The Double Transformation: A Tale
SECLUDED from domestic strife,Jack Book-worm led a college life;A fellowship at twenty-fiveMade him the happiest man alive;He drank his glass and crack’d his joke,And freshmen wonder’d as he spoke.
Such pleasures, unalloy’d with care,Could any accident impair?Could Cupid’s shaft at length transfixOur swain, arriv’d at thirty-six?O had the archer ne’er come downTo ravage in a country town!Or Flavia been content to stopAt triumphs in a Fleet-street shop.O had her eyes forgot to blaze!Or Jack had wanted eyes to gaze.O!——But let exclamation cease,Her presence banish’d all his peace.So with decorum all things carried;Miss frown’d, and blush’d, and then was—married.
Need we expose to vulgar sightThe raptures of the bridal night?Need we intrude on hallow’d ground,Or draw the curtains clos’d around?Let it suffice, that each had charms;He clasp’d a goddess in his arms;And though she felt his usage rough,Yet in a man ’twas well enough.
The honey-moon like lightning flew,The second brought its transports too.A third, a fourth, were not amiss,The fifth was friendship mix’d with bliss:But when a twelvemonth pass’d away,Jack found his goddess made of clay;Found half the charms that deck’d her faceArose from powder, shreds, or lace;But still the worst remain’d behind,That very face had robb’d her mind.
Skill’d in no other arts was sheBut dressing, patching, repartee;And, just as humour rose or fell,By turns a slattern or a belle;’Tis true she dress’d with modern grace,Half naked at a ball or race;But when at home, at board or bed,Five greasy nightcaps wrapp’d her head.Could so much beauty condescendTo be a dull domestic friend?Could any curtain-lectures bringTo decency so fine a thing?In short, by night, ’twas fits or fretting;By day, ’twas gadding or coquetting.Fond to be seen, she kept a bevyOf powder’d coxcombs at her levy;The ’squire and captain took their stations,And twenty other near relations;Jack suck’d his pipe, and often brokeA sigh in suffocating smoke;While all their hours were pass’d betweenInsulting repartee or spleen.
Thus as her faults each day were known,He thinks her features coarser grown;He fancies every vice she shows,Or thins her lip, or points her nose:Whenever rage or envy rise,How wide her mouth, how wild her eyes!He knows not how, but so it is,Her face is grown a knowing phiz;And, though her fops are wond’rous civil,He thinks her ugly as the devil.
Now, to perplex the ravell’d noose,As each a different way pursues,While sullen or loquacious strife,Promis’d to hold them on for life,That dire disease, whose ruthless powerWithers the beauty’s transient flower:Lo! the small-pox, whose horrid glareLevell’d its terrors at the fair;And, rifling ev’ry youthful grace,Left but the remnant of a face.
The glass, grown hateful to her sight,Reflected now a perfect fright:Each former art she vainly triesTo bring back lustre to her eyes.In vain she tries her paste and creams,To smooth her skin, or hide its seams;Her country beaux and city cousins,Lovers no more, flew off by dozens:The ’squire himself was seen to yield,And e’en the captain quit the field.
Poor Madam, now condemn’d to hackThe rest of life with anxious Jack,Perceiving others fairly flown,Attempted pleasing him alone.Jack soon was dazzl’d to beholdHer present face surpass the old;With modesty her cheeks are dy’d,Humility displaces pride;For tawdry finery is seenA person ever neatly clean:No more presuming on her sway,She learns good-nature every day;Serenely gay, and strict in duty,Jack finds his wife a perfect beauty.
Words in this poem 28
- strife n.
- The act of striving; earnest endeavor. [OF. estrif. See Strive.]
- drank n.
- Wild oats, or darnel grass. See Drake a plant. [Cf. 3d Drake.]
- spoke n.
- The radius or ray of a wheel; one of the small bars which are inserted in the hub, or nave, and which serve to support the rim or felly. [OE. spoke, spake, AS, spaca; akin to D. speek, LG. speke, OHG. speihha, G. speiche. sq. root170. Cf. Spike a nail.]
- cupid
- The god of love, son of Venus; usually represented as a naked, winged boy with bow and arrow. [L.Cupido, fr. cupido desire, desire of love, fr. cupidus. See Cupidity.]
