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[Hymn to Ignorance. A Fragment]


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[Hymn to Ignorance. A Fragment]


1 Hail, horrors, hail! ye ever-gloomy bowers,
2 Ye gothic fanes and antiquated towers,
3 Where rushy Camus' slowly-winding flood
4 Perpetual draws his humid train of mud:
5 Glad I revisit thy neglected reign;
6 Oh, take me to thy peaceful shade again.

7 But chiefly thee, whose influence breathed from high
8 Augments the native darkness of the sky;
9 Ah, Ignorance! soft salutary power!
10 Prostrate with filial reverence I adore.
11 Thrice hath Hyperion rolled his annual race,
12 Since weeping I forsook thy fond embrace.
13 Oh say, successful dost thou still oppose
14 Thy leaden aegis 'gainst our ancient foes?
15 Still stretch, tenacious of thy right divine,
16 The massy sceptre o'er thy slumbering line?
17 And dews Lethean through the land dispense
18 To steep in slumbers each benighted sense?
19 If any spark of wit's delusive ray
20 Break out, and flash a momentary day,
21 With damp, cold touch forbid it to aspire,
22 And huddle up in fogs the dangerous fire.

23 Oh say— she hears me not, but, careless grown,
24 Lethargic nods upon her ebon throne.
25 Goddess! awake, arise! alas, my fears!
26 Can powers immortal feel the force of years?
27 Not thus of old, with ensigns wide unfurled,
28 She rode triumphant o'er the vanquished world;
29 Fierce nations owned her unresisted might,
30 And all was Ignorance, and all was Night.

31 Oh! sacred age! Oh! times for ever lost!
32 (The schoolman's glory, and the churchman's boast.)
33 For ever gone— yet still to Fancy new,
34 Her rapid wings the transient scene pursue,
35 And bring the buried ages back to view.

36 High on her car, behold the grandam ride
37 Like old Sesostris with barbaric pride;
38 ... a team of harnessed monarchs bend ...

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0 [Hymn to Ignorance. A Fragment]

Metrical notation:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/
Metrical foot type:  iambic (-+)
Metrical foot number:  pentameter (5 feet)
Rhyme scheme:  aa
Rhyme (stanza position):  pair (aabb)
Syllable pattern:  10
Stanza:  couplet (2 lines)
Genre(s):  heroic couplet

Notation symbols: | (foot boundary), || (caesura), / (metrical line boundary), + (metrically prominent), - (metrically non-prominent)


1 Hail, horrors, hail! ye ever-gloomy bowers,    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  bowers   |   Rhyme sound:  /aʊəz/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  alliteration (phonological): Hail/horrors/hail /h/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): Hail/hail /eɪ/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): Hail/hail /l/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): Hail/horrors/hail /h/
Figure:  diacope (morphological): Hail/hail

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2 Ye gothic fanes and antiquated towers,    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  towers   |   Rhyme sound:  /aʊəz/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  assonance (phonological): fanes/antiquated /eɪ/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): and/antiquated /æ/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): fanes/antiquated /n/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): antiquated/towers /t/

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3 Where rushy Camus' slowly-winding flood    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  flood   |   Rhyme sound:  /ʌd/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  assonance (phonological): rushy/flood /ʌ/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): Where/slowly-winding /w/

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4 Perpetual draws his humid train of mud:    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  mud   |   Rhyme sound:  /ʌd/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  alliteration (phonological): his/humid /h/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): Perpetual/train /t/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): draws/mud /d/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): draws/his /z/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): his/humid /h/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): humid/mud /m/

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5 Glad I revisit thy neglected reign;    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  reign   |   Rhyme sound:  /eɪn/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  alliteration (phonological): revisit/reign /r/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): I/thy /aɪ/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): revisit/neglected /ɪ/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): Glad/neglected /g/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): revisit/reign /r/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): neglected/reign /n/

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6 Oh, take me to thy peaceful shade again.    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  again   |   Rhyme sound:  /en/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  assonance (phonological): take/shade /eɪ/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): me/peaceful /iː/
Figure:  ecphonesis (pragmatic): Oh...

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7 But chiefly thee, whose influence breathed from high    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  high   |   Rhyme sound:  /aɪ/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  alliteration (phonological): But/breathed /b/
Figure:  alliteration (phonological): whose/high /h/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): chiefly/thee /iː/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): But/breathed /b/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): chiefly/from /f/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): whose/high /h/

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8 Augments the native darkness of the sky;    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  sky   |   Rhyme sound:  /aɪ/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  consonance (phonological): Augments/native /n/

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9 Ah, Ignorance! soft salutary power!    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  power   |   Rhyme sound:  /aʊə/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  alliteration (phonological): soft/salutary /s/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): soft/salutary /s/
Figure:  ecphonesis (pragmatic): Ah...

