Analysis of A Pastoral Dialogue

Anne Killigrew 1660 (London) – 1685 (London)



Dorinda. Sabæan Perfumes fragrant Roses bring,
With all the Flowers that Paint the gaudy Spring:
Scatter them all in young Alexis's way,
With all that's sweet and (like himself)  that's Gay.
Alexis. Immortal Laurels and as lasting Praise,
Crown the Divine Dorinda's matchless Laies:
May all Hearts stoop, where mine would gladly yield,
Had not Lycoris prepossest the Field.
Dor. Would my Alexis meet my noble Flame,
In all Ausonia neither Youth nor Dame,
Should so renown'd in Deathless Numbers shine,
As thy exalted Name should do in mine.

Alex. He'll need no Trophie nor ambitious Hearse,
Who shall be honour'd by Dorinda's Verse;
But where it is inscrib'd, That here doth lie
Lycoris's Love. That Fame can never die.
Dor. On Tyber's Bank I Thyrsis did espie,
And by his side did bright Lycoris lie;
She Crown'd his Head, and Kist his amorous Brow,
Ah Poor Alexis! Ah then where wer't thou?
Alex. When thou saw'st that, I ne'r had seen my Fair,
And what pass'd then ought not to be my Care;
I liv'd not then, but first began to be,
When I Lycoris Lov'd, and she Lov'd me.
Dor. Ah choose a Faith, a Faith that's like thine own,
A Virgin Love, a Love that's newly blown:
'Tis not enough a Maidens Heart is chast,
It must be Single, and not once mis-plac't.
Alex. Thus do our Priests of Heavenly Pastures tell,
Eternal Groves, all Earthly, that excel:

And think to wean us from our Loves below,
By dazling Objects which we cannot know.


Scheme AABBCCDDEEFF GGHHXHIIJJKKLLDDMM NN
Poetic Form
Metre 010110110101 11010110101 10110111 1111010111 0100101001101 1001111 1111111101 111101 11101011101 01110111 110101101 1101011101 10111110101 1111111 1111011111 11111101 11111111 01111111 11110111001 1101011111 10111111111111 0111111111 1111110111 11110111 11101011111 0101011101 1101010111 1111001111 10111011100101 0101110101 01111110101 111011101
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 1,417
Words 259
Sentences 19
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 12, 18, 2
Lines Amount 32
Letters per line (avg) 34
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 366
Words per stanza (avg) 86
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:24 min read
149

Anne Killigrew

Anne Killigrew was an English poet. more…

All Anne Killigrew poems | Anne Killigrew Books

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