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THE FAMILY 
 
 t, 
 
 AND 
 
 (^ntst 
 
 (lir THE ClflTSD states). 
 
 BY THE FATHER 
 
 PRINTED BY JOHN P. PRALL, 
 
 NO. 9 SPRUCE-STREET. 
 
 1860. 
 
 
 
 ;£^ WASHES 
 
<\\.^ 
 
 \sy 
 
 Entered according to act of Congress in the year 1850, by 
 
 JOHN P. PRALL, 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the Southern 
 District of New York. 
 
THE WIFE. 
 
The blanks are for sketch or music, by who''ve taste 
 And time, and read with only moderate haste. 
 
THE WIFE. 
 
 CANTO J, 
 
 Dark chestnut hair, ay tastefully dressed 
 
 For the occasion or hour, the morn or at eve ; 
 
 The forehead not high, but moulded to the best ; 
 Eyes looking dark, but with th^ hazel interweave 
 
 A relief, and the character lightsome attest ; 
 
 The nose with enough of the Grecian to leave 
 Not a doubt of the natural o'erfl owing zest, 
 
 Buoyancy, ardor and tenderness, so adorn 
 
 Woman's character, and the just due sway invest ; 
 The mouth small or large, yielding to th' inborn 
 
 Impulse demands the kindly fraught smile ; 
 
 Or crumpling in quiet to purge the loth scorn ; 
 
6 
 
 The chin chastely dimpled and will crimple in style 
 
 If the indignant sensibilities actuate : 
 
 She expects a return without any guile 
 For th' favor bestowed on who shares her fate ; 
 
 Is sensible and wise, and for occasion discreet ; 
 
 Foreseeing in her sphere ; and wotting to dictate 
 For others, if it pressingiy need, and just meet 
 
 To th' occasion : holds th' e'er one to account 
 
 As self deems to be right ; nor 's quick to entreat 
 From it : then energy accrues, to th' full amount 
 
 To have you acquaint with the fine charming wife ; 
 
 For her own and the world a joy flowing fount ; 
 And e'er faults to find out b}- acquaintance for life. 
 
 Fast sped the years, and brought four children dear ; 
 
 With th' baby-house, kitten : whistle, ball, and knife ; 
 And kitten tells still of th' near past childish year. 
 
 Cherished reminiscences ; ay, keep ye your sway, 
 
 And tender emotions wake their glow and tear. 
 
7 
 Oh ! muse propitious, yield tliou th' harmonious lay 
 
 To celebrate in high and noble song 
 
 The gentle woman ; to tenderly portray 
 High gifts and noble qualities belong 
 
 To only her, and she dispensing sends 
 
 Peace and joy and blessedness along 
 The stream of life ; and noble impulse lends 
 
 To struggle, baffling the storms of direst Fate, 
 
 Till curbed triumphantly to happiest ends. 
 , Woman in her quiet sphere doth dictate 
 
 Laws to adversit}^ and set it bounds ; 
 
 Its stings extracts, and makes compensate 
 Manifold its direst stabs and deepest wounds ; 
 
 Her sympathetic voice, as it consoles 
 
 The disappointed, falls in sweetest sounds 
 Upon the stricken ; and kindles in their souls 
 
 Courage, virtue a-nd fortitude ; a strength to cope 
 
 With every difficulty : and controls 
 
8 
 
 To extract from all, the golden elixir of hope ; 
 
 For her the pain, from her fresh impulse springs, 
 
 And fountains of strength, and hid resources ope. 
 Blest be the woman ; a happiness she brings [clouds 
 
 Though Fortune lower, and storm, and the dark 
 
 Gather over us despairingly ; she flings 
 The gauntlet at them, gathers the flying shrouds, 
 
 Cheers the faint heart, compels the better days. 
 
 Such, woman ; such she is : but not the crowds. 
 The woman too, degeneracy betrays ; 
 
 The love of pleasure hath for her as well 
 
 Seductive charms, and conqueringly prays 
 To its embrace ; it boasts with braggart swell 
 
 Its capabilities in many ways ; 
 
 Urges incontinently, and doth compel 
 Almost ; nay, it accursedly betrays, 
 
 If triumph thus, and only thus, achieved. 
 
 But weakness lay there ; 'tis only virtue, stays ; 
 
9 
 
 And in the yielding self in part deceived. 
 
 Woman the like then with pity we resign : 
 
 Half only they betrayed, who half believed. 
 Woman we sing, hath in the native mine 
 
 And labored to yield an endless train 
 
 Of Virtues, with all the stamp and countersign 
 Of th' nature in her, a work of God ; and fain 
 
 Would do his pleasure ; pure in heart, in mind ; 
 
 Cheerful in her demeanor ; graceful, though plain 
 In manners and discourse, gracious and kind 
 
 In all neighborly intercourse, devout withal 
 
 In solid piety ; and seeking to find 
 The utmost of good, in and around, through all 
 
 Things ; joyous in her mood, and not behind 
 
 In kindly act, or to obey the call 
 Of charity divine, the pledge of pure mind 
 
 In her, though 'chance she sometime err. 
 
 We'd take our lot with such, deaf, mute, or blind. 
 1* 
 
10 
 
 Such, woman we sing *, to woman do defcf. 
 Look at her then, with tremulous eye^ at age 
 When, little mistress, 'gins to look and stir 
 
 Around the house, with tli' air of maiden sage ; 
 While th' sentiment is stealing o'er the face 
 And dailj^ writing on't its various page. . 
 
 Yet seek not th' year or day such touching grace 
 Gives pledge the soul liath found its new abode, 
 Th' infantile anarchy retiring, making place, 
 
 As conscience adjusts th' authoritative code J 
 And equally, the striving impulses contend 
 For mastery, to govern, stimulate, or goad ; [blend, 
 
 And th' victor's prominence thence showing, as they 
 Th' incipient leaning somewhat of the soul- 
 Didst e'er o'er sleeping girlish beauty bend 
 
 O'ercome with frolic, or the chattering stroll, 
 And soul rehearses o'er the girlish play, 
 Or talk, in broken utterance and droll - 
 
11 
 
 Gesture ; no hindrance sleep it have its way^ 
 
 And many a grace o'er every fibre flings ; 
 
 Yet linger not, nor stir, nor longer stay 
 Lest swiftly the truant spread his ethereal wings 
 
 And 'way hide him to the touch, or ear, or eye ; 
 
 Ethereal, in their despite away it springs : 
 And vain th' wish to stay it i vain, vain to try. 
 
CANTO II. 
 
 Ah ! trembles th* soul for sense ; its enemy ; and why f 
 'Tis, a profligate degeneracy overbears, 
 And wallows till its own strings cease to ply J 
 
 The ready pleasure tempts, then nothing cares* 
 Passion that turns to license, hath ruthless fang 
 And '11 glut it, till senseless and vacuous stares* 
 
 But here we've plunged into the din and clang 
 Of later years ; that coming fast indeed, 
 And much their grace doth on the early hang* 
 
 But rather linger let us, where the seed 
 Is planted. Return we to the Girl we saw. 
 Innocent, nor other knows than nature's lead, 
 
 Following 't, nor is acquaint with other law. 
 Illustrious the field now opes upon the view \ 
 Beauty soliciting, we reverent withheld by awe 
 
18 
 
 Till from High Heaven we inspiration sue 1 
 Beauty each day fills up its rounding lineSj 
 Adjusting for th' full effect, and outline true ; 
 
 The soul with pure and glowing radiance shines 
 Through classic lineaments and noble air, 
 And eloquent with harmony the whole combines, 
 
 Till even th' unconscious ignorant do stare ; 
 Taken by th' effect, unwotting of the cause. 
 But how, th' expression grow more and more fair 
 
 And mien and air ennoble without pause ! 
 Deem not the lay proceeding far as yet 
 While still for th' reason asked, she tells, because : 
 
 And faintly the Dignity in which soul set 
 
 Around, with all surpassing effect, portrayed ; 
 Ne'er though the later years bring more regret. 
 
 The task to cultivate is hard belayed 
 With arduous and tantalizing cares ; 
 Still though with pleasurable bursts relaj'-ed : 
 
14 
 
 Though all the drudgery the soul still dares 
 To peep, and wills to hold its converse 
 With the World around ; gather of its wares, 
 
 And sift them of th' wise^ equivocal, or worse i 
 Mould them perchance into a veritable wit 
 Available thence onv/ard in thrift, or the reverse i 
 
 its joj's enhancing 'neath pure skies sun lit, 
 Or soothing the hour, alas ! big with despair : 
 Alway the demeanor well her nature t' acquit. 
 
 Our life's of duty destined field, and care, 
 And so its own longing doth the soul attain, 
 Or fail in what of life is th' whole affair : 
 
 True and enduring impulse and strength to gain | 
 Solid experience of the Being's drift ; 
 A glimpse of th' afterpart they must sustain ; 
 
 And woman prosecute her task with thrift 
 Retrieving th' heir loom coming on her side, 
 And th' man from that fond condescension lift* 
 
15 
 
 Hence comes, men do so studiously provide, 
 And luxuries stint, and comforts lop ; 
 Their vanities relinquish, and pleasure set aside ; 
 
 Or resolute vi^oman opes the little shop 
 And stamps a dignity on petty trade ; 
 Drudges in all house Vvifery, even to the mop 
 
 That whitens floor is parlor and kitchen made i 
 For nestling one precious in that bosom thought. 
 Though seeming th' while coarse muslin to invade 
 
 Its holy sanctuary ; but is inwrought 
 
 With gems, glowing with Faith, and love for the girl, 
 Whose opening grace to deck the whole is sought 
 
 In all that moping drudgery and whirl ! [part, 
 
 Conscious of 'ts destiny and th' incumbent earthly 
 They nurse the bud, full hoping it unfurl 
 
 In beauty to repay th' now toiling heart ; 
 
 This hope lightening the present sacrifice, [start. 
 And dreamed o'er at night, cheers the morn's fresh 
 
16 
 
 A consciousness of this, in durance lies 
 Meanwhile in her, submitting as is bound 
 By reverent love, and all her bounden ties. 
 
 Then that devotedness v^ith fruit is found. 
 Decking their sear autumn and w^inter drear 
 Of life, perchance just tottering then o'er th' ground ; 
 
 Sweetly though it enhances with each year, 
 Till like perennial orb that slowly grew. 
 Spreads green and lusty arms no winter fear. 
 
 Thus mutual cares virtue and life renew ; 
 The olden, virtue to the young transmit ; 
 And youth's green shoots twine round old age anew. 
 
 But let's the ills of poverty remit, 
 
 Virtue in destitution leave now apart ; 
 Readjust the light caparison of wit ; 
 
 For Fortune's gay meridian depart : 
 
 (Yet keeping our sympathy for th' left behind) 
 And in the haut-monde circle play upstart, 
 
17 
 
 Or unassuming part with the refined. 
 
 Dazzling the scene to the long unwonted eye 
 And heaves from accustomed poise the musing mind. 
 
 Fancy delights though in spring time tint and dye, 
 Varying from the Camelia's glowing white 
 By soft degrees the nomenclature defy, 
 
 Beneath a lustre dazzling to the sight ; 
 And drops the eye to light on living bust. 
 Outvies the copying Artist, or Poet, quite ; 
 
 And moulded originally out of dust. 
 But now there's movement, and the wildered sense 
 Entranced, the glowing action follow must. 
 
 She speaks, and now is flown the last defence ! 
 Oh ! wonderful creation from the hand Divine, 
 And lavished on man in pure beneficence. 
 
 That utterance and movement men do refine 
 In this most precious gift to them vouchsafed, 
 With cultivated charms ; the native mine 
 
18 
 
 Enhancing ; and guard them to be o'er rudely chafed 
 By passing ills we've to encounter all ! — 
 Return though behooves v^hence so abruptly viraifed, 
 
 And much th' inquisitive may there recal ! 
 
CAKTO III. 
 
 Such scene was left, we count, '11 not yet pall ; 
 
 Th' entrance too lianpy oft 'tis deemed, to find ; 
 
 That gay assemblage, ycleped Party or Ball, 
 Includes high Dignity, exalted mind ; 
 
 The fortunate by merit, chance or birth ; 
 
 Statesman of our own Democratic kind ; 
 Staid Priest, or Bishop erst of portly girth ; 
 
 Perchance some modest merit not descried : 
 
 All bent to unfold or thinly veil their worth, 
 In hope th' approving glance may'nt be denied ; 
 
 The glance of beauty on the manly face ! 
 
 But is their critical judgment satisfied ? 
 For they too will arrogate the Judge's mace, 
 
 And rightly deem their guardianship and care 
 
 And arduous emulation in the race 
 
20 
 
 To elevate, protect, and soothe the fair. 
 
 Noble response and strong endeavor claims. 
 
 Hence strife for excellence beyond compare 
 On either side, where'er the effort aims ; 
 
 Though noble ay the aim, and nobly pursued. 
 
 Yon gay assemblage now again reclaims 
 The visual and mental look, in new light viewed ; 
 
 And gay indeed, yet 'neath the gaiety lie 
 
 Th' unseen, though jutting purposes, still crude 
 But fashioning out as on the light steps hie 
 
 In the gay skirmishing quadrille ; oft interrupt 
 
 With th' sportive raillery for the listless eye ; 
 And well acknowledged, in return abrupt. 
 
 As blush unwitting evidences the debt ; 
 
 And proves th' ingenuous soul, and not corrupt ; 
 Met too, acquitting, with more courteous yet, 
 
 And then the fashioning arrests for a while. 
 
 But there's a meaning oft in trifles set, 
 
21 
 
 And tokens of future doings e'en the smile. 
 
 But peril lies there, for the endearing charge ; 
 
 And needs to guard her from th' insidious guile 
 Of her own heart, and from th' wide world at large. 
 
 But turn we again now, to th' unpractised maid. 
 
 We passed of social life merely the marge, 
 Not into intricacies to invade, 
 
 But scanned among life's aspects one of pride. 
 
 And saw where gurging surface shoals betrayed ; 
 And learn now, as they near, to turn aside. 
 
 Conscience entrenched in th' inner bosom's shrine, 
 
 Virtue demeaning in Immortal Pride, 
 Instinctive impel ; and followed, Graces shine ; 
 
 Or guarding, divert from sucking whelming tide ; 
 
 Of th' Reason or mode, they each the golden mine 
 To guide in each case, and shun the fatal slide ; 
 
 Embosomed treasures yield, and speed the force 
 
 From Pole or heart, whence rays on every side ; 
 
22 
 
 Study somewhat avails to learn due course ; 
 But not elected or used, the force seems dead, 
 And wo then doom'd bark or soul, with ne'er resource. 
 
 Oh ! oft the canvass or the wing hath spread 
 To mark the place, or bid the soul beware : 
 Indifference's brooding calm, oh ! dread ; 
 
 Or sullen weighing stupor ; such as th' air 
 Th' midnight or noon of Equinox pervades ; 
 When Tempests, shrunk erst in their caves, prepare 
 
 Th' Escort for Sun o'er th' Equatorial grades. 
 If threading here dark passages we seem, 
 Insidious the Enemy in all its shades ! 
 
 Mild action and excitement well beseem 
 The character of woman, yet subdued 
 Rather to spur, than rise to act supreme ; 
 
 And here Reflection is afresh imbued 
 
 With th' excellent beauty of the marriage tie ; 
 Armor for action is on man indued, 
 
23 , - 
 
 Woman, sweet counsellor, is set close by ; 
 
 Thus action springs, working its bent and way, 
 And glory equally doth with them lie ; 
 
 Their unity still perfect ; but one are they. 
 Oh ! woman, such the lofty part thou'rt born 
 To fill, and thus benignly hold thy sway. 
 
 Thyself a wondrous one, some blithesome morn 
 Waking glad echoes 'neath the household dome ; 
 A. shoot to nurture, soothe, caress, adorn, 
 
 To bless thenceforth another, thy own home. 
 If darkly then the lay did seem to wind 
 And dart through th' listless air, and strangely roam 
 
 Through labyrinths, to show no trace behind ; 
 It sought, throughout all nature's widest range, 
 Some counterpart to stupor of the mind ; 
 
 Th' indifference to circumstance or change : 
 A seeming unconsciousness of good possessed ; 
 Slight deem'd,or slightly reck'd by thoughts estrange. 
 
