The Virtuoso Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCBBDBDDDEDEEEEEEDD DDDFDFGDHDIJEJEKKEKE EEEEEKEKEEEEEE EDEDDJDJJKDKLLELEEEK EKKEKEEMEMEEDEDDWhilom by silver Thames's gentle stream | A |
In London town there dwelt a subtile wight | B |
A wight of mickle wealth and mickle fame | C |
Book learn'd and quaint a Virtuoso hight | B |
Uncommon things and rare were his delight | B |
From musings deep his brain ne'er gotten ease | D |
Nor ceased he from study day or night | B |
Until advancing onward by degrees | D |
He knew whatever breeds on earth or air or seas | D |
He many a creature did anatomize | D |
Almost unpeopling water air and land | E |
Beasts fishes birds snails caterpillars flies | D |
Were laid full low by his relentless hand | E |
That oft with gory crimson was distain'd | E |
He many a dog destroy'd and many a cat | E |
Of fleas his bed of frogs the marshes drain'd | E |
Could tellen if a mite were lean or fat | E |
And read a lecture o'er the entrails of a gnat | E |
He knew the various modes of ancient times | D |
Their arts and fashions of each different guise | D |
Their weddings funerals punishments for crimes | D |
Their strength their learning eke and rarities | D |
Of old habiliments each sort and size | D |
Male female high and low to him were known | F |
Each gladiator dress and stage disguise | D |
With learned clerkly phrase he could have shown | F |
How the Greek tunic differ'd from the Roman gown | G |
A curious medalist I wot he was | D |
And boasted many a course of ancient coin | H |
Well as his wife's he knewen every face | D |
From Julius Caesar down to Constantine | I |
For some rare sculpture he would oft pine | J |
As green sick damosels for husbands do | E |
And when obtained with enraptur'd eyne | J |
He'd run it o'er and o'er with greedy view | E |
And look and look again as he would look it thro' | K |
His rich museum of dimensions fair | K |
With goods that spoke the owner's mind was fraught | E |
Things ancient curious value worth and rare | K |
From sea and land from Greece and Rome were brought | E |
Which he with mighty sums of gold had bought | E |
On these all tides with joyous eyes he por'd | E |
And sooth to say himself he greater thought | E |
When he beheld his cabinets thus stor'd | E |
Than if he'd been of Albion's wealthy cities lord | E |
Here in a corner stood a rich 'scrutoire | K |
With many a curiosity replete | E |
In seemly order furnished every drawer | K |
Products of art or nature as was meet | E |
Air pumps and prisms were plac'd beneath his feet | E |
A Memphian mummy king hung o'er his head | E |
Here phials with live insects small and great | E |
There stood a tripod of the Pythian maid | E |
Above a crocodile diffus'd a grateful shade | E |
- | |
Fast by the window did a table stand | E |
Where hodiern and antique rarities | D |
From Egypt Greece and Rome from sea and land | E |
Were thick besprent of every sort and size | D |
Here a Bahaman spider's carcass lies | D |
There a dire serpent's golden skin doth shine | J |
Here Indian feathers fruits and glittering flies | D |
There gums and amber found beneath the line | J |
The beak of Ibis here and there an Antonine | J |
Close at his back or whispering in his ear | K |
There stood a spright ycleped Phantasy | D |
Which wheresoe'er he went was always near | K |
Her look was wild and roving was her eye | L |
Her hair was clad with flowers of every dye | L |
Her glistering robes were of more various hue | E |
Than the fair bow that paints the clouded sky | L |
Or all the spangled drops of morning dew | E |
Their colour changing still at every different view | E |
Yet in this shape all tydes she did not stay | E |
Various as the chameleon that she bore | K |
Now a grand monarch with a crown of hay | E |
Now mendicant in silks and golden ore | K |
A statesman now equipp'd to chase the boar | K |
Or cowled monk lean feeble and unfed | E |
A clown like lord or swain of courtly lore | K |
Now scribbling dunce in sacred laurel clad | E |
Or papal father now in homely weeds array'd | E |
The wight whose brain this phantom's power doth fill | M |
On whom she doth with constant care attend | E |
Will for a dreadful giant take a mill | M |
Or a grand palace in a hogsty find | E |
From her dire influence me may Heaven defend | E |
All things with vitiated sight he spies | D |
Neglects his family forgets his friend | E |
Seeks painted trifles and fantastic toys | D |
And eagerly pursues imaginary joys | D |
Mark Akenside
(1)
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