Satyr Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCCCDDEECCFFGGHHIIC JKKKLLMMGGNNCCGGGGGG GGOPQRSTTCCUUUGGGFFI IVVFFGGGGCCIDGGFFFFF FGGGGDVGGCCWWFFGGJGG GDDCCFFVVGGIIJJJIXGG FFGGFFFFGGFFFFGGGGCC FFXXJJFFGGJGIICCFFGG CCIJJFFGGGGFFFFGGGGG FFFFFFDGGGGGFFGGGGGF FDGGGGGGGFFGGGGGGJJI YGGFF

Were I who to my cost already amA
One of those strange prodigious Creatures ManB
A Spirit free to choose for my own shareC
What Case of Flesh and Blood I pleas'd to weareC
I'd be a Dog a Monkey or a BearC
Or any thing but that vain AnimalD
Who is so proud of being rationalD
The senses are too gross and he'll contriveE
A Sixth to contradict the other FiveE
And before certain instinct will preferrC
Reason which Fifty times for one does errC
Reason an Ignis fatuus in the MindF
Which leaving light of Nature sense behindF
Pathless and dang'rous wandring ways it takesG
Through errors Fenny Boggs and Thorny BrakesG
Whilst the misguided follower climbs with painH
Mountains of Whimseys heap'd in his own BrainH
Stumbling from thought to thought falls headlong downI
Into doubts boundless Sea where like to drownI
Books bear him up awhile and make him tryC
To swim with Bladders of PhilosophyJ
In hopes still t'oretake th'escaping lightK
The Vapour dances in his dazling sightK
Till spent it leaves him to eternal NightK
Then Old Age and experience hand in handL
Lead him to death and make him understandL
After a search so painful and so longM
That all his Life he has been in the wrongM
Hudled in dirt the reas'ning Engine lyesG
Who was so proud so witty and so wiseG
Pride drew him in as Cheats their Bubbles catchN
And makes him venture to be made a WretchN
His wisdom did his happiness destroyC
Aiming to know that World he shou'd enjoyC
And Wit was his vain frivolous pretenceG
Of pleasing others at his own expenceG
For Witts are treated just like common WhoresG
First they're enjoy'd and then kickt out of DooresG
The pleasure past a threatning doubt remainsG
That frights th'enjoyer with succeeding painsG
Women and Men of Wit are dang'rous ToolsG
And ever fatal to admiring FoolsG
Pleasure allures and when the Fopps escapeO
'Tis not that they're belov'd but fortunateP
And therefore what they fear at heart they hateQ
But now methinks some formal Band and BeardR
Takes me to task come on Sir I'm prepar'dS
Then by your favour any thing that's writT
Against this gibeing jingling knack call'd WitT
Likes me abundantly but you take careC
Upon this point not to be too severeC
Perhaps my Muse were fitter for this partU
For I profess I can be very smartU
On Wit which I abhor with all my heartU
I long to lash it in some sharp EssayG
But your grand indiscretion bids me stayG
And turns my Tide of Ink another wayG
What rage ferments in your degen'rate mindF
To make you rail at Reason and MankindF
Blest glorious Man to whom alone kind Heav'nI
An everlasting Soul has freely giv'nI
Whom his great Maker took such care to makeV
That from himself he did the Image takeV
And this fair frame in shining Reason drestF
To dignifie his Nature above BeastF
Reason by whose aspiring influenceG
We take a flight beyond material senseG
Dive into Mysteries then soaring pierceG
The flaming limits of the UniverseG
Search Heav'n and Hell find out what's acted thereC
And give the World true grounds of hope and fearC
Hold mighty Man I cry all this we knowI
From the Pathetique Pen of IngelloD
From Patricks Pilgrim Stilling fleets replyesG
And 'tis this very reason I despiseG
This supernatural gift that makes a MyteF
Think he's the Image of the InfiniteF
Comparing his short life void of all restF
To the Eternal and the ever blestF
This busie puzling stirrer up of doubtF
That frames deep Mysteries then finds 'em outF
Filling with Frantick Crowds of thinking FoolsG
Those Reverend Bedlams Colledges and SchoolsG
Borne on whose Wings each heavy Sot can pierceG
The limits of the boundless UniverseG
So charming Oyntments make an Old Witch flieD
And bear a Crippled Carcass through the SkieV
'Tis this exalted Pow'r whose bus'ness liesG
In Nonsense and impossibilitiesG
This made a Whimsical PhilosopherC
Before the spacious World his Tub preferC
And we have modern Cloysterd Coxcombs whoW
Retire to think cause they have naught to doW
But thoughts are giv'n for Actions governmentF
Where Action ceases thoughts impertinentF
Our Sphere of Action is lifes happinessG
And he who thinks Beyond thinks like an AssG
Thus whilst against false reas'ning I inveighJ
I own right Reason which I wou'd obeyG
That Reason that distinguishes by senseG
And gives us Rules of good and ill from thenceG
That bounds desires with a reforming WillD
To keep 'em more in vigour not to killD
Your Reason hinders mine helps t'enjoyC
Renewing Appetites yours wou'd destroyC
My Reason is my Friend yours is a CheatF
Hunger call's out my Reason bids me eatF
Perversly yours your Appetite does mockV
This asks for Food that answers what's a ClockV
This plain distinction Sir your doubt securesG
