Ode Xi: To The Country Gentlemen Of England Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCBCDDECCE AFGFHFFIJJI AKFKFLLMNNM EFCFCOOHPPH EEQEQECIRRI EESETFFPIIP EQFQFFFLUUL ECVCVFFSFFS FQPQPHHWXYE FZRZRA2A2CB2B2C FFMFMC2C2HFFH FD2MD2MWWD2CCD2 FHA2HA2FFE2CCE2 EQCQCMMQD2D2Q ETCTCF2F2HD2D2H EFD2FD2D2D2D2D2D2D2 ESD2SD2FFCEEG2| I | A |
| Whither is Europe's ancient spirit fled | B |
| Where are those valiant tenants of her shore | C |
| Who from the warrior bow the strong dart sped | B |
| Or with firm hand the rapid pole ax bore | C |
| Freeman and soldier was their common name | D |
| Who late with reapers to the furrow came | D |
| Now in the front of battle charg'd the foe | E |
| Who taught the steer the wintry plough to indure | C |
| Now in full councils check'd incroaching power | C |
| And gave the guardian laws their majesty to know | E |
| - | |
| II | A |
| But who are ye from Ebro's loitering sons | F |
| To Tiber's pageants to the sports of Seine | G |
| From Rhine's frail palaces to Danube's thrones | F |
| And cities looking on the Cimbric main | H |
| Ye lost ye self deserted whose proud lords | F |
| Have baffled your tame hands and given your swords | F |
| To slavish ruffians hir'd for their command | I |
| These at some greedy monk's or harlot's nod | J |
| See rifled nations crouch beneath their rod | J |
| These are the public will the reason of the land | I |
| - | |
| III | A |
| Thou heedless Albion what alas the while | K |
| Dost thou presume O inexpert in arms | F |
| Yet vain of freedom how dost thou beguile | K |
| With dreams of hope these near and loud alarms | F |
| Thy splendid home thy plan of laws renown'd | L |
| The praise and envy of the nations round | L |
| What care hast thou to guard from fortune's sway | M |
| Amid the storms of war how soon may all | N |
| The lofty pile from its foundations fall | N |
| Of ages the proud toil the ruin of a day | M |
| - | |
| IV | E |
| No thou art rich thy streams and fertile vales | F |
| Add industry's wise gifts to nature's store | C |
| And every port is crouded with thy sails | F |
| And every wave throws treasure on thy shore | C |
| What boots it If luxurious plenty charm | O |
| Thy selfish heart from glory if thy arm | O |
| Shrink at the frowns of danger and of pain | H |
| Those gifts that treasure is no longer thine | P |
| Oh rather far be poor Thy gold will shine | P |
| Tempting the eye of force and deck thee to thy bane | H |
| - | |
| V | E |
| But what hath force or war to do with thee | E |
| Girt by the azure tide and thron'd sublime | Q |
| Amid thy floating bulwarks thou canst see | E |
| With scorn the fury of each hostile clime | Q |
| Dash'd ere it reach thee Sacred from the foe | E |
| Are thy fair fields athwart thy guardian prow | C |
| No bold invader's foot shall tempt the strand | I |
| Yet say my country will the waves and wind | R |
| Obey thee Hast thou all thy hopes resign'd | R |
| To the sky's fickle faith the pilot's wavering hand | I |
| - | |
| VI | E |
| For oh may neither fear nor stronger love | E |
| Love by thy virtuous princes nobly won | S |
| Thee last of many wretched nations move | E |
| With mighty armies station'd round the throne | T |
| To trust thy safety Then farewell the claims | F |
| Of freedom Her proud records to the flames | F |
| Then bear an offering at ambition's shrine | P |
| Whate'er thy ancient patriots dar'd demand | I |
| From furious John's or faithless Charles's hand | I |
| Or what great William seal'd for his adopted line | P |
| - | |
| VII | E |
| But if thy sons be worthy of their name | Q |
| If liberal laws with liberal hearts they prize | F |
| Let them from conquest and from servile shame | Q |
| In war's glad school their own protectors rise | F |
| Ye chiefly heirs of Albion's cultur'd plains | F |
| Ye leaders of her bold and faithful swains | F |
| Now not unequal to your birth be found | L |
| The public voice bids arm your rural state | U |
| Paternal hamlets for your ensigns wait | U |
| And grange and fold prepare to pour their youth around | L |
| - | |
| VIII | E |
| Why are ye tardy what inglorious care | C |
| Detains you from their head your native post | V |
| Who most their country's fame and fortune share | C |
| 'Tis theirs to share her toils her perils most | V |
| Each man his task in social life sustains | F |
| With partial labours with domestic gains | F |
| Let others dwell to you indulgent heaven | S |
| By counsel and by arms the public cause | F |
| To serve for public love and love's applause | F |
| The first imployment far the noblest hire hath given | S |
| - | |
| IX | F |
| Have ye not heard of Laced mon's fame | Q |
| Of Attic chiefs in freedom's war divine | P |
| Of Rome's dread generals the Valerian name | Q |
| The Fabian sons the Scipios matchless line | P |
| Your lot was theirs the farmer and the swain | H |
