Laurel · Alexander Pushkin · Eugene Onegin

Canto IV

Alexander Pushkin (1799–1837), translated by Henry Spalding · 1881

iambic tetrameter · 575 lines · from Eugene Onegin

The less we love a lady fairThe easier ’tis to gain her grace,And the more surely we ensnareHer in the pitfalls which we place.Time was when cold seduction stroveTo swagger as the art of love,Everywhere trumpeting its feats,Not seeking love but sensual sweets.But this amusement delicateWas worthy of that old baboon,Our fathers used to dote upon;The Lovelaces are out of date,Their glory with their heels of redAnd long perukes hath vanishèd.

For who imposture can endure,A constant harping on one tune,Serious endeavours to assureWhat everybody long has known;Ever to hear the same repliesAnd overcome antipathiesWhich never have existed, e’enIn little maidens of thirteen?And what like menaces fatigues,Entreaties, oaths, fictitious fear,Epistles of six sheets or near,Rings, tears, deceptions and intrigues,Aunts, mothers and their scrutiny,And husbands’ tedious amity?

Such were the musings of Eugene.He in the early years of lifeHad a deluded victim beenOf error and the passions’ strife.By daily life deteriorated,Awhile this beauty captivated,And that no longer could inspire.Slowly exhausted by desire,Yet satiated with success,In solitude or worldly din,He heard his soul’s complaint within,With laughter smothered weariness:And thus he spent eight years of time,Destroyed the blossom of his prime.

Though beauty he no more adored,He still made love in a queer way;Rebuffed—as quickly reassured,Jilted—glad of a holiday.Without enthusiasm he metThe fair, nor parted with regret,Scarce mindful of their love and guile.Thus a guest with composure willTo take a hand at whist oft come:He takes his seat, concludes his game,And straight returning whence he came,Tranquilly goes to sleep at home,And in the morning doth not knowWhither that evening he will go.

However, Tania’s letter reading,Eugene was touched with sympathy;The language of her girlish pleadingAroused in him sweet reverie.He called to mind Tattiana’s grace,Pallid and melancholy face,And in a vision, sinless, bright,His spirit sank with strange delight.May be the empire of the sense,Regained authority awhile,But he desired not to beguileSuch open-hearted innocence.But to the garden once againWherein we lately left the twain.

Two minutes they in silence spent,Onéguine then approached and said:“You have a letter to me sent.Do not excuse yourself. I readConfessions which a trusting heartMay well in innocence impart.Charming is your sincerity,Feelings which long had ceased to beIt wakens in my breast again.But I came not to adulate:Your frankness I shall compensateBy an avowal just as plain.An ear to my confession lend;To thy decree my will I bend.

“If the domestic hearth could bless—My sum of happiness contained;If wife and children to possessA happy destiny ordained:If in the scenes of home I mightE’en for an instant find delight,Then, I say truly, none but theeI would desire my bride to be—I say without poetic phrase,Found the ideal of my youth,Thee only would I choose, in truth,As partner of my mournful days,Thee only, pledge of all things bright,And be as happy—as I might.

“But strange am I to happiness;’Tis foreign to my cast of thought;Me your perfections would not bless;I am not worthy them in aught;And honestly ’tis my beliefOur union would produce but grief.Though now my love might be intense,Habit would bring indifference.I see you weep. Those tears of yoursTend not my heart to mitigate,But merely to exasperate;Judge then what roses would be ours,What pleasures Hymen would prepareFor us, may be for many a year.

“What can be drearier than the house,Wherein the miserable wifeDeplores a most unworthy spouseAnd leads a solitary life?The tiresome man, her value knowing,Yet curses on his fate bestowing,Is full of frigid jealousy,Mute, solemn, frowning gloomily.Such am I. This did ye expect,When in simplicity ye wroteYour innocent and charming noteWith so much warmth and intellect?Hath fate apportioned unto theeThis lot in life with stern decree?

“Ideas and time ne’er backward move;My soul I cannot renovate—I love you with a brother’s love,Perchance one more affectionate.Listen to me without disdain.A maid hath oft, may yet againReplace the visions fancy drew;Thus trees in spring their leaves renewAs in their turn the seasons roll.’Tis evidently Heaven’s willYou fall in love again. But still—Learn to possess more self-control.Not all will like myself proceed—And thoughtlessness to woe might lead.”

Thus did our friend Onéguine preach:Tattiana, dim with tears her eyes,Attentive listened to his speech,All breathless and without replies.His arm he offers. Mute and sad(Mechanically, let us add),Tattiana doth accept his aid;And, hanging down her head, the maidAround the garden homeward hies.Together they returned, nor wordOf censure for the same incurred;The country hath its libertiesAnd privileges nice allowed,Even as Moscow, city proud.

Confess, O ye who this peruse,Onéguine acted very wellBy poor Tattiana in the blues;’Twas not the first time, I can tellYou, he a noble mind disclosed,Though some men, evilly disposed,Spared him not their asperities.His friends and also enemies(One and the same thing it may be)Esteemed him much as the world goes.Yes! every one must have his foes,But Lord! from friends deliver me!The deuce take friends, my friends, amendsI’ve had to make for having friends!

But how? Quite so. Though I dismissDark, unavailing reverie,I just hint, in parenthesis,There is no stupid calumnyBorn of a babbler in a loftAnd by the world repeated oft,There is no fishmarket retortAnd no ridiculous report,Which your true friend with a sweet smileWhere fashionable circles meetA hundred times will not repeat,Quite inadvertently meanwhile;And yet he in your cause would striveAnd loves you as—a relative!

Ahem! Ahem! My reader noble,Are all your relatives quite well?Permit me; is it worth the troubleFor your instruction here to tellWhat I by relatives conceive?These are your relatives, believe:Those whom we ought to love, caress,With spiritual tenderness;Whom, as the custom is of men,We visit about Christmas Day,Or by a card our homage pay,That until Christmas comes againThey may forget that we exist.And so—God bless them, if He list.

In this the love of the fair sexBeats that of friends and relatives:In love, although its tempests vex,Our liberty at least survives:Agreed! but then the whirl of fashion,The natural fickleness of passion,The torrent of opinion,And the fair sex as light as down!Besides the hobbies of a spouseShould be respected throughout lifeBy every proper-minded wife,And this the faithful one allows,When in as instant she is lost,—Satan will jest, and at love’s cost.

Oh! where bestow our love? Whom trust?Where is he who doth not deceive?Who words and actions will adjustTo standards in which we believe?Oh! who is not calumnious?Who labours hard to humour us?To whom are our misfortunes griefAnd who is not a tiresome thief?My venerated reader, oh!Cease the pursuit of shadows vain,Spare yourself unavailing painAnd all your love on self bestow;A worthy object ’tis, and wellI know there’s none more amiable.

But from the interview what flowed?Alas! It is not hard to guess.The insensate fire of love still glowedNor discontinued to distressA spirit which for sorrow yearned.Tattiana more than ever burnedWith hopeless passion: from her bedSweet slumber winged its way and fled.Her health, life’s sweetness and its bloom,Her smile and maidenly repose,All vanished as an echo goes.Across her youth a shade had come,As when the tempest’s veil is drawnAcross the smiling face of dawn.

Alas! Tattiana fades away,Grows pale and sinks, but nothing says;Listless is she the livelong dayNor interest in aught betrays.Shaking with serious air the head,In whispers low the neighbours said:’Tis time she to the altar went!But enough! Now, ’tis my intentThe imagination to enlivenWith love which happiness extends;Against my inclination, friends,By sympathy I have been driven.Forgive me! Such the love I bearMy heroine, Tattiana dear.

Vladimir, hourly more a slaveTo youthful Olga’s beauty bright,Into delicious bondage gaveHis ardent soul with full delight.Always together, eventideFound them in darkness side by side,At morn, hand clasped in hand, they roveAround the meadow and the grove.And what resulted? Drunk with love,But with confused and bashful air,Lenski at intervals would dare,If Olga smilingly approve,Dally with a dishevelled tressOr kiss the border of her dress.

To Olga frequently he wouldSome nice instructive novel read,Whose author nature understoodBetter than Chateaubriand didYet sometimes pages two or three(Nonsense and pure absurdity,For maiden’s hearing deemed unfit),He somewhat blushing would omit:Far from the rest the pair would creepAnd (elbows on the table) theyA game of chess would often play,Buried in meditation deep,Till absently Vladimir tookWith his own pawn alas! his rook!