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10 Prostrate with filial reverence I adore.    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  adore   |   Rhyme sound:  /ɔː/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  assonance (phonological): with/filial /ɪ/

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11 Thrice hath Hyperion rolled his annual race,    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  race   |   Rhyme sound:  /eɪs/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  alliteration (phonological): hath/Hyperion/his /h/
Figure:  alliteration (phonological): rolled/race /r/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): Thrice/Hyperion /aɪ/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): hath/annual /æ/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): Thrice/hath /θ/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): Thrice/race /s/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): hath/Hyperion/his /h/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): Hyperion/rolled/race /r/

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12 Since weeping I forsook thy fond embrace.    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  embrace   |   Rhyme sound:  /eɪs/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  alliteration (phonological): forsook/fond /f/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): Since/embrace /ɪ/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): I/thy /aɪ/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): Since/fond /n/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): Since/forsook/embrace /s/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): forsook/fond /f/

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13 Oh say, successful dost thou still oppose    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  oppose   |   Rhyme sound:  /əʊz/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  alliteration (phonological): say/successful/still /s/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): Oh/oppose /əʊ/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): successful/oppose /ə/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): say/successful/dost/still /s/
Figure:  ecphonesis (pragmatic): Oh...

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14 Thy leaden aegis 'gainst our ancient foes?    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  foes   |   Rhyme sound:  /əʊz/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  assonance (phonological): leaden/'gainst /e/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): 'gainst/ancient /n/
Figure:  aphaeresis (morphological): 'gainst

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15 Still stretch, tenacious of thy right divine,    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  divine   |   Rhyme sound:  /aɪn/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  alliteration (phonological): Still/stretch /s/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): Still/tenacious/divine /ɪ/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): thy/right/divine /aɪ/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): Still/stretch /s/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): tenacious/divine /n/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): tenacious/right /t/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): of/divine /v/

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16 The massy sceptre o'er thy slumbering line?    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  line   |   Rhyme sound:  /aɪn/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  alliteration (phonological): sceptre/slumbering /s/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): thy/line /aɪ/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): massy/slumbering /m/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): massy/sceptre/slumbering /s/
Figure:  syncope (morphological): o'er

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17 And dews Lethean through the land dispense    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  dispense   |   Rhyme sound:  /ens/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  alliteration (phonological): dews/dispense /d/
Figure:  alliteration (phonological): Lethean/land /l/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): And/land /æ/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): dews/through /uː/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): Lethean/dispense /e/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): dews/dispense /d/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): Lethean/through /θ/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): Lethean/land /l/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): land/dispense /n/

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18 To steep in slumbers each benighted sense?    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  sense   |   Rhyme sound:  /ens/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  alliteration (phonological): steep/slumbers/sense /s/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): steep/each /iː/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): in/benighted /ɪ/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): steep/slumbers/sense /s/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): in/benighted/sense /n/

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19 If any spark of wit's delusive ray    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  ray   |   Rhyme sound:  /eɪ/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  assonance (phonological): If/wit's/delusive /ɪ/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): spark/delusive /s/

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20 Break out, and flash a momentary day,    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  day   |   Rhyme sound:  /eɪ/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  assonance (phonological): Break/day /eɪ/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): and/flash /æ/

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21 With damp, cold touch forbid it to aspire,    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  aspire   |   Rhyme sound:  /aɪə/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  assonance (phonological): With/forbid/it /ɪ/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): forbid/aspire /ə/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): damp/forbid /d/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): touch/it /t/

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22 And huddle up in fogs the dangerous fire.    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  fire   |   Rhyme sound:  /aɪə/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  alliteration (phonological): fogs/fire /f/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): huddle/up /ʌ/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): huddle/dangerous /d/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): in/dangerous /n/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): fogs/fire /f/

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23 Oh say— she hears me not, but, careless grown,    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  grown   |   Rhyme sound:  /əʊn/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  assonance (phonological): Oh/grown /əʊ/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): she/me /iː/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): not/grown /n/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): not/but /t/
Figure:  ecphonesis (pragmatic): Oh...

