To The Rev J Gilpin, On His Improved Edition Of The Pilgrim's Progress Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEF GHBBIIJJ KLMMNNOOPPQQHRSTUU VVWWXXAARR YYLLZZ A2A2VVAAB2B2VVAAC2C2 NNMMD2D2E2E2When Reverend Sir your good design | A |
To clothe our Pilgrim gravely fine | A |
And give him gentler mien and gait | B |
First reached my ear his doubtful fate | B |
With dread suspense my mind oppressed | C |
Awoke my fears and broke my rest | C |
Yet still had England said You're free | D |
Choose whom you will dear sir to thee | D |
For dress beseeming modest worth | E |
I would have led our pilgrim forth | F |
- | |
But when I viewed him o'er and o'er | G |
And scrutinized the weeds he wore | H |
And marked his mien and marked his gait | B |
And saw him trample sin elate | B |
And heard him speak though coarse and plain | I |
His mighty truths in nervous strain | I |
I could not gain my own consent | J |
To your acknowledged good intent | J |
- | |
I had my fears lest honest John | K |
When he beheld his polished son | L |
If saints ought earthly care to know | M |
Would take him for some Bond Street beau | M |
Or for that thing it wants a name | N |
Devoid of truth of sense and shame | N |
Which smooths its chin and licks its lip | O |
And mounts the pulpit with a skip | O |
Then turning round its pretty face | P |
To smite each fair one in the place | P |
Relaxes half to vacant smile | Q |
And aims with trope and polished style | Q |
And lisp affected to pourtray | H |
Its silly self in colours gay | R |
Its fusty moral stuff t' unload | S |
And preach itself and not its God | T |
Thus wishing doubting trembling led | U |
I oped your book your Pilgrim read | U |
- | |
As rising Phoebus lights the skies | V |
And fading night before him flies | V |
Till darkness to his cave is hurled | W |
And golden day has gilt the world | W |
Nor vapour cloud nor mist is seen | X |
To sully all the pure serene | X |
So as I read each modest line | A |
Increasing light began to shine | A |
My cloudy fears and doubts gave way | R |
Till all around shone Heaven's own day | R |
- | |
And when I closed the book thought I | Y |
Should Bunyan leave his throne on high | Y |
He'd own the kindness you have done | L |
To Christian his orphan son | L |
And smiling as once Eden smiled | Z |
Would thus address his holy child | Z |
- | |
My son ere I removed from hence | A2 |
I spared nor labour nor expense | A2 |
To gain for you the heavenly prize | V |
And teach you to make others wise | V |
But still though inward worth was thine | A |
You lay a diamond in the mine | A |
You wanted outward polish bright | B2 |
To show your pure intrinsic light | B2 |
Some knew your worth and seized the prize | V |
And now are throned in the skies | V |
Whilst others swilled with folly's wine | A |
But trod the pearl like the swine | A |
In ignorance sunk in their grave | C2 |
And thence where burning oceans lave | C2 |
Now polished bright your native flame | N |
And inward worth are still the same | N |
A flaming diamond still you glow | M |
In brighter hues then cheery go | M |
More suited by a skilful hand | D2 |
To do your father's high command | D2 |
Fit ornament for sage or clown | E2 |
Or beggar's rags or kingly crown | E2 |
Patrick Bronte
(1)
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