"Her Heart was Judge, & could the difference trace / Between the Jocky-Air and real Grace, / Between the Lad, who was allowed to ride, / And show his Hunters at his Landlord's Side, / And One, who thought not that he should aspire / Beyond his Rank by riding with the Squire."
— Crabbe, George (1754-1832)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
Liverpool
Publisher
Liverpool University Press
Date
1826
Metaphor
"Her Heart was Judge, & could the difference trace / Between the Jocky-Air and real Grace, / Between the Lad, who was allowed to ride, / And show his Hunters at his Landlord's Side, / And One, who thought not that he should aspire / Beyond his Rank by riding with the Squire."
Metaphor in Context
Yet he a Rival feared, and he was one
With Reason feared, a neighbouring Farmer's Son,
A rural Beau, with Manner free & Air
That marks the Hero of a Village Fair,
Yet gave his prudent Father no Alarm,
No Fair or fair One kept him from the Farm;
Proud of the Horse that bore him to the Race,
And when he joined his Landlord in the Chace,
Gay Days were those, not frequent, and they gave
Praise to a Youth, who could his Money save,
Yet gain Applause--he thus to Market went,
Well pleased with what he spared & what he spent.
The Friends of Susan were Advisers all:
"Let him not go whom you cannot recall.
"And then for whom?" "Ah!", Susan thought, "for One
"With whom no Farmer holds Comparison."
Her Heart was Judge, & could the difference trace
Between the Jocky-Air and real Grace,
Between the Lad, who was allowed to ride,
And show his Hunters at his Landlord's Side,
And One, who thought not that he should aspire
Beyond his Rank by riding with the Squire;
He was not One who followed in a Course
Always to show, perchance to sell his Horse.
Poins was not jealous, yet there was some Fear
Of One for ever praised, for ever near.
A Man at Hand, whom all her Friends approve,
Will sometimes shake a meek soul'd Maiden's Love.
Nor Poins alone the jealous Terror knew,
For Susan learn'd that she had Rivals, too.
Not One alone! One Rival gives us Pain,
But, having many, we are safe again;
Like Friends are Rivals, forasmuch as One
In either Case we more depend upon.
But Susan loved & fear'd, but now Adieu
To Fears & Doubts & Rival. Poins is true!
He comes with Love & Hope, & as he pleads,
Her Sigh & Silence tell him he succeeds.
So were they wedded, & our Story now
Might end, did Truth & History allow,
Did married Couples always faithful prove,
Or lasting Reformation wait on Love.
There are, we doubt not, married pairs, who live
With all the Comforts Life & Love can give,
Who not an Instant in their wedded Life
Felt one sad thought for being Man & Wife.
Alas! with such we must not ours compare,
Who were as other happy Couples are.
She was not always meek, not always kind
Was he; and neither were discreetly blind.
Some little Failings would at times appear,
But, on the Whole, it was an happy Year.
"But One?" I say not that, Another past,
Not much to be distinguished from the last;
Richard looked o'er his Land, his Sheep, his Cows,
And talked of Market Profits to his Spouse.
Then there ensued, I cannot well express
What I would say, a kind of Wearyness;
Richard, who read while Susan worked, now swore
The Book was dull, & he would read no more;
Then with his Legs stretched forth & Head reclined,
To think of Nothing he himself resigned--
"But he reformed?" O! Yes, for many a day,
For many a Night, and shunn'd the former Way,
When strong Temptation woo'd him in the Gloom
Of a long Evening, & he sighed at Home.
"Sigh & with Susan?" Yea, and Men will sigh
For Want of Something, or they know not why.
He sang, & asked his Susan for a Song;
Yet, for all this, the Days were getting long,
His Mind was active, & he lacked Employ;
At Length he had it, & could nurse his Boy,
And feel a father's Pride, & join a Mother's Joy.
But restless still, & Susan yet confined,
He sauntered forth with nothing in his Mind,
Or good or Evil; What was his Intent,
He knew not, knew not why, or where, he went;
He meant to change his Place, & that was all he meant.Yet he a Rival feared, and he was one
With Reason feared, a neighbouring Farmer's Son,
A rural Beau, with Manner free & Air
That marks the Hero of a Village Fair,
Yet gave his prudent Father no Alarm,
No Fair or fair One kept him from the Farm;
Proud of the Horse that bore him to the Race,
And when he joined his Landlord in the Chace,
Gay Days were those, not frequent, and they gave
Praise to a Youth, who could his Money save,
Yet gain Applause--he thus to Market went,
Well pleased with what he spared & what he spent.
The Friends of Susan were Advisers all:
"Let him not go whom you cannot recall.
"And then for whom?" "Ah!", Susan thought, "for One
"With whom no Farmer holds Comparison."
