire	T
Know thine own worth and reverence the lyre	U
Wilt thou debase the heart which God refin'd	V
No let thy heaven taught soul to heaven aspire	U
To fancy freedom harmony resign'd	V
Ambition's groveling crew for ever left behind	V
	-
	-
But who the melodies of morn can tell	H
The wild brook babbling down the mountain side	K
The lowing herd the sheepfold's simple bell	H
The pipe of early shepherd dim descried	K
In the lone valley echoing far and wide	K
The clamorous horn along the cliffs above	W
The hollow murmur of the ocean tide	K
The hum of bees and linnet's lay of love	W
And the full choir that wakes the universal grove	X
	-
The cottage curs at early pilgrim bark	Y
Crown'd with her pail the tripping milkmaid sings	Z
The whistling plowman stalks afield and hark	Y
Down the rough slope the ponderous waggon rings	Z
Through rustling corn the hare astonish'd springs	Z
Slow tolls the village clock the drowsy hour	T
The partridge bursts away on whirring wings	Z
Deep mourns the turtle in sequester'd bower	T
And shrill lark carols clear from her aereal tower	T
	-
O Nature how in every charm supreme	A2
Whose votaries feast on raptures ever new	B2
O for the voice and fire of seraphim	A2
To sing thy glories with devotion due	B2
Blest be the day I scap'd the wrangling crew	B2
From Pyrrho's maze and Epicurus' sty	K
And held high converse with the godlike few	B2
Who to th' enraptur'd heart and ear and eye	K
Teach beauty virtue truth and love and melody	K
	-
Hence ye who snare and stupefy the mind	K
Sophists of beauty virtue joy the bane	L
Greedy and fell though impotent and blind	K
Who spread your filthy nets in Truth's fair fane	L
And ever ply your venom'd fangs amain	L
Hence to dark Error's den whose rankling slime	A2
First gave you form hence lest the Muse should deign	L
Though loth on theme so mean to waste a rhyme	A2
With vengeance to pursue your sacrilegious crime	A2
	-
But hail ye mighty masters of the lay	H
Nature's true sons the friends of man and truth	C2
Whose song sublimely sweet serenely gay	H
Amus'd my childhood and inform'd my youth	C2
O let your spirit still my bosom soothe	D2
Inspire my dreams and my wild wanderings guide	K
Your voice each rugged path of life can smooth	D2
For well I know wherever ye reside	K
There harmony and peace and innocence abide	K

James Beattie

The Minstrel; Or, The Progress Of Genius (excerpts) Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

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