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To Pope’s ImpromptuTitle and Epigraph This poem is also known by a longer title: "To Mr. Pope In answer to a coppy of verses occasion'd by a little dispute upon four lines in the Rape of the Lock"
Finch is responding to these four lines from Pope's The Rape of the Lock (first published 1712, finished 1717):
Parent of vapors and of female wit,
Who give the hysteric or poetic fit,
On various tempers act by various ways,
Make some take physic, other scribble plays; (Canto 4, lines 59-62)
Alexander Pope's poem "Impromptu, To Lady Winchelsea Occasion'd by Four Satyrical Verses on Women-Wits, in The Rape of the Lock":
In vain you boast Poetic Names of yore,
And cite those Sapphos we admire no more:
fate doom'd the Fall of ev'ry Female Wit;
But doom'd it then when first Ardelia writ.
Of all Examples by the world confess'd,
I knew Ardelia could not quote the best;
Who, like her Mistress on Britannia's Throne;
Fights and subdues in Quarrels not her own.
To write their Praise you but in vain essay;
Ev'n while you write, you take that Praise away:
Light to the Stars the sun does thus restore,
But shines himself till they are seen no more.
"Ardelia" is Finch's pen-name. The poem was written around 1714, and published in Bayle's Dictionary in 1741.
Pope’s and Finch’s poem share the words "fate" and "world," and Pope's use of "admire" is echoed in Finch's use of "admiration."
Disarmed with so genteel an air,
The contest I give o’er;
Yet, Alexander, have a care,
And shockshock Echoes the Shock from Pope's
The Rape of the Lock where the word suggests a military campaign: "Or whether
heaven has doomed that Shock must fall. /. . . / Ariel himself shall be the guard of Shock." (Canto 2, lines 110, 116), and in Belinda's words from Canto 4, line 164: ". . . Shock was most unkind!" the sex no moreno more Finch echoes Pope's use of “no more” in "Impromptu": “In vain you boast Poetic Names of yore, / And cite those Sapphos we admire no more:“ and “Light to the Stars the Sun does thus restore, / But shines himself till they are seen no more.” .
We rule the world our life’s whole race,
Men but assume that right;
First slaves to ev’ry tempting faceFirst slaves to ev’ry tempting face Compare Pope's lines from The Rape of the Lock: "If to her share some female errors fall, / Look on her face, and you'll forget 'em all." (Canto 2, lines 17-18),
Then martyrs to our spite.
You of one Orpheus Orpheus . . . Hebrus . . . flood From Greek mythology: Orpheus was a legendary poet who could tame wild animals with his lute playing. He was allowed to lead his wife Eurydice out of Hades, provided he not look back as she followed him. Disobeying this command, he
lost her forever. Afterward, lamenting his
loss and disregarding the Thracian Maenads (women who followed Bacchus) these women tore him apart and threw his head into the Hebrus
river. John Milton presents a brief account of Orpheus in
Lycidas (1638), lines 58-63, which includes the river Hebrus: "His goary visage down the stream was sent, / Down the swift Hebrus to the Lesbian shore" (lines 62-63). sure have read,
Who would like you have writ writ . . . wit Finch reverses the end rhyme of lines 3 and 4 from Pope's "Impromptu": “Fate doom'd the Fall of ev'ry Female Wit; / But doom'd it then when first Ardelia writ.”
Had he in London town been bred,
And polished too his witwrit . . . wit Finch reverses the end rhyme of lines 3 and 4 from Pope's "Impromptu": “Fate doom'd the Fall of ev'ry Female Wit; / But doom'd it then when first Ardelia writ.”;
But he poor soul thought all was well,
And great should be his fame,
When he had left his wife in hell,
And birds and beasts could tame.
Yet venturing then with scoffing rhymes
The women to incense,
Resenting heroines of those times
Soon punished his offense.
And as the Hebrus Orpheus . . . Hebrus . . . flood From Greek mythology: Orpheus was a legendary poet who could tame wild animals with his lute playing. He was allowed to lead his wife Eurydice out of Hades, provided he not look back as she followed him. Disobeying this command, he lost her forever. Afterward, lamenting his loss and disregarding the Thracian Maenads (women who followed Bacchus) these women tore him apart and threw his head into the Hebrus river. John Milton presents a brief account of Orpheus in Lycidas (1638), lines 58-63, which includes the river Hebrus: "His goary visage down the stream was sent, / Down the swift Hebrus to the Lesbian shore" (lines 62-63). rolled his skull,
And harp besmeared with
blood,
They clashing as the waves grew full,
Still harmonized the flood Orpheus . . . Hebrus . . . flood From Greek mythology: Orpheus was a legendary poet who could tame wild animals with his lute playing. He was allowed to lead his wife Eurydice out of Hades, provided he not look back as she followed him. Disobeying this command, he lost her forever. Afterward, lamenting his loss and disregarding the Thracian Maenads (women who followed Bacchus) these women tore him apart and threw his head into the Hebrus river. John Milton presents a brief account of Orpheus in Lycidas (1638), lines 58-63, which includes the river Hebrus: "His goary visage down the stream was sent, / Down the swift Hebrus to the Lesbian shore" (lines 62-63). .
But you our follies gently treat,
And spin so fine the thread,
You need not
fear his awkward fate,
The lock won’t cost the head The lock won’t cost the head Refers to Pope's The Rape of the Lock, while also playing on "maidenhead": that is, virginity..
Our admirationadmiration Echoes Pope's "admire" from his "Impromptu": In vain you . . . / . . . cite those Sapphos we admire no more” you command
For all that’s gone before;
What next we look for at your hand
Can only raise it more.
Yet sooth the ladies I advise
(As me too pride has wrought)
We’re born to wit, but to be wise
By admonitions taught.
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