Coventry Patmore (1823-1896)
The Foreign Land
1A woman is a foreign land,
2 Of which, though there he settle young,
3A man will ne'er quite understand
4 The customs, politics, and tongue.
5The foolish hie them post-haste through,
6 See fashions odd, and prospects fair,
7Learn of the language, "How d'ye do,"
8 And go and brag they have been there.
9The most for leave to trade apply,
10 For once, at Empire's seat, her heart,
11Then get what knowledge ear and eye
12 Glean chancewise in the life-long mart.
13And certain others, few and fit,
14 Attach them to the Court, and see
15The Country's best, its accent hit,
16 And partly sound its polity.
Online text copyright © 2009, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.
Original text: Coventry Patmore, The Angel in the House, Book II (London: J. W. Parker, 1856). PR 5142 A75 1854 Robarts Library
First publication date:
1856
RPO poem editor: J. D. Robins
RP edition: 2RP.2.556; RPO 1996-2000.
Recent editing: 2:2002/1/30
Rhyme: ababcdcdefefghgh
Other poems by Coventry Patmore
