Shakespeare

Matthew Arnold 1822 (Laleham) – 1888 (Liverpool)



Others abide our question. Thou art free.
We ask and ask--Thou smilest and art still,
Out-topping knowledge. For the loftiest hill,
Who to the stars uncrowns his majesty,

Planting his steadfast footsteps in the sea,
Making the heaven of heavens his dwelling-place,
Spares but the cloudy border of his base
To the foil'd searching of mortality;

And thou, who didst the stars and sunbeams know,
Self-school'd, self-scann'd, self-honour'd, self-secure,
Didst tread on earth unguess'd at.--Better so!

All pains the immortal spirit must endure,
All weakness which impairs, all griefs which bow,
Find their sole speech in that victorious brow

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 31, 2023

32 sec read
74

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABBA ACCA DED EFF
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 631
Words 102
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 3, 3

Matthew Arnold

Matthew Arnold was a British poet and cultural critic who worked as an inspector of schools. more…

All Matthew Arnold poems | Matthew Arnold Books

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