Homeward returning, he at homeIs occupied with Olga fair,An album, fly-leaf of the tome,He leisurely adorns for her.Landscapes thereon he would design,A tombstone, Aphrodite’s shrine,Or, with a pen and colours fit,A dove which on a lyre doth sit;The “in memoriam” pages sought,Where many another hand had signedA tender couplet he combined,A register of fleeting thought,A flimsy trace of musings pastWhich might for many ages last.

Surely ye all have overhauledA country damsel’s album trim,Which all her darling friends have scrawledFrom first to last page to the rim.Behold! orthography despising,Metreless verses recognizingBy friendship how they were abused,Hewn, hacked, and otherwise ill-used.Upon the opening page ye find:Qu’ecrirer-vouz sur ces tablettes?Subscribed, toujours à vous, Annette;And on the last one, underlined:Who in thy love finds more delightBeyond this may attempt to write.

Infallibly you there will findTwo hearts, a torch, of flowers a wreath,And vows will probably be signed:Affectionately yours till death.Some army poet therein mayHave smuggled his flagitious lay.In such an album with delightI would, my friends, inscriptions write,Because I should be sure, meanwhile,My verses, kindly meant, would earnDelighted glances in return;That afterwards with evil smileThey would not solemnly debateIf cleverly or not I prate.

But, O ye tomes without compare,Which from the devil’s bookcase start,Albums magnificent which scareThe fashionable rhymester’s heart!Yea! although rendered beauteousBy Tolstoy’s pencil marvellous,Though Baratynski verses penned,The thunderbolt on you descend!Whene’er a brilliant courtly damePresents her quarto amiably,Despair and anger seize on me,And a malicious epigramTrembles upon my lips from spite,—And madrigals I’m asked to write!

But Lenski madrigals ne’er wroteIn Olga’s album, youthful maid,To purest love he tuned his noteNor frigid adulation paid.What never was remarked or heardOf Olga he in song averred;His elegies, which plenteous streamed,Both natural and truthful seemed.Thus thou, Yazykoff, dost ariseIn amorous flights when so inspired,Singing God knows what maid admired,And all thy precious elegies,Sometime collected, shall relateThe story of thy life and fate.

Since Fame and Freedom he adored,Incited by his stormy MuseOdes Lenski also had outpoured,But Olga would not such peruse.When poets lachrymose reciteBeneath the eyes of ladies brightTheir own productions, some insistNo greater pleasure can existJust so! that modest swain is blestWho reads his visionary themeTo the fair object of his dream,A beauty languidly at rest,Yes, happy—though she at his sideBy other thoughts be occupied.

But I the products of my Muse,Consisting of harmonious lays,To my old nurse alone peruse,Companion of my childhood’s days.Or, after dinner’s dull repast,I by the button-hole seize fastMy neighbour, who by chance drew near,And breathe a drama in his ear.Or else (I deal not here in jokes),Exhausted by my woes and rhymes,I sail upon my lake at timesAnd terrify a swarm of ducks,Who, heard the music of my lay,Take to their wings and fly away.

But to Onéguine! A propos!Friends, I must your indulgence pray.His daily occupations, lo!Minutely I will now portray.A hermit’s life Onéguine led,At seven in summer rose from bed,And clad in airy costume tookHis course unto the running brook.There, aping Gulnare’s bard, he spannedHis Hellespont from bank to bank,And then a cup of coffee drank,Some wretched journal in his hand;Then dressed himself...

Sound sleep, books, walking, were his bliss,The murmuring brook, the woodland shade,The uncontaminated kissOf a young dark-eyed country maid,A fiery, yet well-broken horse,A dinner, whimsical each course,A bottle of a vintage whiteAnd solitude and calm delight.Such was Onéguine’s sainted life,And such unconsciously he led,Nor marked how summer’s prime had fledIn aimless ease and far from strife,The curse of commonplace delight.And town and friends forgotten quite.

This northern summer of our own,On winters of the south a skit,Glimmers and dies. This is well known,Though we will not acknowledge it.Already Autumn chilled the sky,The tiny sun shone less on highAnd shorter had the days become.The forests in mysterious gloomWere stripped with melancholy sound,Upon the earth a mist did lieAnd many a caravan on highOf clamorous geese flew southward bound.A weary season was at hand—November at the gate did stand.

The morn arises foggy, cold,The silent fields no peasant nears,The wolf upon the highways boldWith his ferocious mate appears.Detecting him the passing horseSnorts, and his rider bends his courseAnd wisely gallops to the hill.No more at dawn the shepherd willDrive out the cattle from their shed,Nor at the hour of noon with soundOf horn in circle call them round.Singing inside her hut the maidSpins, whilst the friend of wintry night,The pine-torch, by her crackles bright.

Already crisp hoar frosts imposeO’er all a sheet of silvery dust(Readers expect the rhyme of rose,There! take it quickly, if ye must).Behold! than polished floor more niceThe shining river clothed in ice;A joyous troop of little boysEngrave the ice with strident noise.A heavy goose on scarlet feet,Thinking to float upon the stream,Descends the bank with care extreme,But staggers, slips, and falls. We greetThe first bright wreathing storm of snowWhich falls in starry flakes below.

How in the country pass this time?Walking? The landscape tires the eyeIn winter by its blank and dimAnd naked uniformity.On horseback gallop o’er the steppe!Your steed, though rough-shod, cannot keepHis footing on the treacherous rimeAnd may fall headlong any time.Alone beneath your rooftree stayAnd read De Pradt or Walter Scott!Keep your accounts! You’d rather not?Then get mad drunk or wroth; the dayWill pass; the same to-morrow try—You’ll spend your winter famously!

pamphleteer of the French Revolution: was at first an emigre,but made his peace with Napoleon and was appointed Archbishop

A true Childe Harold my EugeneTo idle musing was a prey;At morn an icy bath withinHe sat, and then the livelong day,Alone within his habitationAnd buried deep in meditation,He round the billiard-table stalked,The balls impelled, the blunt cue chalked;When evening o’er the landscape looms,Billiards abandoned, cue forgot,A table to the fire is brought,And he waits dinner. Lenski comes,Driving abreast three horses gray.“Bring dinner now without delay!”

Upon the table in a triceOf widow Clicquot or MoetA blessed bottle, placed in ice,For the young poet they display.Like Hippocrene it scatters light,Its ebullition foaming white(Like other things I could relate)My heart of old would captivate.The last poor obol I was worth—Was it not so?—for thee I gave,And thy inebriating waveFull many a foolish prank brought forth;And oh! what verses, what delights,Delicious visions, jests and fights!

Alas! my stomach it betraysWith its exhilarating flow,And I confess that now-a-daysI prefer sensible Bordeaux.To cope with Ay no more I dare,For Ay is like a mistress fair,Seductive, animated, bright,But wilful, frivolous, and light.But thou, Bordeaux, art like the friendWho in the agony of griefIs ever ready with relief,Assistance ever will extend,Or quietly partake our woe.All hail! my good old friend Bordeaux!

The fire sinks low. An ashy cloakThe golden ember now enshrines,And barely visible the smokeUpward in a thin stream inclines.But little warmth the fireplace lends,Tobacco smoke the flue ascends,The goblet still is bubbling bright—Outside descend the mists of night.How pleasantly the evening jogsWhen o’er a glass with friends we prateJust at the hour we designateThe time between the wolf and dogs—I cannot tell on what pretence—But lo! the friends to chat commence.

“How are our neighbours fair, pray tell,Tattiana, saucy Olga thine?”—“The family are all quite well—Give me just half a glass of wine—They sent their compliments—but oh!How charming Olga’s shoulders grow!Her figure perfect grows with time!She is an angel! We sometimeMust visit them. Come! you must own,My friend, ’tis but to pay a debt,For twice you came to them and yetYou never since your nose have shown.But stay! A dolt am I who speak!They have invited you this week.”

“Me?”—“Yes! It is Tattiana’s fêteNext Saturday. The LàrinaTold me to ask you. Ere that dateMake up your mind to go there.”—“Ah!It will be by a mob besetOf every sort and every set!”—“Not in the least, assured am I!”—“Who will be there?”—“The family.Do me a favour and appear.Will you?”—“Agreed.”—“I thank you, friend,”And saying this Vladimir drainedHis cup unto his maiden dear.Then touching Olga they departIn fresh discourse. Such, love, thou art!

