Analysis of Epitaph on Sir Thomas Hanmer, Bart.
Samuel Johnson 1709 (Lichfield) – 1784 (London)
Thou who survey'st these walls with curious eye,
Pause at this tomb where Hanmer's ashes lie;
His various worth through varied life attend,
And learn his virtues while thou mourn'st his end.
His force of genius burn'd in early youth,
With thirst of knowledge, and with love of truth;
His learning, joined with each endearing art,
Charm'd every ear, and gain'd every heart.
Thus early wise, the endanger'd real to aid,
His country call'd him from the studious shade;
In life's first bloom his public toils began,
At once commenced the senator and man.
In business dexterous, weighty in debate,
Thrice ten long years he labour'd for the state;
In every speech persuasive wisdom flow'd,
In every act refulgent virtue glow'd;
Suspended faction ceased from rage and strife,
To hear his eloquence, and praise his life.
Resistless merit fix'd the senate's choice,
Who hail'd him Speaker with united voice.
Illustrious age! how bright thy glories shone,
When Hanmer fill'd the chair - and Anne the throne.
Then when dark art obscured each fierce debate,
When mutual frauds perplex'd the maze of state,
The Moderator firmly mild appear'd -
Beheld with love - with veneration heard.
This task perform'd - he sought no gainful post
Nor wish'd to glitter at his country's cost;
Strict on the right he fix'd his stedfast eye,
With temperate zeal, and wise anxiety;
Nor e'er from Virtue's paths was lured aside,
To pluck the flowers of pleasure or of pride.
Her gifts despis'd, Corruption blush'd and fled,
And Fame pursued him where Conviction led.
Age call'd, at length, his active mind to rest,
With honour sated, and with cares oppress'd;
To letter'd ease retired and honest mirth,
To rural grandeur, and domestic worth:
Delighted still to please mankind, or mend,
The patriot's fire yet sparkled in the friend.
Calm Conscience then, his former life survey'd,
And recollected toils endeared the shade,
Till Nature call'd him to the general doom,
And Virtue's sorrow dignified his tomb.
Scheme | AABBCCDDEEFFGGHHIIJJKKGGLMNOAPQQRRSSTTBBEEUU |
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Poetic Form | |
Metre | 110111111001 111111101 11001110101 01110111111 1111010101 1111001111 1101110101 11001011001 11010010111 11011101001 0111110101 1101010001 010110001 111111101 01001010101 010011101 0101011101 1111000111 11010101 1111010101 01001111101 1101010101 1111011101 11001010111 010010101 11110101 1101111101 1111011101 110111111 1101010100 1101111101 11010110111 0101010101 0101110101 1111110111 111001101 1101010101 1100100101 0101111111 010010110001 1101110101 001010101 11011101001 01101011 |
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 1,941 |
Words | 331 |
Sentences | 13 |
Stanzas | 1 |
Stanza Lengths | 44 |
Lines Amount | 44 |
Letters per line (avg) | 35 |
Words per line (avg) | 7 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 1,553 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 329 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:49 min read
- 96 Views
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"Epitaph on Sir Thomas Hanmer, Bart." Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 11 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/34170/epitaph-on-sir-thomas-hanmer%2C-bart.>.
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