{"id":212,"date":"2015-06-24T18:51:52","date_gmt":"2015-06-24T18:51:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.candelalearning.com\/americanlit1x22x1\/?post_type=chapter&p=212"},"modified":"2015-06-24T18:51:52","modified_gmt":"2015-06-24T18:51:52","slug":"a-description-of-a-city-shower","status":"web-only","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-britlit1\/chapter\/a-description-of-a-city-shower\/","title":{"raw":"A Description of a City Shower","rendered":"A Description of a City Shower"},"content":{"raw":"By Jonathan Swift<\/strong>\r\n
WRITTEN IN OCT., 1710; AND FIRST PRINTED IN \"THE TATLER,\" NO. 238<\/h5>\r\n

Careful observers may foretell the hour,\r\n(By sure prognostics,) when to dread a shower.\r\nWhile rain depends, the pensive cat gives o'er\r\nHer frolics, and pursues her tail no more.\r\nReturning home at night, you'll find the sink\r\nStrike your offended sense with double stink.\r\nIf you be wise, then, go not far to dine:\r\nYou'll spend in coach-hire more than save in wine.\r\nA coming shower your shooting corns presage,\r\nOld a-ches[2] throb, your hollow tooth will rage;\r\nSauntering in coffeehouse is Dulman seen;\r\nHe damns the climate, and complains of spleen.<\/p>\r\nMeanwhile the South, rising with dabbled wings,\r\nA sable cloud athwart the welkin flings,\r\nThat swill'd more liquor than it could contain,\r\nAnd, like a drunkard, gives it up again.\r\nBrisk Susan whips her linen from the rope,\r\nWhile the first drizzling shower is borne aslope;\r\nSuch is that sprinkling which some careless quean\r\nFlirts on you from her mop, but not so clean:\r\nYou fly, invoke the gods; then, turning, stop\r\nTo rail; she singing, still whirls on her mop.\r\nNot yet the dust had shunn'd the unequal strife,\r\nBut, aided by the wind, fought still for life,\r\nAnd wafted with its foe by violent gust,\r\n'Twas doubtful which was rain, and which was dust.[3]\r\nAh! where must needy poet seek for aid,\r\nWhen dust and rain at once his coat invade?\r\nSole[4] coat! where dust, cemented by the rain,\r\nErects the nap, and leaves a cloudy stain!\r\n\r\nNow in contiguous drops the flood comes down,\r\nThreatening with deluge this devoted<\/i> town.\r\nTo shops in crowds the daggled females fly,\r\nPretend to cheapen goods, but nothing buy.\r\nThe Templar spruce, while every spout's abroach,\r\nStays till 'tis fair, yet seems to call a coach.\r\nThe tuck'd-up sempstress walks with hasty strides,\r\nWhile streams run down her oil'd umbrella's sides.\r\nHere various kinds, by various fortunes led,\r\nCommence acquaintance underneath a shed.\r\nTriumphant Tories, and desponding Whigs,[5]\r\nForget their feuds, and join to save their wigs.\r\nBox'd in a chair the beau impatient sits,\r\nWhile spouts run clattering o'er the roof by fits,\r\nAnd ever and anon with frightful din\r\nThe leather sounds; he trembles from within.\r\nSo when Troy chairmen bore the wooden steed,\r\nPregnant with Greeks impatient to be freed,\r\n(Those bully Greeks, who, as the moderns do,\r\nInstead of paying chairmen, ran them through,)\r\nLaocoon[6] struck the outside with his spear,\r\nAnd each imprison'd hero quaked for fear.\r\nNow from all parts the swelling kennels flow,\r\nAnd bear their trophies with them as they go:\r\nFilth of all hues and odour, seem to tell\r\nWhat street they sail'd from, by their sight and smell.\r\nThey, as each torrent drives with rapid force,\r\nFrom Smithfield to St. Pulchre's shape their course,\r\nAnd in huge confluence join'd at Snowhill ridge,\r\nFall from the conduit prone to Holborn bridge.[7]\r\nSweeping from butchers' stalls, dung, guts, and blood,\r\nDrown'd puppies, stinking sprats, all drench'd in mud,\r\nDead cats, and turnip-tops, come tumbling down the flood.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n

