The Author Upon Himself Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFFGGHIJKLL MMNNFFMMIIOOPQRRSSTT UUIIVWJJXXIIYZA2A2B2 B2C2C2D2D2A2A2JJA2A2 E2E2F2F2VG2| By an old pursued | A |
| A crazy prelate and a royal prude | A |
| By dull divines who look with envious eyes | B |
| On ev'ry genius that attempts to rise | B |
| And pausing o'er a pipe with doubtful nod | C |
| Give hints that poets ne'er believe in God | C |
| So clowns on scholars as on wizards look | D |
| And take a folio for a conj'ring book | D |
| Swift had the sin of wit no venial crime | E |
| Nay 'twas affirm'd he sometimes dealt in rhyme | E |
| Humour and mirth had place in all he writ | F |
| He reconcil'd divinity and wit | F |
| He moved and bow'd and talk'd with too much grace | G |
| Nor show'd the parson in his gait or face | G |
| Despised luxurious wines and costly meat | H |
| Yet still was at the tables of the great | I |
| Frequented lords saw those that saw the queen | J |
| At Child's or Truby's never once had been | K |
| Where town and country vicars flock in tribes | L |
| Secured by numbers from the laymen's gibes | L |
| And deal in vices of the graver sort | M |
| Tobacco censure coffee pride and port | M |
| But after sage monitions from his friends | N |
| His talents to employ for nobler ends | N |
| To better judgments willing to submit | F |
| He turns to politics his dang'rous wit | F |
| And now the public Int'rest to support | M |
| By Harley Swift invited comes to court | M |
| In favour grows with ministers of state | I |
| Admitted private when superiors wait | I |
| And Harley not ashamed his choice to own | O |
| Takes him to Windsor in his coach alone | O |
| At Windsor Swift no sooner can appear | P |
| But St John comes and whispers in his ear | Q |
| The waiters stand in ranks the yeomen cry | R |
| Make room as if a duke were passing by | R |
| Now Finch alarms the lords he hears for certain | S |
| This dang'rous priest is got behind the curtain | S |
| Finch famed for tedious elocution proves | T |
| That Swift oils many a spring which Harley moves | T |
| Walpole and Aislaby to clear the doubt | U |
| Inform the Commons that the secret's out | U |
| 'A certain doctor is observed of late | I |
| To haunt a certain minister of state | I |
| From whence with half an eye we may discover | V |
| The peace is made and Perkin must come over ' | W |
| York is from Lambeth sent to show the queen | J |
| A dang'rous treatise writ against the spleen | J |
| Which by the style the matter and the drift | X |
| 'Tis thought could be the work of none but Swift | X |
| Poor York the harmless tool of others' hate | I |
| He sues for pardon and repents too late | I |
| Now angry Somerset her vengeance vows | Y |
| On Swift's reproaches for her spouse | Z |
| From her red locks her mouth with venom fills | A2 |
| And thence into the royal ear instils | A2 |
| The queen incensed his services forgot | B2 |
| Leaves him a victim to the vengeful Scot | B2 |
| Now through the realm a proclamation spread | C2 |
| To fix a price on his devoted head | C2 |
| While innocent he scorns ignoble flight | D2 |
| His watchful friends preserve him by a sleight | D2 |
| By Harley's favour once again he shines | A2 |
| Is now caress'd by candidate divines | A2 |
| Who change opinions with the changing scene | J |
| Lord how were they mistaken in the dean | J |
| Now Delawar again familiar grows | A2 |
| And in Swift's ear thrusts half his powder'd nose | A2 |
| The Scottish nation whom he durst offend | E2 |
| Again apply that Swift would be their friend | E2 |
| By faction tired with grief he waits awhile | F2 |
| His great contending friends to reconcile | F2 |
| Performs what friendship justice truth require | V |
| What could he more but decently retire | G2 |
Jonathan Swift
(1)
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