"Adam Pos'd" (1713)
“
Cou’d our First Father, at his toilsome Plough,
Thorns in his Path, and Labour on his Brow,
Cloath’d only in a rude, unpolish’d Skin,
Cou’d he a vain Fantastick Nymph have seen,
In all her Airs, in all her antick Graces,
Her various Fashions, and more various Faces;
How had it pos’d that Skill, which late assign’d
Just Appellations to Each several Kind!
A right idea of the Sight to frame;
T’have guest from what New Element she came;
T’have hit the wav’ring Form, and giv’n this Thing a Name.
— Anne Finch, Countess of Winchilsea
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Cou’d our First Father, at his toilsome Plough,
Thorns in his Path, and Labour on his Brow,
Cloath’d only in a rude, unpolish’d Skin,
Cou’d he a vain Fantastick Nymph have seen,
In all her Airs, in all her antick Graces,
Her various Fashions, and more various Faces;
How had it pos’d that Skill, which late assign’d
Just Appellations to Each several Kind!
A right idea of the Sight to frame;
T’have guest from what New Element she came;
T’have hit the wav’ring Form, and giv’n this Thing a Name." in the context of ""Adam Pos'd" (1713)" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Anne Finch, Countess of Winchilsea" (Quotes)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 19, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Tags
About Anne Finch, Countess of Winchilsea
Anne Finch, Countess of Winchilsea (née Kingsmill; April 1661 – 5 August 1720) was an English poet and courtier. Finch wrote in many genres and on many topics, including fables, odes, songs, and religious verse. Her works also allude to other female authors of the time, such as Aphra Behn and Katherine Philips. Through her commentary on the mental and spiritual equality of the sexes and the importance of women fulfilling their potential as a moral duty to themselves and to society, she is regarded as one of the integral female poets of the Augustan Era. Finch died in Westminster in 1720 and was buried at her home at Eastwell, Kent.
About Anne Finch, Countess of Winchilsea
Anne Finch, Countess of Winchilsea (née Kingsmill; April 1661 – 5 August 1720) was an English poet and courtier. Finch wrote in many genres and on many topics, including fables, odes, songs, and religious verse. Her works also allude to other female authors of the time, such as Aphra Behn and Katherine Philips. Through her commentary on the mental and spiritual equality of the sexes and the importance of women fulfilling their potential as a moral duty to themselves and to society, she is regarded as one of the integral female poets of the Augustan Era. Finch died in Westminster in 1720 and was buried at her home at Eastwell, Kent.
View all quotes →