Analysis of The Quip

George Herbert 1593 (Montgomery) – 1633 (Bemerton)



The merry World did on a day
With his train-bands and mates agree
To meet together where I lay,
And all in sport to jeer at me.

First Beauty crept into a rose,
Which when I pluck'd not, "Sir," said she,
"Tell me, I pray, whose hands are those?"
But Thou shalt answer, Lord, for me.

Then Money came, and chinking still,
"What tune is this, poor man?" said he;
"I heard in music you had skill:"
But Thou shalt answer, Lord, for me.

Then came brave Glory puffing by
In silks that whistled, who but he?
He scarce allow'd me half an eye:
But Thou shalt answer, Lord, for me.

Then came quick Wit and Conversation,
And he would needs a comfort be,
And, to be short, make an oration:
But Thou shalt answer, Lord, for me.

Yet when the hour of Thy design
To answer these fine things shall come,
Speak not at large, say, I am Thine;
And then they have their answer home.


Scheme abab cbcB dbdB ebeB fbfB gxgx
Poetic Form Quatrain  (83%)
Metre 01011101 11110101 11010111 01011111 11010101 11111111 11111111 11110111 1101011 11111111 11010111 11110111 11110101 01110111 11011111 11110111 11110010 01110101 011111010 11110111 110101101 11011111 11111111 01111101
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 849
Words 173
Sentences 10
Stanzas 6
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 24
Letters per line (avg) 27
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 107
Words per stanza (avg) 28
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 16, 2023

51 sec read
144

George Herbert

The Very Reverend Honourable George Herbert was an Anglican priest. more…

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