Ambition And Content: A Fable Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABA CCDDEEFFBB GGHHGGIIBB JJKKCCBBLLMM NNOOPPQQRSNNNBBFFFTT UUCCBBJJUUVVUUUUWW GGMMBB UUUUXXUU UUUUYZJJBB A2A2MB2EEUUC2IUUUUSS D2D2UUUUIIUU

A
Optat quietem HorB
A
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While yet the world was young and men were fewC
Nor lurking fraud nor tyrant rapine knewC
In virtue rude the gaudy arts they scorn'dD
Which virtue lost degenerate times adorn'dD
No sumptuous fabrics yet were seen to riseE
Nor gushing fountains taught to invade the skiesE
With nature art had not begun the strifeF
Nor swelling marble rose to mimic lifeF
No pencil yet had learn'd to express the fairB
The bounteous earth was all their homely careB
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Then did Content exert her genial swayG
And taught the peaceful world her power to obeyG
Content a female of celestial raceH
Bright and complete in each celestial graceH
Serenely fair she was as rising dayG
And brighter than the sun's meridian rayG
Joy of all hearts delight of every eyeI
Nor grief nor pain appear'd when she was byI
Her presence from the wretched banish'd careB
Dispers'd the swelling sigh and stopt the falling tearB
-
Long did the nymph her regal state maintainJ
As long mankind were blest beneath her reignJ
Till dire Ambition hellish fiend aroseK
To plague the world and banish man's reposeK
A monster sprung from that rebellious crewC
Which mighty Jove's Phlegr an thunder slewC
Resolv'd to dispossess the royal fairB
On all her friends he threaten'd open warB
Fond of the novelty vain fickle manL
In crowds to his infernal standard ranL
And the weak maid defenceless left aloneM
To avoid his rage was forc'd to quit the throneM
-
It chanc'd as wandering through the fields she stray'dN
Forsook of all and destitute of aidN
Upon a rising mountain's flowery sideO
A pleasant cottage roof'd with turf she spiedO
Fast by a gloomy venerable woodP
Of shady planes and ancient oaks it stoodP
Around a various prospect charm'd the sightQ
Here waving harvests clad the fields with whiteQ
Here a rough shaggy rock the clouds did pierceR
From which a torrent rush'd with rapid forceS
Here mountain woods diffus'd a dusky shadeN
Here flocks and herds in flowery valleys play'dN
While o'er the matted grass the liquid crystal stray'dN
In this sweet place there dwelt a cheerful pairB
Though bent beneath the weight of many a yearB
Who wisely flying public noise and strifeF
In this obscure retreat had pass'd their lifeF
The husband Industry was call'd Frugality the wifeF
With tenderest Friendship mutually blestT
No household jars had e'er disturb'd their restT
A numerous offspring grac'd their homely boardU
That still with Nature's simple gifts was stor'dU
The father rural business only knewC
The sons the same delightful art pursueC
An only daughter as a goddess fairB
Above the rest was the fond mother's careB
Plenty the brightest nymph of all the plainJ
Each heart's delight ador'd by every swainJ
Soon as Content this charming scene espiedU
Joyful within herself the goddess criedU
This happy sight my drooping heart doth raiseV
The gods I hope will grant me gentler daysV
When with prosperity my life was blestU
In yonder house I've been a welcome guestU
There now perhaps I may protection findU
For royalty is banish'd from my mindU
I'll thither haste how happy should I beW
If such a refuge were reserv'd for meW
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Thus spoke the fair and straight she bent her wayG
To the tall mountain where the cottage layG
Arriv'd she makes her chang'd condition knownM
Tells how the rebels drove her from the throneM
What painful dreary wilds she'd wander'd o'erB
And shelter from the tyrant doth imploreB
-
The faithful aged pair at once were seiz'dU
With joy and grief at once were pain'd and pleas'dU
Grief for their banish'd queen their hearts possestU
And joy succeeded for their future guestU
And if you'll deign bright goddess here to dwellX
And with your presence grace our humble cellX
Whate'er the gods have given with bounteous handU
Our harvests fields and flocks our all commandU
-
Meantime Ambition on his rival's flightU
Sole lord of man attain'd his wish's heightU
Of all dependence on his subjects eas'dU
He rag'd without a curb and did whate'er he pleas'dU
As some wild flame driven on by furious windsY
Wide spreads destruction nor resistance findsZ
So rush'd the fiend destructive o'er the plainJ
Defac'd the labours of the industrious swainJ
Polluted every stream with human goreB
And scatter'd plagues and death from shore to shoreB
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Great Jove beheld it from the Olympian towersA2
Where sate assembled all the heavenly powersA2
Then with a nod that shook the empyrean throneM
Thus the Saturnian thunderer begunB2
You see immortal inmates of the skiesE
How this vile wretch almighty power defiesE
His daring crimes the blood which he has spiltU
Demand a torment equal to his guiltU
Then Cyprian goddess let thy mighty boyC2
Swift to the tyrant's guilty palace flyI
There let him choose his sharpest hottest dartU
And with his former rival wound his heartU
And thou my son the god to Hermes saidU
Snatch up thy wand and plume thy heels and headU
Dart through the yielding air with all thy forceS
And down to Pluto's realms direct thy courseS
There rouse Oblivion from her sable caveD2
Where dull she sits by Lethe's sluggish waveD2
Command her to secure the sacred boundU
Where lives Content retir'd and all aroundU
Diffuse the deepest glooms of Stygian nightU
And screen the virgin from the tyrant's sightU
That the vain purpose of his life may tryI
Still to explore what still eludes his eyeI
He spoke loud praises shake the bright abodeU
And all applaud the justice of the godU

Mark Akenside



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