24 
 
 But there's far heavier weighs the heaving breast ; 
 , Oft dawning life, so buoyant hopeful mounts, 
 And gazes the growing range with boundless zest ; 
 
 Nor aught beyond his scope or grasp accounts. 
 And sends his bold glances o'er all space and time, 
 Sipping, may be, from wisdom's treasured founts, 
 
 And counts they're fraught with th' excellent and 
 sublime ; 
 Complacent reviews where rise the stout compeers, 
 And deems to pass 'em, will be the light pastime ; 
 
 Nor recks of gloom or cloud e'er interferes : 
 Such, seems there sudden Paralysis to seize 
 'Fore gets to prime, and blights all after years : 
 
 That buoyant stimulant doth seem to freeze ! 
 
CANTO IV. 
 
 So suddenly the lay did lute arrest, 
 
 For grief of miserable languishing disease 
 Ravaging in high Domain of Muse, like Pest. 
 
 No more the pure, the grand, the noble, please ; 
 High purpose, thought and hope listlessly subside 
 To stagger on by poor time-serving degrees ; 
 
 Bowed down the lofty mien, th' erst soaring pride : 
 The glowing purpose of its youth thence deems 
 But hobby each unpractised youth must ride ; 
 
 And riper sober manhood ill beseems, 
 As what be never reached or understood ; 
 Discarded then with all its class, for dreams ! 
 
 Nought but the Practical seems thenceforth good, 
 
 And wounding it, to go a thought beyond ; 
 
 Th' imagination hath blind put on't, or hood : 
 2 
 
26 
 Fancy to trifles is pledged, by wont or bond ; 
 And youth then reputable, trust- worthy held. 
 Becoming soon of money making fond, 
 And ceasing by common-place to be repelled, 
 Life dwindles to monotonous routine ; 
 The zest and buoyancy of thought dispelled, 
 A staid uniformity entaming its mien ; 
 
 Youthful affections deadened all, or chilled, 
 Bound down the sensibility by lien, 
 Religion, th' holy Principle erst thrilled 
 
 The bosom, now also comes beneath the ban ; 
 The pure Faith, erst carefully was instilled 
 'S supplanted by every innovating plan 
 E'er powerless to fasten any hold : 
 Such th' common-place stupor, and th' indifferent 
 man; 
 A vapory cloud that rises, to enfold 
 
 Youth's vaulting life, ere hath the zenith reached 
 Wisdom, that saw Time's scroll as though unrolled 
 
27 
 
 And how be the man insidiously o'erreached, 
 
 I What wiles and nets entangle would his Path 
 Till e'en th' eternal Wisdom and love be impeached, 
 
 (Oh ! sad catastrophe ; and merely shown hath, 
 What never to th' Omniscient mind concealed 
 And Heaven's love should still o'erreach just wrath, 
 
 The man unpractised not 'gainst Tempter sealed ! 
 Thence flowing all Earth's woes in sadd'ning train ;) 
 Fashioned the Woman, a second thought revealed, 
 
 To turn the flood of evils back again ; 
 She not from clay but statuary wrought ; 
 Refining on th' comparatively plain ! 
 
 Oh ! exquisite the tissues of her thought. 
 
 With pure affections for their chastened founts. 
 Hanging round him who hath their treasure bt)Ught 
 
 With noble virtue, and mien that Love surmounts. 
 That man no meet society for man 
 The Heavenly Wisdom certainly accounts, 
 
28 
 
 And womanless calls lone the mortal span. 
 
 Men play alike their independent parts, 
 
 And emulously strive to get the van ; 
 Keen emulation begets wounded hearts ; 
 
 Counsels of Peace are aids to vi^in the race ; 
 
 The Omniscient ken through sphere of Probation 
 darts, 
 Then moulds the Counsellor to suit the case. 
 
 Oh ! w^oman, thine Heaven th' office decreed, 
 
 And crowned thee with peerless charms and every 
 grace, 
 To fascinate and conquer, compel to heed, 
 
 The man modelled divinely, walking erect, 
 
 And knowing good and evil, and th' high meed 
 Is set before him ; and heavenward direct 
 
 His wending way through all Earth's changing 
 scenes. 
 
 Exempt she from fierce strife, a counsel elect 
 
29 
 
 Indued, as peaceful leisure intervenes 
 
 'Pore the fresh combats, with loving discourse 
 
 To purge the worldly dross ay supervenes, 
 And keep him loftily upon his course. 
 
 Methinks the gentle monitor I see ; 
 
 As listing particulars of worldly intercourse ; 
 Details in bargaining or repartee ; 
 
 Late news in Politics and of Diplomacy ; 
 
 Attendance at the conspicuous Levee ; 
 The Politician's reckless contumacy ; 
 
 Fresh tidings from each quarter of the Globe ; 
 
 Another stretch of Britain's wide supremacy ; 
 The faithful soul doth all World's gear disrobe ; 
 
 Nor fails he of matters personal to telL 
 
 She listing, seems affections' depths to probe, 
 To bring a freshest offering from their well ; 
 
 Then springs 't alert to swell th' expression's glow ; 
 
 Silence, emotions for a space compel, 
 
so 
 
 Then utters accents tremulous and low ; 
 *' Oh ! thou, ever the faithful husband and friend, 
 And mak'st world's varying' aspects all, to know 
 
 The wife, and how the world's affairs do wend ; 
 Thanks for this confidence, and love repaid ; 
 I've thought of thee ; alway do my thoughts attend 
 
 Thy steps threadin^g the ambushed world, way-laid 
 With teasing cares and appetiting wiles 
 Seeming so slight they do not make afraid ; 
 
 But stepped in overshoe, composure riles." 
 Onward the converse flows, but interspersed 
 With intervals of musing thought. In whiles, 
 
 The youthful urchins, in all gambols versed. 
 Springing th' elastic muscle from the curb 
 Of morning hours where lessons are rehearsed, 
 
 Burst in, and not unpleasingly disturb. 
 
CANTO V. 
 
 • They came from th' precincts ; the hall, or room, 
 Allotted in th' household ; or kind of suburb ; 
 To stretch the muscle in ; and scatter gloom 
 
 Or weariness, 'chance grew o'er sum or verb. 
 Oh ! how the heart doth bound to its own strain, 
 And yearning impulses with zest perturb ! 
 
 Met too with natural aiiection, and plain 
 
 Unfelt dependence. 'T is, the household hearth 
 Enlargeth its boundary, and Home's domain ; 
 
 The heart had grown, and colonizes Earth. 
 Now flags the ^ay, and evening steals along, 
 Threatening of gaiety to bring a dearth 
 
 As crowds of th' outer world do Homewards throng. 
 Now fresher fires, enliven th' winter's eve, 
 And let 's the day scene by its gleams prolong. 
 
33 
 
 But first though, of any weariness relieve 
 
 The Earth clogged soul with th' grateful dish of tea ; 
 
 Nor need we for the interruption grieve. 
 And see now the youngsters, their roguish glee 
 
 Hushed suddenly 'neath straining lip and lid, 
 
 On truce to frolicking and fun agree ; 
 Winking th' expediency to do as bid. 
 
 The graceful form of the mamma at head, 
 
 'Neath silken folds or slender shawl half hid 
 To keep off th' leaking cold and fever dread ; 
 
 And this by th' urgency of love constrained. 
 
 And see whose toil hath earned or earns their bread, 
 Gazing with fond delight, yet look distrained 
 
 At times, fumbling within the hoard of joy. 
 
 Now in the arms and to the hearts are strained 
 The precious ones : nor cares their sleep alloy. 
 
 Sweet children, blessings still your life attend. 
 
 Aiid now the musing thoughts again employ 
 
33 
 
 The compound soul, or two and always blend ; 
 
 Still more ethereal with the beverage made. 
 
 More and more loftily their flights ascend 
 Even where glowing Truth, and wisdom pervade 
 
 In brightness seeming to more worldly eye^ 
 
 Substanceless, or light o'ercome by shade, 
 JBut proven, to have of Truth the very dye. 
 
 Truth more than fancies moves the inmost sou). 
 
 And woman's heart doth swifter after fly. 
 World's contact rude not her's, but to console 
 
 And give support to him must take its brunt ; 
 
 E'en now she's moved with sweetness to condole^ 
 That he should on the morrow forth confront 
 
 All petty cares our action will include ; 
 
 She stands, Heavenly commissioned"; on her Front 
 Beams the Prophetic Fire, and look prelude 
 
 She fills the lofty Roll for which create : 
 
 The eye first bent to Heaven, in attitude 
 2* 
 
34 
 
 Deep reverence pervades, yet faith elate 
 
 Clothing her with Dignity, and kindling hope J 
 Then mildly gazes the Partner of her fate ; 
 
 And lips vrith the commissioned utterance ope» 
 " Heaven's ordinances bear evenly on Man, 
 And conscience train with Evil's wiles to copet 
 
 Evil knowing, Temptation just began ; 
 
 All knowledge prompts, then wisdom, virtue, lies 
 In the ability to evil scan 
 
 And when it near, resist it, till it flies. 
 
 Alas !" and here the heightening blush suffused 
 Th' inspired lineaments ; cast down the eyes, 
 
 And o'er the drooping form a grief diffused 
 
 Tender and self reproaching, " alas," that voice 
 Resumes with choking utterance and confused, 
 
 But th' energy regained, " Ill-fated choice 
 
 That, 'tween th' evil and good, and good alone j 
 And thenceforth divided empire ; and rqjoice 
 
35 
 
 The Spirits of Darkness, not o'er Woman alone, 
 But the joint fallen estate ; man not endued 
 To rescue th' woman, or hold himself the throne ; 
 
 Or sympathy him from steadfastness subdued. 
 Good and Evil solely Omniscience knows 
 And staying yet only with the Good imbued 5 
 
 This, and fitting Palliative, wisdom shows ; 
 Such remedy man's own experience approves ; 
 Expose to trial, and the temper grows." 
 
 Transfixed he listens, looks, nor a feature moves. 
 But now, relaxed the look that pierced through space, 
 Thronging emotions fast, as well behooves, 
 
 Suffuse the wonted sweet and classic face ; 
 The form resigns th' enthusiastic glow, 
 Nature and graceful ease resuming place. 
 
 And now, the heart's affections must have flow ; 
 Wondering she hears the words she spake, with awe ; 
 Oft they repeat, nor yet their meaning know 
 
g6 
 
 At length " Joy of my life," he saith, " the law 
 Here recognize of fitful Earth's career ; 
 All this from first the Good Creator saw, 
 
 Nor could it with the purpose interfere. 
 Infinite love, love covets in return, 
 Then Wisdom Infinite contrives the sphere 5 
 
 Peopling it with generations in their turn. 
 How sin, how life, High Holiness, intact 
 E'er co-exist, nor instant cease to burn 
 
 Life's wick ; hov/ holiness succeed that act ; 
 Wisdom foreshows, and Love fulfils the scheme :• 
 Then Earth, Mankind, and Good and Evil's contact 
 
 Fast succeed ;" — but sweetest woman here, theme 
 Erst, of a thousand, and of this last lay 
 Looks silent thankfulness to God Supreme : 
 
 Nor aught that's Earthly sees, to Highest day 
 The rolling orbs are turned ; nor arms refrain 
 To aid the grateful bursting heart give way, 
 
B1 
 
 With forward upward move, and gentle strain ^ 
 The Palms upturned and fingers slightly nerved | 
 One foot inclining out, and seems wrould fain 
 
 Engross th' incumbent task to guard unsw^erved 5 
 The bust with swelling outline just contained, 
 Showing fit feeling deep within conserved ; 
 
 Th' figure by no enthusiasm overstrained ; 
 Softness of parting grief o'er all difiused, 
 Like mists, by Sun of Righteousness constrained, 
 
 Nor needs, familiar picture, Life confused 
 
 That since succeeds, more onward now to paint ; 
 Soon dying embers too will have refused 
 
 Their shooting gleams, now growing more, more faint. 
 
MY DAUGHTER. 
 
MY DAUGHTER. 
 
 CANTO I. 
 
 My daughter dear, my eldest born, to you 
 My heart fain leans ; beautiful, and having look 
 Of Father ; and Mother's peering through : 
 
 Th' expression mild and sweet, nose with e'en crook* 
 
 To show thou'rt firm and resolute ; jutting forehead 
 Just enough, and high enough to show ne'er 's the 
 book 
 'LI defy thy ability ; good sense inbred 
 
 Upon the native stock, th' whole countenance shows ; 
 Tiny mouth composed, and sweetest smiles thence 
 sped, 
 
 * This word, behooves you not to misconceive : 
 'Tis regular and beautiful, as seeing ye'd believe. 
 Here, poverty of language makes rae grieve. 
 
42 
 
 And play o'er th' face, as th' native sentiment grows 
 When e'er of lovely and true is shown or told : 
 Thine amiableness in gracious manners flows 
 
 Out to the whole world ; thou'lt not even scold 
 For the wicked, nor hast e'er the feeling not kind, 
 Forgiving, or benevolent, as th' nature hold 
 
 To be gracious or loving ; and with a mind, 
 Or word or deed '11 sift to extremes, and trace 
 Or th' act, or utterance, to 't most were blind. 
 
 The years flow on, and comes old age apace 
 With its declining steps, the meridian passed ; 
 Life, Earth's life, no longer looking 't in th' face 
 
 But 't following me behind, nor long to last ; 
 Its train, or heavy, or dull, or light, as 'chance 
 Reflection light on green or barren, whereon cast 
 
 By th' circumstance ; or as I sought to advance 
 Rapidly or staidly ; heedless, or with forecast ; 
 And either moulded by passing circumstance ; 
 
43 
 
 Of th' issues by favoring gale, untimely blast, 
 (Determining on th' exposure was incurred, 
 Moderately proceeding, or o'erweening fast,) 
 
 Drifted or faltered to be a little blurred. 
 Yet count I it no misfortune on the whole. 
 In view of somewhat wisdom 't hath conferred. 
 
 My child, I open here to you my troubled soul 
 
 For you and the rest, though th' timely smiling face 
 I wear; and into cheerfulness control 
 
 Myself. I mourn each comfort in due place 
 Not showing for you and Mother, and us all ; 
 But count it certainly for no disgrace ; 
 
 And in life's retrospect at th' end, may call 
 For acknowledgment, as blessing on our lot* 
 May your reflections lead you all to fall 
 
 In with this view ; and now-a-days to be forgot, 
 But for their lesson, in brighter to succeed. 
 Thyself precious and dear to me, you wot ; 
 
44 
 
 And tolerably thou'rt set in th' wisdoto doth need 
 To make th' here life productive of due fruits, 
 For now, and for the future ; and I'd lead 
 
 Thee somewhat to scan society as suits. 
 To sensibly appreciate and judge and reap 
 Its avail of pleasure, as one prosecutes 
 
 All worthy objects ; to enjoy them, and keep 
 Thyself whole and pure, untainted with th' alloy 
 Pervades it so sadly ; and thou in th' quiet e'er sleep 
 
 Of innocence, nor come e'en th' social pleasures to cloy. 
 I'd have a spice of loftiness in thy mind ; 
 And elevate conception in thy heart, t' employ 
 
 Th' timely reflection, keeping th' vanities behind ; 
 Lead thee to look on th' passing in its true light ; 
 And gather th' oyster's jewel, not the rhind 
 
 Of th' orange, in drawing rooms so dazzling bright 
 With burning gas in th' chandeliers of glass. 
 Thou'lt judge then th' character shows in the dight 
 
45 
 
 Scenes at party or ball, to please and may harrass 
 Too, th' many gay and thoughtless dames frequent 
 And so transport in them, nor yet their mass 
 
 E'er ponder on th' life, or fraught impregnate event, 
 When all we are called to render th' full account 
 And show if diligently we've filled the stent. 
 