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24 Lethargic nods upon her ebon throne.    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  throne   |   Rhyme sound:  /əʊn/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  assonance (phonological): nods/upon /ɒ/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): Lethargic/throne /θ/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): nods/upon/throne /n/

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25 Goddess! awake, arise! alas, my fears!    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  fears   |   Rhyme sound:  /ɪəz/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  assonance (phonological): awake/arise/alas /ə/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): arise/my /aɪ/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): arise/fears /z/

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26 Can powers immortal feel the force of years?    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  years   |   Rhyme sound:  /ɪəz/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  alliteration (phonological): feel/force /f/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): immortal/force /ɔː/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): powers/years /z/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): feel/force /f/

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27 Not thus of old, with ensigns wide unfurled,    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  unfurled   |   Rhyme sound:  /ɜːld/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  assonance (phonological): Not/of /ɒ/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): thus/unfurled /ʌ/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): Not/ensigns/unfurled /n/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): thus/with /ð/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): old/unfurled /l/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): with/wide /w/

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28 She rode triumphant o'er the vanquished world;    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  world   |   Rhyme sound:  /ɜːld/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  assonance (phonological): rode/o'er /əʊ/
Figure:  syncope (morphological): o'er

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29 Fierce nations owned her unresisted might,    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  might   |   Rhyme sound:  /aɪt/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  consonance (phonological): Fierce/unresisted /s/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): nations/owned/unresisted /n/

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30 And all was Ignorance, and all was Night.    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  Night   |   Rhyme sound:  /aɪt/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  assonance (phonological): And/and /æ/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): all/all /ɔː/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): was/was /ɒ/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): all/all /l/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): was/was /w/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): was/was /z/
Figure:  diacope (morphological): all/all
Figure:  diacope (morphological): was/was

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31 Oh! sacred age! Oh! times for ever lost!    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  lost   |   Rhyme sound:  /ɒst/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  assonance (phonological): Oh/Oh /əʊ/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): sacred/age /eɪ/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): sacred/lost /s/
Figure:  diacope (morphological): Oh/Oh
Figure:  ecphonesis (pragmatic): Oh...
Figure:  ecphonesis (pragmatic): Oh...

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32 (The schoolman's glory, and the churchman's boast.)    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  boast   |   Rhyme sound:  /əʊst/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  consonance (phonological): schoolman's/boast /s/

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33 For ever gone— yet still to Fancy new,    
Rhyme:  aaa   |   Rhyme word(s):  new   |   Rhyme sound:  /uː/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Stanza:  triplet (3 lines)
Figure:  assonance (phonological): ever/yet /e/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): to/new /uː/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): For/Fancy /f/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): gone/Fancy/new /n/

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34 Her rapid wings the transient scene pursue,    
Rhyme:  aaa   |   Rhyme word(s):  pursue   |   Rhyme sound:  /uː/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Stanza:  triplet (3 lines)
Figure:  assonance (phonological): rapid/transient /æ/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): rapid/pursue /p/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): transient/scene /n/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): scene/pursue /s/

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35 And bring the buried ages back to view.    
Rhyme:  aaa   |   Rhyme word(s):  view   |   Rhyme sound:  /uː/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Stanza:  triplet (3 lines)
Figure:  alliteration (phonological): bring/buried/back /b/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): And/back /æ/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): to/view /uː/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): bring/buried/back /b/

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36 High on her car, behold the grandam ride    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  ride   |   Rhyme sound:  /aɪd/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  alliteration (phonological): High/her /h/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): High/ride /aɪ/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): High/her/behold /h/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): on/grandam /n/

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37 Like old Sesostris with barbaric pride;    
Rhyme:  aa   |   Rhyme word(s):  pride   |   Rhyme sound:  /aɪd/   |   Rhyme (line position):  end
Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  assonance (phonological): Like/pride /aɪ/
Figure:  assonance (phonological): Sesostris/with /ɪ/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): Like/old /l/
Figure:  simile (semantic): Like...

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38 ... a team of harnessed monarchs bend ...    
Rhyme:  x   |   Metre:  -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/   |   Syllables:  10
Figure:  assonance (phonological): of/monarchs /ɒ/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): team/monarchs /m/
Figure:  consonance (phonological): harnessed/monarchs/bend /n/

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Expanding the poem lines (+) shows notes and queries taken from various critical editions of Gray's works, as well as those contributed by users of the Archive. There are 2 textual and 5 explanatory notes/queries.

All notes and queries are shown by default.

0 [Hymn to Ignorance. A Fragment] 1 Explanatory, 1 Textual

Title/Paratext] "This, as may be inferred [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.

"This, as may be inferred from line 11, was written on Gray's return to Cambridge, to reside there, in the winter of 1742.
    The title was given by Mason who states:—"I find among his papers a small fragment of verse; . . . it seems to have been intended as a Hymn or Address to Ignorance, and, I presume, had he proceeded with it, would have contained much good satire upon false science and scholastic pedantry.""

The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 248.