Her Heart was Judge, & could the difference trace
Between the Jocky-Air and real Grace,
Between the Lad, who was allowed to ride,
And show his Hunters at his Landlord's Side,
And One, who thought not that he should aspire
Beyond his Rank by riding with the Squire;
He was not One who followed in a Course
Always to show, perchance to sell his Horse.
Poins was not jealous, yet there was some Fear
Of One for ever praised, for ever near.
A Man at Hand, whom all her Friends approve,
Will sometimes shake a meek soul'd Maiden's Love.
Nor Poins alone the jealous Terror knew,
For Susan learn'd that she had Rivals, too.
Not One alone! One Rival gives us Pain,
But, having many, we are safe again;
Like Friends are Rivals, forasmuch as One
In either Case we more depend upon.
But Susan loved & fear'd, but now Adieu
To Fears & Doubts & Rival. Poins is true!
He comes with Love & Hope, & as he pleads,
Her Sigh & Silence tell him he succeeds.
So were they wedded, & our Story now
Might end, did Truth & History allow,
Did married Couples always faithful prove,
Or lasting Reformation wait on Love.
There are, we doubt not, married pairs, who live
With all the Comforts Life & Love can give,
Who not an Instant in their wedded Life
Felt one sad thought for being Man & Wife.
Alas! with such we must not ours compare,
Who were as other happy Couples are.
She was not always meek, not always kind
Was he; and neither were discreetly blind.
Some little Failings would at times appear,
But, on the Whole, it was an happy Year.
"But One?" I say not that, Another past,
Not much to be distinguished from the last;
Richard looked o'er his Land, his Sheep, his Cows,
And talked of Market Profits to his Spouse.
Then there ensued, I cannot well express
What I would say, a kind of Wearyness;
Richard, who read while Susan worked, now swore
The Book was dull, & he would read no more;
Then with his Legs stretched forth & Head reclined,
To think of Nothing he himself resigned--
"But he reformed?" O! Yes, for many a day,
For many a Night, and shunn'd the former Way,
When strong Temptation woo'd him in the Gloom
Of a long Evening, & he sighed at Home.
"Sigh & with Susan?" Yea, and Men will sigh
For Want of Something, or they know not why.
He sang, & asked his Susan for a Song;
Yet, for all this, the Days were getting long,
His Mind was active, & he lacked Employ;
At Length he had it, & could nurse his Boy,
And feel a father's Pride, & join a Mother's Joy.
But restless still, & Susan yet confined,
He sauntered forth with nothing in his Mind,
Or good or Evil; What was his Intent,
He knew not, knew not why, or where, he went;
He meant to change his Place, & that was all he meant.
With Reason feared, a neighbouring Farmer's Son,
A rural Beau, with Manner free & Air
That marks the Hero of a Village Fair,
Yet gave his prudent Father no Alarm,
No Fair or fair One kept him from the Farm;
Proud of the Horse that bore him to the Race,
And when he joined his Landlord in the Chace,
Gay Days were those, not frequent, and they gave
Praise to a Youth, who could his Money save,
Yet gain Applause--he thus to Market went,
Well pleased with what he spared & what he spent.
The Friends of Susan were Advisers all:
"Let him not go whom you cannot recall.
"And then for whom?" "Ah!", Susan thought, "for One
"With whom no Farmer holds Comparison."
Her Heart was Judge, & could the difference trace
Between the Jocky-Air and real Grace,
Between the Lad, who was allowed to ride,
And show his Hunters at his Landlord's Side,
And One, who thought not that he should aspire
Beyond his Rank by riding with the Squire;
He was not One who followed in a Course
Always to show, perchance to sell his Horse.
Poins was not jealous, yet there was some Fear
Of One for ever praised, for ever near.
A Man at Hand, whom all her Friends approve,
Will sometimes shake a meek soul'd Maiden's Love.
Nor Poins alone the jealous Terror knew,
For Susan learn'd that she had Rivals, too.
Not One alone! One Rival gives us Pain,
But, having many, we are safe again;
Like Friends are Rivals, forasmuch as One
In either Case we more depend upon.
But Susan loved & fear'd, but now Adieu
To Fears & Doubts & Rival. Poins is true!
He comes with Love & Hope, & as he pleads,
Her Sigh & Silence tell him he succeeds.
So were they wedded, & our Story now
Might end, did Truth & History allow,
Did married Couples always faithful prove,
Or lasting Reformation wait on Love.
There are, we doubt not, married pairs, who live
With all the Comforts Life & Love can give,
Who not an Instant in their wedded Life
Felt one sad thought for being Man & Wife.
Alas! with such we must not ours compare,
Who were as other happy Couples are.
She was not always meek, not always kind
Was he; and neither were discreetly blind.