 My child, 'twere vain t' exaggerate th' amount, 
 Or try for 't, of th' interest or harvest depends 
 On th' diligence and faithfulness we put this fount 
 
 Here of th' flowing future to the best of ends, 
 And th' final end conduct to th' Heavenly blest. 
 To 't diligently, the strain so far commends, 
 
 And doth thee well advancing also attest ; 
 
 And yields then flattering hope thou'lt stay in 't sure ; 
 Nor staying in 't stop, till entered, moored in thy rest. 
 
 And so I'd just guide thee somewhat to procure 
 Fine insight into th' maze of the graceful arts 
 And mysterious charms to fascinate and allure 
 
46 
 
 To th' high embellishment and courtesy imparts 
 The interest to th' social gaiety of the refined : 
 Born, of an ethereal pure spirit that starts 
 
 In th' very depths of our nature, taking the mind 
 Along with 't perforce, e'en of th' corrupt and rude ; 
 (For nature stays in them yet of purest kind, 
 
 Corruption can never into th' nature intrude ; 
 'Tis in the character, and long it stays 
 Alas ! and stringent fore'er then to 't exclude). 
 
 'Tis this spirit, charmingly and loftily plays 
 On the hearts, and imaginations too. 
 Of th' truer finer ones ; and playfully portrays 
 
 And starts them on career of exquisite ado. 
 It on all the various character defiles. 
 Lounges, discutes, stupifies, or plays at loo 
 
 May be, or whist, apart ; showing queer profiles 
 As the game may chance : a degenerate resort 
 For e'en th' degenerate, in their leisure whiles. 
 
47 
 
 For this 't deploys the biting and fine retort 
 For th' slighting remark, or sly joke, cracks 
 E'er one, cajoling him it ne'er wake up the snort 
 
 Of the unwitting Delice, and superfine attacks 
 She sends for e'er slight courtesy is paid ; 
 So th' foolish counts, when sooner bound to tax 
 
 His sheer resource to th' utmost it be made, 
 And th' very best to atone for that still lacks. 
 This spirit 'tis, imperfectly portrayed, 
 
 I'd tell of ; that, 'chance, its dominion wax 
 
 Till won th' unconscious infringing ones, or bought 
 With 'ts own reward, to stop th' degenerate cracks. 
 
 Adieu, dear one, in th' verse so queerly wrought 
 Humbly following early Poet ; honoring, not Nice, 
 Ravenna, with th' lofty imaginings he sought 
 
 To engraft on superstition, and fleece 
 
 Its masks, and through't th' holy and virtuous taught 
 To lift them 'bove 't, from 'ts riveted chains release : 
 
 'Gainst which ay th' nature to the death hath fought. 
 
CAIN ro 11. 
 
 DELICE. 
 
 Oh I for a subtilising power of thought 
 
 To pierce into the Realms of Light Caprice ; 
 And fancy aid us ; fearing as she ought, 
 
 But not to distraction, for th' volatile Delice, 
 That rules for her in the capricious sway 
 To guard the ladie world, and keep 't in peace. 
 
 Behooved the Fancy, versed in noble lay, 
 And Genius suing her in suppliant strain. 
 To set such Tribunal of th' elegant display 
 
 Would justly adjudge confusion to the vain. 
 Enemies of th' veritable, just and true ; , 
 And keep her heraldry without a stain. 
 
49 
 
 Who'd enter th' domain of Fancy, needs t' imbue 
 Him with virtue and wisdom, and to discipline 
 All th' worldly vanities do commonly clew 
 
 T' our booming sails 'fore th' epileptic doctrine ; 
 Variously besetting, and beseechingly tease 
 All th' thoughtless degenerates, to their chagrin 
 
 And ruth at th' end, they would so foolishly please. 
 Kind Heaven foreseeing 't though, did interpose 
 In th' nature a curative, voiding these lees 
 
 In th' river of our life ere 't comes to 'ts calm repose : 
 A natural spirit, 'at keeping pure,-^vaporates 
 'Em ; purges e'm out for it's deadly foes ; 
 
 Searches them, and worries them, and castigates ; 
 Brings them to consider a bit ; and substitutes 
 If they v/ill, then, th' natural one, 'at dictates 
 
 The scrutiny and judgment, if th' offering suits 
 
 With th' nature, and th' veritable welfare, 
 
 And th' intimate delight ; and 's of th' choicest fruits 
 3 
 
50 
 
 As we scan and pluck in all our world's wayfare. 
 This spirit then, Delice, 't is called, for it 's way 
 So pure, so high and strict ; and subtle and rare 
 
 To discriminate ; and wotting well, how portray 
 The fine and just and true, and foolish and vain, 
 In th' social relaxation, action or play : 
 
 And beauty and 't 's wit too ; I'd show 'em : and make 
 all plain. 
 To know no beauty, save where Taste presides, 
 (The subtle art, and all to have 't are fain,) 
 
 Just tokens, 'tis th' purest gentleness decides. 
 And there, would I look for rarer quality 
 Than nature, or wont, now, to all confides ; 
 
 Some exquisite touch of th' actual pure reality, 
 The concentrated pith of common sense, 
 Fashioned to view the man's high Ideality : 
 
 And heightening then beauty's charms to intense ; 
 ^he holds us spell bound with a charming look ! 
 And seen the very Truth from th' dark condense. 
 
51 
 
 Such gentle look reveals what men forsook 
 Parting from Innocence, that left behind : 
 Though since, might their devious course of bend 
 and crook 
 
 Occasionally near same precincts wind ; 
 Or imperceptibly same lineage runs ; 
 And springs sometime to light in purest kind. 
 
 But much we must not say of her ; she shuns 
 The vicinage of puzzled staring gaze 
 Of whom, her art their duller senses stuns ; 
 
 Not wont to peer at Truth but through some haze. 
 'Twas such dight vision happily sometime fleshed 
 In every town or hamlet through Eaith's maze, 
 
 The man's conceit of loveliness refreshed, 
 
 Through Heaven*s appointment or recurring grace ! 
 And might all wildering fantasies be meshed 
 
 And fascinated in their very place, 
 Till all full fraught with samelike dignity. 
 Sense of the becoming, and gentle mien apace. 
 
52 
 
 Such verily needs, to conquer man's malignity 
 Begot by rough and tumble of 's self made lot 5 
 Such moulds cold heart to kind benignity, 
 
 Bound up too oft by selfishness in knot, 
 Or in th' extremes of fro ward Passion tost, 
 And 'ts gentleness shut in by scarry blot : 
 
 For such of th' world's contentions bitter cost, 
 As all the struggles o'er, we reckon up 
 And days and hopes, by th' early count, find lost. 
 
 It is the fair one's roll to hold a cup 
 Of calm reflective happiness to man ; 
 And sweets immingling that if once he 've sup, 
 
 Not in a rushing haste, fast as he can. 
 But thoughtfully, gently, will so fascinate 
 And leaven th' inmost soul throughout life's span ; 
 
 Would push the world on to 'ts better fate ; 
 Now lingering sluggish in its trailing course. 
 Oh ! woman haste thee to thy high estate 1 
 
58 
 
 We wait to feel the softly impulsive force ; 
 
 Attractive too ; and thou 'st to gain thy goal, 
 
 Thence beckon after thee thy sweet discourse. 
 What may men do, to make thee fill thy roll ? 
 
 More delicate thy sense, quicker thy wit ; 
 
 And lovelier, oft, than 's Earthly, in the boll. 
 We can but show thee which the shaft will hit ; 
 
 And what thy function and illustrious part ; 
 
 Then Light Caprice just mould to each one fit. 
 Delice hath in her whims a lovely art : 
 
 It is, breeze agitates the bosom's deep. 
 
 And crested wavelings hither thither dart : 
 Gushings of feeling at the surface peep ! 
 
 Oft the caprice will send on th' wayward trip ; 
 
 Returning though before 'tis time to sleep : 
 Or th' fantasy, at times, will get the slip : 
 
 Oh! wondrous, is the conscious one within. 
 
 And alway Light Caprice the ver}^ tip. 
 
54 
 
 But what the vulgar call caprice, with din, 
 
 Is oft the brilliant flash to nature true. 
 
 And falling on sense too dull to take it in ; 
 Or 'ts deeply waking sense of somewhat due 
 
 To self, or tie of kin, or wakeful love ; 
 
 And action swiftly must the thought pursue : 
 Bright scintillations springing from above, 
 
 Kindling th' congenial in her bosom glow. 
 
 And wouldst then smother, drench, or rudely shove 
 Such fire ethereal from the world below, 
 
 And stretch of dull monotony the Reign ! 
 
 Oh ! rather Light Caprice stretch double Bow ! — 
 Look at her then thou dull one, if thou'lt deign. 
 
CANTO III. 
 
 Look at her now thou dull one, that wouldst feign 
 In Fancy's gay Delice to find no charms, 
 When 'chance she doth e'en thee to notice deign ; 
 
 Waking thy sloth's soul up with vive alarms. 
 She sits, with graceful carriage, in the chair ; 
 Nor brooks her buoyant spirit th' lounging arms : 
 
 Her spring-full form, like incense through the air, 
 Obeys the native impulse to distend 
 Gracefully upward, as bids the nature fair ; 
 
 Action and repose there naturally blend ; 
 In lap reposing watches either hand 
 (Nestling the fingers and palms as they inbend,) 
 
 For rarer impulse, gesture may demand 
 To give to utterance the silent aid 
 Of nervous Dignitv, or action bland. 
 
56 
 
 Tis not forbid one foot in th' other be laid, 
 But not when she would rivet, or command, 
 Then hug each sole the floor, as not afraid ; 
 
 Either inclining out, not as to stand 
 
 But showing her impartial, lest some doubt 
 She would on them make special reprimand : 
 
 Ne'er bitterness looks from th' expression out ; 
 Thereof is sure, forbidding to come in. 
 The eyes dispense regards all round about ; 
 
 But oftener deject they look within : 
 Affection's musings in swift action are ; 
 Nay, might in solitude make musing din : 
 
 But now respectful kept to roam too far. 
 Besides now must she turn them to account, 
 Swayed by of lofty impulses the jar. 
 
 Oh ! delicate machinery, and fount 
 
 Perennial whence fancies spring and strike 
 On soul's attentive sense, and winged mount 
 
To-day, through eye, or tintj or lip^ alike ) 
 
 Nay, may command the fleshy and skin, and nerve 
 
 With or against their own consent belike : 
 How can she then^ how might Delice e'er swerve^ 
 
 Leave to react, throw th' harp strings out of tune 5 
 
 How but obey, and th' harmony conserve ! 
 
 Whene'er the soul through music's strain commune 
 Will it not feel each jar from note or strain 
 And soon with all deliciously attune ? 
 
 And would it still of Light Caprice complain 
 Because athwart its stagnant sense and dull, 
 Fresh from world's striving poor, faltering and vain, 
 
 In sluggishness she may not leave or lull ! 
 Oh ! Light Caprice betrays a lively wit 
 That sends its flashes through the thickest skulL 
 
 And who impervious were, and lip now bit 
 
 Listing unconscious sentence of his ways 
 
 Let quick confess ; or quietly submit, 
 3* 
 
58 , 
 
 And speedily begin the better daj's. 
 
 Thou, waked up dullness though, let now attest 
 
 Triumphs of Light Caprice, thy darkling rays ! 
 What gives to life ever reviving zest ? 
 
 The cry, for novelty ; and echo rings ; 
 
 Now this Delice just carries on her crest s 
 New stimulus unceasingly she flings ; 
 
 Her skiff she launches forth on every tide | 
 
 'Tis even charged, variety she brings ! 
 So will the world first court and then deride. 
 
 How tame would be our life, how dull all tradcj 
 
 If Light Caprice once rudely put aside. 
 And curious novelties no longer bade 
 
 Start on their brief career to please her whim ; 
 
 Dooming through stagnant dullness men to wade^ 
 Sweet fantasy, how will the vision dim 
 
 With fancying thee exile, flitting on 
 
 And on, and on, till on the very rim 
 
59 
 
 Of vision, airy wings thou seem'st to don, 
 
 And balancest a moment — now art flown. 
 
 Adieu Light Gaiety, adieu to ton ; 
 Now be the hearth, the porch, with cypress strown, 
 
 But no, Delice, not now, not thus we part ; 
 
 Come back, I conjure thee, with charms thy own, 
 And guage the fealty of the wayward heart. 
 
 Where are we then, and whither have been blown ? 
 
 Oh ! let us backward turn, and take fresh start. 
 The Light Caprice that sports in bosom fair, 
 
 Thence on vivacious wing to-day is sped, 
 
 Oxygenates the soporific air ; 
 And is of dullness, staidness, th' heightening yest. 
 
 Its sprightly flashing mien and debonnair 
 
 Annihilates nonentity, and zest 
 Rushes to fill the vacuum was left. 
 
 Mental absorption, takes at length some rest ; 
 
 Sweeps Light Caprice away its wrapping weft. 
 
60 
 
 But where, the Faiiy, where holds she her Throne, 
 
 And motioning, dullness, languor, swift bereft. 
 
 We did impersonate, but without zone. 
 See it then, in sparkling wit, polished mien, 
 
 Chivalrous homage, modulated tone ; 
 
 Rudeness abashed, held in th' respectful lien ; 
 Intimated, strength with single glance, 
 
 Genius and Dignity alike demean ; 
 
 All seek their several virtue to enhance ; 
 They count for highest happiness her smile, 
 
 And onwards, hopeful to attain, advance. 
 
 Such are the deeper shades ; do thus beguile, 
 And gild with light reflecting mental folds. 
 
 Now the light columns for skirmishing defile. 
 
 And see each tint the magic prism in-holds, 
 In softened varied brilliancy outvied ! 
 
 The Fancy ushered these to life, and moulds 
 
 To yield effect by laws not yet descried 
 
61 
 
 In range of science, or not in the books t, 
 Fact though in evidence, and not denied. 
 Now see her Reign acknowledged in our looks; 
 
 See face relaxed of Gravity demure, 
 
 See slowly aspect stern unbend, ne'er brooks 
 In its own haunts behest of Power, or lure 
 
 Oi^ Passion or pleasure to relax its mood. 
 Here respite Melancholy finds, or cure 
 For brief interval, stopping on to brood : 
 
 Dullness itself is pricked into some life ; 
 E'en apathy with relish takes some food, 
 Musing momentally about a wife ; 
 
 Hid his heaviness 'neath stranger hardihood* 
 
CANTO IV. 
 
 Thus heaviness illumined on the face 
 _ With beams do irresistibly beseech : - 
 
 But now with wand, the Fairy ushers grace 
 To life, in gentle movement, gesture, speech, 
 
 As on they glide, and coaverse hold apace* 
 
 What Power such life incongruous can reach, 
 Conjure at beck, and rule such dazzling scene | 
 
 Instil due part and victory for each ; 
 
 Mould discords for an hour to homogene, 
 Then let them loose again before they weld j 
 
 Who but the Light Caprice, our Fairie Queene 
 
 The gay Delice ; effluence of Fancy held : 
 Action, Society, put in her charge, 
 
 By her the Beau Monde led, by her upheld. 
 
 Pure Fancy doth her boundary enlarge 
 
63 
 
 And travel far beyond this busy sphere ; 
 She wafts her votaries to very marge 
 Of th' Finite ; whence, cease fancies to adhere 1 
 
 Yet, in the indistinctness of that field, 
 Fancy discerns the lofty, grand, severe ; 
 And such men's actions naturally yield. 
 
 Each act of man's, there superstructure rears ; 
 
 Nor Death that speeds us there, from conscience 
 
 shield. 
 Future or Infinite alike, our fears 
 
 Dimly descry, and vaguely apprehend ; 
 Commoved the sentient soul even to tears t 
 We seem to need somehow our strength to mend 
 
 Ere we can pass to tempt that boundless range. 
 Thus borrow Fancy will, to after lend 
 In musings far from worldly things estrange, 
 
 Impulse, the apprehensive sense to send 
 In quest of motive where no jars derange 
 Its steadiness of view, no objects wend 
 
64 
 
 Between, to interrupt the mental ray. 
 