He was most gay. The happy dateIn three weeks would arrive for them;The secrets of the marriage stateAnd love’s delicious diademWith rapturous longing he awaits,Nor in his dreams anticipatesHymen’s embarrassments, distress,And freezing fits of weariness.Though we, of Hymen foes, meanwhile,In life domestic see a stringOf pictures painful harrowing,A novel in Lafontaine’s style,My wretched Lenski’s fate I mourn,He seemed for matrimony born.

He was beloved: or say at least,He thought so, and existence charmed.The credulous indeed are blest,And he who, jealousy disarmed,In sensual sweets his soul doth steepAs drunken tramps at nightfall sleep,Or, parable more flattering,As butterflies to blossoms cling.But wretched who anticipates,Whose brain no fond illusions daze,Who every gesture, every phraseIn true interpretation hates:Whose heart experience icy madeAnd yet oblivion forbade.

Words in this poem 123

ensnare v. t.: To catch in a snare. See Insnare.
swagger v. i.: To walk with a swaying motion; hence, to walk and act in a pompous, consequential manner. [Freq. of swag.]
trumpeting n.: A channel cut behind the brick lining of a shaft. Raymond.
amusement n.: Deep thought; muse. [Cf. F. amusement.]
dote n.: A marriage portion. See 1st Dot, n. Wyatt. [See Dot dowry.]
harping a.: Pertaining to the harp; as, harping symphonies.
amity n.: Friendship, in a general sense, between individuals, societies, or nations; friendly relations; good understanding; as, a treaty of amity and commerce; the amity of the Whigs and Tories. [F. amitié, OF. amistié, amisté, fr. an assumed LL. amisitas, fr. L. amicus friendly, from amare to love. See Amiable.]
strife n.: The act of striving; earnest endeavor. [OF. estrif. See Strive.]
awhile adv.: For a while; for some time; for a short time. [Adj. a + while time, interval.]
scarce a.: Not plentiful or abundant; in small quantity in proportion to the demand; not easily to be procured; rare; uncommon. [OE. scars, OF. escars, eschars, LL. scarpsus, for L. excerptus, p. p. of excerpere to pick out, and hence to contract, to shorten; ex (see Ex-) + carpere. See C]
mindful a.: Bearing in mind; regardful; attentive; heedful; observant.
composure n.: The act of composing, or that which is composed; a composition. [From Compose.]
whist v. t.: To hush or silence. [From Whist, interj.]
tranquilly adv.: In a tranquil manner; calmly.
whither adv.: To what place; -- used interrogatively; as, whither goest thou [OE. whider. AS. hwider; akin to E. where, who; cf. Goth. hvadre whither. See Who, and cf. Hither, Thither.]
girlish a.: Like, or characteristic of, a girl; of or pertaining to girlhood; innocent; artless; immature; weak; as, girlish ways; girlish grief.
reverie n.: A loose or irregular train of thought occurring in musing or mediation; deep musing; daydream. [F. réverie, fr. rêver to dream, rave, be light-headed. Cf. Rave.]
sinless a.: Free from sin. Piers Plowman.
twain a.: Two;- nearly obsolete in common discourse, but used in poetry and burlesque. [OE. twein, tweien, tweyne, AS. twegen, masc. See Two.]
adulate v. t.: To flatter in a servile way. [L. adulatus, p. p. of adulari.]
frankness n.: The quality of being frank; candor; openess; ingenuousness; fairness; liberality.
shall v. i.: To owe; to be under obligation for. [OE. shal, schal, imp. sholde, scholde, AS. scal, sceal, I am obliged, imp. scolde, sceolde, inf. sculan; akin to OS. skulan, pres. skal, imp. skolda, D. zullen,]
aught n.: Property; possession. [AS. , fr. agan to own, p. p. ahte.]
honestly adv.: Honorably; becomingly; decently.
exasperate a.: Exasperated; imbittered. [L. exasperatus, p. p. of exsasperare to roughen, exasperate; ex out (intens.) + asperare to make rough, asper rough. See Asperity.]
hymen n.: A fold of muscous membrane often found at the orifice of the vagina; the vaginal membrane.
spouse v. t.: To wed; to espouse. [See Espouse, and Spouse, n.]
expect v. t.: To wait for; to await. [L. expectatum, to look out for, await, expect; ex + out spectare to look at. See Spectacle.]
wrote v. i.: To root with the snout. See 1st Root. [OE. wroten. See 1st Root.]
renovate v. t.: To make over again; to restore to freshness or vigor; to renew. [L. renovatus, p. p. of renovare;pref. re- re- + novare to make new, fr. novus new. See New, and Renew.]
breathless a.: Spent with labor or violent action; out of breath.
mechanically adv.: In a mechanical manner.
homeward a.: Being in the direction of home; as, the homeward way.
peruse v. t.: To observe; to examine with care. [Pref. per- + use.]
evilly adv.: In an evil manner; not well; ill.
meanwhile n.: The intervening time; as, in the meantime (or mean time).
ahem interj.: An exclamation to call one's attention; hem.
ought p. p.: Was or were under obligation to pay; owed. [Orig. the preterit of the verb to owe. OE. oughte, aughte, ahte, AS. ahte. sq. root110. See Owe.]
caress n.: An act of endearment; any act or expression of affection; an embracing, or touching, with tenderness. [F. caresse, It. carezza, LL. caritia dearness, fr. L. carus dear. See Charity.]
jest n.: A deed; an action; a gest. [OE. jeste, geste, deed, action, story, tale, OF. geste, LL. gesta, orig., exploits, neut. pl. from L. gestus, p. p. of gerere to bear, carry, accomplish, perfor]
calumnious a.: Containing or implying calumny; false, malicious, and injurious to reputation; slanderous; as, calumnious reports. [L. calumniosus.]
humour n.: Moisture, especially, the moisture or fluid of animal bodies, as the chyle, lymph, etc.; as, the humors of the eye, etc. [OE. humour, OF. humor, umor, F. humeur, L. humor, umor, moisture, fluid, fr. humere, umere, to be moist. See Humid.]
amiable a.: Lovable; lovely; pleasing. [F. amiable, L. amicabilis friendly, fr. amicus friend, fr. amare to love. The meaning has been influenced by F. aimable, L. amabilis lovable, fr. amare to love.]
insensate a.: Wanting sensibility; destitute of sense; stupid; foolish. [L. insensatus. See In- not, and Sensate.]
maidenly a.: Like a maid; suiting a maid; maiden-like; gentle, modest, reserved.
listless a.: Having no desire or inclination; indifferent; heedless; spiritless. [OE. listles, lustles. See Lust.]
livelong a.: Whole; entire; long in passing; -- used of time, as day or night, in adverbial phrases, and usually with a sense of tediousness. [For lifelong. Cf. Lifelong.]
went n.: Course; way; path; journey; direction.
heroine n.: A woman of an heroic spirit. [F. héroïne, L. heroina, Gr. Hero.]
hourly a.: Happening or done every hour; occurring hour by hour; frequent; often repeated; renewed hour by hour; continual.
eventide n.: The time of evening; evening. [AS. æfentid. See Tide.]
morn n.: The first part of the day; the morning; -- used chiefly in poetry. [OE. morwen, morgen, AS. morgen; akin to D. morgen, OS. morgan, G. morgen, Icel. morginn, morgunn, Sw. morgon, Dan. morgen, Goth. maúrgins. Cf. Morrow, Morning.]
bashful a.: Abashed; daunted; dismayed. [See Bash.]
smilingly adv.: In a smiling manner.
dally v. i.: To waste time in effeminate or voluptuous pleasures, or in idleness; to fool away time; to delay unnecessarily; to tarry; to trifle. [OE. , dailien; cf. Icel. pylja to talk, G. dallen, dalen, dahlen, to trifle, talk nonsense, OSw. tule a droll or funny man; or AS. dol foolish, E. dull.]
tress n.: A braid, knot, or curl, of hair; a ringlet. [OE. tresse, OF. trece, F. tresse, LL. tricia, fr. Gr. tri`cha threefold, because a tress is usually formed by interlacing three pieces; akin to trei^s three. Se]
absently adv.: In an absent or abstracted manner.
rook n.: Mist; fog. See Roke.
thereon adv.: On that or this. [AS. . See There, and On.]
tombstone n.: A stone erected over a grave, to preserve the memory of the deceased.
couplet n.: Two taken together; a pair or couple; especially two lines of verse that rhyme with each other. [F. couplet, dim. of couple. See Couple, n.]