Title/Paratext] "On the 25th of March, [...]" D.C. Tovey, 1922 [1st ed. 1898].

"On the 25th of March, 1742, West had asked Gray's opinion of the 4th Book of the Dunciad which had just appeared ("the New Dunciad: Qu'en pensez-vous?"). Gray between this date and April sent West a brief criticism of it. It was fresh in his mind when he wrote this fragment, obviously inspired by Pope; the new Dunciad gave him also in part the expression "the silken son of dalliance" in Agrippina, which he had in hand at the date of the above letters. In July 1742 in a letter hitherto assigned to 1745), he wrote to Chute, "I am just going into the country for one easy fortnight, and then in earnest intend to go to Cambridge, to Trinity Hall"—(he in fact returned to Peterhouse, I believe as a fellow-commoner).
Gray had left Cambridge in September 1738. From the lines

''Thrice hath Hyperion roll'd his annual race,
Since weeping I forsook thy fond embrace,''
we may safely conclude that this 'Hymn' was written before September 1742. It is probable that it was written much earlier in that year; and the lines just quoted perhaps indicate that Gray had reluctantly made up his mind to return to Cambridge, even before the death of West. This Hymn forms a prelude—though a very sinister prelude—to his long residence at Cambridge, and the poems he there composed, and this seems the best place for it.
Perhaps also this may be the best place to point out a singular parallel between moments in the life-story of Milton and of Gray. If we combine this Hymn to Ignorance with the letters which Gray between his return from the Continent and his return to Cambridge wrote to West and Chute, we have a picture which corresponds detail for detail with the account which Milton gives in the first of his Latin elegies of his feeling towards Cambridge, and the way in which he spent his time during his supposed rustication from the University, to which like Gray he professes himself reluctant to go back, though he forces himself to do it:
''Stat quoque juncosas Cami remeare paludes
  Atque iterum raucae murmur adire Scholae.''
            Eleg. I. 89, 90.
''And I will e'en repass Cam's reedy pools
To face once more the warfare of the Schools.'' (Cowper.)
It was to his father's house in London that Gray went when he came from abroad; and probably from the same house that his letters from town of this period were written, though his father died about two months after his return. Milton's father was a money-scrivener; so was Gray's; London was the native city of both poets. Milton writes (Eleg. I. 9, 10)
''Me tenet urbs refluâ quam Thamesis alluit undâ
  Meque, nec invitum, patria dulcis habet,''
and implies that it was no banishment ''patrios adiisse penates'' (l. 17). Cambridge and its surroundings are uncongenial to a lover of the Muses:
''Nuda nec arva placent, umbrasque negantia molles:
  Quam male Phoebicolis convenit ille locus!''
''Nor aught of pleasure in those fields have I,
That to the musing bard all shade deny.'' (Cowper.)
His life he says is pleasantly spent between his books, the public parks and gardens and the theatre (compare Gray's later letters to West and those to Chute of Sept. 7, 1741, and July 1742). The friendship between Milton and Charles Diodati, to whom this Elegia is written, has its exact counterpart in that between Gray and West. Milton and Diodati were schoolfellows at S. Paul's, as Gray and West were schoolfellows at Eton. In both instances the friends were separated by a different choice of University; Milton and Gray went to Cambridge: Diodati and West to Oxford. Both pairs of friends corresponded in much the same fashion; in particular they cheered and advised each other with much solicitude; the Elegia I. of Milton is called forth by a letter from Diodati, rebuking him for poring too much over his books, which exactly resembles extant letters from Gray to West, and West to Gray. The parallel extends yet further. Both Diodati and West died prematurely; Diodati while Milton was upon his foreign travels; West, not very long after Gray had returned from his. Diodati's death is the subject of the most beautiful of Milton's Latin poems, the Epitaphium Damonis; West's, of the sonnet we have annotated, and of the beautiful tribute which closes all that Gray has written of his ''De Principiis Cogitandi.'' "

Gray's English Poems, Original and Translated from the Norse and Welsh. Edited by Duncan C. Tovey. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1922 [1st ed. 1898], 102-103.

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1 Hail, horrors, hail! ye ever-gloomy bowers,
2 Ye gothic fanes and antiquated towers, 1 Explanatory

2.3 fanes] "see "Ode for Music," 53." J. Bradshaw, 1891.

"see "Ode for Music," 53."

The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 248.

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3 Where rushy Camus' slowly-winding flood 1 Explanatory

3.2-3 rushy Camus'] "Cf. Milton, "Elegia" I.:— Jam [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.

"Cf. Milton, "Elegia" I.:—

Jam nec arundiferum mihi cura revisere Camum.—11."

The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 248.