 Hence comes it, may pure Fancy not attend 
 Herself to acts and scenes in th' Earthly Play ; 
 
 Nor yet abandons men to dull despair, 
 But delegates the gay Delice to sway 
 In field of action ; with Ministers, the Fair ; 
 
 Or such, Delice may eminent discern 
 And gift, or educate in Beauty's lair* 
 There will she school impartially the stern 
 
 Froward or gentle girl, high born, or low ; 
 And makes their culture a personal concern ; 
 'Fuses in them of modesty the glow ; 
 
 Instils an instinct sensitive, and wit 
 
 In divers shades, to ward the vital blow 
 Society prepares ; and Passion bit 
 
 If e'er o'er rudely seeking to approach : 
 Thence, self-conserved, to radiance emit 
 Unsullied, stainless, e'en from self-reproach ; 
 
65 
 
 If this may be ; the mirror shield of taste 
 
 To hold up for defence ; none can encroach 
 
 She teiis, if this unspotted kept. Who baste 
 Appearances, nor Principle upholds, 
 
 No fragrance keep, their sweetness runs to waste. 
 
 Thus, lessons for their governance unfolds 
 Delice ; but chief conservative still lies, 
 
 And secret of the sway each Pupil holds 
 
 As on inseparate career she hies, 
 In touches exquisite of nature her own . 
 
 Delice inbreathes, their nature with them plies. 
 
 These must, nor in excess, nor faint be shown ; 
 Conservative they are, and when dispensed 
 
 'Tis to refine, enliven, till full grown 
 
 Man's better impulse ; but with frost condensed, 
 Or by electric flash the vicious spent. 
 
 Th' instructive flashing of sweet girl incensed 
 
 Momentally by word or slight event 
 
66 
 
 Her delicate appreciation deems 
 With true respect and courtesy not blent, 
 E*en unintentional ; such well beseems 
 
 The Pupil of Delice ; and fills her stent : , 
 Such are her own invigorating gleams ; 
 When forth from th' nature, pure, instinctive sent. 
 
 Thus see the lighter shades that paint the zone 
 Our Fairie doth encircle ; wonderment 
 And puzzle of who see effects alone. 
 
 I say then, what Caprice so many term 
 Uncourteous, in their selfish shell, and lone, 
 Or if perchance they do arouse the germ 
 
 Implant for self-defence, or man's reproof. 
 And 't doth with dignity and aspect firm 
 Virtue irradiate in own behoof; 
 
 Nay, with its steady brilliancy deter 
 And finally compel to keep aloof. 
 Save they with milder courtesy defer ; 
 
67 
 
 Is living impulse in fair bosom set 
 
 A polish on man's roughness to confer. 
 
 Weakness her outer frame, how woman get 
 To wield her softening influence o*er the man 
 
 Savage and barbarous, Sin did beget ! 
 
 Spirit, did matter create, and span 
 Its fluctuating periods ; spirit insert 
 
 Within her bosom, the victory began; 
 
 Spirit, 'neath man's unwieldy clay inert, 
 Reaching his heaviness even to oppress 
 
 For long the more fragile Being, still alert 
 
 In woman ; th' impetus to soothe distress, 
 To lull the storm of Passion in the Breast, 
 
 Mildness at length on th' savage mood impress. 
 
 Gentle and delicate it is ; and blest 
 Receiving it, and afterward still more 
 
 Whene'er for any cause by her carest. 
 
 Oh ! this perchance admitted were before, 
 
68 
 'Tis the offender, th* erring one rebels ; 
 
 And slanders first for Pride, then conscience sore. 
 
 What most is charming in Woman, and compels 
 Th' homage unanimous of th' manly sex, 
 
 Or lothful, Truth irresistibly impels ; 
 
 And grateful, th' elastic muse then speeds reflex ; 
 And th' jocund nature bids send on the note ; 
 
 Is effluence of, or a touch, or index. 
 
 Singly of the Rays do confluent devote 
 All they for sprightliness or grace avail, 
 
 To swell of sweet Delice the Queenly dote. 
 
 Oh ! she is wondrous ; Poesy must fail, 
 Blending Perfections in Delice to paint ; 
 
 Weakness, harmony of sounds bewail : 
 
 Scarce light compounding, give idea faint 
 How th' soft, ruddy and pungent rays combine 
 
 To yield a pure light, itself without a taint. 
 
 Who then not see, nor reflect this ray divine, 
 
69 
 And 't must, such they are, its pureness decompose 
 
 In th' void air and space, must certainly shine 
 
 In ruddy gleams of th' fain becomingness foes. 
 Such is the Light Caprice in th' bosom fair. 
 Irradiating thence in calm repose, 
 
 Not on the dull ones, but the debonnair ; 
 Course humors were meant, that do oft exhale 
 
 And cloud and darken round life's mounting stair ; 
 
 To make that light, e'en flicker in whiles, and pale : 
 Or seeming so, not alway purely glow. 
 
 To our conceptions th' whole, and they, grow stale. 
 
 Men oft misapprehend, and think they know ; 
 All that we daily see, we little heed. 
 
 And 'ts so, with feeling from Delice's bow. 
 
 Delice herself, the beauteous, and decreed 
 The Fairie Queene ; and all our action doth sway ; 
 
 What 's known of her ? what know we, kn®wn 
 indeed ! 
 
 Freely, the muse hath lent her wing to clay, 
 
70 
 
 But feebly the clay hath borrowed of her speed : 
 Brightly, the muse hath shed the glowing ray, 
 But darkly the clay hath sped the dolting reed 
 
 And dimly shadowed forth Delice to-day. 
 
MY BOYS. 
 
MY BOYS. 
 CANTO I. 
 
 My boys ; dividing th' family, and larger share 
 
 Of th' sport, and tumbling o'er head and heels ; 
 
 Of th' middle ages, 'tween the sisters fair ; 
 Are noble fellows : as th' boasting mother feels 
 
 When slily th' youngsters with their father measure, 
 
 And 'tween them and mother complacent steals 
 Th' look o'er my shoulder to tell their common pleasure; 
 
 They're o'ergrown fellows rather, that's a fact ; 
 
 And 't comes by th' other line : a dormant treasure, 
 Or tendence, in th' grandfather did not act, 
 
 And shot in th' young ones more vigorously for that ; 
 
 Till needs th' sheer vanity to counteract, 
 4 
 
74 
 
 ^he boys are good though ; neither of them 's a flat : 
 
 They're orderly, industrious, and putting them to 
 learn 
 
 The way of business ; how to do 't with ne'er the spat, 
 Or bickering, or miss ; just t' gradually earn 
 
 From year to year, that moderately suffice 
 
 For th' passing now ; and when t' old men they turn. 
 They've look, the youngest, 't were the Father twice ; 
 
 Th' other as of th' Great George Washington born ; 
 
 And neither 's envious ; suited to a T precise : 
 Ardent respectively, and one would adorn 
 
 A cabinet where talk is of what's to be done ; 
 
 And th' other then execute till th'. hope forlorn : 
 Th' expressions grave ; or lively, and full of fun 
 
 On face of most unconscionably big head ; 
 
 With eyes and mouth and glowing cheeks, to shun 
 The looking, hopeless for th' girl best drilled and bred : 
 
 But th' other 's grave and thoughtful, and o'erstaid 
 
 For his years ; not studious, but to business wed ; 
 
■75 
 
 Pondering of th' done, nor of th' to be done afraid. 
 
 My boys, there 's serious work 'fore you ahead ; 
 
 And ay there 's consequence of th' egg is laid, 
 And ye'U have to take 't, not other in your stead. 
 
 Bear well this lesson in mind ; 'tis certain, sure ; 
 
 And th' fact too ; or oft ye'll live in dread. 
 Proceed deliberately, then hope to endure. 
 
 Our life 's strown full with opportunities, 
 
 And we, well looking for ourselves, secure 
 Our portion ; of right, and not by importunities : 
 
 Right that lie in us, or need we do create 
 
 Of us ; some part we'll rightly fill in th' communities, 
 Of men ; and make 't our parcel, and rightful estate 
 
 'T exert our Being is t' exalt it, and enhance 
 
 Th' resources for happiness ; and doth abate 
 Our dangers. And 'tis th' very way to advance 
 
 In th' capacity to enjoy, and all its means ; 
 
 A want needs supplying, is circumstance 
 
76 
 
 To welcome ; 't is just a future pleasure, gleans 
 E'er wise one, 'fore its time, and hath at command : 
 And pays a pleasurable interest till survenes 
 
 The just occasion ; and then ye have it in hand. 
 Th' just hope and expectancy are a kind of Safe 
 For cherished valuables, to forthcome on demand ; 
 
 And then most valuable ; and ours by right ; not waif 
 We passingly snatch, and suits no actual need ; 
 Or though conjectured, th' caring for it chafe ; 
 
 And then, best known for the precious indeed, 
 'S well worthy of acquisition, and timely t' enjoy. 
 Ay, consider well ; and follow less than lead : 
 
 Prudence of old the Ancients did employ 
 
 To show their sense of wisdom : and I commend 
 It to you, for 't will spare you much alloy 
 
 So mingles in men's lot, as on they wend 
 Greedily snatching at every seeming prize. 
 To snatch, nine times in ten brings no good end. 
 
77 
 You can't have known that takes you by surprise, 
 And evil abounding, all chances are adverse ; 
 And then to grasp, is other far than wise. 
 Prudence and moderation '11 guard you from reverse 
 In general, and thrift certainly then is yours. 
 Than th' unstayed mind, I count there 's nothing 
 worse : 
 Be ay your same selves, and wise ; then good assures. 
 My boys, this Being that we are, and 's commonly 
 
 enough 
 Seen to look cheap article ; such one procures 
 At will, and of e'er quality, sleek, pliable, tough ; 
 And 's put to any purpose ; or borrows, or buys 
 In bye streets, of th' finished article, or common 
 rough 
 Staple : or worse, seizes him 'neath his native skies, 
 In th' dark, stealthily, in th' Africa lone 
 Degenerate, and makes of th' fellow merchandise : 
 
78 
 
 This Being *s yet so wonderful weVe to own 
 In this late day e'en of our long pilgrimage, 
 WeVe but beginning of his wonders known ; 
 
 And scarcely Ve come yet to th' Ideal will image 
 Show to entirely reach into the deep 
 In ourselves ; in th' inner man, and thence thrill image 
 
 Of 'selves in us astonishing to make us weep 
 For th' gentle clear loveliness did wear ; 
 To make remorseful stings all o'er us creep. 
 
 Dear Boys, there's such a heap of th' common ware, 
 Of th' hardware, brass, and earthen, and glossy tin, 
 And mock silver, and gilded gold, and all th' fair 
 
 Looking ; 'tis nigh impossible to tell th' within 
 Of any : and so man to be taken such he shows 
 Without, all through him ; called original sin. 
 
 Men make us to be by nature just what grows 
 On th' surface of our life, and common ways 
 We affect just as th' wind of our degeneracy blows. 
 
79 
 
 'Tis not God's man ye see, man so portrays 
 
 In common now-a-days, or th' Preacher tells 
 
 Of commonly, and insomuch betrays 
 His Lord and Master ; not following th' instinct wells 
 
 In every man, and well the brightest ought in him. 
 
 *Tis only th' common merchandize such sells 
 In th' Temple ; and all the works, to please the whim 
 
 Or idle caprice, or cover up some scratch ; 
 
 Or hoping to heal the running sore, or trim 
 The tree of his life, and make 't somehow to match 
 
 With th' requisitions should keep him out o' th' Hell 
 
 He fears 's coming after ; and th' pain and itch, may 
 Of sore damnation, and everlastingly dwell [catch 
 
 In torments of th'" itch, and company of snakes 
 
 And toads, of ghastly look and odious smell : 
 For such things do picture just what overtakes 
 
 Men in th' moral world ; some counterparts much 
 same 
 With them ; images of th' misery that never slakes 
 
80 
 Oc thirst, or hunger ; fed erst richly ; but th' flame 
 Of remorse there kindles to violent blaze 
 And scorching torment ; and th' miserable shame 
 For th' squandered Past, the conscious spirit weighs 
 Into th' depths of despair, and e'en its vilest lees. 
 My boys, we make for us here th' continuing ways 
 Hereafter, and none but th' pure will please 
 Enduringly ; Wisdom and Prudence I said 
 Were th' same, and Purity add from the disease 
 Of Evil in every form ; its very guise ay dread 
 Inspire in you, and e'en its thought make shrink 
 And tremble. Ye'll see and meet it largely spread, 
 And oft invitingly ; tempting you to take and drink 
 Of 'ts flowing cup, but holding death in 'ts dregs. 
 And fraught with 't throughout; but then do ye 
 think, 
 I charge you now, and fast am getting to th' last pegs 
 In my course, think well 'fore ye take a single drop ; 
 And follow th' world then swallowing 't by kegs. 
 
81 
 
 To once begin, ye'll ne'er know how to stop ; 
 And end your days in th' bitterness of despair. 
 I charge you, daily build securer prop 
 
 'Gainst th' proneness to indulge ; to choose the rare, 
 The pure, the prudent, wise ; and keep you clean 
 And white ; and th' whole image of your life ay fair 
 
 And spotless. Be true ; what done and said ay mean 
 
 Your meaning ; and th' doing, showing of the heart 
 
 Is in you ; that wrong, e'en th' world '11 lead you to 
 
 ween ; 
 Blind to 'ts own wrong, but quick enough to dart 
 
 Upon th' rent in other's garment, and to find fault : 
 
 But 'ts not to mind, except 'tis to depart 
 From folly, or error, or vice, ye've come to halt 
 
 In, till it wounds same like, or different, of same sort. 
 
 In fine, ye must become of th' very salt 
 Of the Earth, nor be content a whit o' it short. 
 
 My boys, I talk with you in plainest terms 
 
 O' the commonest usage : 'tis th' only resort 
 
 4* 
 
82 
 
 To tell the Truth. There's speech and language affirms 
 G rand lofty things and high up in the air, 
 With many flowers of rhetoric ; and worms 
 
 Us up to th' pitch of vanity and seeming fair ; 
 Tells well, and sounds well on the flattered ear ; 
 But bears not the wisdom is beyond compare 
 
 More precious, and whose paths are straight and clear 
 For us to go in, with solid content and peace 
 Awaiting us at th' end ; rough though appear 
 
 To th' unshodden and dainty of the grease 
 
 And sweat on th' arduous and laborious course 
 Of toil and strain do Righteousness increase ; 
 
 And build the strength to take hold o' Heaven by force ; 
 And enter it sure by 'ts strait and narrow gate. 
 To this rd fain counsel you with plainest discourse, 
 
 And telling you the truth of th' issues do await 
 Us, bad ; or good, as worked out day by day 
 With finest tissues, and strong weft, and straight ; 
 
83 
 
 Dealing with all mankind in th' plainest way. 
 Oh ! Heaven grant ye enter at last its Paradise 
 And all o' us meet there joyfully. Oh ! I pray 
 
 You strive, strive then, and be of them Born twice. 
 
 ADDENDUM. 
 
 The youngest, a noble youth, and has monstrous brain 
 As IVe told, and lying much back, is so confident 
 In 's self (and unaware on 't^ and is not vain,) 
 
 I fear he'll verify all 's incident 
 
 To good natured recklessness, 'fore he earns 
 
 Th' wisdom and prudence 'at makes one diffident ; 
 
 But '11 have the chance and occasion till he learns. 
 
CANTO II. 
 
 My boys, my own brave boys, still list to th' voice 
 Of counsel, a Father's warning, and dearly taught 
 Him by sore experience ; that there's a choice 
 
 In opportunities for doing or winning aught 
 Doth attract us, or seem to wear of good 
 The aspect ; and th' art to choose, is bought 
 
 With habitual care to first make understood. 
 
 Th' issues of partaking are various ; or sweet 
 ^Or bitter, with trains respective ; and 't would 
 
 Better guide and end, with all reflection meet, 
 T' imbue you in foreknowledge of the fruit 
 Doth offer, and consequence wherewith replete 
 
 Each act or movement ; so much e'en the brute 
 Will do in his strait sphere ; but man will stretch 
 Abroad ; the Moral Being acts, that hath acute 
 
85 
 And stretching issues, oft ending with the wretch 
 
 Hath nor the good, nor hope it be possest ; 
 
 Nay ignorant what, or whence it e'er he fetch. 
 Oh ! children dear, go not with all the rest ; 
 
 Because they do, do not, till weighing well 
 
 The issue, and if righteousness the crest ; 
 And the foundation too ; and alway to tell 
 
 Its bearings on the issue doth all o' us await : 
 
 There is a Heaven before us ; and for some a Hellj 
 Of their own making ; th' inevitable fate 
 
 Of who do from wisdom's sure ways depart. 
 