damsel n.: A young person, either male or female, of noble or gentle extraction; as, Damsel Pepin; Damsel Richard, Prince of Wales. [OE. damosel, damesel, damisel, damsel, fr. OF. damoisele, damisele, gentlewoman, F. demoiselle young lady; cf. OF. damoisel young nobleman, F. damoiseau; fr. LL]
infallibly adv.: In an infallible manner; certainly; unfailingly; unerringly.
affectionately adv.: With affection; lovingly; fondly; tenderly; kindly.
flagitious a.: Disgracefully or shamefully criminal; grossly wicked; scandalous; shameful; -- said of acts, crimes, etc. [L. flagitiosus, fr. flagitium a shameful or disgraceful act, orig., a burning desire, heat of passion, from flagitare to demand hotly, fiercely; cf. flagrare to]
delighted a.: Endowed with delight.
cleverly adv.: In a clever manner.
bookcase n.: A case with shelves for holding books, esp. one with glazed doors.
scare v. t.: To frighten; to strike with sudden fear; to alarm. [OE. skerren, skeren, Icel. skirra to bar, prevent, skirrask to shun , shrink from; or fr. OE. skerre, adj., scared, Icel. skjarr; both perhaps akin to E. sheer ]
beauteous a.: Full of beauty; beautiful; very handsome. [Mostly poetic] -- Beau"te*ous*ly, adv. --
penned a.: Winged; having plumes.
thunderbolt n.: A shaft of lightning; a brilliant stream of electricity passing from one part of the heavens to another, or from the clouds to the earth.
courtly a.: Relating or belonging to a court. [From Court.]
dame n.: A mistress of a family, who is a lady; a womam in authority; especially, a lady. [F. dame, LL. domna, fr. L. domina mistress, lady, fem. of dominus master, ruler, lord; akin to domare to tame, subdue. See Tame, and cf. Dam mother, Dan, Danger]
quarto a.: Having four leaves to the sheet; of the form or size of a quarto. [L. in quarto in fourth, from quartus the fourth: cf. F. (in) quarto. See Quart.]
amiably adv.: In an amiable manner.
admired a.: Regarded with wonder and delight; highly prized; as, an admired poem.
sometime adv.: At a past time indefinitely referred to; once; formerly.
lachrymose a.: Generating or shedding tears; given to shedding tears; suffused with tears; tearful. [L. lacrymosus, better lacrimosus, fr. lacrima, lacruma (also badly spelt lachryma) a tear, for older dacrima, akin to E. tear. See Tear the secretion.]
insist v. i.: To stand or rest; to find support; -- with in, on, or upon. [F. insister, L. insistere to set foot upon, follow, persist; pref. in- in + sistere to stand, cause to stand. See Stand.]
neighbour v. i.: To dwell in the vicinity; to be a neighbor, or in the neighborhood; to be near.
terrify v. t.: To make terrible. [L. terrere to frighten + -fy: cf. F. terrifier, L. terrificare. See Terrific, and -fy.]
clad v.: To clothe. Holland.
hellespont n.: A narrow strait between Europe and Asia, now called the Daradanelles. It connects the Ægean Sea and the sea of Marmora.
drank n.: Wild oats, or darnel grass. See Drake a plant. [Cf. 3d Drake.]
sainted a.: Consecrated; sacred; holy; pious.
aimless a.: Without aim or purpose; as, an aimless life.
skit v. t.: To cast reflections on; to asperse. Crose. [Prov. E. skitto slide, as adj., hasty, precipitate, of Scand. origin, and akin to E. shoot, v.t.; cf. Icel. skyti, skytja, skytta, a marksman, shooter, skjota t]
chilled a.: Hardened on the surface or edge by chilling; as, chilled iron; a chilled wheel.
wintry a.: Suitable to winter; resembling winter, or what belongs to winter; brumal; hyemal; cold; stormy; wintery. [AS. wintrig.]
hoar v. t.: To become moldy or musty. [AS. harian to grow gray.]
engrave v. t.: To deposit in the grave; to bury. [Pref. en- + grave a tomb. Cf. Engrave to carve.]
strident a.: Characterized by harshness; grating; shrill. [L. stridens, -entis, p.pr. of stridere to make a grating or creaking noise.]
starry a.: Abounding with stars; adorned with stars.
steppe n.: One of the vast plains in Southeastern Europe and in Asia, generally elevated, and free from wood, analogous to many of the prairies in Western North America. See Savanna. Steppe murrain. [From Russ. stepe, through G. or F. steppe.]
steed n.: A horse, especially a spirited horse for state of war; -- used chiefly in poetry or stately prose. [OE. stede, AS. steda a stud-horse, war horse, fr. stod a stud of breeding steeds; akin to G. stute a mare, Icel. stedda, sto, a stud. *163. See Stud of horses.]
rime n.: A rent or long aperture; a chink; a fissure; a crack. Sir T. [L. rima.]
rooftree n.: The beam in the angle of a roof; hence, the roof itself.
walter v. i.: To roll or wallow; to welter. [Obs. or Prov. Eng. & Scot.] [See Welter.]
wroth a.: Full of wrath; angry; incensed; much exasperated; wrathful. [OE. wroth, wrap, AS. wraedh wroth, crooked, bad; akin to wriedhan to writhe, and to OS. wreedhangry, D. wreed cruel, OHG. reid twisted, Icel. reiedhr angry, Dan]
famously adv.: In a famous manner; in a distinguished degree; greatly; splendidly.
pamphleteer n.: A writer of pamphlets; a scribbler. Dryden.
emigre n.: One of the natives of France who were opposed to the first Revolution, and who left their country in consequence. [F., emigrant.]
napoleon n.: A French gold coin of twenty francs, or about $3.86. [From the Emperor Napoleon 1.]
childe n.: A cognomen formerly prefixed to his name by the oldest son, until he succeeded to his ancestral titles, or was knighted; as, Childe Roland.
billiard a.: Of or pertaining to the game of billiards.
trice v. t.: To pull; to haul; to drag; to pull away. [OE. trisen; of Scand. or Low German origin; cf. Sw. trissa a sheave, pulley, triss a spritsail brace, Dan. tridse a pulley, tridse to haul by means of a pulley,]
hippocrene n.: A fountain on Mount Helicon in Boeotia, fabled to have burst forth when the ground was struck by the hoof of Pegasus. Also, its waters, which were supposed to impart poetic inspiration. Keats.
captivate v. t.: To take prisoner; to capture; to subdue. [L. captivatus, p. p. of captivare to capture, fr. captivus captive. See Captive.]
exhilarating a.: That exhilarates; cheering; gladdening.
bordeaux a.: Pertaining to Bordeaux in the south of France.
ashy a.: Pertaining to, or composed of, ashes; filled, or strewed with, ashes.
ember n.: A lighted coal, smoldering amid ashes; -- used chiefly in the plural, to signify mingled coals and ashes; the smoldering remains of a fire. [OE. emmeres, emeres, AS. ; akin to Icel. eimyrja, Dan. emmer, MHG. eimere; cf. Icel. eimr vapor, smoke.]
pleasantly adv.: In a pleasant manner.
pretence n.: The act of laying claim; the claim laid; assumption; pretension. [LL. praetensus, for L. praetentus, p. p. of praetendere. See Pretend, and cf. Tension.]
saturday n.: The seventh or last day of the week; the day following Friday and preceding Sunday. [OE. Saterday, AS. Sæterdæg, Sæterndæg, Sæternesdæg, literally, Saturn's day, fr. L. Saturnus Saturn + AS. dæg day; cf. L. dies Saturni.]
favour n.: Kind regard; propitious aspect; countenance; friendly disposition; kindness; good will. [Written also favour.]
thank n.: A expression of gratitude; an acknowledgment expressive of a sense of favor or kindness received; obligation, claim, or desert, or gratitude; -- now generally used in the plural. [AS. Þanc, Þonc, thanks, favor, thought; akin to OS. thank favor, pleasure, thanks, D. & G. dank thanks, Icel. Þ\'94kk, Dan. tak, Sw. tack, Goth. Þagks thanks; -]
depart v. i.: To part; to divide; to separate. [OE. departen to divide, part, depart, F. départir to divide, distribute, se départir to separate one's self, depart; pref. dé- (L. de) + partir to part, depart,]
disarmed a.: Deprived of arms.
nightfall n.: The close of the day.
daze v. t.: To stupefy with excess of light; with a blow, with cold, or with fear; to confuse; to benumb. [OE. dasen, prob. from Icel. dasask to become weary, a reflexive verb; cf. Sw. dasa to lie idle, and OD. daesen to be foolish, insane, daes, dwaes, D. dwaas, foo]
oblivion n.: The act of forgetting, or the state of being forgotten; cessation of remembrance; forgetfulness. [L. oblivio, akin to oblivisci to forget: cf. OF. oblivion.]

Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.

About this text

Canto IV is in the public domain. This text is taken from Eugene Onegin, Project Gutenberg ebook #23997, the Henry Spalding translation; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.

Cite as: Alexander Pushkin, Canto IV, in Eugene Onegin (1881), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #23997, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/eugene-onegin/canto-iv.html, id L14408.

Form and metre

Canto IV is 575 lines in 42 stanzas. The metre is iambic tetrameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 88%). 93% of its stressed syllables fall where the metre puts the beat. The lines average 8.1 syllables. 61 lines end on an unstressed syllable, a feminine ending. 30% of the lines run on without a stop at the line end.

See other poems in iambic tetrameter.

Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.

Rhyme words, stanza by stanza

The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.

1 ABAB--CCD--D-- fair^A · grace^B · ensnare^A · place^B · strove · love · feats^C · sweets^C · delicate^D · baboon · upon · date^D · red · vanishèd
2 A-A-BBCCDEED-- endure^A · tune · assure^A · known · replies^B · antipathies^B · e'en^C · thirteen^C · fatigues^D · fear^E · near^E · intrigues^D · scrutiny · amity
3 -ABACC--DBBDEE eugene · life^A · been^B · strife^A · deteriorated^C · captivated^C · inspire · desire · success^D · din^B · within^B · weariness^D · time^E · prime^E
4 -A-ABB--CDDCEE adored · way^A · reassured · holiday^A · met^B · regret^B · guile · will · come^C · game^D · came^D · home^C · know^E · go^E
5 A-A-BBCCDEEDFF reading^A · sympathy · pleading^A · reverie · grace^B · face^B · bright^C · delight^C · sense^D · awhile^E · beguile^E · innocence^D · again^F · twain^F
6 ABABCC--DEEDFF spent^A · said^B · sent^A · read^B · heart^C · impart^C · sincerity · be · again^D · adulate^E · compensate^E · plain^D · lend^F · bend^F
7 ABABCCDDEFFECC bless^A · contained^B · possess^A · ordained^B · might^C · delight^C · thee^D · be^D · phrase^E · youth^F · truth^F · days^E · bright^C · might^C
8 ABABCCDD-EE-FF happiness^A · thought^B · bless^A · aught^B · belief^C · grief^C · intense^D · indifference^D · yours · mitigate^E · exasperate^E · ours · prepare^F · year^F
9 ABABCC--DEEDFF house^A · wife^B · spouse^A · life^B · knowing^C · bestowing^C · jealousy · gloomily · expect^D · wrote^E · note^E · intellect^D · thee^F · decree^F
10 ABABCCDDEFFEGG move^A · renovate^B · love^A · affectionate^B · disdain^C · again^C · drew^D · renew^D · roll^E · will^F · still^F · control^E · proceed^G · lead^G
11 ABABCCDDEFFEGG preach^A · eyes^B · speech^A · replies^B · sad^C · add^C · aid^D · maid^D · hies^E · word^F · incurred^F · liberties^E · allowed^G · proud^G
12 ABABCCADEDDEFF peruse^A · well^B · blues^A · tell^B · disclosed^C · disposed^C · asperities^A · enemies^D · be^E · goes^D · foes^D · me^E · amends^F · friends^F
13 A-A-BBCCDEEDFF dismiss^A · reverie · parenthesis^A · calumny · loft^B · oft^B · retort^C · report^C · smile^D · meet^E · repeat^E · meanwhile^D · strive^F · relative^F
14 AAAABBCCDEEDFF noble^A · well^A · trouble^A · tell^A · conceive^B · believe^B · caress^C · tenderness^C · men^D · day^E · pay^E · again^D · exist^F · list^F
15 ABABCC-C-DD-EE sex^A · relatives^B · vex^A · survives^B · fashion^C · passion^C · opinion · down^C · spouse · life^D · wife^D · allows · lost^E · cost^E
16 ABAB--CCDEEDFF trust^A · deceive^B · adjust^A · believe^B · calumnious · us · grief^C · thief^C · oh^D · vain^E · pain^E · bestow^D · well^F · amiable^F
17 ABABCCDD-EE-FF flowed^A · guess^B · glowed^A · distress^B · yearned^C · burned^C · bed^D · fled^D · bloom · repose^E · goes^E · come · drawn^F · dawn^F
18 A-A-BBCC-DD-EE away^A · says · day^A · betrays · head^B · said^B · went^C · intent^C · enliven · extends^D · friends^D · driven · bear^E · dear^E
19 ABABCCDDEFFEGG slave^A · bright^B · gave^A · delight^B · eventide^C · side^C · rove^D · grove^D · love^E · air^F · dare^F · approve^E · tress^G · dress^G
20 A-A---BBCDDCEE would^A · read · understood^A · did · three · absurdity · unfit^B · omit^B · creep^C · they^D · play^D · deep^C · took^E · rook^E
21 A-A-BBCCDEEDFF home^A · fair · tome^A · her · design^B · shrine^B · fit^C · sit^C · sought^D · signed^E · combined^E · thought^D · past^F · last^F
22 ABABCCDDE--EFF overhauled^A · trim^B · scrawled^A · rim^B · despising^C · recognizing^C · abused^D · used^D · find^E · tablettes · annette · underlined^E · delight^F · write^F
23 A-A-BBCCDEEDFF find^A · wreath · signed^A · death · may^B · lay^B · delight^C · write^C · meanwhile^D · earn^E · return^E · smile^D · debate^F · prate^F
24 ABAB--CC----DD compare^A · start^B · scare^A · heart^B · beauteous · marvellous · penned^C · descend^C · dame · amiably · me · epigram · spite^D · write^D
25 ABAB-BCCDEEDFF wrote^A · maid^B · note^A · paid^B · heard · averred^B · streamed^C · seemed^C · arise^D · inspired^E · admired^E · elegies^D · relate^F · fate^F
26 ABABCCDDEFFEGG adored^A · muse^B · outpoured^A · peruse^B · recite^C · bright^C · insist^D · exist^D · blest^E · theme^F · dream^F · rest^E · side^G · occupied^G
27 ABABCCDD-EE-FF muse^A · lays^B · peruse^A · days^B · repast^C · fast^C · near^D · ear^D · jokes · rhymes^E · times^E · ducks · lay^F · away^F
28 ABABCCDDEFFE- propos^A · pray^B · lo^A · portray^B · led^C · bed^C · took^D · brook^D · spanned^E · bank^F · drank^F · hand^E · himself
29 ABABCCDDEFFEDD bliss^A · shade^B · kiss^A · maid^B · horse^C · course^C · white^D · delight^D · life^E · led^F · fled^F · strife^E · delight^D · quite^D
30 ABABCC--DCCDEE own^A · skit^B · known^A · it^B · sky^C · high^C · become · gloom · sound^D · lie^C · high^C · bound^D · hand^E · stand^E
31 ABABCCDD-EE-FF cold^A · nears^B · bold^A · appears^B · horse^C · course^C · hill^D · will^D · shed · sound^E · round^E · maid · night^F · bright^F
32 ABABCCDDEFFEGG impose^A · dust^B · rose^A · must^B · nice^C · ice^C · boys^D · noise^D · feet^E · stream^F · extreme^F · greet^E · snow^G · below^G
33 AB----AACDDCB- time^A · eye^B · dim · uniformity · steppe · keep · rime^A · time^A · stay^C · scott^D · not^D · day^C · try^B · famously
35 ABABAACC----BB eugene^A · prey^B · within^A · day^B · habitation^A · meditation^A · stalked^C · chalked^C · looms · forgot · brought · comes · gray^B · delay^B
36 ABA-BBCC-DD-EE trice^A · moet^B · ice^A · display · light^B · white^B · relate^C · captivate^C · worth · gave^D · wave^D · forth · delights^E · fights^E
37 ABABCCDDEFFEBB betrays^A · flow^B · days^A · bordeaux^B · dare^C · fair^C · bright^D · light^D · friend^E · grief^F · relief^F · extend^E · woe^B · bordeaux^B
38 ABABCCDDEFFEGG cloak^A · enshrines^B · smoke^A · inclines^B · lends^C · ascends^C · bright^D · night^D · jogs^E · prate^F · designate^F · dogs^E · pretence^G · commence^G
39 ABABCCDDEFFEGG tell^A · thine^B · well^A · wine^B · oh^C · grow^C · time^D · sometime^D · own^E · debt^F · yet^F · shown^E · speak^G · week^G
40 ----AA--B--BCC fête · làrina · date · ah · beset^A · set^A · i · family · appear^B · friend · drained · dear^B · depart^C · art^C
41 ABABCCDDEFFEGG date^A · them^B · state^A · diadem^B · awaits^C · anticipates^C · distress^D · weariness^D · meanwhile^E · string^F · harrowing^F · style^E · mourn^G · born^G
42 -A-ABBCCDEEDFF least · charmed^A · blest · disarmed^A · steep^B · sleep^B · flattering^C · cling^C · anticipates^D · daze^E · phrase^E · hates^D · made^F · forbade^F

