Analysis of Songs Set To Music: 6. Set By Mr. Smith

Matthew Prior 1664 – 1721



Phillis, since we have both been kind,
And of each other had our fill,
Tell me what pleasure you can find
In forcing Nature 'gainst her will.

'Tis true, you may, with art and pain,
Keep in some glowings of desire,
But still those glowings which remain
Are only ashes of the fire.

Then let us free each other's soul,
And laugh at the dull constant fool
Who would Love's liberty control,
And teach us how to whine by rule.

Let us no impositions set
Or clogs upon each other's heart;
But, as for pleasure first we met,
So now for pleasure let us part.

We both have spent our stock of love,
So consequently should be free;
Thyrsis expects you in yon grove,
And pretty Chloris stays for me.


Scheme ABAB CDCD EFEF GHGH XIXI
Poetic Form Quatrain 
Metre 10111111 011101101 11110111 01010101 11111101 10111010 1111101 110101010 11111101 01101101 11110001 01111111 11111 11011101 11110111 11110111 111110111 11000111 1011011 01010111
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 676
Words 132
Sentences 6
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 20
Letters per line (avg) 27
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 106
Words per stanza (avg) 26
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 14, 2023

40 sec read
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Matthew Prior

Matthew Prior was an English poet and diplomat. more…

All Matthew Prior poems | Matthew Prior Books

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