Analysis of The Hog, The Sheep, And Goat, Carrying To A FAIR

Anne Kingsmill Finch 1661 – 1720 (Westminster)



Who does not wish, ever to judge aright,
   And, in the Course of Life's Affairs,
 To have a quick, and far extended Sight,
   Tho' it too often multiplies his Cares?
And who has greater Sense, but greater Sorrow shares?

This felt the Swine, now carrying to the Knife;
   And whilst the Lamb and silent Goat
 In the same fatal Cart lay void of Strife,
   He widely stretches his foreboding Throat,
Deaf'ning the easy Crew with his outragious Note.

The angry Driver chides th'unruly Beast,
   And bids him all this Noise forbear;
 Nor be more loud, nor clamorous than the rest,
   Who with him travel'd to the neighb'ring Fair.
And quickly shou'd arrive, and be unfetter'd there.

This, quoth the Swine, I do believe, is true,
   And see we're very near the Town;
 Whilst these poor Fools of short, and bounded View,
   Think 'twill be well, when you have set them down,
And eas'd One of her Milk, the Other of her Gown.

But all the dreadful Butchers in a Row,
   To my far-searching Thoughts appear,
 Who know indeed, we to the Shambles go,
   Whilst I, whom none but Belzebub wou'd shear,
Nor but his Dam wou'd milk, must for my Carcase fear.

But tell me then, will it prevent thy Fate?
   The rude unpitying Farmer cries;
 If not, the Wretch who tastes his Suff'rings late,
   Not He, who thro' th'unhappy Future prys,
Must of the Two be held most Fortunate and Wise.


Scheme ABABB CACAA ADADD DEXEE DDXDD AFABF
Poetic Form Etheree  (20%)
Metre 111110111 00011101 1101010101 111101011 011101110101 11011100101 01010101 0011011111 1101010101 1101011111 010101110101 0111111 111111101 111101011 010101010101 1101110111 01110101 1111110101 1111111111 011101010101 1101010001 11110101 1101110101 11111111 11111111111 1111110111 011101 110111111 111111010101 110111110001
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 1,381
Words 244
Sentences 10
Stanzas 6
Stanza Lengths 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
Lines Amount 30
Letters per line (avg) 34
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 170
Words per stanza (avg) 40
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:17 min read
103

Anne Kingsmill Finch

Anne Finch, Countess of Winchilsea (née Kingsmill), was an English poet and courtier. Finch's works often express a desire for respect as a female poet, lamenting her difficult position as a woman in the literary establishment and the court, while writing of "political ideology, religious orientation, and aesthetic sensibility". Her works also allude to other female authors of the time, such as Aphra Behn and Katherine Phillips. Through her commentary on the mental and spiritual equality of the genders and the importance of women fulfilling their potential as a moral duty to themselves and to society, she is regarded as one of the integral female poets of the Restoration Era. Finch died in Westminster in 1720 and was buried at her home at Eastwell, Kent.  more…

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