- transfix v. t.
- To pierce through, as with a pointed weapon; to impale; as, to transfix one with a dart. [L. transfixus, p. p. of transfigure to transfix; trans across, through + figere to fix, fasten. See Fix.]
- suffice v. i.
- To be enough, or sufficient; to meet the need (of anything); to be equal to the end proposed; to be adequate. [OE. suffisen, OF. soufire, F. suffire (cf. suffisant, p.pr.), L. sufficere to put under, to substitute, to avail for, to suffice; sub under + facere to make. Se]
- twelvemonth n.
- A year which consists of twelve calendar months.
- repartee n.
- A smart, ready, and witty reply. [F. repartie, fr. repartir to reply, depart again; pref. re- re- partir to part, depart. See Part.]
- 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.]
- belle n.
- A young lady of superior beauty and attractions; a handsome lady, or one who attracts notice in society; a fair lady. [F. belle, fem. of bel, beau, beautiful, fine. See Beau.]
- condescend v. i.
- To stoop or descend; to let one's self down; to submit; to waive the privilege of rank or dignity; to accommodate one's self to an inferior. [F. condescendre, LL. condescendere, fr. L. con- + descendere. See Descend.]
- gadding a.
- Going about much, needlessly or without purpose.
- bevy n.
- A company; an assembly or collection of persons, especially of ladies. [Perhaps orig. a drinking company, fr. OF. bevée (cf. It. beva) a drink, beverage; then, perh., a company in general, esp. of ladies; and last applied by sportsm]
- broke v. i.
- To transact business for another. Brome. [See Broker, and cf. Brook.]
- phiz n.
- The face or visage. [Contr. fr. physiognomy.]
- sullen a.
- Lonely; solitary; desolate. Wyclif (Job iii. 14). [OE. solein, solain, lonely, sullen; through Old French fr. (assumed) LL. solanus solitary, fr. L. solus alone. See Sole, a.]
- dire a.
- Ill-boding; portentous; as, dire omens. [L. dirus; of uncertain origin.]
- ruthless a.
- Having no ruth; cruel; pitiless.
- withers n.
- The ridge between the shoulder bones of a horse, at the base of the neck. See Illust. of Horse. [Properly, the parts which resist the pull or strain in drawing a load; fr. OE. wither resistance, AS. withre, fr. wither against; akin to G. widerrist withers. ]
- horrid a.
- Rough; rugged; bristling. [L. horridus. See Horror, and cf. Ordure.]
- glare v. i.
- To shine with a bright, dazzling light. [OE. glaren, gloren; cf. AS. glær amber, LG. glaren to glow or burn like coals, D. gloren to glimmer; prob. akin to E. glass.]
- hateful a.
- Manifesting hate or hatred; malignant; malevolent.
- lustre n.
- A period of five years; a lustrum. [L. lustrum: cf. F. lustre.]
- fairly adv.
- In a fairmanner; clearly; openly; plainly; fully; distinctly; frankly.
- flown a.
- Flushed, inflated.
- tawdry a.
- Bought at the festival of St. Audrey. [Said to be corrupted from Saint Audrey, or Auldrey, meaning Saint Ethelreda, implying therefore, originally, bought at the fair of St. Audrey, where laces and g]
- finery n.
- Fineness; beauty.
- serenely adv.
- In a serene manner; clearly.
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
The Double Transformation: A Tale is in the public domain. This text is taken from The Complete Poetical Works of Oliver Goldsmith, Project Gutenberg ebook #3545; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: Oliver Goldsmith, The Double Transformation: A Tale, in Poems (1764–1774), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #3545, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/goldsmith-poems/the-double-transformation-a-tale.html, id L00433.
Form and metre
The Double Transformation: A Tale is 104 lines in 9 verse paragraphs. It is in rhyming couplets, 96% of the lines: octosyllabic couplets. The metre is iambic tetrameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 92%). 95% of its stressed syllables fall where the metre puts the beat. The lines average 8.2 syllables. 15 lines end on an unstressed syllable, a feminine ending. 17% of the lines run on without a stop at the line end.
