Written for my Son, and Spoken by Him in School, upon his Master's First Bringing in a Rod
Written for my Son, and Spoken by Him in School, upon his Master's First Bringing in a Rod
Original Text
Poems by Eminent Ladies (London: R. Baldwin, 1755): I, 21-22. B-10 6457 Fisher Rare Book Library
1OUR master, in a fatal hour,
2Brought in this Rod, to shew his pow'r.
3O dreadful birch ! O baleful tree !
4Thou instrument of tyranny !
5Thou deadly damp to youthful joys !
6The sight of thee our peace destroys.
7Not Damocles, with greater dread,
8Beheld the weapon o'er his head.
10Who taught to play us into learning,
11By graving letters on the dice :
12May heav'n reward the kind device,
13And crown him with immortal fame,
14Who taught at once to read and game !
16You'll make a fortune by your school.
17You'll soon have all the elder brothers,
18And be the darling of the mothers.
19O may I live to hail the day,
20When boys shall go to school to play !
21To grammar rules we'll bid defiance ;
22For play will then become a science.
Notes
9] That sage: See Locke upon Education (Barber's note). Back to Line
15] Bowing to his master (Barber's note). Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1755
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
RPO 1996-2000.
Form