Analysis of A Letter Written For My Daughter To A Lady, Who Had Presented Her With A Cap.

Mary Barber 1685 – 1755



Your late kind Gift let me restore;
For I must never wear it more.
My Mother cries, ``What's here to do?
``A Crimson Velvet Cap for you!
``If to these Heights so soon you climb,
``You'll wear a Coachman's Cap in time:
``Perhaps on Palfry pace along,
``With ruffled Shirt, and Tete--Moutton;
``Banish the Woman from your Face,
``And let the Rake supply the Place;
``Delighted see the People stare,
``And ask each other what you are?

If she goes on to this dull Tune,
Poor I must be a Quaker soon.
She'll scarcely let me wear a Knot;
But keeps me like a Hottentot;
Says, Dressing plain, at small Expence,
Shews better Taste, and better Sense.
I'd take her Judgment, I confess,
Sooner in any Thing, than Dress;
A Science, which she little knows,
Who only huddles on her Cloaths.

This Day, to please my Brother Con.
She let me put your Present on;
And when she saw me very glad,
Cry'd out, She looks like one that's mad!
``Know, Girl, (says she) that Affectation
``Suits only those in higher Station;
``Who plead Prescription for their Rule,
``Whene'er they please to play the Fool:
``But that it best becomes us Cits,
``To dress like People in their Wits.''


Scheme AABBCCXDEEXX DDXBEXFFXE DDGGDDHHEX
Poetic Form
Metre 11111101 11110111 11011111 01010111 11111111 1101101 0111101 1101011 10010111 01010101 01010101 01110111 11111111 11110101 11011101 111101 1101111 11010101 11010101 10010111 01011101 11010101 11111101 11111101 01111101 11111111 11111010 110101010 11010111 1111101 11110111 11110011
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,131
Words 212
Sentences 11
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 12, 10, 10
Lines Amount 32
Letters per line (avg) 28
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 296
Words per stanza (avg) 70
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:05 min read
123

Mary Barber

Mary Barber, poet, was a member of Swift's circle. more…

All Mary Barber poems | Mary Barber Books

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    "A Letter Written For My Daughter To A Lady, Who Had Presented Her With A Cap." Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/26599/a-letter-written-for-my-daughter-to-a-lady%2C-who-had-presented-her-with-a-cap.>.

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