Some little Failings would at times appear,
But, on the Whole, it was an happy Year.
"But One?" I say not that, Another past,
Not much to be distinguished from the last;
Richard looked o'er his Land, his Sheep, his Cows,
And talked of Market Profits to his Spouse.
Then there ensued, I cannot well express
What I would say, a kind of Wearyness;
Richard, who read while Susan worked, now swore
The Book was dull, & he would read no more;
Then with his Legs stretched forth & Head reclined,
To think of Nothing he himself resigned--
"But he reformed?" O! Yes, for many a day,
For many a Night, and shunn'd the former Way,
When strong Temptation woo'd him in the Gloom
Of a long Evening, & he sighed at Home.
"Sigh & with Susan?" Yea, and Men will sigh
For Want of Something, or they know not why.
He sang, & asked his Susan for a Song;
Yet, for all this, the Days were getting long,
His Mind was active, & he lacked Employ;
At Length he had it, & could nurse his Boy,
And feel a father's Pride, & join a Mother's Joy.
But restless still, & Susan yet confined,
He sauntered forth with nothing in his Mind,
Or good or Evil; What was his Intent,
He knew not, knew not why, or where, he went;
He meant to change his Place, & that was all he meant.Yet he a Rival feared, and he was one
With Reason feared, a neighbouring Farmer's Son,
A rural Beau, with Manner free & Air
That marks the Hero of a Village Fair,
Yet gave his prudent Father no Alarm,
No Fair or fair One kept him from the Farm;
Proud of the Horse that bore him to the Race,
And when he joined his Landlord in the Chace,
Gay Days were those, not frequent, and they gave
Praise to a Youth, who could his Money save,
Yet gain Applause--he thus to Market went,
Well pleased with what he spared & what he spent.
The Friends of Susan were Advisers all:
"Let him not go whom you cannot recall.
"And then for whom?" "Ah!", Susan thought, "for One
"With whom no Farmer holds Comparison."
Her Heart was Judge, & could the difference trace
Between the Jocky-Air and real Grace,
Between the Lad, who was allowed to ride,
And show his Hunters at his Landlord's Side,
And One, who thought not that he should aspire
Beyond his Rank by riding with the Squire;
He was not One who followed in a Course
Always to show, perchance to sell his Horse.
Poins was not jealous, yet there was some Fear
Of One for ever praised, for ever near.
A Man at Hand, whom all her Friends approve,
Will sometimes shake a meek soul'd Maiden's Love.
Nor Poins alone the jealous Terror knew,
For Susan learn'd that she had Rivals, too.
Not One alone! One Rival gives us Pain,
But, having many, we are safe again;
Like Friends are Rivals, forasmuch as One
In either Case we more depend upon.
But Susan loved & fear'd, but now Adieu
To Fears & Doubts & Rival. Poins is true!
He comes with Love & Hope, & as he pleads,
Her Sigh & Silence tell him he succeeds.
So were they wedded, & our Story now
Might end, did Truth & History allow,
Did married Couples always faithful prove,
Or lasting Reformation wait on Love.
There are, we doubt not, married pairs, who live
With all the Comforts Life & Love can give,
Who not an Instant in their wedded Life
Felt one sad thought for being Man & Wife.
Alas! with such we must not ours compare,
Who were as other happy Couples are.
She was not always meek, not always kind
Was he; and neither were discreetly blind.
Some little Failings would at times appear,
But, on the Whole, it was an happy Year.
"But One?" I say not that, Another past,
Not much to be distinguished from the last;
Richard looked o'er his Land, his Sheep, his Cows,
And talked of Market Profits to his Spouse.
Then there ensued, I cannot well express
What I would say, a kind of Wearyness;
Richard, who read while Susan worked, now swore
The Book was dull, & he would read no more;
Then with his Legs stretched forth & Head reclined,
To think of Nothing he himself resigned--
"But he reformed?" O! Yes, for many a day,
For many a Night, and shunn'd the former Way,
When strong Temptation woo'd him in the Gloom
Of a long Evening, & he sighed at Home.
"Sigh & with Susan?" Yea, and Men will sigh
For Want of Something, or they know not why.
He sang, & asked his Susan for a Song;
Yet, for all this, the Days were getting long,
His Mind was active, & he lacked Employ;
At Length he had it, & could nurse his Boy,
And feel a father's Pride, & join a Mother's Joy.
But restless still, & Susan yet confined,
He sauntered forth with nothing in his Mind,
Or good or Evil; What was his Intent,
He knew not, knew not why, or where, he went;
He meant to change his Place, & that was all he meant.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "judge" and "heart" in HDIS (Poetry)
Citation
Crabbe, George. New Poems by George Crabbe. Ed. Arthur Pollard. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 1960.
Date of Entry
08/31/2004
