The Metaphysical Sectarian Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFGHHII JJKLMMAANNOPCCQRHHHH EESTCCUUCCHHVVTWXX YYEECCCZ YYA2B2C2C2IACCAAEEHH D2D2CEC2C2MMEEEECCEE CCE2E2CCCCHHCCE2F2CC CCC2C2EEEECCC2C2

HE was in Logick a great CritickA
Profoundly skill'd in AnalytickA
He could distinguish and divideB
A Hair 'twixt South and South West sideB
On either which he would disputeC
Confute change hands and still confuteC
He'd undertake to prove by forceD
Of Argument a Man's no HorseD
He'd prove a Buzard is no FowlE
And that a Lord may be an OwlE
A Calf an Alderman a Goose a JusticeF
And Rooks Committee men and TrusteesG
He'd run in Debt by DisputationH
And pay with RatiocinationH
All this by Syllogism trueI
In Mood and Figure he would doI
-
For Rhetorick he could not opeJ
His mouth but out there flew a TropeJ
And when he hapned to break offK
I'th middle of his speech or coughL
H'had hard words ready to shew whyM
And tell what Rules he did it byM
Else when with greatest Art he spokeA
You'd think he talk'd like other folkA
For all a Rhetoricians RulesN
Teach nothing but to name his ToolsN
His ordinary Rate of SpeechO
In loftiness of sound was richP
A Babylonish dialectC
Which learned Pedants much affectC
It was a parti colour'd dressQ
Of patch'd and pyball'd LanguagesR
'Twas English cut on Greek and LatinH
Like Fustian heretofore on SattinH
It had an odd promiscuous ToneH
As if h' had talk'd three parts in oneH
Which made some think when he did gabbleE
Th' had heard three Labourers of BabelE
Or Cerberus himself pronounceS
A Leash of Languages at onceT
This he as volubly would ventC
As if his stock would ne'r be spentC
And truly to support that chargeU
He had supplies as vast and largeU
For he could coyn or counterfeitC
New words with little or no witC
Words so debas'd and hard no stoneH
Was hard enough to touch them onH
And when with hasty noise he spoke 'emV
The Ignorant for currant took 'emV
That had the Orator who onceT
Did fill his Mouth with Pebble stonesW
When he harangu'd but known his PhraseX
He would have us'd no other waysX
-
In Mathematicks he was greaterY
Then Tycho Brahe or Erra PaterY
For he by Geometrick scaleE
Could take the size of Pots of AleE
Resolve by Signes and Tangents straightC
If Bread or Butter wanted weightC
And wisely tell what hour o'th dayC
The Clock does strike by AlgebraZ
-
Beside he was a shrewd PhilosopherY
And had read every Text and gloss overY
What e're the crabbed'st Author hathA2
He understood b'implicit FaithB2
What ever Sceptick could inquere forC2
For every why he had a whereforeC2
Knew more then forty of them doI
As far as words and terms could goA
All which he understood by RoteC
And as occasion serv'd would quoteC
No matter whether right or wrongA
They might be either said or sungA
His Notions fitted things so wellE
That which was which he could not tellE
But oftentimes mistook the oneH
For th'other as Great Clerks have doneH
He could reduce all things to ActsD2
And knew their Natures by AbstractsD2
Where Entity and QuiddityC
The Ghosts of defunct Bodies flieE
Where Truth in Person does appearC2
Like words congeal'd in Northern AirC2
He knew what's what and that's as highM
As Metaphysick wit can flyM
In School Divinity as ableE
As he that hight IrrefragableE
Profound in all the NominalE
And real ways beyond them allE
And with as delicate a HandC
Could twist as tough a Rope of SandC
And weave fine Cobwebs fit for skullE
That's empty when the Moon is fullE
Such as take Lodgings in a HeadC
That's to be lett unfurnishedC
He could raise Scruples dark and niceE2
And after solve 'em in a triceE2
As if Divinity had catch'dC
The Itch of purpose to be scratch'dC
Or like a Mountebank did woundC
And stab her self with doubts profoundC
Onely to shew with how small painH
The sores of faith are cur'd againH
Although by woful proof we findC
They always leave a Scar behindC
He knew the Seat of ParadiseE2
Could tell in what degree it liesF2
And as he was dispos'd could prove itC
Below the Moon or else above itC
What Adam dreamt of when his BrideC
Came from her Closet in his sideC
Whether the Devil tempted herC2
By a High Dutch InterpreterC2
If either of them had a NavelE
Who first made Musick malleableE
Whether the Serpent at the fallE
Had cloven Feet or none at allE
All this without a Gloss or CommentC
He would unriddle in a momentC
In proper terms such as men smatterC2
When they throw out and miss the matterC2

Samuel Butler



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