Scansion, line by line

Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against iambic tetrameter. How this is done.

Line	Syl.	Stress
The less we love a lady fair	8	·····/˘·
The easier ’tis to gain her grace,	8	·/˘·····
And the more surely we ensnare	8	···/˘·˘/
Her in the pitfalls which we place.	8	···/····
Time was when cold seduction strove	8	····˘/˘·
To swagger as the art of love,	8	·/˘·····
Everywhere trumpeting its feats,	8	/˘·/˘˘··
Not seeking love but sensual sweets.	8	·/˘··/˘·
But this amusement delicate	8	··˘/˘/˘˘
Was worthy of that old baboon,	8	·/˘···˘/
Our fathers used to dote upon;	8	//˘·····
The Lovelaces are out of date,	8	·/·˘····
Their glory with their heels of red	8	·/˘·····
And long perukes hath vanishèd.	7	·······
For who imposture can endure,	8	··˘/˘·˘/
A constant harping on one tune,	8	·/˘/˘···
Serious endeavours to assure	8	/˘˘/˘·˘/
What everybody long has known;	8	·/˘·˘···
Ever to hear the same replies	8	/˘····˘/
And overcome antipathies	8	·/˘·˘/˘˘
Which never have existed, e’en	8	·/˘·˘/˘·
In little maidens of thirteen?	8	·/˘/˘·//
And what like menaces fatigues,	8	···/˘˘˘/
Entreaties, oaths, fictitious fear,	8	˘/˘·˘/˘·
Epistles of six sheets or near,	8	˘/˘·····
Rings, tears, deceptions and intrigues,	8	··˘/˘·˘/
Aunts, mothers and their scrutiny,	8	·/˘··/˘˘
And husbands’ tedious amity?	9	·/˘/˘˘/˘˘
Such were the musings of Eugene.	8	···/˘·˘/
He in the early years of life	8	···/˘···
Had a deluded victim been	8	··˘/˘/˘·
Of error and the passions’ strife.	8	·/˘··/˘·
By daily life deteriorated,	9	·/˘·˘/˘·˘
Awhile this beauty captivated,	9	˘/·/˘/˘·˘
And that no longer could inspire.	8	···/˘·˘/
Slowly exhausted by desire,	9	/˘˘/˘·˘/˘
Yet satiated with success,	7	·····˘/
In solitude or worldly din,	8	·/˘··/˘·
He heard his soul’s complaint within,	8	····˘/··
With laughter smothered weariness:	8	·/˘/˘/˘˘
And thus he spent eight years of time,	8	········
Destroyed the blossom of his prime.	8	˘/·/˘···
Though beauty he no more adored,	8	·/˘···˘/
He still made love in a queer way;	8	········
Rebuffed—as quickly reassured,	8	˘/·/˘·˘/
Jilted—glad of a holiday.	8	/˘···/˘·
Without enthusiasm he met	9	··˘/˘·˘··
The fair, nor parted with regret,	8	···/˘·˘/
Scarce mindful of their love and guile.	8	·/˘·····
Thus a guest with composure will	8	····˘/˘·
To take a hand at whist oft come:	8	········
He takes his seat, concludes his game,	8	····˘/··
And straight returning whence he came,	8	··˘/˘···
Tranquilly goes to sleep at home,	8	/˘˘·····
And in the morning doth not know	8	···/˘···
Whither that evening he will go.	8	/˘·/˘···
However, Tania’s letter reading,	9	·/˘/˘/˘/˘
Eugene was touched with sympathy;	8	˘/···/˘˘
The language of her girlish pleading	9	·/˘··/˘/˘
Aroused in him sweet reverie.	8	˘/···/˘˘
He called to mind Tattiana’s grace,	8	········
Pallid and melancholy face,	8	/˘·/˘·˘·
And in a vision, sinless, bright,	8	···/˘/˘·
His spirit sank with strange delight.	8	·/˘···˘/
May be the empire of the sense,	8	···/˘···
Regained authority awhile,	8	˘/˘/˘˘˘/
But he desired not to beguile	8	··˘/··˘/
Such open-hearted innocence.	8	·/˘/˘/˘˘
But to the garden once again	8	···/˘·˘/
Wherein we lately left the twain.	8	···/˘···
Two minutes they in silence spent,	8	·/˘··/˘·
Onéguine then approached and said:	8	····˘/··
“You have a letter to me sent.	8	···/˘···
Do not excuse yourself. I read	8	··˘/˘/··
Confessions which a trusting heart	8	˘/˘··/˘·
May well in innocence impart.	8	···/˘˘˘/
Charming is your sincerity,	8	/˘··˘/˘˘
Feelings which long had ceased to be	8	/˘······
It wakens in my breast again.	8	·/˘···˘/
But I came not to adulate:	8	·····/˘·
Your frankness I shall compensate	8	·/˘··/˘·
By an avowal just as plain.	8	··˘/˘···
An ear to my confession lend;	8	····˘/˘·
To thy decree my will I bend.	8	··˘/····
“If the domestic hearth could bless—	8	··˘/˘···
My sum of happiness contained;	8	···/˘˘˘/
If wife and children to possess	8	···/˘·˘/
A happy destiny ordained:	8	·/˘/˘˘˘/
If in the scenes of home I might	8	········
E’en for an instant find delight,	8	···/˘·˘/
Then, I say truly, none but thee	8	···/˘···
I would desire my bride to be—	8	··˘/····
I say without poetic phrase,	8	····˘/˘·
Found the ideal of my youth,	7	··˘/···
Thee only would I choose, in truth,	8	·/˘·····
As partner of my mournful days,	8	·/˘··/˘·
Thee only, pledge of all things bright,	8	·/˘·····
And be as happy—as I might.	8	···/˘···
“But strange am I to happiness;	8	·····/˘˘
’Tis foreign to my cast of thought;	8	·/˘·····
Me your perfections would not bless;	8	··˘/˘···
I am not worthy them in aught;	8	···/˘···
And honestly ’tis my belief	8	·/˘˘··˘/
Our union would produce but grief.	8	//˘·˘/··
Though now my love might be intense,	8	······˘/
Habit would bring indifference.	8	/˘··˘/˘˘
I see you weep. Those tears of yours	8	········
Tend not my heart to mitigate,	8	·····/˘·
But merely to exasperate;	8	·/˘·˘/˘·
Judge then what roses would be ours,	9	···/˘··/˘
What pleasures Hymen would prepare	8	·/˘/˘·˘/
For us, may be for many a year.	8	·····/··
“What can be drearier than the house,	8	········
Wherein the miserable wife	8	···/˘˘˘·
Deplores a most unworthy spouse	8	˘/··˘/˘·
And leads a solitary life?	8	···/˘·˘·
The tiresome man, her value knowing,	8	·/˘··/˘/
Yet curses on his fate bestowing,	9	·/˘···˘/˘
Is full of frigid jealousy,	8	···/˘/˘˘
Mute, solemn, frowning gloomily.	8	·/˘/˘/˘˘
Such am I. This did ye expect,	8	······˘/
When in simplicity ye wrote	8	··˘/˘˘··
Your innocent and charming note	8	·/˘˘·/˘·
With so much warmth and intellect?	8	·····/˘·
Hath fate apportioned unto thee	8	··˘/˘···
This lot in life with stern decree?	8	······˘/
“Ideas and time ne’er backward move;	9	˘/˘···/˘·
My soul I cannot renovate—	8	···/˘/˘·
I love you with a brother’s love,	8	·····/˘·
Perchance one more affectionate.	8	˘/··˘/˘˘
Listen to me without disdain.	8	/˘····˘/
A maid hath oft, may yet again	8	······˘/
Replace the visions fancy drew;	8	·/·/˘/˘·
Thus trees in spring their leaves renew	8	······˘/
As in their turn the seasons roll.	8	·····/˘·
