Analysis of Speculum Tuscanismi
Gabriel Harvey 1552 – 1631
Since Galatea came in, and Tuscanism gan usurp,
Vanity above all: villainy next her, stateliness Empress
No man but minion, stout, lout, plain, swain, quoth a Lording:
No words but valorous, no works but womanish only.
For life Magnificoes, not a beck but glorious in show,
In deed most frivolous, not a look but Tuscanish always.
His cringing side neck, eyes glancing, fisnamy smirking,
With forefinger kiss, and brave embrace to the footward.
Large bellied Cod-pieced doublet, uncod-pieced half hose,
Straight to the dock like a shirt, and close to the britch like a diveling.
A little Apish flat couched fast to the pate like an oyster,
French camarick ruffs, deep with a whiteness starched to the purpose.
Every one A per se A, his terms and braveries in print,
Delicate in speech, quaint in array: conceited in all points,
In Courtly guiles a passing singular odd man,
For Gallants a brave Mirror, a Primrose of Honour,
A Diamond for nonce, a fellow peerless in England.
Not the like discourser for Tongue, and head to be found out,
Not the like resolute man for great and serious affairs,
Not the like Lynx to spy out secrets and privities of States,
Eyed like to Argus, eared like to Midas, nos'd like to Naso,
Wing'd like to Mercury, fittst of a thousand for to be employ'd,
This, nay more than this, doth practice of Italy in one year.
None do I name, but some do I know, that a piece of a twelve month
Hath so perfited outly and inly both body, both soul,
That none for sense and senses half matchable with them.
A vulture's smelling, Ape's tasting, sight of an eagle,
A spider's touching, Hart's hearing, might of a Lion.
Compounds of wisdom, wit, prowess, bounty, behavior,
All gallant virtues, all qualities of body and soul.
O thrice ten hundred thousand times blessed and happy,
Blessed and happy travail, Travailer most blessed and happy.
"Tell me in good sooth, doth it not too evidently appear
that this English poet wanted but a good pattern before his eyes,
as it might be some delicate and choice elegant Poesy
of good Master Sidney's or Master Dyer's
(our very Castor and Pollux for such and many greater matters)
when this trim gear was in the matching?"
Scheme | ABCDEFCGHCIJGKLIGGMNEGOPQRSTIQDDOUBBVC |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 1010100111 100011110110 111101111101 1111111110 111101110001 011100101111 11011110110 11010101101 1101111111 110110101101101 01011111011110 1111101011010 10010110110101 100011001010011 010101010011 1101100111 0101101010010 101111011111 10110111010001 1011111100111 111101111011110 1111001101011101 111111101100011 1111111111011011 11110111011 11110101111 011011011110 011011011010 1011011010010 11010110011001 111101011010 101001111010 110111111100001 11101010101100111 11111100011001 111011101 101010010110101010 111110010 |
Closest metre | Iambic heptameter |
Characters | 2,185 |
Words | 386 |
Sentences | 13 |
Stanzas | 1 |
Stanza Lengths | 38 |
Lines Amount | 38 |
Letters per line (avg) | 45 |
Words per line (avg) | 10 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 1,706 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 383 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:58 min read
- 116 Views
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"Speculum Tuscanismi" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 3 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/14502/speculum-tuscanismi>.
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