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Poem
June 9, 1788
The New York Journal, And Daily Patriotic Register
New York, New York County, New York
What is this article about?
A poem personifying March and April in a dialogue over weather rivalry, where April resents cold after March's mildness, leading to a moral lesson on decorum, timeliness, and discretion for youth and ladies.
Clipping
OCR Quality
92%
Excellent
Full Text
Written on account of cold, rough, weather in
April, after an agreeable and pleasant
March preceding.
The pride of the garden is shattered to rags,
The leaves are in lippets th' flow'rs in jags
For April's o' angry that March was o' gay,
That she puffs at her beauties an'd blows them away
And, fast as her cloudy dominions come on,
Looks coldly upon her, and bids 'her be gone;
For I see by the meadows. the shrubs and the
bow'rs,
You have stolen my verdure and pilfer'd my
flow'rs,
And, still more provoking this gaudy new comer,
Is pleasant as May and as warm as the summer.
So I think it my duty to bring to disgrace
A sloven a drey, and fine, out of place ;
For never should March a precedency claim
To the honors of April, so shining in fame ;
For April was ever allow'd to appear
The mother of beauties that brighten the year.
To wb.ch sober March made this modest reply,
"My beauties are dead, and your beauties shall die:
For, see by this riotous Slut of thine,
Thou dost but destroy thy own honours with mine,
Nor should you be hasty your neighbour to blame'
For May is behind, and may serve you the same.
So take, mistress April, this closing report,
My reign was not long and thy reign shall be short.
Such contests in nature we often may see :
Thus ever it was, and thus ever it will be,
From whence for our profit some moral we'll ga-
ther,
And learn to be wise from th' wind and th' wea-
ther:
For men, with such teaching examples before 'em
May learn to be rul'd by the laws of decorum ;
And youth, when too fond and too forward to shine,
May learn what a danger there is of decline:
And ladies, to act with discretion and grace,
Must with decency dress and appear in right place.
April, after an agreeable and pleasant
March preceding.
The pride of the garden is shattered to rags,
The leaves are in lippets th' flow'rs in jags
For April's o' angry that March was o' gay,
That she puffs at her beauties an'd blows them away
And, fast as her cloudy dominions come on,
Looks coldly upon her, and bids 'her be gone;
For I see by the meadows. the shrubs and the
bow'rs,
You have stolen my verdure and pilfer'd my
flow'rs,
And, still more provoking this gaudy new comer,
Is pleasant as May and as warm as the summer.
So I think it my duty to bring to disgrace
A sloven a drey, and fine, out of place ;
For never should March a precedency claim
To the honors of April, so shining in fame ;
For April was ever allow'd to appear
The mother of beauties that brighten the year.
To wb.ch sober March made this modest reply,
"My beauties are dead, and your beauties shall die:
For, see by this riotous Slut of thine,
Thou dost but destroy thy own honours with mine,
Nor should you be hasty your neighbour to blame'
For May is behind, and may serve you the same.
So take, mistress April, this closing report,
My reign was not long and thy reign shall be short.
Such contests in nature we often may see :
Thus ever it was, and thus ever it will be,
From whence for our profit some moral we'll ga-
ther,
And learn to be wise from th' wind and th' wea-
ther:
For men, with such teaching examples before 'em
May learn to be rul'd by the laws of decorum ;
And youth, when too fond and too forward to shine,
May learn what a danger there is of decline:
And ladies, to act with discretion and grace,
Must with decency dress and appear in right place.
What sub-type of article is it?
Pastoral
Satire
What themes does it cover?
Nature Seasons
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
April Weather
March Rivalry
Season Personification
Moral Decorum
Nature Contest
Youth Discretion
Ladies Grace
Poem Details
Title
Written On Account Of Cold, Rough, Weather In April, After An Agreeable And Pleasant March Preceding.
Subject
Cold, Rough, Weather In April, After An Agreeable And Pleasant March Preceding
Form / Style
Rhymed Couplets
Key Lines
The Pride Of The Garden Is Shattered To Rags,
The Leaves Are In Lippets Th' Flow'rs In Jags
For April's O' Angry That March Was O' Gay,
That She Puffs At Her Beauties An'd Blows Them Away
To Wb.Ch Sober March Made This Modest Reply,
"My Beauties Are Dead, And Your Beauties Shall Die:
For, See By This Riotous Slut Of Thine,
Thou Dost But Destroy Thy Own Honours With Mine,
Such Contests In Nature We Often May See :
Thus Ever It Was, And Thus Ever It Will Be,
From Whence For Our Profit Some Moral We'll Gather,
And Learn To Be Wise From Th' Wind And Th' Weather:
For Men, With Such Teaching Examples Before 'Em
May Learn To Be Rul'd By The Laws Of Decorum ;
And Youth, When Too Fond And Too Forward To Shine,
May Learn What A Danger There Is Of Decline:
And Ladies, To Act With Discretion And Grace,
Must With Decency Dress And Appear In Right Place.