Of Compensation. From Proverbial Philosophy Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOL PHDQRSTUUVLUHUHJHW UJXKCYXXXXHXLJUJXXU XUXUZUA2XXHJB2UUC2U XZD2XD2XD2E2F2XQXXG2 XH2XZG2XXLXXLZD2AXD2 UXXC2XXL L

Equal is the government of heaven in allotting pleasures among menA
And just the everlasting law that hath wedded happiness to virtueB
For verily on all things else broodeth disappointment with careC
That childish man may be taught the shallowness of earthly enjoymentD
Wherefore ye that have enough envy ye the rich man his abundanceE
Wherefore daughters of affluence covet ye the cottager's contentF
Take the good with the evil for ye all are pensioners of GodG
And none may choose or refuse the cup His wisdom mixethH
The poor man rejoiceth at his toil and his daily meat is sweet to himI
Content with present good he looketh not for evil to the futureJ
The rich man languisheth with sloth and findeth pleasure in nothingK
He locketh up care with his gold and feareth the fickleness of fortuneL
Can a cup contain within itself the measure of a bucketM
Or the straitened appetites of man drink more than their fill of luxuryN
There is a limit to enjoyment though the sources of wealth be boundlessO
And the choicest pleasures of life lie within the ring of moderationL
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Also though penury and pain be real and bitter evilsP
I would reason with the poor afflicted for he is not so wretched as he seemethH
What right hath an offender to complain though others escape punishmentD
If the stripes of earned misfortune overtake him in his sinQ
Wherefore not endure with resignation the evils thou canst not avertR
For the coward pain will flee if thou meet him as a manS
Consider whatever be thy fate that it might and ought to have been worseT
And that it lieth in thy hand to gather even blessing from afflictionsU
Bethink thee wherefore were they sent and hath not use blunted their keennessU
Need hope and patience and courage be strangers to the meanest hovelV
Thou art in an evil case it were cruel to deny to thee compassionL
But there is not unmitigated ill in the sharpest of this world's sorrowsU
I touch not the sore of thy guilt but of human griefs I counsel theeH
Cast off the weakness of regret and gird thee to redeem thy lossU
Thou hast gained in the furnace of affliction self knowledge patience and humilityH
And these be as precious ore that waiteth the skill of the coinerJ
Despise not the blessings of adversity nor the gain thou hast earned so hardlyH
And now thou hast drained the bitter take heed that thou lose not the sweetW
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Power is seldom innocent and envy is the yoke fellow of eminenceU
And the rust of the miser's riches wasteth his soul as a cankerJ
The poor man counteth not the cost at which such wealth hath been purchasedX
He would be on the mountain's top without the toil and travail of the climbingK
But equity demandeth recompense for high place calumny and careC
For state comfortless splendour eating out the heart of homeY
For warrior fame dangers and death for a name among the learned a spirit overstrainedX
For honour of all kinds the goad of ambition on every acquirement the tax of anxietyX
He that would change with another must take the cup as it is mixedX
Poverty with largeness of heart or a full purse with a sordid spiritX
Wisdom in an ailing body or a common mind with healthH
Godliness with man's scorn or the welcome of the mighty with guiltX
Beauty with a fickle heart or plainness of face with affectionL
For so hath Providence determined that a man shall not easily discoverJ
Unmingled good or evil to quicken his envy or abhorrenceU
A bold man or a fool must he be who would change his lot with anotherJ
It were a fearful bargain and mercy hath lovingly refused itX
For we know the worst of ourselves but the secrets of another we see notX
And better is certain bad than the doubt and dread of worseU
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Just and strong and opportune is the moral rule of GodX
Ripe in its times firm in its judgments equal in the measure of its giftsU
Yet men scanning the surface count the wicked happyX
Nor heed the compensating peace which gladdeneth the good in his afflictionsU
They see not the frightful dreams that crowd a bad man's pillowZ
Like wreathed adders crawling round his midnight conscienceU
They hear not the terrible suggestions that knock at the portal of his willA2
Provoking to wipe away from life the one weak witness of the deedX
They know not the torturing suspicious that sting his panting breastX
When the clear eye of penetration quietly readeth off the truthH
Likewise of the good what know they the memories bringing pleasureJ
Shrined in the heart of the benevolent and glistening from his eyeB2
The calm self justifying reason that establisheth the upright in his purposeU
The warm and gushing bliss that floodeth all the thoughts of the religiousU
Many a beggar at the cross way or grey haired shepherd on the plainC2
Hath more of the end of all wealth than hundreds who multiply the meansU
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Moreover a moral compensation reacheth to the secrecy of thoughtX
For if thou wilt think evil of thy neighbour soon shalt thou have him for thy foeZ
And yet he may know nothing of the cause that maketh thee distasteful to his soulD2
The cause of unkind suspicion for which thou hast thy punishmentX
And if thou think of him in charity wishing or praying for his wealD2
He shall not guess the secret charm that lureth his soul to love theeX
For just is retributive ubiquity Samson did sin with DalilahD2
And his eyes and captive strength were forfeit to the PhilistineE2
Jacob robbed his brother and sorrow was his portion to the graveF2
David must fly before his foes yea though his guilt is coveredX
And He who seeming old in youth was marred for others' sinQ
For every special crime must bear its special penaltyX
By luxury or rashness or vice the member that hath erred sufferethX
And therefore the Sacrifice for all was pained at every poreG2
Alike to the slave and his oppressor cometh night with sweet refreshmentX
And half of the life of the most wretched is gladdened by the soothings of sleepH2
Pain addeth zest unto pleasure and teacheth the luxury of healthX
There is a joy in sorrow which none hut a mourner can knowZ
Madness hath imaginary bliss and most men have no moreG2
Age hath its quiet cahn and youth enjoyeth not for hasteX
Daily in the midst of its beatitude the righteous soul is vexedX
And even the misery of guilt doth attain to the bliss of pardonL
Who in the face of the born blind ever looked on other than contentX
And the deaf ear listeneth within to the silent music of the heartX
There is evil poured upon the earth from the overflowings of corruptionL
Sickness and poverty and pain and guilt and madness and sorrowZ
But as the water from a fountain riseth and sinketh to its levelD2
Ceaselessly toileth justice to equalize the lots of menA
For habit and hope and ignorance and the being hut one of a multitudeX
And strength of reason in the sage and dulness of feeling in the foolD2
And the light elasticity of courage and the calm resignation of meeknessU
And the stout endurance of decision and the weak carelessness of apathyX
And helps invisible but real and ministerings not unfeltX
Angelic aid with worldly discomfiture bodily loss with the soul's gainC2
Secret griefs and silent joys thorns in the flesh and cordials for the spiritX
Short of the insuperable barrier dividing innocence from guiltX
Go far to level all things by the gracious rule of CompensationL
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Transcribed from Proverbial Philosophy by Mick Puttock August Spelling punctuation and grammer left mostly unchanged from the th editionL

Martin Farquhar Tupper



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