On Envy (From The Greek)

William Cowper 1731 (Berkhamsted) – 1800 (Dereham)



Pity, says the Theban bard,
From my wishes I discard;
Envy, let me rather be,
Rather far, a theme for thee.
Pity to distress is shown.
Envy to the great alone--
So the Theban -- But to shine
Less conspicuous be mine!
I prefer the golden mean,
Pomp and penury between;
For alarm and peril wait
Ever on the loftiest state
And the lowest to the end
Obloquy and scorn attend.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

21 sec read
326

Quick analysis:

Scheme AABBCCDDEEFFGG
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 366
Words 73
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14

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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