'Tis not true Reason I despise but yoursG
Thus I think Reason righted but for ManI
I'le nere recant defend him if you canI
For all his Pride and his PhilosophyJ
'Tis evident Beasts are in their degreeJ
As wise at least and better far than heJ
Those Creatures are the wisest who attainI
By surest means the ends at which they aimX
If therefore Jowler finds and Kills his HaresG
Better than Meres supplyes Committee ChairsG
Though one's a States man th'other but a HoundF
Jowler in Justice wou'd be wiser foundF
You see how far Mans wisedom here extendsG
Look next if humane Nature makes amendsG
Whose Principles most gen'rous are and justF
And to whose Moralls you wou'd sooner trustF
Be judge your self I'le bring it to the testF
Which is the basest Creature Man or BeastF
Birds feed on Birds Beasts on each other preyG
But Savage Man alone does Man betrayG
Prest by necessity they Kill for FoodF
Man undoes Man to do himself no goodF
With Teeth and Claws by Nature arm'd they huntF
Natures allowance to supply their wantF
But Man with smiles embraces Friendships praiseG
Unhumanely his Fellows life betraysG
With voluntary pains works his distressG
Not through necessity but wantonnessG
For hunger or for Love they fight or tearC
Whilst wretched Man is still in Arms for fearC
For fear he armes and is of Armes afraidF
By fear to fear successively betray'dF
Base fear the source whence his best passion cameX
His boasted Honor and his dear bought FameX
That lust of Pow'r to which he's such a SlaveJ
And for the which alone he dares be braveJ
To which his various Projects are design'dF
Which makes him gen'rous affable and kindF
For which he takes such pains to be thought wiseG
And screws his actions in a forc'd disguiseG
Leading a tedious life in MiseryJ
Under laborious mean HypocrisieG
Look to the bottom of his vast designI
Wherein Mans Wisdom Pow'r and Glory joynI
The good he acts the ill he does endureC
'Tis all for fear to make himself secureC
Meerly for safety after Fame we thirstF
For all Men wou'd be Cowards if they durstF
And honesty's against all common senseG
Men must be Knaves 'tis in their own defenceG
Mankind's dishonest if you think it fairC
Amongst known Cheats to play upon the squareC
You'le be undoneI
Nor can weak truth your reputation saveJ
The Knaves will all agree to call you KnaveJ
Wrong'd shall he live insulted o're opprestF
Who dares be less a Villain than the restF
Thus Sir you see what humane Nature cravesG
Most Men are Cowards all Men shou'd be KnavesG
The diff'rence lyes as far as I can seeG
Not in the thing it self but the degreeG
And all the subject matter of debateF
Is only who's a Knave of the first RateF
All this with indignation have I hurl'dF
At the pretending part of the proud WorldF
Who swolne with selfish vanity deviseG
False freedomes holy Cheats and formal LyesG
Over their fellow Slaves to tyrannizeG
But if in Court so just a Man there beG
In Court a just Man yet unknown to meG
Who does his needful flattery directF
Not to oppress and ruine but protectF
Since flattery which way so ever laidF
Is still a Tax on that unhappy TradeF
If so upright a States Man you can findF
Whose passions bend to his unbyass'd MindF
Who does his Arts and Pollicies applyD
To raise his Country not his FamilyG
Nor while his Pride own'd Avarice withstandsG
Receives close Bribes from Friends corrupted handsG
Is there a Church Man who on God relyesG
Whose Life his Faith and Doctrine JustifiesG
Not one blown up with vain Prelatique PrideF
Who for reproof of Sins does Man derideF
Whose envious heart makes preaching a pretenceG
With his obstrep'rous sawcy EloquenceG
To chide at Kings and raile at Men of senseG
Who from his Pulpit vents more peevish LyesG
More bitter railings scandals CalumniesG
Than at a Gossipping are thrown aboutF
When the good Wives get drunk and then fall outF
None of that sensual Tribe whose Tallents lyeD
In Avarice Pride Sloth and GluttonyG
Who hunt good Livings but abhor good LivesG
Whose Lust exalted to that height arrivesG
They act Adultery with their own WivesG
And e're a score of Years compleated beG
Can from the lofty Pulpit proudly seeG
Half a large Parish their own ProgenyG
Nor doating Bishop who wou'd be ador'dF
For domineering at the Councel BoardF
A greater Fop in business at FourscoreG
Fonder of serious Toyes affected moreG
Than the gay glitt'ring Fool at Twenty provesG
With all his noise his tawdrey Cloths and LovesG
But a meek humble Man of honest senseG
Who Preaching peace does practice continenceG
Whose pious life's a proof he does believeJ
Misterious truths which no Man can conceiveJ
If upon Earth there dwell such God like MenI
I'le here recant my Paradox to themY
Adore those Shrines of Virtue Homage payG
And with the Rabble World their Laws obeyG
If such there are yet grant me this at leastF
Man differs more from Man than Man from BeastF

John Wilmot



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