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Poem
January 30, 1752
The Virginia Gazette
Richmond, Williamsburg, Richmond County, Virginia
What is this article about?
The poem portrays life's journey as a thorny road, where the speaker selects virtuous companions—Truth, Justice, Integrity, Caution, Experience, Discretion, Modesty, Innocence, Charity—to ease toil, ensure safety, and provide guidance, culminating in health and God's grace for a fulfilling path.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
The JOURNEY of LIFE.
Whilst thro' Life's thorny Road I go,
I will not want Companions too;
A dreary Journey, and alone,
Would be, alas too troublesome:
In Company that's choice and good,
Aches Trouble hardly understood;
For Toil divided seems to be
No Toil, but a Felicity:
Therefore will I Companions take,
As well for Ease, as Safety's Sake;
Fair Truth shall serve me for a Guide
Justice shall never leave my Side.
Integrity my trusty Guard,
Nor will I Caution quite discard;
Experience shall my Tutor be,
Nor will I wiser seem than he;
Discretion all my Thoughts shall weigh
And Modesty my Words convey;
Soft Innocence potent my Sleep,
And Charity my Purse shall keep.
Thus, thro' this Wilderness I'll stray,
Nor ever fear to lose my Way;
The Sages I sometimes will see,
Be sometimes with the Muses free;
With guileless Mirth an Hour beguile
Or with free-spoken Satire smile;
With Meditation often walk,
Or with sweet Melancholy talk;
With these Companions dear, I'll post,
Nor heed the journey long or short:
So Health supply the Doctor's Place,
And for a Chaplain, I've God's Grace.
Whilst thro' Life's thorny Road I go,
I will not want Companions too;
A dreary Journey, and alone,
Would be, alas too troublesome:
In Company that's choice and good,
Aches Trouble hardly understood;
For Toil divided seems to be
No Toil, but a Felicity:
Therefore will I Companions take,
As well for Ease, as Safety's Sake;
Fair Truth shall serve me for a Guide
Justice shall never leave my Side.
Integrity my trusty Guard,
Nor will I Caution quite discard;
Experience shall my Tutor be,
Nor will I wiser seem than he;
Discretion all my Thoughts shall weigh
And Modesty my Words convey;
Soft Innocence potent my Sleep,
And Charity my Purse shall keep.
Thus, thro' this Wilderness I'll stray,
Nor ever fear to lose my Way;
The Sages I sometimes will see,
Be sometimes with the Muses free;
With guileless Mirth an Hour beguile
Or with free-spoken Satire smile;
With Meditation often walk,
Or with sweet Melancholy talk;
With these Companions dear, I'll post,
Nor heed the journey long or short:
So Health supply the Doctor's Place,
And for a Chaplain, I've God's Grace.
What sub-type of article is it?
Ode
What themes does it cover?
Moral Virtue
Religious Faith
What keywords are associated?
Journey Of Life
Virtuous Companions
Moral Guidance
Truth Justice
Gods Grace
Integrity Experience
Charity Innocence
Poem Details
Title
The Journey Of Life.
Subject
The Journey Of Life
Form / Style
Rhymed Couplets In Iambic Tetrameter
Key Lines
Fair Truth Shall Serve Me For A Guide
Justice Shall Never Leave My Side.
Integrity My Trusty Guard,
Nor Will I Caution Quite Discard;
Thus, Thro' This Wilderness I'll Stray,
Nor Ever Fear To Lose My Way;
With These Companions Dear, I'll Post,
Nor Heed The Journey Long Or Short:
So Health Supply The Doctor's Place,
And For A Chaplain, I've God's Grace.