[Footnote 1: Swift was very proud of the \"Shower,\" and so refers to it in the Journal to Stella. See \"Prose Works,\" vol. ii, p. 33: \"They say 'tis the best thing I ever writ, and I think so too. I suppose the Bishop of Clogher will show it you. Pray tell me how you like it.\" Again, p. 41: \"there never was such a Shower since Dan\u00e4e's,\" etc.\u2014W. E. B.<\/i>]<\/p>\r\n

[Footnote 2: \"Aches\" is two syllables, but modern printers, who had lost the right pronunciation, have aches<\/i> as one syllable; and then to complete the metre have foisted in \"aches will<\/i> throb.\" Thus, what the poet and the linguist wish to preserve, is altered and finally lost. See Disraeli's \"Curiosities of Literature,\" vol. i, title \"Errata,\" p. 81, edit. 1858. A good example occurs in \"Hudibras,\" Part III, canto 2, line 407, where persons are mentioned who \"Can by their Pangs and Aches<\/i> find All turns and changes of the wind.\"\u2014W. E. B.<\/i>]<\/p>\r\n

[Footnote 3: \"'Twas doubtful which was sea and which was sky.\" GARTH'S Dispensary<\/i>.]<\/p>\r\n

[Footnote 4: Originally thus, but altered when Pope published the\r\n\"Miscellanies\":\r\n\"His only coat, where dust confused with rain,\r\nRoughens the nap, and leaves a mingled stain.\"\u2014Scott<\/i>.]<\/p>\r\n

[Footnote 5: Alluding to the change of ministry at that time.]<\/p>\r\n

[Footnote 6: Virg., \"Aeneid,\" lib. ii.\u2014W. E. B.<\/i>]<\/p>\r\n

[Footnote 7: Fleet Ditch, in which Pope laid the famous diving scene in\r\n\"The Dunciad\"; celebrated also by Gay in his \"Trivia.\" There is a view of\r\nFleet Ditch as an illustration to \"The Dunciad\" in Warburton's edition\r\nof Pope, 8vo, 1751.\u2014W. E. B.<\/i>]<\/p>\r\n ","rendered":"

By Jonathan Swift<\/strong><\/p>\n

WRITTEN IN OCT., 1710; AND FIRST PRINTED IN “THE TATLER,” NO. 238<\/h5>\n

Careful observers may foretell the hour,
\n(By sure prognostics,) when to dread a shower.
\nWhile rain depends, the pensive cat gives o’er
\nHer frolics, and pursues her tail no more.
\nReturning home at night, you’ll find the sink
\nStrike your offended sense with double stink.
\nIf you be wise, then, go not far to dine:
\nYou’ll spend in coach-hire more than save in wine.
\nA coming shower your shooting corns presage,
\nOld a-ches[2] throb, your hollow tooth will rage;
\nSauntering in coffeehouse is Dulman seen;
\nHe damns the climate, and complains of spleen.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile the South, rising with dabbled wings,
\nA sable cloud athwart the welkin flings,
\nThat swill’d more liquor than it could contain,
\nAnd, like a drunkard, gives it up again.
\nBrisk Susan whips her linen from the rope,
\nWhile the first drizzling shower is borne aslope;
\nSuch is that sprinkling which some careless quean
\nFlirts on you from her mop, but not so clean:
\nYou fly, invoke the gods; then, turning, stop
\nTo rail; she singing, still whirls on her mop.
\nNot yet the dust had shunn’d the unequal strife,
\nBut, aided by the wind, fought still for life,
\nAnd wafted with its foe by violent gust,
\n‘Twas doubtful which was rain, and which was dust.[3]
\nAh! where must needy poet seek for aid,
\nWhen dust and rain at once his coat invade?
\nSole[4] coat! where dust, cemented by the rain,
\nErects the nap, and leaves a cloudy stain!<\/p>\n