See other poems in octosyllabic couplets, 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 AABBCC strifeA · lifeA · fiveB · aliveB · jokeC · spokeC
- 2 AABBCCDDEEFFGG careA · impairA · transfixB · sixB · downC · townC · stopD · shopD · blazeE · gazeE · ceaseF · peaceF · carriedG · marriedG
- 3 AABBCCDD sightA · nightA · groundB · aroundB · charmsC · armsC · roughD · enoughD
- 4 AABBCCDDEE flewA · tooA · amissB · blissB · awayC · clayC · faceD · laceD · behindE · mindE
- 5 AABBCCDDEEFFGGHHIIJJKK sheA · reparteeA · fellB · belleB · graceC · raceC · bedD · headD · condescendE · friendE · bringF · thingF · frettingG · coquettingG · bevyH · levyH · stationsI · relationsI · brokeJ · smokeJ · betweenK · spleenK
- 6 AABBCCDD-- knownA · grownA · showsB · noseB · riseC · eyesC · isD · phizD · civil · devil
- 7 --AABBCCDD noose · pursues · strifeA · lifeA · powerB · flowerB · glareC · fairC · graceD · faceD
- 8 AABBCCDDEE sightA · frightA · triesB · eyesB · creamsC · seamsC · cousinsD · dozensD · yieldE · fieldE
- 9 AABBCCDDEEFFGG hackA · jackA · flownB · aloneB · beholdC · oldC · dy'dD · prideD · seenE · cleanE · swayF · dayF · dutyG · beautyG
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 |
|---|---|---|
| SECLUDED from domestic strife, | 8 | ˘/˘·˘/˘· |
| Jack Book-worm led a college life; | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| A fellowship at twenty-five | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| Made him the happiest man alive; | 8 | ···/˘·˘/ |
| He drank his glass and crack’d his joke, | 8 | ········ |
| And freshmen wonder’d as he spoke. | 8 | ·/˘/˘··· |
| Such pleasures, unalloy’d with care, | 8 | ·/˘˘/··· |
| Could any accident impair? | 8 | ·/˘/˘˘˘/ |
| Could Cupid’s shaft at length transfix | 8 | ·/˘···˘/ |
| Our swain, arriv’d at thirty-six? | 8 | /·˘/·/˘· |
| O had the archer ne’er come down | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| To ravage in a country town! | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| Or Flavia been content to stop | 8 | ·/˘·˘/·· |
| At triumphs in a Fleet-street shop. | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| O had her eyes forgot to blaze! | 8 | ····˘/·· |
| Or Jack had wanted eyes to gaze. | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| O!——But let exclamation cease, | 8 | ····˘/˘· |
| Her presence banish’d all his peace. | 8 | ·/˘/˘··· |
| So with decorum all things carried; | 9 | ··˘/˘··/˘ |
| Miss frown’d, and blush’d, and then was—married. | 9 | ·······/˘ |
| Need we expose to vulgar sight | 8 | ··˘/·/˘· |
| The raptures of the bridal night? | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| Need we intrude on hallow’d ground, | 8 | ··˘/·/˘· |
| Or draw the curtains clos’d around? | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Let it suffice, that each had charms; | 8 | ··˘/···· |
| He clasp’d a goddess in his arms; | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| And though she felt his usage rough, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Yet in a man ’twas well enough. | 8 | ······˘/ |
| The honey-moon like lightning flew, | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| The second brought its transports too. | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| A third, a fourth, were not amiss, | 8 | ······˘/ |
| The fifth was friendship mix’d with bliss: | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| But when a twelvemonth pass’d away, | 8 | ···/˘·˘/ |
| Jack found his goddess made of clay; | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Found half the charms that deck’d her face | 8 | ········ |
| Arose from powder, shreds, or lace; | 8 | ˘/·/˘··· |
| But still the worst remain’d behind, | 8 | ····˘/·· |
| That very face had robb’d her mind. | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| Skill’d in no other arts was she | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| But dressing, patching, repartee; | 8 | ·/˘/˘·˘/ |
