Of Anticipation. From Proverbial Philosophy Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRFS CFTJKUVSU FJBJWXNOYFF E| Thou hast seen many sorrows travel stained pilgrim of the world | A |
| But that which hath vexed thee most hath been the looking for evil | B |
| And though calamities have crossed thee and misery been heaped on thy head | C |
| Yet ills that never happened have chiefly made thee wretched | D |
| The sting of pain and the edge of pleasure are blunted by long expectation | E |
| For the gall and the balm alike are diluted in the waters of patience | F |
| And often thou sippest sweetness ere the cup is dashed from thy lip | G |
| Or drainest the gall of fear while evil is passing by thy dwelling | H |
| A man too careful of danger liveth in continual torment | I |
| But a cheerful expecter of the best hath a fountain of joy within him | J |
| Yea though the breath of disappointment should chill the sanguine heart | K |
| Speedily gloweth it again warmed by the have embers of hope | L |
| Though the black and heavy surge close above the head for a moment | M |
| Yet the happy buoyancy of Confidence riseth superior to Despair | N |
| Verily evils may be courted may be wooed and won by distrust | O |
| For the wise Physician of our weal loveth not an unbelieving spirit | P |
| And to those giveth He good who rely on His hand for good | Q |
| And those leaveth He to evil who fear but trust Him not | R |
| Ask for good and hope it for the ocean of good is fathomless | F |
| Ask for good and have it for thy Friend would see thee happy | S |
| But to the timid heart to the child of unbelief and dread | C |
| That leaneth on his own weak staff and trusteth the sight of his eyes | F |
| The evil he feared shall come for the soil is ready for the seed | T |
| And suspicion hath coldly put aside the hand that was ready to help him | J |
| Therefore look up sad spirit be strong thou coward heart | K |
| Or fear will make thee wretched though evil follow not behind | U |
| Cease to anticipate misfortune there are still many chances of escape | V |
| But if it come be courageous face it and conquer thy calamity | S |
| There is not an enemy so stout as to storm and take the fortress of the mind | U |
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| Unless its infirmity turn traitor and Fear unbar the gates | F |
| The valiant standeth as a rock and the billows break upon him | J |
| The timorous is a skiff unmoored tost and mocked at by a ripple | B |
| The valiant holdeth fast to good till evil wrench it from him | J |
| The timorous casteth it aside to meet the worst half way | W |
| Yet oftentimes is evil but a braggart that provoketh and will not fight | X |
| Or the feint of a subtle fencer who measiureth his thrust elsewhere | N |
| Or perchance a blessing in a masque sent to try thy trust | O |
| The precious smiting of a friend whose frowns are all in love | Y |
| Often the storm threateneth but is driven to other climes | F |
| And the weak hath quaUed in fear while the firm hath been glad in his confidence | F |
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| Transcribed from Proverbial Philosophy by Mick Puttock Spelling punctuation and grammer left mostly unchanged from the th edition | E |
Martin Farquhar Tupper
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