Analysis of Ode XVII: On A Sermon Against Glory

Mark Akenside 1721 (Newcastle upon Tyne) – 1770



I.
Come then, tell me, sage divine,
Is it an offence to own
That our bosoms e'er incline
Toward immortal glory's throne?
For with me nor pomp, nor pleasure,
Bourbon's might, Braganza's treasure,
So can fancy's dream rejoice,
So conciliate reason's choice,
As one approving word of her impartial voice.

II.
If to spurn at noble praise
Be the pass-port to thy heaven,
Follow thou those gloomy ways;
No such law to me was given,
Nor, I trust, shall I deplore me
Faring like my friends before me;
Nor an holier place desire
Than Timolean's arms acquire,
And Tully's curule chair, and Milton's golden lyre.


Scheme ABCBCDDEEE AFGFGHHDDX
Poetic Form Tetractys  (25%)
Etheree  (20%)
Metre 1 1111101 111111 11011001 0101011 11111110 11110 111101 1111 110101100101 1 1111101 10111110 1011101 11111110 11111011 10111011 111001010 111010 011101101
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 607
Words 107
Sentences 6
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 10, 10
Lines Amount 20
Letters per line (avg) 23
Words per line (avg) 5
Letters per stanza (avg) 233
Words per stanza (avg) 53
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

34 sec read
52

Mark Akenside

Mark Akenside was an English poet and physician. more…

All Mark Akenside poems | Mark Akenside Books

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