Now in contiguous drops the flood comes down,
\nThreatening with deluge this devoted<\/i> town.
\nTo shops in crowds the daggled females fly,
\nPretend to cheapen goods, but nothing buy.
\nThe Templar spruce, while every spout’s abroach,
\nStays till ’tis fair, yet seems to call a coach.
\nThe tuck’d-up sempstress walks with hasty strides,
\nWhile streams run down her oil’d umbrella’s sides.
\nHere various kinds, by various fortunes led,
\nCommence acquaintance underneath a shed.
\nTriumphant Tories, and desponding Whigs,[5]
\nForget their feuds, and join to save their wigs.
\nBox’d in a chair the beau impatient sits,
\nWhile spouts run clattering o’er the roof by fits,
\nAnd ever and anon with frightful din
\nThe leather sounds; he trembles from within.
\nSo when Troy chairmen bore the wooden steed,
\nPregnant with Greeks impatient to be freed,
\n(Those bully Greeks, who, as the moderns do,
\nInstead of paying chairmen, ran them through,)
\nLaocoon[6] struck the outside with his spear,
\nAnd each imprison’d hero quaked for fear.
\nNow from all parts the swelling kennels flow,
\nAnd bear their trophies with them as they go:
\nFilth of all hues and odour, seem to tell
\nWhat street they sail’d from, by their sight and smell.
\nThey, as each torrent drives with rapid force,
\nFrom Smithfield to St. Pulchre’s shape their course,
\nAnd in huge confluence join’d at Snowhill ridge,
\nFall from the conduit prone to Holborn bridge.[7]
\nSweeping from butchers’ stalls, dung, guts, and blood,
\nDrown’d puppies, stinking sprats, all drench’d in mud,
\nDead cats, and turnip-tops, come tumbling down the flood.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[Footnote 1: Swift was very proud of the “Shower,” and so refers to it in the Journal to Stella. See “Prose Works,” vol. ii, p. 33: “They say ’tis the best thing I ever writ, and I think so too. I suppose the Bishop of Clogher will show it you. Pray tell me how you like it.” Again, p. 41: “there never was such a Shower since Dan\u00e4e’s,” etc.\u2014W. E. B.<\/i>]<\/p>\n

[Footnote 2: “Aches” is two syllables, but modern printers, who had lost the right pronunciation, have aches<\/i> as one syllable; and then to complete the metre have foisted in “aches will<\/i> throb.” Thus, what the poet and the linguist wish to preserve, is altered and finally lost. See Disraeli’s “Curiosities of Literature,” vol. i, title “Errata,” p. 81, edit. 1858. A good example occurs in “Hudibras,” Part III, canto 2, line 407, where persons are mentioned who “Can by their Pangs and Aches<\/i> find All turns and changes of the wind.”\u2014W. E. B.<\/i>]<\/p>\n

[Footnote 3: “‘Twas doubtful which was sea and which was sky.” GARTH’S Dispensary<\/i>.]<\/p>\n

[Footnote 4: Originally thus, but altered when Pope published the
\n“Miscellanies”:
\n“His only coat, where dust confused with rain,
\nRoughens the nap, and leaves a mingled stain.”\u2014Scott<\/i>.]<\/p>\n

[Footnote 5: Alluding to the change of ministry at that time.]<\/p>\n

[Footnote 6: Virg., “Aeneid,” lib. ii.\u2014W. E. B.<\/i>]<\/p>\n

[Footnote 7: Fleet Ditch, in which Pope laid the famous diving scene in
\n“The Dunciad”; celebrated also by Gay in his “Trivia.” There is a view of
\nFleet Ditch as an illustration to “The Dunciad” in Warburton’s edition
\nof Pope, 8vo, 1751.\u2014W. E. B.<\/i>]<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t

Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Public domain content<\/div>