Analysis of Sonnet II. (Translated From Milton)

William Cowper 1731 (Berkhamsted) – 1800 (Dereham)



As on a hill-top rude, when closing day
Imbrowns the scene, some past'ral maiden fair
Waters a lovely foreign plant with care,
That scarcely can its tender bud display
Borne from its native genial airs away,
So, on my tongue these accents new and rare
Are flow'rs exotic, which Love waters there,
While thus, o sweetly scornful! I essay
Thy praise in verse to British ears unknown,
And Thames exchange for Arno's fair domain;
So Love has will'd, and oftimes Love has shown
That what He wills he never wills in vain.
Oh that this hard and steril breast might be
To Him who plants from heav'n, a soil as free.


Scheme ABBAABBACDCDEE
Poetic Form
Metre 1101111101 10111101 1001010111 1101110101 1111010101 1111110101 1101011101 1111010101 1101110101 010111101 111101111 1111110101 111101111 1111110111
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 602
Words 113
Sentences 4
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 34
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 476
Words per stanza (avg) 111
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

35 sec read
49

William Cowper

William Macquarie Cowper was an Australian Anglican archdeacon and Dean of Sydney. more…

All William Cowper poems | William Cowper Books

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