Analysis of On Miss M--'s's Dancing

William Shenstone 1714 (Halesowen) – 1763 (Halesowen)



Of all that gives politeness birth,
Of all that claims to please,
In motion, manners, or in mirth,
The surest source is ease.

With silent step, and graceful air,
See gentle Sylvia move;
Whilst heedless gazers, unaware,
Resign their soul to love.

Accomplish'd maid! my trivial rhyme
Must do thy graces wrong;
Who dost not only dance in time,
But steal, like time, along.


Scheme ABAB CXCX DEDE
Poetic Form Quatrain  (67%)
Metre 11110101 111111 01010101 010111 11010101 1101001 11101 011111 010111001 111101 11110101 111101
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 366
Words 66
Sentences 5
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 12
Letters per line (avg) 24
Words per line (avg) 5
Letters per stanza (avg) 96
Words per stanza (avg) 21
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

20 sec read
82

William Shenstone

William Shenstone was an English poet and one of the earliest practitioners of landscape gardening through the development of his estate, The Leasowes. more…

All William Shenstone poems | William Shenstone Books

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