| Met his lov'd patron's summons from the plain | H |
| The legions gather'd the bright eagles flew | W |
| Barbarian monarchs in the triumph mourn'd | X |
| The conquerors to their houshold gods return'd | Y |
| And fed Calabrian flocks and steer'd the Sabine plough | E |
| - | |
| X | F |
| Shall then this glory of the antique age | Z |
| This pride of men be lost among mankind | R |
| Shall war's heroic arts no more ingage | Z |
| The unbought hand the unsubjected mind | R |
| Doth valour to the race no more belong | A2 |
| No more with scorn of violence and wrong | A2 |
| Doth forming nature now her sons inspire | C |
| That like some mystery to few reveal'd | B2 |
| The skill of arms abash'd and aw'd they yield | B2 |
| And from their own defence with hopeless hearts retire | C |
| - | |
| XI | F |
| O shame to human life to human laws | F |
| The loose adventurer hireling of a day | M |
| Who his fell sword without affection draws | F |
| Whose God whose country is a tyrant's pay | M |
| This man the lessons of the field can learn | C2 |
| Can every palm which decks a warrior earn | C2 |
| And every pledge of conquest while in vain | H |
| To guard your altars your paternal lands | F |
| Are social arms held out to your free hands | F |
| Too arduous is the lore too irksome were the pain | H |
| - | |
| XII | F |
| Meantime by pleasure's lying tales allur'd | D2 |
| From the bright sun and living breeze ye stray | M |
| And deep in London's gloomy haunts immur'd | D2 |
| Brood o'er your fortune's freedom's health's decay | M |
| O blind of choice and to yourselves untrue | W |
| The young grove shoots their bloom the fields renew | W |
| The mansion asks its lord the swains their friend | D2 |
| While he doth riot's orgies haply share | C |
| Or tempt the gamester's dark destroying snare | C |
| Or at some courtly shrine with slavish incense bend | D2 |
| - | |
| XIII | F |
| And yet full oft your anxious tongues complain | H |
| That lawless tumult prompts the rustic throng | A2 |
| That the rude village inmates now disdain | H |
| Those homely ties which rul'd their fathers long | A2 |
| Alas your fathers did by other arts | F |
| Draw those kind ties around their simple hearts | F |
| And led in other paths their ductile will | E2 |
| By succour faithful counsel courteous cheer | C |
| Won them the ancient manners to revere | C |
| To prize their country's peace and heaven's due rites fulfill | E2 |
| - | |
| XIV | E |
| But mark rhe judgement of experienc'd Time | Q |
| Tutor of nations Doth light discord tear | C |
| A state and impotent sedition's crime | Q |
| The powers of warlike prudence dwell not there | C |
| The powers who to command and to obey | M |
| Instruct the valiant There would civil sway | M |
| The rising race to manly concord tame | Q |
| Oft let the marshal'd field their steps unite | D2 |
| And in glad splendor bring before their sight | D2 |
| One common cause and one hereditary fame | Q |
| - | |
| XV | E |
| Nor yet be aw'd nor yet your task disown | T |
| Though war's proud votaries look on severe | C |
| Though secrets taught erewhile to them alone | T |
| They deem profan'd by your intruding ear | C |
| Let them in vain your martial hope to quell | F2 |
| Of new refinements fiercer weapons tell | F2 |
| And mock the old simplicity in vain | H |
| To the time's warfare simple or refin'd | D2 |
| The time itself adapts the warrior's mind | D2 |
| And equal prowess still shall equal palms obtain | H |
| - | |
| XVI | E |
| Say then if England's youth in earlier days | F |
| On glory's field with well train'd armies vy'd | D2 |
| Why shall they now renounce that generous praise | F |
| Why dread the foreign mercenary's pride | D2 |
| Though Valois brav'd young Edward's gentle hand | D2 |
| And Albret rush'd on Henry's way worn band | D2 |
| With Europe's chosen sons in arms renown'd | D2 |
| Yet not on Vere's bold archers long they look'd | D2 |
| Nor Audley's squires nor Mowbray's yeomen brook'd | D2 |
| They saw their standard fall and left their monarch bound | D2 |
| - | |
| XVII | E |
| Such were the laurels which your fathers won | S |
| Such glory's dictates in their dauntless breast | D2 |
| Is there no voice that speaks to every son | S |
| No nobler holier call to You address'd | D2 |
| O by majestic freedom righteous laws | F |
| By heavenly truth's by manly reason's cause | F |
| Awake attend be indolent no more | C |
| By friendship social peace domestic love | E |
| Rise arm your country's living safety prove | E |
| And train her valiant youth and watch around her sh | G2 |
Mark Akenside
(1)
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About Ode Xi: To The Country Gentlemen Of England
Ode Xi: To The Country Gentlemen Of England is a poem by Mark Akenside. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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