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4 Perpetual draws his humid train of mud: 1 Explanatory

4.1-5 Perpetual ... train] "Also from Milton, "Paradise Lost," [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.

"Also from Milton, "Paradise Lost," vii. 306:—

            "Where rivers now
Stream, and perpetual draw their humid train.""

The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 248.

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5 Glad I revisit thy neglected reign;
6 Oh, take me to thy peaceful shade again.

7 But chiefly thee, whose influence breathed from high
8 Augments the native darkness of the sky;
9 Ah, Ignorance! soft salutary power!
10 Prostrate with filial reverence I adore.
11 Thrice hath Hyperion rolled his annual race,
12 Since weeping I forsook thy fond embrace.
13 Oh say, successful dost thou still oppose
14 Thy leaden aegis 'gainst our ancient foes?
15 Still stretch, tenacious of thy right divine,
16 The massy sceptre o'er thy slumbering line?
17 And dews Lethean through the land dispense
18 To steep in slumbers each benighted sense?
19 If any spark of wit's delusive ray
20 Break out, and flash a momentary day,
21 With damp, cold touch forbid it to aspire,
22 And huddle up in fogs the dangerous fire.

23 Oh say— she hears me not, but, careless grown,
24 Lethargic nods upon her ebon throne.
25 Goddess! awake, arise! alas, my fears!
26 Can powers immortal feel the force of years?
27 Not thus of old, with ensigns wide unfurled,
28 She rode triumphant o'er the vanquished world;
29 Fierce nations owned her unresisted might,
30 And all was Ignorance, and all was Night.

31 Oh! sacred age! Oh! times for ever lost!
32 (The schoolman's glory, and the churchman's boast.)
33 For ever gone— yet still to Fancy new,
34 Her rapid wings the transient scene pursue,
35 And bring the buried ages back to view.

36 High on her car, behold the grandam ride 1 Explanatory

36.1 - 37.6 High ... pride;] "In Young's "Love of Fame," [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.

"In Young's "Love of Fame," Sat. 5, Philips' "Blenheim," and Pope's "Temple of Fame," there are similar references to Sesostris:—

"As curst Sesostris, proud Egyptian King,
That monarchs harnessed to his chariot yoked."
                    —J. Philips.

"High on his car, Sesostris struck my view,
Whom sceptred slaves in golden harness drew."
                    —Pope."

The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 248-249.

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37 Like old Sesostris with barbaric pride; 1 Explanatory

36.1 - 37.6 High ... pride;] "In Young's "Love of Fame," [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.

"In Young's "Love of Fame," Sat. 5, Philips' "Blenheim," and Pope's "Temple of Fame," there are similar references to Sesostris:—

"As curst Sesostris, proud Egyptian King,
That monarchs harnessed to his chariot yoked."
                    —J. Philips.

"High on his car, Sesostris struck my view,
Whom sceptred slaves in golden harness drew."
                    —Pope."

The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 248-249.

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38 ... a team of harnessed monarchs bend ... 1 Textual

38.1-8 ... ... ...] "It has not been noted [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.

"It has not been noted before that in the Pembroke MSS. after the asterisks after this line there is the following:—

"The ponderous waggon lumbered slowly on" . . . ."

The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 249.

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Works cited

  • The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891.
  • Gray's English Poems, Original and Translated from the Norse and Welsh. Edited by Duncan C. Tovey. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1922 [1st ed. 1898].

Spelling has been modernized throughout, except in case of conscious archaisms. Contractions, italics and initial capitalization have been largely eliminated, except where of real import. Obvious errors have been silently corrected, punctuation has been supplied. The editor would like to express his gratitude to the library staff of the Göttingen State and University Library (SUB Göttingen) for their invaluable assistance.

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Editions in the Digital Library

  • 1775: The Poems of Mr. Gray. To which are prefixed Memoirs of his Life and Writings by W[illiam]. Mason. York, 1775.
  • 1798: The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray. London, 1798.
  • 1799: The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray. London, [1799].
  • 1799: The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray, LL.B. London, 1799.
  • 1800: The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray, LL.B. London, 1800.
  • 1800: The Poems of Gray. A new edition. London, 1800.
  • 1805: The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray. London, 1805.
  • 1814: The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray. London, 1814.
  • 1814: The Works of Thomas Gray, Vol. I. Ed. Thomas James Mathias. London, 1814.
  • 1816: The Works of Thomas Gray, Vol. I. Ed. John Mitford. London, 1816.
  • 1826: The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray. London, 1826.
  • 1836: The Works of Thomas Gray, Volume I. Ed. John Mitford. London, 1836.