 To keep us in them, assures the Heavenly estate : 
 Pure are they, joyous for th' innocentj and of heart 
 
 Guileless, and erring, 'ts for ignorance alone ; 
 
 Or, thence acting of th' humble Penitent true part. 
 These observations grave or dull, I own ; 
 
 And tiring you, lay them for the time aside ; 
 
 Resuming 'em as a need you feel is grown. 
 
66 
 
 But what resume for substitute, not wide 
 
 From rational and sensible pursuit ; 
 
 Such befits th* youth of good sense and somewhat 
 
 Pride. 
 Pleasures of sense beyond due point dilute 
 
 Th' solid capacity for worth or any work : 
 
 Repugn, for all doth not precisely suit 
 
 To th' mood they engender ; and apt are to lurk 
 Like vermin in the hiding places, the holes 
 They retreat to in emergencies, to shirk 
 
 Observation ; and th* unwitting one cajoles 
 Him then to make appearances the game ; 
 A villainous mask, and turns to endless doles. 
 
 Let th' inner man at surface show ; then fame 
 To the deserving ; that all who honest seek, 
 Or it finds them out ; with, or without name. 
 
 The honest fame or name lives, not a week, 
 Or year, but in remembrance far adown 
 The stream ; in th' olden chronicle men speak, 
 
87 
 
 And oft in th' hamlet rehearse, or village or town 
 Where memory and mind not daily swept by news 
 Brings th* lightning, and published, then the frown, 
 
 Or smile, or wonder ; or perchance may amuse : 
 The moment occupies, and variously affects ; 
 But scattering reminiscences ; and refuse 
 
 Piles up in the mind, worthless for who reflects. 
 And fain would keep in the just exercise 
 Of his whole being ; and with despite rejects 
 
 Mere passing excitement and circumstantially wise : 
 Composure and steadiness of mind maintained, 
 Yield wisdom infallibly : and wisdom is prize 
 
 More precious than in riches e'er contained. 
 Oh ! ne'er solicit temporary gains 
 Till craving for the lofty, noble, waned 
 
 Hath in our bosoms, and virtue remains 
 But a name, a shadow, ready to fly 
 Before the least of th' adversary's strains ; 
 
88 
 
 The Tempter ; that with them doth each bosom ply. 
 As worm into the fairest flower will creep, 
 So he will into purest bosom pry ; 
 
 And if there weakness finding, doth not sleep 
 Nor rest, nor pause, till he have set the lure 
 T' ensnare th' unwotting one ; and sink him deep 
 
 In own Rebellion ; ne'er art omits to make him sure. 
 That Tempter is th' enemy that haunts our way, 
 Besets our steps ; ay offering to procure 
 
 The satisfaction for each longing may 
 
 Wake in us ; feeds every hope, and vauntingly boasts 
 Doth all command ; takes us where we survey 
 
 Earth's kingdoms all, and seas and coasts ; 
 Proffering them all, if we'll consent to take ; 
 And th' ignorant unconscious snares by hosts. 
 
 Be wary then, consider well when wake 
 Desire of aught, Pleasure or Riches, or 
 Power ; remember your life, your all, at stake 
 
89 
 
 Is. Happiness lies in ay keeping the just tenor 
 Of our way, as nature in innocence doth guide. 
 With watchfulness by us against the error 
 
 And evil, in indulgences they ever do slide 
 Into ; or th' indulgence into them. My Sons, 
 I charge you, on this point the world divide : 
 
 Here does the road strike off that broadly runs 
 To ruin : inviting, temptingly pleasant to travel 
 Seeming, but fraught with direst ruin : who shuns 
 
 This, comparatively is safe. Th' other is of gravel 
 And hills, forest and mountain cliff", morass 
 And thicket, dark windings and snarls to unravel. 
 
 And enemies to encounter, that strive to harrass 
 And plunder ; or cunning Satyrs would detain 
 With plausible lures ; or elves refuse you pass 
 
 Till you subdue them, and many they've slain 
 In dure encounters ; struggling, yet subdued 
 At last, of wounded, or conquered, and remain 
 
90 
 
 In homage and slavery that then accrued ; 
 Yet this your road to go, and conquer too. 
 Dear Sons, I would ye should be full imbued, 
 That dangers beset, and many snares will woo 
 You to ruin ; and brace you to the course will end 
 In triumph. In life we all have much to do, 
 And doing is of happiness companion and friend. 
 Count ay to do, first movement is and step 
 On your life's journey ; and pleasantly may attend 
 Your onward course ; and wards off a leading jeop- 
 Ardy is ay waiting, and watches for the young. 
 And lothfully leaves, till in the very trep- 
 idation of wasting breath and stiffening tongue : 
 Yea, till th' end, th' very hour of death waits on 
 
 us all. 
 Ay, th' vacant hour and listless soul, nor strung 
 
 With high Purpose, and feels no lofty call 
 
 On th' noble energies that in it lie. 
 
 Foolishly is waiting to become the thrall. 
 
91 
 
 Of any vagrant impulse, insinuation sly 
 
 Of th' Tempter, who hath minions watching every- 
 where ; 
 
 And well appointed to conquer, or hardly try ; 
 The vacant house, wide open and swept bare 
 
 For th' vagabond spirit t' enter in and possess. 
 
 Oh ! such vacuity, I do conjure, beware ! 
 Apply ye ay to invite the noble, true, fair, 
 
 And garnish the soul with them ; stout sentinels to 
 keep 
 
 The citadel of your strength with faithfulest care ; 
 Then, ay prepared for th' last incumbent leap. 
 
CANTO III. 
 
 I traced out just, dear boys, the general course 
 Of all our lives we wending now below, 
 In current, correct and general discourse. 
 
 But such sort generalities ay slow 
 For apprehension, dull in taking hold, 
 It needs with th' instruction, illustration go 
 
 Along ; that with th' example make the old 
 And proven, yea, method High Wisdom's own ; 
 As in the Scriptures illustrated and told ; 
 
 Told first, and many particulars then shown 
 In life, in doing them ; that is the task. 
 Nor is 't unpleasant, we've to do ; and then is known. 
 
 Problems at school have to be done, and ask 
 We may for help as we begin to learn ; 
 And then applying, we soon strip the mask 
 
93 
 
 From e*en th* most difficult ; then feel the fire and bum, 
 And laudable pride, and beginning glow 
 Of higher ambition ; and deem where'er we turn 
 
 Our effort, success we'll sure compel to follow ; 
 That is right. But there's an element to combine 
 Therein : we must be right, too ; then the morrow 
 
 Will not disappoint, or scarce one time in nine : 
 Or seven I would say, that is a number Saint ; 
 As each seventh day, the Sabbath, is divine ; 
 
 The first in the week, since th' early morn and faint 
 First dawn, tidings of joy illustrious for us 
 And cheering th' hope for man forever paint 
 
 On the dark shade of th' future. Men discuss, 
 High from the first when innocence forsaken. 
 Touching the future ; ignorant of, or make a muss. 
 
 About the word of promise never to .be shaken ; 
 And illustrated, done, showing from the dark 
 The drear loathsome sleep of the grave we awaken, 
 
94 
 
 Spring to our life again and soar like the lark 
 High upward we, even to the Paradise 
 Of th' Immortal ; and as we near, we hark 
 Triumphant welcome to th' earthly born twice ; 
 Regenerate from th' evil alloys in their lot. 
 Such tells the Sabbath, hope beyond all price. 
 Dear boys, there's somewhat not to be forgot 
 In all your wendings, and I would remind 
 Of it ; growing old I am ; nor day I wot 
 When I must go, and ye be left behind. 
 It is of nature, I the transit must 
 Make 'fore yourselves ; pale, lifeless, in the wind- 
 ing sheet ye'll see me, to crumble soon to dust 
 This outer frame ; weeping with many tears 
 My children dear : but with a humble trust 
 I'll bow to that unfailing lot : no fears 
 Will haunt the dying couch ; for I prepare 
 The strength that stays up, hope that interferes, 
 
95 
 
 From day-to-day. I wot, for why this wayfare 
 Is appointed us on Earth ; and that we learn 
 To live I To live aright, demands a care 
 
 From us, whatever we do, where'er we turn, 
 The care to do it right, justly, and truly ; 
 For alway doth its consequence return 
 
 Upon us : 'tis a fruit we pluck, and duly 
 Plucking, we enjoy ; nor brings it then remorse : 
 But reckless, and headstrong, wilful and unruly, 
 
 Impatient, fretting, plunging like wild horse, 
 Or colt unbridled yet, and hoots e'er rein ; 
 Or in your affairs to recklessly endorse 
 
 And speculate ; ye'U find, what very plain 
 To older heads and wiser men, ye're tools, 
 And unavailing then regret remain. 
 
 Our life and all its scenes are early schools. 
 Appointed for us that we may acquire 
 Some wisdom, from ignorants and fools 
 
96 
 
 That all of us are, when first we do respire 
 This breath of our being ; ignorant, I say, 
 For we begin to live and have to acquire 
 . Our knowledge ; and foolish, for we may 
 Fall into follies in taking of the fruit 
 Provided for our sustenance or play ; 
 
 Fruit to live by, and such we in astute 
 
 Must learn to be, in world of moral things ; 
 And we take such, and just so much, will suit 
 
 With welfare ; and then happiness brings. 
 Do you then see it so ? or would, I point 
 Particularly all the fruits and stings, 
 
 To you with accurate wisdom thus anoint. 
 And sheathe you so with armor to defend 
 From attack ? so keep you whole in wind and joint ; 
 
 What, tell you for each act, as on you wend ; 
 What fruit in the whole garden of the world, 
 And measure of it, take, to not offend ! 
 
97 
 
 T* were th' history of your life in whole unfurled 
 Before you had resolved an act, or wish 
 Had sprung ; or conquering temptation had hurled 
 
 Its darts at you. 'Tis bait attracts the fish. 
 And growing wary, if 'chance just escaping 
 Once or twice, or many times, the childish 
 
 Days are past, then looks how th' bait is shaping : 
 And so with men, may 't be too, as they proceed 
 In life ; considering their way, not aping 
 
 The foolish ones ; slow biting, and to grasp and bleed. 
 If we consider daily the event. 
 And circumstance, and accident and deed 
 
 That happened or was done as on we went. 
 
 We may then on their wisdom severally pronounce ; 
 And set us, in future cullings, wiser stent : 
 
 Most things, in limits, I do not denounce ; 
 
 There's a world of good things broadly set around. 
 
 And our Maker at beginning did announce 
 5 
 
98 
 
 We might of all o' them take were to be found 
 Except of a particular kind. This kind 
 He positively forbade ; for it would wound 
 
 Us unto death ; and spake for all mankind ; 
 And pointed to it as standing full amid 
 All th' other trees with fruit ; as well behind, 
 
 Before, on every side. Our Parents, yet, did 
 Partake, quite contrary to the command ; 
 But all in confusion and conscience stricken, hid 
 
 Them from his Presence ; did not dare to stand 
 Before him : that fruit then, is Evil called. 
 This Paradise of life in which we land, 
 
 Or th' opportunity in which we installed. 
 To be, and act the Moral Being's Part, 
 When from the womb we disenthralled 
 
 And mortal life mysteriously takes start ; 
 From th' nature of th' Being self, is exposed 
 To one particular danger ; that is, to depart 
 
99 
 
 From Truth, th' true way ; and into way opposed 
 To it ; and is in whole and general styled. 
 Just as we've called it, th' evil ; that men, disposed 
 
 T' enjoy, and naturally and properly, beguiled 
 To are, insensibly at first, in taking 
 Of fruit that offering, and seeming reconciled 
 
 With th' actual desire or want ; and for its slaking ; 
 Or in th' incumbent need of some employment 
 Th' else wearisome monotony and tedium breaking. 
 
 With profitable action and pleasing employment. 
 
CANTO IV. 
 
 'Tis certain, my dear boys, life were no boon 
 With not somewhat to yield us a beatitude, 
 Beguile the hours, the morn, the night, and noon 
 
 Between, with interest and even solicitude 
 Fraught, th' emotions t' awake and duly engage 
 Our high susceptibilities, polish the rude 
 
 Corporeal tendencies in us here ; having to wage 
 A warfare with them, lest they unchecked assume 
 Undue predominance and aspire to guage 
 
 Th' whole quality of our life, and to consume 
 Our time and thoughts, and take predominance 
 In th' whole conduct of our way. And I resume 
 
 Then the train of my suggestions, to enhance 
 If I may, with suasive and loving discourse 
 Your esteem of th' veritable way to advance 
 
101 
 
 Towards perfection in your life ; to earn force, 
 Beauty and every ornament in due place 
 On th' mirror of your life through its whole course ; 
 
 And win the triumph in its arduous race. 
 And first, there must a Principle be born 
 In you, to ne'er for any motive embrace 
 
 Th' equivocal ; uncertain how it bring the morn 
 Doth after come, or day, or week, or year ; 
 Or leave you perchance of virtue, honor, shorn. 
 
 There is a deal displays it to appear 
 Attractive, profitable ; sure to win 
 And nothing holding that justly we've to fear ; 
 
 And j^et hath in 't at end but grief and chagrin. 
 Disappointment, loss, interminable regret, 
 Bitterness, nay, shame to th' very grave we lay in ; 
 
 And past, too, your opportunity to get 
 The riches, qualities and veritable worth. 
 That never to perish ; and are not to let 
 
102 
 
 In yonder world, but to win only by th' full birth ; 
 Same signified by Baptism's holy wet, 
 And to endue 't, this pilgrimage on Earth 
 
 Ordered ; and admitting of th' righteous strength 
 Will uphold us in the Truth, the perfect way 
 Of our life ; full practicable at length 
 
 With diligent endeavor for the year and day. 
 Such thoughts, incumbent 't is you entertain, 
 Dear boys ; that your blest destiny you may 
 
 At th' end of th' earthly Pilgrimage attain. 
 God doth love, is Love, and did create 
 Th' innumerable Worlds, and Earth amain, 
 
 All full magnificent to contemplate. 
 
 And moon along also, in the serene blue sky ; 
 That therein he his children might instate 
 
 Worthy Participants with Him in the High 
 Glory and blissful wending Immortality, 
 Here now attend us, and there, and far and nigh ; 
 
103 
 
 And by JQst sequence, not by a fast fatality. 
 He worthy creates us. and worthily demean 
 We must, at the beginning, and while vitality 
 Endure ; and that's forever : in this scene, 
 And there, where taken swiftly to from hence, 
 By death we call 't, but is better life, I ween ; 
 And perfect man, yea, perfect angel thence : 
 God's children here and there, and angels there : 
 Angels same Being, but in higher tense. 
 Hold that perfection then, and as you wayfare ; 
 Cultivate it, in ornament and grace, 
 To evermore dwell in th' immortal welfare. 
 Oh ! let's all meet there in th' appointed place, 
 And dwell in love together, in those days 
 Of Immortality ; to oft retrace 
 With deep interest scenes where won Immortal bays. 
 It is not difficult for us to believe 
 There's other better life, if perfect ways 
 
104 
 
 We keep ; or straying from them, we retrieve 
 Us ; sorely afflicting, and weeping for our sins. 
 But having repented, we may n't yet so deceive 
 Us, that sin with impunity begins 
 
 Again ; repent, and go and sin no more. 
 The charge is, and the terms too, for who wins 
 The grace, and restoration where before ; 
 Or else 't were useless entirely to forgive ; 
 Nor is 't ay granted ; comes time when 't passes o'er ; 
 And we decide *t, as on we go and live 
 In same way, was repented of; going back 
 To 't ; repentance lasts for a while, but th' sieve 
 Wears out : repentance sifts, and ay old hack 
 Will come to end ; our ways we must amend ; 
 This is the Scripture, and we've to get the knack 
 To live in Righteousness ; and never descend - 
 From it ; to learn and keep always in the Truth. 
 Angels the ladder did descend and ascend, 
 
105 
 
 And we may climb to tip of th' azimuth ; 
 But have to climb, and trying time and again : 
 And thus may attain ; with th' intervening ruth 
 
 The fall brings with it ; and trying with might and 
 At last, we finally get to th' very tip [main 
 
 Of glory and strength, and then at length maintain : 
 
 Brought to 't with lash of repentance, and whip 
 Of discipline ; full sore, but all for the best, 
 Though grievously trying, and keenly doth clip 
 
 The curl of vanity off, and dash its crest. 
 The cause of grief for us, is that's to take 
 Away, and lies in and must go out o' the breast. 
 