’Tis evidently Heaven’s will	8	·/˘˘˘/˘·
You fall in love again. But still—	8	····˘/··
Learn to possess more self-control.	8	··˘/··˘/
Not all will like myself proceed—	8	·····/˘/
And thoughtlessness to woe might lead.”	8	········
Thus did our friend Onéguine preach:	8	··/·····
Tattiana, dim with tears her eyes,	8	········
Attentive listened to his speech,	8	˘/˘/˘···
All breathless and without replies.	8	·/˘···˘/
His arm he offers. Mute and sad	8	···/˘···
(Mechanically, let us add),	7	˘/˘˘···
Tattiana doth accept his aid;	8	····˘/··
And, hanging down her head, the maid	8	·/˘·····
Around the garden homeward hies.	8	···/˘/˘·
Together they returned, nor word	8	˘/˘·˘/··
Of censure for the same incurred;	8	·/˘···˘/
The country hath its liberties	8	·/˘··/˘˘
And privileges nice allowed,	8	·/˘˘·˘/˘
Even as Moscow, city proud.	8	/˘·/˘/˘·
Confess, O ye who this peruse,	8	˘/····˘/
Onéguine acted very well	8	···/˘/˘·
By poor Tattiana in the blues;	8	········
’Twas not the first time, I can tell	8	········
You, he a noble mind disclosed,	8	···/˘·˘/
Though some men, evilly disposed,	8	···/˘˘˘/
Spared him not their asperities.	8	····˘/˘˘
His friends and also enemies	8	···/˘/˘˘
(One and the same thing it may be)	8	········
Esteemed him much as the world goes.	8	˘/······
Yes! every one must have his foes,	8	·/˘·····
But Lord! from friends deliver me!	8	····˘/˘·
The deuce take friends, my friends, amends	8	······˘/
I’ve had to make for having friends!	8	·····/˘·
But how? Quite so. Though I dismiss	8	······˘/
Dark, unavailing reverie,	8	··˘/˘/˘˘
I just hint, in parenthesis,	8	····˘/˘˘
There is no stupid calumny	8	···/˘/˘˘
Born of a babbler in a loft	8	···/˘···
And by the world repeated oft,	8	····˘/˘·
There is no fishmarket retort	8	······/·
And no ridiculous report,	8	··˘/˘˘˘/
Which your true friend with a sweet smile	8	········
Where fashionable circles meet	8	·/˘˘˘/˘·
A hundred times will not repeat,	8	·/˘···˘/
Quite inadvertently meanwhile;	8	··˘/˘˘/·
And yet he in your cause would strive	8	········
And loves you as—a relative!	8	·····/˘˘
Ahem! Ahem! My reader noble,	9	˘/˘/·/˘/˘
Are all your relatives quite well?	8	···/˘˘··
Permit me; is it worth the trouble	9	˘/·····/˘
For your instruction here to tell	8	··˘/˘···
What I by relatives conceive?	8	···/˘˘˘/
These are your relatives, believe:	8	···/˘˘˘/
Those whom we ought to love, caress,	8	······˘/
With spiritual tenderness;	8	·/˘˘˘/˘˘
Whom, as the custom is of men,	8	···/˘···
We visit about Christmas Day,	8	·/˘··/˘·
Or by a card our homage pay,	8	····//˘·
That until Christmas comes again	8	···/˘·˘/
They may forget that we exist.	8	··˘/··˘/
And so—God bless them, if He list.	8	········
In this the love of the fair sex	8	········
Beats that of friends and relatives:	8	·····/˘˘
In love, although its tempests vex,	8	·····/˘·
Our liberty at least survives:	8	//˘˘··˘/
Agreed! but then the whirl of fashion,	9	˘/·····/˘
The natural fickleness of passion,	9	·/˘/˘˘·/˘
The torrent of opinion,	7	·/˘·˘/˘
And the fair sex as light as down!	8	········
Besides the hobbies of a spouse	8	˘/·/˘···
Should be respected throughout life	8	··˘/˘···
By every proper-minded wife,	8	·/˘/˘/˘·
And this the faithful one allows,	8	···/˘·˘/
When in as instant she is lost,—	8	···/˘···
Satan will jest, and at love’s cost.	8	/˘······
Oh! where bestow our love? Whom trust?	8	··˘//···
Where is he who doth not deceive?	8	······˘/
Who words and actions will adjust	8	···/˘·˘/
To standards in which we believe?	8	·/˘···˘/
Oh! who is not calumnious?	8	····˘/˘˘
Who labours hard to humour us?	8	·/˘··/˘·
To whom are our misfortunes grief	8	···/˘/˘·
And who is not a tiresome thief?	8	·····/˘·
My venerated reader, oh!	8	·/˘·˘/˘·
Cease the pursuit of shadows vain,	8	··˘/·/··
Spare yourself unavailing pain	8	·/˘·˘/˘·
And all your love on self bestow;	8	······˘/
A worthy object ’tis, and well	8	·/˘/˘···
I know there’s none more amiable.	9	·····/˘˘˘
But from the interview what flowed?	8	···/˘···
Alas! It is not hard to guess.	8	˘/······
The insensate fire of love still glowed	9	·˘/˘/····
Nor discontinued to distress	8	·˘˘/˘·˘/
A spirit which for sorrow yearned.	8	·/˘··/˘·
Tattiana more than ever burned	8	·····/˘·
With hopeless passion: from her bed	8	·/˘/˘···
Sweet slumber winged its way and fled.	8	·/˘·····
Her health, life’s sweetness and its bloom,	8	···/˘···
Her smile and maidenly repose,	8	···/˘˘˘/
All vanished as an echo goes.	8	·/˘··/˘·
Across her youth a shade had come,	8	˘/······
As when the tempest’s veil is drawn	8	···/˘···
Across the smiling face of dawn.	8	˘/·/˘···
Alas! Tattiana fades away,	8	˘/····˘/
Grows pale and sinks, but nothing says;	8	·····/˘·
Listless is she the livelong day	8	/˘···/˘·
Nor interest in aught betrays.	7	·/˘··˘/
Shaking with serious air the head,	8	/˘·/˘···
In whispers low the neighbours said:	8	·/˘··/˘·
’Tis time she to the altar went!	8	·····/˘·
But enough! Now, ’tis my intent	8	·˘/···˘/
The imagination to enliven	10	·˘·˘/˘·˘/˘
With love which happiness extends;	8	···/˘˘˘/
Against my inclination, friends,	8	····˘/˘·
By sympathy I have been driven.	9	·/˘˘···/˘
Forgive me! Such the love I bear	8	˘/······
My heroine, Tattiana dear.	8	·/˘˘····
Vladimir, hourly more a slave	8	/˘˘/˘···
To youthful Olga’s beauty bright,	8	·/˘/˘/˘·
Into delicious bondage gave	8	··˘/˘/˘·
His ardent soul with full delight.	8	·/˘···˘/
Always together, eventide	8	/·˘/˘/˘˘
Found them in darkness side by side,	8	···/˘···
At morn, hand clasped in hand, they rove	8	········
Around the meadow and the grove.	8	···/····
And what resulted? Drunk with love,	8	··˘/˘···
But with confused and bashful air,	8	··˘/·/˘·
Lenski at intervals would dare,	8	···/˘˘··
If Olga smilingly approve,	8	·/˘/˘˘˘/
Dally with a dishevelled tress	8	/˘··˘/˘·
Or kiss the border of her dress.	8	···/˘···
To Olga frequently he would	8	·/˘/˘˘··
Some nice instructive novel read,	8	··˘/˘/˘·
Whose author nature understood	8	·/˘/˘·˘/
Better than Chateaubriand did	7	/˘·····
Yet sometimes pages two or three	8	·/·/˘···
