Poet Jonathan Swift

Jonathan Swift

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Epilogue To A Benefit Play, Given In Behalf Of The Distressed Weavers Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BBCCDDCCEECFGGHHIIJJ KKLLBBJJMMNNEEOOPPQQ BBCFJP

BY THE DEAN SPOKEN BY MR GRIFFITHA
-
Who dares affirm this is no pious ageB
When charity begins to tread the stageB
When actors who at best are hardly saversC
Will give a night of benefit to weaversC
Stay let me see how finely will it soundD
Imprimis From his grace a hundred poundD
Peers clergy gentry all are benefactorsC
And then comes in the item of the actorsC
Item The actors freely give a dayE
The poet had no more who made the playE
But whence this wondrous charity in playersC
They learn it not at sermons or at prayersF
Under the rose since here are none but friendsG
To own the truth we have some private endsG
Since waiting women like exacting jadesH
Hold up the prices of their old brocadesH
We'll dress in manufactures made at homeI
Equip our kings and generals at the CombI
We'll rig from Meath Street Egypt's haughty queenJ
And Antony shall court her in ratteenJ
In blue shalloon shall Hannibal be cladK
And Scipio trail an Irish purple plaidK
In drugget drest of thirteen pence a yardL
See Philip's son amidst his Persian guardL
And proud Roxana fired with jealous rageB
With fifty yards of crape shall sweep the stageB
In short our kings and princesses withinJ
Are all resolved this project to beginJ
And you our subjects when you here resortM
Must imitate the fashion of the courtM
O could I see this audience clad in stuffN
Though money's scarce we should have trade enoughN
But chintz brocades and lace take all awayE
And scarce a crown is left to see the playE
Perhaps you wonder whence this friendship springsO
Between the weavers and us playhouse kingsO
But wit and weaving had the same beginningP
Pallas first taught us poetry and spinningP
And next observe how this alliance fitsQ
For weavers now are just as poor as witsQ
Their brother quillmen workers for the stageB
For sorry stuff can get a crown a pageB
But weavers will be kinder to the playersC
And sell for twenty pence a yard of theirsF
And to your knowledge there is often less inJ
The poet's wit than in the player's dressingP

Jonathan Swift



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