Of Recreation. From Proverbial Philosophy Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGHFIJJKBKKFKLA BCFFFKAMFNOKFFPAKKFQ FJEFRFSFTJAUFJBJKFBF KB LKFKAKBKKKVFKKJJJFFK KF B

To join advantage to amusement to gather profit with pleasureA
Is the wise man's necessary aim when he lieth in the shade of recreationB
For he cannot fling aside his mind nor bar up the floodgates of his wisdomC
Yea though he strain after folly his mental monitor shall check himD
For knowledge and ignorance alike have laws essential to their beingE
The sage studieth amusements and the simple laugheth in his studiesF
Few but full of understanding are the books of the library of GodG
And fitting for all seasons are the gain and the gladness they bestowH
The volume of mystery and Grace for the hour of deep communingsF
When the soul considereth intensely the startling marvel of itselfI
The book of destiny and Providence for the time of sober studyJ
When the mind gleaneth wisdom from the olive grove of historyJ
And the cheerful pages of Nature to gladden the pleasant holidayK
When the task of duty is complete and the heart swelleth high with satisfactionB
The soul may not safely dwell too long with the deep things of futurityK
The mind may not always be bent back like the Parthian straining at the pastK
And if thou art wearied with wrestling on the broad arena of scienceF
Leave awhile thy friendly foe half vanquished in the dustK
Refresh thy jaded limbs return with vigour to the strifeL
Thou shalt easier find thyself his master for the vacant interval of leisureA
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That which may profit and amuse is gathered from the volume of creationB
For every chapter therein teemeth with the playfulness of wisdomC
The elements of all things are the same though nature hath mixed them with a differenceF
And Learning delighteth to discover the affinity of seeming oppositesF
So out of great things and small draweth he the secrets of the universeF
And argueth the cycles of the stars from a pebble flung by a childK
It is pleasant to note all plants from the rush to the spreading cedarA
From the giant king of palms to the lichen that staineth its stemM
To watch the worldngs of instinct that grosser reason of brutesF
The river horse browsing in the jungle the plover screaming on the moorN
The cayman basking on a mud bank and the walrus anchored to an icebergO
The dog at his master's feet and the milch kine lowing in the meadowK
To trace the consummate skill that hath modelled the anatomy of insectsF
Small fowls that sun their wings on the petals of wild flowersF
To learn a use in the beetle and more than a beauty in the butterflyP
To recognize affectious in a moth and look with admiration on a spiderA
It is glorious to gaze upon the firmament and see from far the mansions of the blestK
Each distant shining world a kingdom for one of the redeemedK
To read the antique history of earth stamped upon those medals in the rocksF
Which Design hath rescued from decay to tell of the green infancy of timeQ
To gather from the unconsidered shingle mottled starlike agatesF
Full of unstoried flowers in the bubbling bloom chalcedonyJ
Or gay and curious shells fretted with microscopic carvingE
Corallines and fresh seaweeds spreading forth their delicate branchesF
It is an admirable lore to learn the cause in the changeR
To study the chemistiy of Nature her grand but simple secretsF
To search out all her wonders to track the resources of her skillS
To note her kind compensations her unobtrusive excellenceF
In all it is wise happiness to see the well ordained laws of JehovahT
The harmony that filleth all his mind the justice that tempereth his bountyJ
The wonderful all prevalent analogy that testifieth one CreatorA
The broad arrow of the Great King carved on all the stores of his arsenalU
But beware worshipper of God thou forget not him in his dealingsF
Though the bright emanations of his power hide him in created gloryJ
For if on the sea of knowledge thou regardest not the pole star of religionB
Thy bark will miss her port and run upon the sandbar of follyJ
And if enamoured of the means thou considerest not the scope to which they tendK
Wherein art thou wiser than the child that is pleased with toys and baublesF
Verily a trifling scholar thou heedest but the letter of instructionB
For as motive is spirit unto action as memoiy endeareth placeF
As the sun doth fertilize the earth as affection qnickeneth the heartK
So is the remembrance of God in the varied wonders of creationB
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Man hath found out inventions to cheat him of the weariness of lifeL
To help him to forget realities and hide the misery of guiltK
For love of praise and hope of gain for passion and delusive happinessF
He joineth the circle of folly and heapeth on the fire of excitementK
Oftentimes sadly out of heart at the tiresome insipidity of pleasureA
Oftentimes labouring in vain convinced of the palpable deceitK
Yet a man speaketh to his brother in the voice of glad congratulationB
And thinketh others happy though he himself be wretchedK
And hand joineth hand to help in the toil of amusementK
While the secret aching heart is vacant of all but disappointmentK
The cheapest pleasures are the best and nothing is more costly than sinV
Yet we mortgage futurity counting it but little lossF
Neither can a man delight in that which breedeth sorrowK
Yet do we hunt for joy even in the fires that consume itK
Whoso would find gladness may meet her in the hovel of povertyJ
Where benevolence hath scattered around the gleanings of the horn of plentyJ
Whoso would sun himself in peace may be seen of her in deeds of mercyJ
When the pale lean cheek of the destitute is wet with grateful tearsF
If the mind is wearied by study or the body worn with sicknessF
It is well to lie fallow for a while in the vacancy of sheer amusementK
But when thou prosperest in health and thine intellect can soar untiredK
To seek uninstructive pleasure is to slumber on the couch of indolenceF
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Transcribed from the th edition Proverbial Philosophy by Martin Farquhar Tupper by Mick Puttock August Spelling punctuation and grammer left mostly unchanged from the th editionB

Martin Farquhar Tupper



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