 The heart must be purged till 't \vill forsake 
 The degenerate way it comes so to affect ; 
 All " vanity of vanities," as the Preacher spake. 
 
 Dear boys, I do not dwell, and more dissect 
 
 All dead bones and carcases do strew 
 
 The way we have come over ; but reflect 
 5* 
 
106 
 
 A little ; and say, if mankind only knew, 
 Or only would remember, th' issues grow 
 Out of their action, as the Scriptures shew 
 
 Them, and would weigh all well as on they go 
 In life ; they would be wiser, stronger, purer, 
 Happier ; and grief and wretchedness be slow 
 
 To show themselves ; all good things of life be surer 
 In possession and continuance ; and peace 
 In your bosoms would make your joys securer 
 
 Than they are : your hope would not be torn piece- 
 Meal, and ye distracted with inquietude 
 All the day long ; and midnight still increase 
 
 It, as wakened by slamming shutter, or rude 
 Hustle of the firemen's rush, and ponderous roll 
 Of th' clamorous engine, in the solitude . 
 
 And darkness ; or ring of watchman on his stroll 
 To bring t' his aid for murderer or thief, 
 Thriving by crime and all unlawful dole : 
 
107 
 
 To rack the pure bosom with sad thoughts and grief. 
 Oh ! my children, be ye wary now, 
 Nor let the passing things engross you in chief. 
 
 Rise ye above them, and quietude endow 
 
 In your bosoms, by taking fast hold on the sure 
 And steadfast ; anchor your hope, and steer your 
 prow 
 
 In Righteousness, day by day ; so be secure. 
 Have faith in God, and seek ye to do his will ; 
 And love him with all your heart ; in virtue endure : 
 
 Then hope 's for you, when in grave ye lie down still. 
 
MY DAUGHTER. 
 
MY DAUGHTER 
 
 CADETTE. 
 
 CANTO I. 
 
 Oh ! daughter dear, my youngest, and wotting much 
 Of th' housekeeping cares, still tender in years ; 
 What left then is at length for you, and such 
 
 Fall straight in your ken, and wotted by e'er one hears 
 If chance 't survive till thou 'st done growing tall, 
 Mother o'ertopping, and grandmother too, she fears : 
 
 Demure a little, rather grave looking, and withal 
 And o'er all and crowning the face, a brow 
 Bravely promises thou 'It honor, or name, or call 
 
 For good behavior, sensible discourse ; now 
 Somewhat scarce in society ; and the fund 
 Rather wasting, or th' business doing wont allow 
 
112 
 
 Its dispending, e'en for th' interest ; its fecund 
 
 Topics from staple of sheer elegant trifles, 
 
 And with shadowy consistency, not the least rubicund 
 Glowing or suffusing ; for th' understood courtesy stifles 
 
 Th' uncouth utterance of nature for any share 
 
 In th' entertainment ; and so all th' interest, rifles. 
 Oh ! we admire and defer to the lady fair 
 
 Sensible, modest, natural, in converse discreet ! 
 
 My daughter, needs not I tell thee to beware 
 Of e'er violence to nature ; or that, I should treat, 
 
 To th' proper and sensible demeanor relate ; 
 
 But rather how cultivation with nature meet, 
 And carry 't on to the fullest and highest estate. 
 
 Oh ! here task is, and high impulse as well ; 
 
 Nature my theme, love of my daughter t' inflate 
 The chant or strain, with the occasional swell 
 
 And glowing burst, they must and will constrain. 
 
 The daughter, and wife and mother 'chance, to dwell 
 
113 
 
 On them, our common kind, and common strain 
 Is now, on th' girl IVe seen born into life, 
 Born, and yet in th' very Heaven fore'er may reign. 
 
 Whence inspiration then, if here not will 't the strife 
 Of natural and tender emotions for just cause 
 In all the theme, the daughter, sister, wife 
 
 May be, if show there e'er, to just " because" 
 Not open, and having the fine art to prevail ; 
 Then thence sure, new sweet ties by nature's laws. 
 
 Hail to them, I say, yea joyous, triumphant hail ! 
 To th' new Immortal Being born to glory. 
 If 't will. But now I must show thee how in mail 
 
 Thou'lt wrap thyself, to keep, when I am hoary ; 
 To keep thee in virtue, stainless honor, and white 
 As the driven snow ; pure as in sacred story 
 
 The chaste mother of Him did from the light 
 Of Heaven and from it's glory descend 
 To teach us Purity, and daily to fight 
 
114 
 
 Against the wickedness the erring do blend 
 In their wayfare here ; or th' trespass mere 
 And every shadow 't doth to th' mirror lend. 
 
 Ah 1 Life not ay transparently white, and clear 
 From every shadow reflecting, and taint, 
 When into th' looking glass of life we peer. 
 
 This glass look into, dear, and if thou'rt saint 
 'T will certainly much of th' lovely and fair reflect ; 
 But if, 'chance, se'st spots, do not then paint 
 
 Them o'er ; find out th' unseemly cause, and reject 
 It ; indignant for thyself, cast it out quite 
 With choicest discipline, and restore th' effect • 
 
 Is due ; is to nature due, and to the light 
 
 From Heaven came, the gross darkness to scatter 
 That covered the People, and rub the conscience 
 bright. 
 
 Oh ! Heaven shed not that, nor taught 't to flatter 
 The man's degenerate heart, but, clear it out 
 From all th' old rubbish, and put in other matter 
 
115 
 
 Of high import, and put th' evil all to rout, 
 
 Was rioting unchecked almost, and brought the 
 
 steams 
 Made th' image of our life unseeml}^ flout 
 
 Th' original, from him did come who holds th' extremes 
 Of purity, and of our fate ; and th' issues all 
 Of th' human lot and destiny ; as he deems 
 
 Just, and Heaven's security perforce doth call. 
 I would thou shouldst examine thee, and all seems 
 To mar, or soil, or in the least enthrall 
 
 The pure Image, to purge ; all patches and seams 
 On th' fair robe of chaste virtue to efface. 
 And shine thou in steady light and flashing lemes. 
 
 Virtue and Truth work in us, and they brace 
 To resolute action : 't is not just to believe 
 And rest there, it gives no glow to the face ; 
 
 Truth done, and conscious of it, will relieve 
 
 On th' staple capacity, and send straight bright glow, 
 Like th' just risen sun, or setting soon at eve. 
 
116 
 
 It is mysterious, as the blush will show 
 
 How ay face tells what's working in the soul, 
 
 For showing, or not showing, either makes known 
 The working is there, in part or in whole. 
 
 'Tis th' evidence we all do live within ; 
 
 There's outer man ; but inner, who plays the roll. 
 Dear daughter, I would that you should now begin 
 
 To feel we live here only for a time. 
 
 It 's plain, the silent dead put in the coffin ; 
 The old, the youth, the strong man in his prime, 
 
 Th' infant first cries, all borne to and hushed in the 
 grave ; 
 
 Convince the most hardy they'll follow betime ; 
 Ay certain, though future ; nothing can save 
 
 From that journey, and thither we've to go ; 
 
 And 'tis wisdom to think on 't, that go we then brave. 
 So young, would ye, I think 'bout that last wo ! 
 
 My daughter I fancy now hear her to say ; 
 
 And grant she may count on a measure, so, so ; 
 
117 
 'Tis of nature we all live the year and day, 
 
 But 'tis the business of life to prepare us to die : 
 And the distinction 'tween these 'twere well to 
 display. 
 
 That we do live 'spite death, few will deny ; 
 
 To believe it in earnest, is a little more rare ; 
 
 To uphold us in th' faith, or to th' utmost try 
 (And then we succeed) demands so much care 
 
 We do most put it off to convenient season ; 
 
 Of this though I pray you, my child, beware ; 
 And that death may come, and doth, early, the reason 
 
 'Tis mere common prudence to keep us secure. 
 
 And any thing short is nought else but treason, 
 Yet motives beside are there, to make us sure ; 
 
 Of safety the way, is of happiness likewise ; 
 
 And way of life here, doth there also endure ; 
 But less pleasant circumstance there doth arise 
 
 For that business of life, I said must be done ; 
 
 Nay, for some, there not e'en th' opportunity lies. 
 
118 
 
 And therefore 'tis meet, with our frolic and fun 
 T' interweave a due care and solicitude, 
 To cultivate virtue, and error and evil shun. 
 
 Besides, a force and strength is there in habitude 
 Of virtue or vice ; and reaching 'yond the grave : 
 Then cultivate virtue and in it fortitude. 
 
 Virtue is Truth, that hath virtue to save ; 
 Is the Truth impersonated, done and shown, 
 That is witness we're strong in it, and brave : 
 
 And virtue so manifest, we have to own. 
 But reluctantly though, is exceeding rare. 
 Oh ! melancholily th' avowal flown. 
 
 And pause I must, my spirit to cheer and spare. 
 
CANTO 11. 
 
 Grave themes Fve sought, my child, to introduce 
 
 And win you to think upon in current verse : 
 
 But now let's childishness dismiss ; th' abstruse 
 A little more, enter on gravely, and converse 
 
 In sober strain on topics of high import. 
 
 These lessons may 'chance reach you from the 
 hearse 
 Hath borne me to the grave, and thence report 
 
 Their solemn drift and counsel for my girl. 
 
 Oh ! I entreat you, ay keep lofty Port 
 In your demeanor, and stayed, amid this whirl 
 
 Of business, fashion, society and common place. 
 
 To live, is serious work ; here doth unfurl 
 
« 
 
 120 
 
 The Being and life and character, embrace 
 
 The whole future, life, death, eternity. 
 
 The Path we lay out here, we do retrace 
 And prosecute or stay in : Time's paternity 
 
 Of th' Future for us, a progress that never stops ; 
 
 In womb of th' Present lies the maternity 
 Of character and destiny, and all the props 
 
 Of virtue and glory must be set secure 
 
 Against the thrusts they encounter, and the tops 
 Kept steadily pointing toward the zenith future, 
 
 High up and difficult to climb in world 
 
 Where 's so much to distract, so little pure 
 And excellent ; Society so whirled 
 
 In business, dissipation, crime and vice ; 
 
 Vanity so feathered, and the lip of Pride curled ; 
 Business so hurried, that not e'en advice 
 Is taken from th' old, experienced and wise. 
 I charge you, child, in all you do be nice. 
 
1121 
 
 And closely distinguish 'tween th' foolisli and otherwi^ 
 And very much when wilt assent a wife, 
 The wife, to become ^ that ne'er there then arise 
 
 Cause to regret this launch for the whole life : 
 Th' husband should be virtuous, and set 
 Firmly in that way, that will preclude e'er strife 
 
 'Tween you two ; that I'm sure of, nor need fret 
 About or with you ; thou'lt love and do thy duty, 
 And husband to do as much, take care to get ; 
 
 Thy children should have goodness, and beauty, 
 And manners and education to abet 
 These attributes, and take them to maturity. 
 
 Thy household be well ordered too, and set ; 
 Not overdoing, but all in good taste and style ; 
 And then I'd wish it never be to let. 
 
 But oh ! my child, ne'er flatter nor beguile 
 
 Thyself to deem thou'rt housed from all mischance ; 
 
 Not alvi^ay may thy life securely while 
 6 
 
122 
 
 Away, and daily thy content enhance. 
 
 Tis not so ordered, for then boasting pride 
 Inure would surely, and lead thee to prance^ 
 
 And high fashion and many vanities ride i 
 Nay, thou must prove too, vrhat vicissitude ; 
 Not though to keep thee from so foolish stride. 
 
 But reconcile thse to th' stranger doth intrude 
 In precincts of all, and straightway snatch away. 
 Not valuables we hold, but us, with rude 
 
 Or positive diligence : that, the last day 
 Of a life happy, charitable, pure, I trust j 
 And pious towards Heaven, as thou dost pray 
 
 And bend thy thoughts and heart where "moth and rust 
 D(5 not corrupt, nor thieves break through and steal ;'' 
 Even to Heaven, th' eternal future where all must 
 
 Appear at last, nor there may thought conceal^ 
 Nor act, nor wish indulged, but all appear 
 Just as it is or was ; all we must reveal j 
 
123 
 
 And oh ! then nought 'tween us and Heaven interfere ! 
 Oh ! thou dear child, demure, tV unwotten one, 
 And didst now, just e^en, engage thee to steer 
 
 Thy course to Reichart's daily, where be won 
 
 By th' diligent like thee, such silver and gold [fun 
 And exchange will buy what's o' worth, when roguish 
 
 With kit and th' chicken broods and rooster old 
 (Was found to be missing early th' other morn 
 And th' fowls all complaining o' th' pip or a cold) 
 
 And also of th' reading stories are just shorn 
 (To tell the fact) of all that's v/orth the while ; 
 And myself would soon ha'em to kindlings torn 
 For th' dull anthracite we've so to beguile 
 And c oax ; and cowardly too, when bitting frost 
 Comes down from the North Pole, or within a mile 
 
 Or degree or so : about where they're looking at such 
 cost, 
 For th' missing and bold John Franklin ; made a Sir; 
 For th' adventurous exploits, and now is lost 
 
124 
 
 In th' drear cold ice ; and all th' benevolent astir 
 And vehemently urged by th* lone v^^ife that weeps, 
 Nor will she be consoled. He w^ent not to fur- 
 
 Ther personal views, or win the covering keeps 
 The degenerate warm in milder latitude, 
 But th' spirit to obey that never sleeps 
 
 Now in discoveries for the multitude ; 
 
 For th' people, waxing in peaceable pursuits ; 
 And roams through every whit of longitude ; 
 
 Bat th' latitude continually confutes 
 
 Th' indomitable endeavor and enterprize, 
 Courage and hardihood. The North Pole never 
 dilutes 
 
 Its ice and snow ; and catches by surprise 
 In the long and drear cold wintry night : 
 Or be 't when Summers Sun toward zenith rise 
 
 And suddenly loosening th' icy locks so bright 
 
 Surprise the frail Bark, then whelmed in the tide ; 
 Or crushing to such splinters that we light 
 
125 
 
 O' the morning, as said, to suasively slow guide 
 Sheer lambent flame to its hold on th' anthracite. 
 Oh ! there's a world of things, to fast divide 
 
 Th' attention of the looking for every light, 
 Dormant in nature till we look and pry, 
 And mock at th' obstacles, and feud and fight. 
 
 But herein we do make us wise, bold, spry ; 
 Resources indue, and th' ability to work ; 
 Power in ourself, and all ready and nigh, 
 
 At instant command ; nor commanded, shirk 
 Th' office and duty : but exercise must limber 
 And grease them, keep them from twist and quirk ; 
 
 And th' artisans, have always proper timber ; 
 Or th' product is useless ; th' materials wasted 
 For us ; we must have method, and whim ber- 
 
 Ate ; and th' ease and complacency once tasted 
 Of th' orderly and persevering series 
 And regulation of our studies, not hasted 
 
126 
 
 Over in th' eager thirst of somewhat wearies 
 Yet sooner, may be ; I'd say 'tis wholly best,- 
 And far more profitable, than one congeries 
 
 Put at the once all to be labored, and test 
 To disadvantage and disappointment at last ; 
 A whole jumble confused, and perfect pest 
 
 In the mind. Knowledge available is cast 
 Separately into moulds or troughs ; or lobes 
 Some say, but speculate I think too fast. 
 