(Nonsense and pure absurdity,	8	/˘··˘/˘˘
For maiden’s hearing deemed unfit),	8	·/˘/˘·˘/
He somewhat blushing would omit:	8	·///˘·˘/
Far from the rest the pair would creep	8	········
And (elbows on the table) they	8	·/···/˘·
A game of chess would often play,	8	·····/˘·
Buried in meditation deep,	8	/˘··˘/˘·
Till absently Vladimir took	8	·/˘˘/˘˘·
With his own pawn alas! his rook!	8	····˘/··
Homeward returning, he at home	8	/˘˘/˘···
Is occupied with Olga fair,	8	·/˘··/˘·
An album, fly-leaf of the tome,	8	·/˘·····
He leisurely adorns for her.	8	·/˘˘˘/··
Landscapes thereon he would design,	8	/·˘/··˘/
A tombstone, Aphrodite’s shrine,	8	·/··˘/˘·
Or, with a pen and colours fit,	8	·····/˘·
A dove which on a lyre doth sit;	8	········
The “in memoriam” pages sought,	8	·····/˘·
Where many another hand had signed	8	·/˘/˘···
A tender couplet he combined,	8	·/˘/˘·˘/
A register of fleeting thought,	8	·/˘˘·/˘·
A flimsy trace of musings past	8	·/˘··/˘·
Which might for many ages last.	8	···/˘/˘·
Surely ye all have overhauled	8	/˘···/˘·
A country damsel’s album trim,	8	·/˘/˘/˘·
Which all her darling friends have scrawled	8	···/˘···
From first to last page to the rim.	8	········
Behold! orthography despising,	9	˘/˘/˘˘˘/˘
Metreless verses recognizing	9	···/˘/˘·˘
By friendship how they were abused,	8	·/˘···˘/
Hewn, hacked, and otherwise ill-used.	8	···/˘···
Upon the opening page ye find:	8	···/˘···
Qu’ecrirer-vouz sur ces tablettes?	8	······/˘
Subscribed, toujours à vous, Annette;	8	˘/˘···˘/
And on the last one, underlined:	8	·····/˘·
Who in thy love finds more delight	8	······˘/
Beyond this may attempt to write.	8	····˘/··
Infallibly you there will find	8	˘/˘˘····
Two hearts, a torch, of flowers a wreath,	8	·····/··
And vows will probably be signed:	8	···/˘˘··
Affectionately yours till death.	8	˘/˘˘˘···
Some army poet therein may	8	·/˘/˘···
Have smuggled his flagitious lay.	8	·/˘·˘/˘·
In such an album with delight	8	···/˘·˘/
I would, my friends, inscriptions write,	8	····˘/˘·
Because I should be sure, meanwhile,	8	······/·
My verses, kindly meant, would earn	8	·/˘/˘···
Delighted glances in return;	8	˘/˘/˘·˘/
That afterwards with evil smile	8	·/˘˘·/˘·
They would not solemnly debate	8	···/˘˘˘/
If cleverly or not I prate.	8	·/˘˘····
But, O ye tomes without compare,	8	······˘/
Which from the devil’s bookcase start,	8	···/˘/··
Albums magnificent which scare	8	/˘˘/˘˘··
The fashionable rhymester’s heart!	8	·/˘˘····
Yea! although rendered beauteous	8	···/˘/˘˘
By Tolstoy’s pencil marvellous,	8	·/·/˘···
Though Baratynski verses penned,	8	·····/˘·
The thunderbolt on you descend!	8	·/˘···˘/
Whene’er a brilliant courtly dame	9	····/˘/˘·
Presents her quarto amiably,	9	˘/·/˘/˘˘˘
Despair and anger seize on me,	8	˘/·/˘···
And a malicious epigram	8	··˘/˘/˘·
Trembles upon my lips from spite,—	8	/˘······
And madrigals I’m asked to write!	8	·/˘˘····
But Lenski madrigals ne’er wrote	8	···/˘˘··
In Olga’s album, youthful maid,	8	·/˘/˘/˘·
To purest love he tuned his note	8	·/˘·····
Nor frigid adulation paid.	8	·/˘·˘/˘·
What never was remarked or heard	8	·/˘·˘/··
Of Olga he in song averred;	8	·/˘···/˘
His elegies, which plenteous streamed,	8	·/˘·/˘˘·
Both natural and truthful seemed.	8	·/˘˘·/˘·
Thus thou, Yazykoff, dost arise	8	······˘/
In amorous flights when so inspired,	8	·/˘···˘/
Singing God knows what maid admired,	9	/˘····˘/˘
And all thy precious elegies,	8	···/˘/˘˘
Sometime collected, shall relate	8	/·˘/˘·˘/
The story of thy life and fate.	8	·/˘·····
Since Fame and Freedom he adored,	8	···/˘·˘/
Incited by his stormy Muse	8	˘/˘··/˘·
Odes Lenski also had outpoured,	8	···/˘··/
But Olga would not such peruse.	8	·/˘···˘/
When poets lachrymose recite	8	·/˘/˘˘˘/
Beneath the eyes of ladies bright	8	·····/˘·
Their own productions, some insist	8	··˘/˘·˘/
No greater pleasure can exist	8	·/˘/˘·˘/
Just so! that modest swain is blest	8	···/˘···
Who reads his visionary theme	8	···/˘·˘·
To the fair object of his dream,	8	···/˘···
A beauty languidly at rest,	8	·/˘·····
Yes, happy—though she at his side	8	·/˘·····
By other thoughts be occupied.	8	·/˘··/˘·
But I the products of my Muse,	8	···/˘···
Consisting of harmonious lays,	8	˘/˘·˘/˘·
To my old nurse alone peruse,	8	····˘/˘/
Companion of my childhood’s days.	8	˘/˘··/··
Or, after dinner’s dull repast,	8	···/˘·˘/
I by the button-hole seize fast	8	···/˘···
My neighbour, who by chance drew near,	8	·/˘·····
And breathe a drama in his ear.	8	···/˘···
Or else (I deal not here in jokes),	8	········
Exhausted by my woes and rhymes,	8	˘/˘·····
I sail upon my lake at times	8	········
And terrify a swarm of ducks,	8	·/˘·····
Who, heard the music of my lay,	8	···/˘···
Take to their wings and fly away.	8	······˘/
But to Onéguine! A propos!	8	········
Friends, I must your indulgence pray.	8	····˘/˘·
His daily occupations, lo!	8	·/˘·˘/˘·
Minutely I will now portray.	8	/˘˘···˘/
A hermit’s life Onéguine led,	8	·/˘·····
At seven in summer rose from bed,	8	·/·/˘···
And clad in airy costume took	8	···/˘/˘·
His course unto the running brook.	8	·····/˘·
There, aping Gulnare’s bard, he spanned	8	·/˘·····
His Hellespont from bank to bank,	8	·/˘˘····
And then a cup of coffee drank,	8	·····/˘·
Some wretched journal in his hand;	8	·/˘/˘···
Then dressed himself...	4	··˘/
Sound sleep, books, walking, were his bliss,	8	···/˘···
The murmuring brook, the woodland shade,	8	·/˘··/··
The uncontaminated kiss	8	··˘/˘·˘·
Of a young dark-eyed country maid,	8	·····/˘·
A fiery, yet well-broken horse,	8	·/˘··/˘·
A dinner, whimsical each course,	8	·/˘/˘˘··
A bottle of a vintage white	8	·/˘··/˘·
And solitude and calm delight.	8	·/˘···˘/
Such was Onéguine’s sainted life,	8	·····/˘·

The first 400 of 575 lines; the reader marks them all.

The reader shows the same poem with its rhymes coloured and a stress row above each line, the notes beside their stanzas, and any word's definition on a tap; the analysis page takes the whole book apart. How every part of this site was made.

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