Analysis of To Myrtilis - The New Year's Offering

Samuel Johnson 1709 (Lichfield) – 1784 (London)



Madam,
Long have I look'd my tablets o'er,
And find I've much to thank you for;
Outstanding debts beyond account,
And new - who knows to what amount?
Though small my wealth, not small my soul:
Come, then, at once I'll pay the whole.
Ye powers! I'm rich and will command
The host of slaves that round me stand;
Come, Indian, quick disclose thy store,
And hither bring Peruvian ore:
Let yonder Negro pierce the main,
The choicest, largest pearl to gain:
Let all my slaves their art combine
To make the blushing ruby mine,
From eastern thrones the diamonds bear
To sparkle at her breast and ear.
Swift Scythian, point the unerring dart,
That strikes the ermine's little heart,
And search for choicest furs the globe,
To make my Myrtilis a robe.
Ah, no! yon Indian will not go,
No Scythian designs to bed his bow,
No sullen Negro shoots the flood:
All, all my empty power disown,
I turn and find myself alone;
'Tis Fancy's vain illusion all,
No Moor nor Scythian waits my call.
Can I command, can I consign?
Alas! what earthly thing is mine?
Come, then, my Muse, companion dear,
Of poverty, and soul sincere;
Come, dictate to my grateful mind
A gift that may acceptance find;
Come, gentle Muse, and with thee bear
An offering worthy thee and her;
And though thy presents be but poor,
My Myrtilis will ask no more.
A Heart that scorns a shameful thing,
With love and verse is all I bring;
Of love and verse the gift receive,
'Tis all thy servant has to give.
If all whate'er my verse has told,
Golconda's gems, and Afric's gold;
If all were mine from pole to pole,
How large her share who shares my soul!
But more than these may Heaven impart;
Be thine the treasures of the heart;
Be calm and glad thy future days
With virtue's peace and virtue's praise;
Let jealous pride, and sleepless care,
And wasting grief, and black despair,
And languor chill, and anguish fell,
For ever shun thy grove and cell;
There only may the happy train
Of love, and joy, and peace remain:
May plenty, with exhaustless store,
Employ thy hand to feed the poor,
And ever on thy honour'd head
The prayer of gratitude be shed!
A happy mother, may'st thou see
Thy smiling, virtuous progeny,
Whose sportful tricks, and airy play,
Fraternal love, and prattle gay,
Or wondrous tale, or joyful song,
May lure the lingering hours along;
Till death arrive, unfelt, unseen,
With gentle pace and placid mien,
And waft thee to that happy shore
Where wishes can have place no more.


Scheme ABCDDEEFFCCGGHHIJKKLLMNOPPQQHHRRSSIBTCUUVWXXEEKKYYIIZZGGCT1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 CC
Poetic Form Etheree  (27%)
Tetractys  (21%)
Metre 10 111111010 01111111 1010101 01111101 11111111 11111101 110110101 01111111 110010111 010101001 11010101 01010111 11111110 11010101 11010101 11010101 11001011 1101101 01110101 111101 111100111 1100011111 11010101 111101001 1101101 1110101 111100111 11011101 01110111 11110101 11000101 10111101 01110101 11010111 110010100 01110111 111111 01110101 11011111 11010101 11110111 11101111 11011 11011111 11011111 111111001 11010101 11011101 111011 11010101 01010101 0110101 11011101 11010101 11010101 110111 01111101 0101111 0111011 010101111 110100100 1110101 01010101 11011101 1101001001 1101101 11010101 01111101 11011111
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 2,384
Words 444
Sentences 16
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 70
Lines Amount 70
Letters per line (avg) 27
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 1,889
Words per stanza (avg) 442
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

2:17 min read
45

Samuel Johnson

The Reverend Doctor Samuel Johnson was a clergyman, educator, and philosopher in colonial British North America. more…

All Samuel Johnson poems | Samuel Johnson Books

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