 They'd found a Geography of the Globes 
 Our heads, and a Philosoph}^ then build 
 On it, that touches on or feels them or probes, 
 
 A nd character and way and mind through pipe distill'd ! 
 
CANTO IIL 
 
 Of all the Physiognomists beware, my daughter; 
 And so I dismiss them, a humbug of the day 
 In theirpretensions, and most attract sheer laughter, 
 
 The countenance will somewhat tell of th' play 
 In soul is going on, for th' sensible and discreet ; 
 But Science and certainty never come may. 
 
 The soul hath scarcely come yet into th' street 
 Of the v/orld, to know and familiarly bow 
 In passing ; nay, th' secret thoughts are o'er discreet 
 
 In their communication, and oft allow 
 E'en th' explanation in the dark to while^ 
 For th' understanding of the listener now. 
 
 And I'd engage you then to shun e'er guile 
 In all your conversation^ by habit and wont. 
 Nor falsity e'er linger in the blandish smile. 
 
128- 
 
 Let thy bold thoughts and meaning e'er confront 
 The clear sense and understanding of who- 
 Ever listen and thou take unshrinkingly the brunt 
 
 Of th' offence if 't be so, whate'er say or d&> 
 
 Thou mayest, e'en though in error it should be ; 
 For then thou'lt find the Truth ; that's ay to woo. 
 
 Truth to find out, and wholly to be free, 
 Enviable alike, and are one and the same^ 
 Oh ! here, in purpose and act, let us agree. 
 
 Truth js Beauty, is Power, and is the flame 
 That lambent defends unsullied the soul, 
 And guards unwearied! y the honest fame ; 
 
 It is loveliness impersonate and whole. 
 There's Beauty by the Principles of Art,. 
 Some elements in nature we unroll 
 
 By closest study, and working of the heart 
 When disenthralled of the degenerate chains ;■ 
 Freely working: our nature then in every part,. 
 
129 
 This Beauty, Art displays then till it strains 
 
 The souls of the degenerate to amaze, 
 
 For th' excellence defying all their brains 
 To reason it ; or e'en th' Imagination, through haze 
 
 Of degeneracy so darkens o'er mankind ; 
 
 A Purity of th' life illumes this glaze 
 Of th' eyes so stupified by every kind 
 
 Of indulgence, but ay th' soul yet staggers. 
 
 And gazes, and wonders, as 'twere natural blind ; 
 But this is mistake ; and one ought t' send daggers 
 
 Into their hearts, did wickedly make the charge ; 
 
 And conscience, waken in innumerable laggers 
 To vindicate our nature, and Truth at large, 
 
 From the corruption in man men do assert. 
 
 Ne'er this believe, dear, nor e'er moor thy barge 
 Of safety or pleasure near any specific insert 
 
 Men do, in place of th' veritable acting 
 
 Of th' Truth ; but nigh as canst to its own desert 
 6* 
 
130 
 
 And high honor ; and forever counteracting 
 Th' weakness inseparable from th' ignorance 
 Of new life in us, that carefully then redacting 
 
 Into Wisdom's straight Paths, we do enhance 
 Us to th' pure angelic life of perfect innocence. 
 And then bliss, and forever go on and advance 
 
 In perfect goodness and happiness thence- 
 
 Forth. But else, e'en though we mercifully taken 
 To th' Immortal Paradise, we'd not have sense, 
 
 Nor wisdom, nor strength, that evil guile be shaken 
 Ever off; and Heaven itself we'd only spoil. 
 Therefore, th' instruction so cast must be forsaken ; 
 
 Or neglected ; and yet thou anoint with th' holy oil 
 Distilled and shed abundantly by Christ 
 All th' vermin of evil and contagion to foil. 
 
 He taught, and showed, how foil whene'er enticed 
 To indulgence in th' least, or strongly, blent 
 With soil of that alloy ; and yet so priced 
 
131 
 
 And vaunted by the Tempter, to win our assent, 
 And service, and worship ; as our Master and Lord, 
 Christ is our Saviour from the Tempter, and consent 
 
 Doth simply ask we follow him ; that we accord 
 With him in th' spirit governs us, that we obey 
 The same, or the like ; that's ay in perfect concord 
 
 With every enjoyment, or indulgence, may allay 
 The natural desire, or innocent suggestion 
 O'ertakes us in th' ordinary course and way 
 
 Of our life. He'd have us happy, by a true digestion 
 Of all the fruit doth offer and tempt us to take ; 
 The consequence first digest, then ne'er congestion 
 
 O'ertake ; and we use quackeries to ease the ache. 
 This lesson, dear, is fraught with wisdom's lore ; 
 Our whole experience's comments make 
 
 It plain for us, as did for many of yore ; 
 We must be ever discreet, and search, and learn 
 The character and consequence, before 
 
132 
 
 We do or take in e'er indulgence we do yearn 
 For, and guard securely our innocence and peace, 
 And then too, surely th' immortal destiny earn. 
 
 Dear Daughter, thus I've conducted you, piece- 
 Meal and accurately, through many details 
 Of th' imminent dangers, and struggles, never cease 
 
 In th' earthly pilgrimage ; for he who fails 
 To win th' high Prize of th' Future, hath to blame 
 Only himself; or 'chance, the Parent who sails 
 
 Along life's stream with unconsidered aim ; 
 Or failing, the consequence ay follows remote, 
 To probe as he ought ; pursuing some flame 
 
 Of glory, dazzles and blinds him ; or smote 
 With th' poor ambition to surpass all others 
 In this world's goods, and o'erweeningly devote 
 . To ambitious scheme, or project, that smothers 
 
 The prudent heed for th' future ; far outweighing, 
 In wise counsel, this temporary that so pothers 
 
133 
 
 The world of mankind, and leaves them inveighing 
 
 At last, the folly governed them and then betrayed. 
 
 They drive on swiftly, like the runners sleighing 
 O'er th' new fallen snow, might melt before they'd 
 sleighed ; 
 
 Nor heed, their lives may melt yet 'fore the snow ; 
 
 And 'fore they've th' end and consequences weighed. 
 In all, I would my daughter thou shouldst know 
 
 Whate'er might warn, and keep thee to the true 
 
 And living way, as wending here below. 
 Then thou'rt safe thyself ; and wilt too imbue 
 
 In thine, if hast them, same Wisdom and Truth to 
 guide 
 
 Them also to triumph ; as^ Heaven grant may you. 
 Treasure these thoughts, my dear ; let them divide 
 
 Th' attention needfully bestowed on cares 
 
 Of the household, and over the world wide. 
 
134 
 
 May peace and joy of th' home guard thee from snares 
 Are set for th' multitude of the fair life leased, 
 Seeking each Triumphs in respective shares ; 
 
 Or th' larger part, unwise then, saying the least. 
 Truth, happiness and hope be steadily your's 
 All the days of your life ; or sorrow, be yeast 
 
 If coming, the heaviness or languor cures. 
 Pure joy illume thy countenance betimes. 
 And steady cheerfulness ay ; that assures 
 
 Content in th' family, and gradually climbs 
 
 O'er all the snarls : death, gentle oh ! may 't come, 
 
 And take to Heaven my daughter ; this, sublimes 
 
 My view and hope ; of all 's to cherish, or say, the 
 sum. 
 
THE GUEST. 
 
Be pleased to deem these lines for cipher ^ or notes ,- 
 And th"* execution to tell what H all denotes. 
 
THE GUEST. 
 
 CANTO I. 
 
 I thoTiglit to have done and finished, the old 
 And new, and World entire ; the coming on. 
 The flourishing in prime, and them '11 be told 
 
 Of soon, had been, but suddenly left for yon 
 Far spreading range of deep unsearchable blue, 
 Doth of the Infinite, Conception paint and don 
 
 Ton th' Finite, and tell 'tis certainly true ; 
 
 And we a part on 't ; 't thrills in bosom, thrills : 
 But there 's one of th' family, one o' our few, 
 
 Not blood relation as we sa}^ but still 's 
 Of th' family, and from far, far away ; 
 E'en Sweden's land o' the North ; and of plains 
 and hills. 
 
138 
 
 That 'mongst them much loves o' th' excellent to stay. 
 
 She came to entrance us, and t' lovingly enhance 
 
 The mind o' their own youth in wisdom's highway : 
 (What singular and remarkable circumstance 
 
 And turning t' else th' insatiable greed than t' vex); 
 
 Oh ! noble heart, doth so to th' good entrance ! 
 She 's a wonder in the world, in all respects ; 
 
 Where now 's the might of thrones and armies spent ! 
 
 Who boots for 'em th' day ; and th' whole not neg- 
 lects 
 To wonder at, in th' triumph of goodness ; and the 
 event, 
 
 Frees nature out o' her banishment and stress ; 
 
 And 's carrolling in th' streets, a common wonder- 
 ment. 
 Th' Era is set, will get us out o' the wilderness 
 
 Where th' woman driven, as tells th' apocalypse : 
 
 Lift up your heads, loth dwellers in the darkness ! 
 
139 
 
 Nature and truth no more for you all in eclipse ; 
 Out of the north cometh light ; th' Aurora Borealis, 
 Through yon blue canopy 'at frolics and skips 
 
 In th' clear Heaven, did n't it for spite and malice. 
 Oh ! no, Heaven's signs, oft as they may, are kind 
 And temper t' utmost th' needful bitter chalice. 
 
 •I say, friends, how is 't ye love the gentle hind, 
 
 And th' notes are such pure streaming of the soul ; 
 'Tis cause ye are n't such very born fools and blind, 
 
 They tell of, who don do th' Priestly robe and stole. 
 
 Fair lady, ye're welcome, missionary ye've come 
 
 To th' dead benighted ; just seeing through a hole 
 
 Th' light of Heaven ; forbade, withheld from 'ts 
 wholesome 
 Beams and health ; and saved by death who're dead. 
 
 But how'll I speak to you, fair lady, to become 
 So beautiful theme ; though 't th' melancholy fed 
 Just th' instant, even as clouds obscure the sun. 
 1 havn't yet found o' that could heaviness shed 
 
140 
 
 On th' pure joy 'at starts and speeds 't to the run 
 All over me and through, and stays upon my ear, 
 (Except as first mentioned, and with 't have now 
 done): 
 
 And yet must tell 't thee, I hav n't been to hear! 
 Calmness and quiet need for me, or I'm spoiled ; 
 And desperate though th' hope of them, I fear. 
 
 Where thou art, save thou ha'e all gently foiled 
 Them, with th' wish in amiable tones expressed, 
 Thou wouldst be in thyself a little recoiled : 
 
 Yet 's naught o' disrespect for them in my breast. 
 Fair lady, times pregnant and wonderful are these ; 
 Th' whole Earth 's now shaking off th' inglorious 
 rest, 
 
 Waking from th' supine and soft languishing ease. 
 The Providence, wonderful ay in all its means. 
 And oh ! lovingly patient with th' foul disease 
 
141 
 
 Of evil in th' world it made so pure ; and leans 
 With gentlest tenderness and pity down 
 From th' highest Heavenly throne, to scan the 
 scenes 
 
 As shifting and traversing in lea or village or town 
 Where still th' degenerate man so desecrates 
 Its ministry so condescending, and mocks its frown. 
 
 I count Heaven sent you t' us, t' our kinder fates 
 Help on in th' struggle 'gainst th' o'er stubborn will, 
 Here too and now as erst, so degenerates 
 
 Day after day, nor '11 consent to stay even still 
 What 't is ; and casts abroad, and 's ravening for 
 
 it's prey 
 O'er town and village, prairie, plain, or hill ; 
 
 Or mountain's side e'en, th' last rampart to stay 
 It's foul contagion ; and all o' them o'erspreads. 
 Thou, gentle, amiable woman, thou'st to play 
 
142 
 
 Th' unwitting part David did erst with ^s threads 
 Upon the boasting blasphemous Philistine, 
 Slinging upon him th' rippling brook's stone leads. 
 
 Ah ! Israel too had fallen^ fallen from th' pristine 
 Faith, virtue and truth ; like us, degenerate, 
 And all the world ; and never will persist in 
 
 Th' lofty paths doth Heaven and Nature dictate. 
 Thy song, dear lady, doth not strike on th' ear 
 And linger there alone ; the Soul instate 
 
 "Within, transfixed doth wanderingly hear, 
 And strange delight and melting softness wax 
 O'er it's mood, subdue it's hardness, express the tear. 
 
 The soul relents, there came the strain that lacks ; 
 A sound of sympathy, th' heart touching appeal ; 
 A stirring in the depths, that conscience racks ; 
 
 A wakening from strange dream ; the pull they feel 
 Opens the fountains and dispels the maze 
 That wrapped, subduing th' erst harder than steel. 
 
143 
 
 Thy power of Nature is, and on it plays ; 
 One Nature *s there for all, and 'tis the man, 
 And to 't appealing, Nature then portrays 
 
 Th' effect 5 a power, through every bosom ran 
 Waking one sympathy, and makes them all in one ; 
 A unity, in Heaven, not on Earth, began : 
 
 A unity, in Heaven ay shone and done. 
 Didst thou then borrow 't in Heaven, or this confer 
 'T on thee, that Earth to Heaven again be won ! 
 
 Now, Heaven hath ministers, but erst did defer 
 Itself to appear and from its heights descend, 
 And minister in person, and show how much we err. 
 
 I do not flatter where so many bend ; 
 Thou'rt the unwitting minister to serve 
 High Heaven, and dost, too, diligently attend 
 
 On its behests, to rescue, arouse, preserve 
 
 It's children ; and let's the high mission recognise ; 
 Thy song that thrills in every heart, let nerve 
 
144 
 
 Us to strength and enthusiasm, and open our eyes 
 To th' lofty sentiment deep in us glows 
 And scarce restrains perforce from bursting outcries. 
 Not in the sunny Italy, but there where snows 
 The genial covering shed in wintry clime, 
 From th' rude northern blasts, to all that grows 
 In Nature's fruitful bosom ; and in due time 
 
 Then swiftly expands, blossoms, and ripens to the 
 
 corn 
 Or fruit, or flower, as each with th' seasons chime ; 
 All gladness and merriment then, th' erst so forlorn ; 
 There thou didst spring, and dost thence thy sway 
 
 bring 
 To constrain all hearts ; and left mourning Italy 
 shorn 
 Of her laurels and th' homage did win and wring 
 Perforce ; but now distracted ; th' poor staggering 
 
 rests 
 Of a dire superstition in 'ts last ghastly cling, 
 
145 
 
 And desperate clutch, on th' hopes in hnman breasts ; 
 Vain hopes, to corruption fed. A sable pall 
 Hangs down from th' tip of her greatness, and 
 manifests 
 Dead bones and corruptioUj of superstition thrall ; 
 Fast held and locked, if stay, chance, may th' stretch- 
 ing strides 
 O' the striving for freedom; tugging at the ball ; 
 While Freedom to th' degenerate clutch 'way hides? 
 
CANTO II. 
 
 In th' tugs of th' degenerate by the few free shaking, 
 Or Heaven from own bosom sends th' regenerate fire, 
 To bring such shock as th' very Earth quaking 
 
 To beige the corruption -^ chary Freedom will retire 
 To th* mountain fastnesses ; e^en 'mongst the rude 
 Unyoked, undegenerate ; and there respire 
 
 In th* natural health, while luxury intrude 
 
 On her precincts, with th- grimaces o' all slaves 
 To corruption, and would graft them on her habitude. 
 