| And, just as humour rose or fell, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| By turns a slattern or a belle; | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| ’Tis true she dress’d with modern grace, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Half naked at a ball or race; | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| But when at home, at board or bed, | 8 | ········ |
| Five greasy nightcaps wrapp’d her head. | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| Could so much beauty condescend | 8 | ···/˘·˘/ |
| To be a dull domestic friend? | 8 | ····˘/˘· |
| Could any curtain-lectures bring | 8 | ·/˘/˘/˘· |
| To decency so fine a thing? | 8 | ·/˘˘···· |
| In short, by night, ’twas fits or fretting; | 9 | ·······/˘ |
| By day, ’twas gadding or coquetting. | 9 | ···/˘···· |
| Fond to be seen, she kept a bevy | 9 | ·······/˘ |
| Of powder’d coxcombs at her levy; | 9 | ·/˘····/˘ |
| The ’squire and captain took their stations, | 9 | ···/˘··/˘ |
| And twenty other near relations; | 9 | ·/˘/˘·˘/˘ |
| Jack suck’d his pipe, and often broke | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| A sigh in suffocating smoke; | 8 | ···/˘·˘· |
| While all their hours were pass’d between | 8 | ···/···· |
| Insulting repartee or spleen. | 8 | ˘/˘·˘/·· |
| Thus as her faults each day were known, | 8 | ········ |
| He thinks her features coarser grown; | 8 | ···/˘/˘· |
| He fancies every vice she shows, | 8 | ·/˘/˘··· |
| Or thins her lip, or points her nose: | 8 | ········ |
| Whenever rage or envy rise, | 8 | ˘/˘··/˘· |
| How wide her mouth, how wild her eyes! | 8 | ········ |
| He knows not how, but so it is, | 8 | ········ |
| Her face is grown a knowing phiz; | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| And, though her fops are wond’rous civil, | 9 | ·····/˘/˘ |
| He thinks her ugly as the devil. | 9 | ···/˘··/˘ |
| Now, to perplex the ravell’d noose, | 8 | ··˘/···· |
| As each a different way pursues, | 8 | ···/˘·˘/ |
| While sullen or loquacious strife, | 8 | ·/˘·˘/˘· |
| Promis’d to hold them on for life, | 8 | /˘······ |
| That dire disease, whose ruthless power | 9 | ··˘/·/˘/˘ |
| Withers the beauty’s transient flower: | 9 | /˘·/˘/˘/˘ |
| Lo! the small-pox, whose horrid glare | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Levell’d its terrors at the fair; | 8 | /˘·/˘··· |
| And, rifling ev’ry youthful grace, | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| Left but the remnant of a face. | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| The glass, grown hateful to her sight, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Reflected now a perfect fright: | 8 | ˘/˘··/·· |
| Each former art she vainly tries | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| To bring back lustre to her eyes. | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| In vain she tries her paste and creams, | 8 | ········ |
| To smooth her skin, or hide its seams; | 8 | ········ |
| Her country beaux and city cousins, | 9 | ·/˘··/˘/˘ |
| Lovers no more, flew off by dozens: | 9 | /˘·····/˘ |
| The ’squire himself was seen to yield, | 8 | ··˘/···· |
| And e’en the captain quit the field. | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Poor Madam, now condemn’d to hack | 8 | ·/˘·˘/·· |
| The rest of life with anxious Jack, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Perceiving others fairly flown, | 8 | ˘/˘/˘/˘· |
| Attempted pleasing him alone. | 8 | ˘/˘/˘·˘/ |
| Jack soon was dazzl’d to behold | 8 | ···/˘·˘/ |
| Her present face surpass the old; | 8 | ·/˘·˘/·· |
| With modesty her cheeks are dy’d, | 8 | ·/˘˘···· |
| Humility displaces pride; | 8 | ˘/˘˘˘/˘· |
| For tawdry finery is seen | 8 | ·/˘/˘˘·· |
| A person ever neatly clean: | 8 | ·/˘/˘/˘· |
| No more presuming on her sway, | 8 | ··˘/˘··· |
| She learns good-nature every day; | 8 | ···/˘/˘· |
| Serenely gay, and strict in duty, | 9 | ˘/˘····/˘ |
| Jack finds his wife a perfect beauty. | 9 | ·····/·/˘ |
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