To The Honourable Charles Montague, Esq. Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABAB CDCD CECE CFCF GCGC HGHG IJIJ CKCK CCCC LMLM| Howe'er 'tis well that while mankind | A |
| Through fate's perverse meander errs | B |
| He can imagined pleasures find | A |
| To combat against real cares | B |
| - | |
| Fancies and notions he pursues | C |
| Which ne'er had being but in thought | D |
| Each like the Grecian artist wooes | C |
| The image he himself has wrought | D |
| - | |
| Against experience he believes | C |
| He argues against demonstration | E |
| Pleased when his reason he deceives | C |
| And sets his judgement by his passion | E |
| - | |
| The hoary fool who many days | C |
| Has struggled with continued sorrow | F |
| Renew's his hope and blindly lays | C |
| The desperate bet upon to morrow | F |
| - | |
| To morrow comes 'tis noon 'tis night | G |
| This day like all the former flies | C |
| Yet on he runs to seek delight | G |
| To morrow till to night he dies | C |
| - | |
| Our hopes like towering falcons aim | H |
| At objects in an airy height | G |
| The little pleasure of the game | H |
| Is from afar to view the flight | G |
| - | |
| Our anxious pains we all the day | I |
| In search of what we like employ | J |
| Scorning at night the worthless prey | I |
| We find the labour gave the joy | J |
| - | |
| At distance through an artful glass | C |
| To the mind's eye things well appear | K |
| They lose their forms and make a mass | C |
| Confused and black if brought too near | K |
| - | |
| If we see right we see our woes | C |
| Then what avails it to have eyes | C |
| From ignorance our comfort flows | C |
| The only wretched are the wise | C |
| - | |
| We weary'd should lie down in death | L |
| This cheat of life would take no more | M |
| If you thought fame but empty breath | L |
| I Phillis but a perjured whore | M |
Matthew Prior
(1)
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