 Ah ! heaves Revolution now it's mountain waves 
 O'er th' ancient Europe's fields ; not now th' Kings 
 
 strive 
 Toge'er in their sport or rivalry ; each saves 
 
147 
 
 Himself if he can, or all together connive 
 
 To foil the People awakening to their Rights ; 
 And then to diplomatic intricacies dive. 
 But ah ! th' common mind hath waxed and trimmed 
 it's lights, 
 (In sequence surely of High Heaven's decree); 
 And all the capricious servitude, despites. 
 They're swaying ay, too, in some way, or degree, 
 As e'en nutation's points '11 steadily traverse. 
 Th' People everywhere sigh now, sigh and long to 
 be free ! 
 And what's this ? what's to be free ? 'tis found by th' 
 adverse. 
 Oh ! thou, thou, olden Europe, and strown deep 
 With the seams and layers and breaks reverse 
 Of a dire experience, thou hast to wake from th' sleep 
 Of death erst superstition did beguile 
 Thee too, and o'er thy beauties stole as th' serpent 
 '11 creep 
 
148 
 
 0n 'ts fascinated prey, then snatches ere th' smile 
 Did cajole, would wane till th' gasping breath expire ; 
 And lapses to th' peaceful calm then for a while 
 
 Of th' lulling death ; then seize 't corruption dire, 
 And homeopathetically cure to its dust : 
 Next though to rise, shake off th' lethargy, with fire 
 
 To cleanse thy skirts, and file off th' chains with rust 
 Have held fast thy energies, and mocked thy strain 
 And lusorily delude thee still to th' still mocked 
 trust. 
 
 Thou'st to be free ! but struggling might and main 
 'Gainst th' superstition ; and th' evil too, fondles in 
 
 thy heart. 
 Thou'rt striving 'thwart th' sovereign Rule, and 
 th' chain 
 
 'T imposes arbitrarily ; but thou shouldst start 
 Thee too on th' work in thyself; to make thee clean, 
 Purge out thy wickedness, and th' leavening art 
 
149 
 
 Of th' subtle Reason, that makes the true demean 
 To th' plausible, th' seeming fair and rotten inside ; 
 The false, that so argued plausibly to wean 
 
 From th' solid staple of wisdom throned in Pride 
 Immortal, and streams into th' every crevice, 
 If we'll have 't, and int' each crack in th' heart '11 glide, 
 
 In th' man's degenerate worship and service 
 Of th' Ruler and Creator of the world, 
 And clings and waxes e'en 'neath th' Priestly robe 
 and surplice ! 
 
 It 's not the Truth is taught or shown, but hurled 
 Damnation's bolts at whoever neglect the kirk 
 Or that have singly th' flag o' Rebellion unfurled 
 
 Against th' faiths are substituted for the work 
 Of th' soul, to win th' high Heavenly estate : 
 Virtue and Truth by them neglected, and driven to 
 lurk 
 
150 
 And hide from observation ; and forms instate 
 
 Then, and beliefs, and each o* their quackeries vile, 
 
 In Throne 's to all o* us of right ; crowning our Fate 
 With blessedness. Fair lady, not th' blandish smile 
 
 And fawning speech and knee, with you behoove ; 
 
 Thou dost bid thy votaries to loftier style, 
 Into th' nature to probe, and on the self to improve : 
 
 And showest them thou, in 't all their happiness 
 dwells ; 
 
 As 't to all, dost t' utter satisfaction prove. 
 Own child of nature thou art, and thy song tells 
 
 The nature, and on its natural bosom falls, 
 
 Defenceless to th' enthusiasm so fast wells 
 From th' very depths ; and scarce restrains 'ts loud calls 
 
 Th' bursting sentiment 'at wakes there, and glows, 
 and cries. 
 
 An I have touched on themes so in prison walls 
 
151 
 
 Timely cherished ; and th' day, and where, th' stalking 
 spies 
 
 'Force win from th' heaving bosom strange smooth 
 face 
 
 More than when in the inner sanctuar}" hies ; 
 It is, there's coming earthquake on the common place, 
 
 Overspreads all th' world in the high moral spheres : 
 
 Advances the Providence, it fills its Roll apace. 
 We're not instated here, that th' coursing years 
 
 Forever wait on us, and th' high judgment wait 
 
 Too fore'er ; nor th' soul nor body forever adheres 
 In th' drear lone grave, howe'er we instate 
 
 'T in pomp ; or 'twere cast on th' battle field to rot ; 
 
 Or was th' victim for crime ; or come with th' 
 stealthy gait, 
 Of th' surgeon minion, with the cart, or cot, 
 
 And ; to scout corruption, or quicken it piecemeal 
 
 On th^ fragments he cuts up an he better wot 
 
152 
 
 All th' mysteries of flesh's life, and better f heal 
 Th' sicknesses by th' weak indulgences fast fed, 
 Or help 't to totter on a way, or stagger or reel, 
 
 Or th' gouty to thrive in 'em shaking on 's bed ; 
 Robs the drear grave : whate'er to th' body chance 
 For then, the soul its Maker inbreathed 's not dead : 
 
 It lives, and lives 'ts own life ; '11 stay or advance 
 In same it loved or tolerated here 
 Though had been warned to th'pure, and to enhance 
 
 It's onward life, and enter th' High Heaven's sphere ; 
 And to 't, too, man bound then in sheer gratitude 
 For th' boon bestowed ^ and in 't to strenuously 
 adhere. 
 
 But ah 1 what th' issue seems there for th' multitude 
 And pays this school and 'ts drill for th' Paradise, 
 What wisdom's taught. Heaven's pure beatitude 
 
 To win, in sequel of such discipline precise, 
 
 And plan marked out, and th' bountiful aid bestowed 
 Time and again, the Truth repeated twice 
 
153 
 
 By Heaven's ministry, and e'en th' details it showed 
 
 For th' whole conversation, in act or word 
 
 And feeling and thought, till e'en the face glowed 
 With th' triumphing spirit that had not erred. 
 
 What issue, oh ! th' fearful, lamentable case ! 
 
 Men wouldn't heed, wouldn't learn, and then 
 
 transferred [Race, 
 
 Th' whole work from themselves, from their whole 
 
 Upon th' Prophet, King, and Saviour from Heaven 
 came [grace. 
 
 To teach and show us all, and tell for th' Past there's 
 Men now make Heaven to do our Part ; or th' name, 
 
 Or creed, to save from th' consequence of sins ; 
 
 Make 't, our nature's all corrupt, and not the same 
 God gave and breathed into us first himself, and 
 begins 
 
 And stays forever the same in every man ; 
 
 While we go kicking 'gainst th' pricks, bruising our 
 
 shins, 
 
 6* 
 
154 
 
 Fain building to save us, th' wordy shift or Plan. 
 
 Fair lady, th' high witness thou'st shown; and *t wins 
 
 To *t million o' th' fellow-hearts; th' nature that began 
 In our first father, whate'er by him with 't done, 
 
 Kindles, fires yet, and melts and glows and weeps, 
 
 And t' all 's pure, natural and tender, is won 
 With o'erwhelming bursts ; and th' enthusiasm creeps 
 
 Through e'en th' erst stagnant veins with th' noisome 
 lees 
 
 Of th' degeneracy man works and lives and sleeps 
 In, after his pleasure, business, idleness, or ease ; 
 
 And th' work undone, life's work, and such issues 
 fraught 
 
 Nor man or angel may measure ; up to his knees 
 In th' wallowing degeneracy th' fair face of evil 
 brought. 
 
CANTO III. 
 
 No more, fair lady, e'er business will entertain, 
 
 Howe'er to th' Immortal Themes so justly belong ; 
 
 But fraught so, they weary, we do not maintain. 
 How then dost think o' us here, and '11 't take along 
 
 With thee, when wendest hence ? for we must part ; 
 
 Thy Sweden waits for thee ; and oh ! the throng 
 Of happy ones, sweet children o' th' guileless heart, 
 
 'LI bless thee for thy labors ; and, too, th' land 
 
 Ls cur's; glowing so with spirits, and ready to start 
 On e'er enterprise ; and doth th' elements command, 
 
 Make serve 't, and bend to th' strange forced servi- 
 tude. 
 
 But thy Sweden, doth 't then flourish, by hand, 
 And mind, in th' field, and factory, and solitude ? 
 
 We're fain here t' use it's iron for the strong bolt 
 
 Or th' violent strain, or shock encountered rude, 
 
156 
 
 Or t' build defence from th' heedlessness of dolt, 
 Or th' issue of inevitable wear and tear 
 Of laboring machinery ; or where molt [scare 
 
 May th' steam, like feathers, its riveted sheets, and 
 And wound e'en lady passengers that fast bound 
 On th' pleasure ride or voyage, free from care 
 
 Of th' household, shop, or e'en monotonous round 
 Of th' pleasures at home, and th' thousand sights 
 Infest th' e'er metropolis, and th' pure taste wound. 
 
 Linens have come too, I think ; such^ wherewith fights 
 It's way the bounden ship for Foreign Port, 
 Or coasts the long stretch of our tall beacon Lights. 
 
 Yet am I scarce versed to tell th' Price cuBrent report ; 
 But think we bolt somewhat of our fine flour 
 Through sieves of th' Swedish manufacture and 
 export. 
 
 But hence, since heard and felt the Swedish Power, 
 Invading us too, and also was besought ; [flower. 
 I'll look more for th' fruit, in chine hath oped such 
 
157 
 
 We have a various clime ; and soils, that wrought 
 E'en tolerably well, yield th* husbandman's reward, 
 Foj home consumption, and wherewith be bought 
 
 Products the Indies west and east award 
 
 To their cheaper labor and more degraded mind. 
 Long rivers from our North descend toward 
 
 Th' Atlantic's coast, and into its bosom wind : 
 Broad lakes and long, our Northern Frontier line 
 Nigh mineral riches of nearly every kind : 
 
 Westward we gaze on the Pacific, with gold mine 
 Under foot, that makes half foolish, or mad : 
 Of th' area of Governmental Freedom, th' outline 
 
 Thou hast now, save on the East, and there we're glad, 
 Kinsmen and children of forefathers same, 
 To clasp and greet ; like us, of th' good and bad ; 
 
 That I've ay found in travelling, closely to frame 
 Together, and little distinguished at first view : 
 I'd tell you the Truth, and keep my honest name. 
 
158 
 
 Behold the land then ; and if 'chance e'er one sue, 
 E'en from your own country, hither passing to dwell, 
 He'll have a farm his own, as on 't he grew, 
 
 And when his aged Father slept, it fell 
 
 To him by th' old man's wish ; or legal right, 
 That's scarce worth mentioning in th' heart's swell 
 
 For the departing, and soon t' be borne from sight 
 Of th' loving weeping children disconsolate, 
 With th' flowing run down from the eyes erst bright; 
 
 Or e'en the fading, long wearying early and late. 
 I have a cousin, dear lady, or he did wed 
 The sister of my brother's wife, (translate 
 
 Just now that brother from lingering death bed 
 And t' Heaven I trust and do believe) indigene 
 In your country ; and I love him ; instead 
 
 Of me far away, he soothed that brother. I've seen 
 And know him, he is worthy and well bred ; 
 And 's link for me, your country and mine between ; 
 
159 
 
 I honor Sweden, for th' living, and the dead ; 
 
 And mean to know more of her if I live. 
 
 Your Literature wants one trait I dread, 
 And has a merit I can easily forgive : 
 
 Romances and Novels in 't do not abound ; 
 
 Of excellent works there are a few ; the sieve 
 For ignorance, vanit}^ foolishness ; mere sound 
 
 And rattle as they figure where I dwell. 
 
 Your wisdom, valor and prudence, Fve found 
 Hold way with any ; nay, rather do compel 
 
 A deference ; your fabrics are good, not spun 
 
 So sheer, nor singed so close, the slightest swell 
 In our warm season, proves our own o'erdone ; 
 
 And same o' old England 's, on thither ocean's marge. 
 
 I trust there's virtue amongst you, th' evil to shun ; 
 Nor need on th' practical to further enlarge. 
 
 Fair lady, I count to you your country is dear, 
 
 And taken it ye have in tender charge. 
 
160 
 
 The youth, to lead to Truth and conscience clear, 
 Is more Heroic than to tread the battle field 
 In triumph, and consecrates in every sphere 
 
 Of our endeavors ; armed with Truth they're steeled 
 'Gainst shafts the Tempter into th' bosom sends ; 
 And 'mongst the flowers and fruits, beneath its shield, 
 
 May roam and take unharmed ; th' attacks it fends 
 Else conquer us ; and prompts to th' loftiest walk 
 In th' social round ; and nerves to th' Path ascends 
 
 To th' Pinnacle of virtue, with scarcely a balk. 
 I cannot praise you^ 'twere a worthless praise ; 
 And counted 'twere worthless ; the mere common 
 
 Music, since hither came Garcia to raise [talk. 
 
 Its Temple in our rude hearts, and fascinate 
 Th' unconscious of its Power, or th' ear, or gaze. 
 
 To linger still the charm in Regal State 
 
 In my remembrance, I love ; atid count for dear 
 The cherished reminiscence ; or were ingrate. 
 
161 
 
 Ah ! th' hapless lady, and victim ; no kin to cheer 
 The yielding soul, in hostelry and land estrange, 
 To Gaunt Death's bid ; in aspects dread, and drear 
 
 Appurtenance attending — for that change ; 
 
 Silenced that voice, and reft that charm, erst held 
 To take us loftily at beck wherever they'd range ; 
 
 Only the husband wept there ; and rebelled ; 
 
 Pity oh ! Heaven, and forgive ; yea, join them twain 
 In thy time, here severed by Death that felled 
 
 Th* visible life's tabernacle, midst grief and pain. 
 Then, thou didst come ; brief cycle intervened 
 In nature's own pure melodious domain ; 
 
 'Tis th' general voice I speak ; none is there weaned 
 From praising thee ; for none th' expectance foiled ; 
 And th' savings and spare money clean are gleaned 
 
 To barter for th' treasures ne'er can be despoiled ; 
 Nor use, to exhaust ; enhancing as we use. 
 Unheard I thank thee too ; pleasingly I've toiled 
 
162 
 
 Contemplating thee ; nor thought I to amuse 
 The hour, or day, or week, and then forget 
 Thee all ; sublime th' e'er thought may woo the muse, 
 
 Deigning for me, to smile on th' mood did beget, 
 Or th' nature, or pure joys Pve gleaned ; and th' stops 
 Too, arresting o'er reckless haste ©r worrying fret 
 
 For Truth's behoof ; in words not, but such hops 
 Suit not for who may dwell in e'en High Heaven's 
 
 sphere ; 
 That needs with heedfulness to build the props 
 'LI stay us there. Let's meet there ; or th' older, I'll 
 say here. 
 
163 
 
 ADDENDA. 
 
 rm not quite sure, upon reflection, the Swede's 
 A native born ; but do not doubt, is by descent. 
 Nor is 't quite clear to me, who th' deepest weeds 
 
 Would wear, the niother, was actually absent ; 
 I wrote my impressions ; as I've pictured oft 
 The scene, and made it mournfully present ; 
 
 Th' eyelids compressing, and th' eyes waxing soft. 
 And about the farm ; he'd have to work and tug ; 
 Poor Indian has left, or died, or been shoved ofF't ; 
 
 And th' ground by the People 'selves is mostly dug ; 
 But don't object, and many or mosto' 'em 'ould scout 
 T' have slave for them, 'em has so dyed the drug 
 
 In Africa grew ; or e'en for others, some would shout ; 
 And right the wrong, in right not, but in wrong : 
 But all work here ; some chores we go about. 
 
164 
 
 I trust all is pl'ain now as you go along, 
 
 Or turning back ; as when thou'st to say adieu, 
 Thou here too. I wot thou'st to meet that throng, 
 
 In thy thought, for me defiles in grand review. 
 
ERRATA. 
 
 Page 5, 9th line from top, omit word " due." 
 
 " 16, 8th " «* orb" should read «* arb." 
 
 " 26, 1st " "lute" " "late.", 
 
 ** 75,6th <* "oft" " " oft." 
 
 " " 14th " should have period at end. 
 
 " 78, 14th '* instead of' man to be taken," should be 
 
 " man 's taken to be." 
 
 « 79, 22th '« " 's" should be «' is." 
 
 " 90, last line, there should be no stop here. 
 
 " 96, 10th line, " with welfare" should be " with our welfare.' 
 
 '* 99, period at end of 9th line should not be. 
 
 " 117, 10th line should have period at end. 
 
 " 123,14th " "bitting" should be "biting." 
 
 ♦« 125,6th " " feud" should be "fend." 
 r " 127, 3d " should have period at end. 
 
 *« 138, 3d " " highway" should be "high way." 
 
 « " 13th " " will" should be "we'll." 
 
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