Poet Joseph Addison

Joseph Addison

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Prologue To Steele's Tender Husband Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCCDDEEFF GHIJKLMNOO PPQQRRSTUU VVEEWWXX

In the first rise and infancy of farceA
When fools were many and when plays were scarceB
The raw unpractis'd authors could with easeC
A young and unexperienc'd audience pleaseC
No single character had e'er been shownD
But the whole herd of fops was all their ownD
Rich in originals they set to viewE
In every piece a coxcomb that was newE
But now our British theatre can boastF
Drolls of all kinds a vast unthinking hostF
-
Fruitful of folly and of vice it showsG
Cuckolds and cits and bawds and pimps and beauxH
Rough country knights are found of every shireI
Of every fashion gentle fops appearJ
And punks of different characters we meetK
As frequent on the stage as in the pitL
Our modern wits are forc'd to pick and cullM
And here and there by chance glean up a foolN
Long ere they find the necessary sparkO
They search the town and beat about the ParkO
-
To all his most frequented haunts resortP
Oft dog him to the ring and oft to courtP
As love of pleasure or of place invitesQ
And sometimes catch him taking snuff at White'sQ
Howe'er to do you right the present ageR
Breeds very hopeful monsters for the stageR
That scorn the paths their dull forefather's trodS
And won't be blockheads in the common roadT
Do but survey this crouded house tonightU
Here's still encouragement for those that writeU
-
Our author to divert his friends to dayV
Stocks with variety of fools his playV
And that there may be something gay and newE
Two ladies errant has expos'd to viewE
The first a damsel travel'd in romanceW
The t'other more refin'd she comes from FranceW
Rescue like courteous knights the nymph from dangerX
And kindly treat like well bred men the strangerX

Joseph Addison



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