Of these the false Achitophel was first:
A name to all succeeding ages curst.
For close designs, and crooked counsels fit;
Sagacious, bold and turbulent of wit:
Restless, unfixt in principles and place;
In pow'r unpleas'd, impatient of disgrace.
A fiery soul, which working out its way,
Fretted the pigmy-body to decay:
And o'er inform'd the tenement of clay.
A daring pilot in extremity;
Pleas'd with the danger, when the waves went high
He sought the storms; but for a calm unfit,
Would steer too nigh the sands, to boast his wit.
Great wits are sure to madness near alli'd;
And thin partitions do their bounds divide:
Else, why should he, with wealth and honour blest,
Refuse his age the needful hours of rest?
Punish a body which he could not please;
Bankrupt of life, yet prodigal of ease?
hi every one
pl z i want some body to explain a poem called (character of lord shaft bury) to me.
Could you post the poem?
Les
I found reference to Character of Lord Shaftesbury by Leigh Hunt, but no copy on line, so I will definitely need it to be typed up in order to help.
The poem is much discussed on the web: [www.google.com] />
A brief synopsis can be found here: [www.enotes.com] />
Les
sorry,i didn,t find any usefull information
i want an exact paraphrase concerning only this part
thank you
it's from Dryden. This goes before:
So several factions, from this first ferment, [140]
Work up to foam, and threat the government.
Some by their friends, more by themselves thought wise,
Opposed the power to which they could not rise;
Some had in courts been great, and, thrown from thence,
Like fiends, were hardened in impenitence; [145]
Some, by their monarch's fatal mercy, grown
From pardoned rebels kinsmen to the throne,
Were raised in power and public office high;
Strong bands, if bands ungrateful men could tie.
copied from: [andromeda.rutgers.edu] />
So, Achitophel was the first to rise in public office. And the rest is a description of this man: he is old (Refuse his age...), but is always looking for dangerous things to do. Furthermore, he is very smart, impatient, and fiery. In short, a lively character, that in my opinion is set out as a very dangerous man.