The Poetical Works of John Critchley Prince Edited by R. A. Douglas Lithgow |
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THE STAR OF THE HOUSEHOLD. |
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 | The Poetical Works of John Critchley Prince |  |
265
THE STAR OF THE HOUSEHOLD.
An angel in the house? Ah, yes!
There is a precious angel there;—
A woman, formed to soothe and bless,
Good, if she be not fair;
A kindly, patient, faithful wife,
Cheerful, and of a temper mild,
One who can lend new charms to life,
And make man reconciled:
There is a precious angel there;—
A woman, formed to soothe and bless,
Good, if she be not fair;
A kindly, patient, faithful wife,
Cheerful, and of a temper mild,
One who can lend new charms to life,
And make man reconciled:
Oh! 'tis a pleasant thing to see
Such being going to and fro,
With aspect genial and free,
Yet pure as spotless snow:
One who performs her duties, too,
With steady and becoming grace,
Giving to each attention due,
In fitting time and place:
Such being going to and fro,
With aspect genial and free,
Yet pure as spotless snow:
One who performs her duties, too,
With steady and becoming grace,
Giving to each attention due,
In fitting time and place:
One who can use her husband's means
With careful thrift from day to day,
And when misfortune intervenes,
Put needless wants away;
Who smooths the wrinkles from his brow,
When more than common cares oppress,
And cheers him—faithful to her vow—
With hopeful tenderness:
With careful thrift from day to day,
And when misfortune intervenes,
Put needless wants away;
Who smooths the wrinkles from his brow,
When more than common cares oppress,
And cheers him—faithful to her vow—
With hopeful tenderness:
266
One who, when sorrow comes, can feel
With woman's tenderness of heart;
And yet can strive with quiet zeal,
To ease another's smart;
One who, when Fortune's sun grows bright,
And flings the clouds of care aside,
Can bask with pleasure in its light,
Yet feel no foolish pride:
With woman's tenderness of heart;
And yet can strive with quiet zeal,
To ease another's smart;
One who, when Fortune's sun grows bright,
And flings the clouds of care aside,
Can bask with pleasure in its light,
Yet feel no foolish pride:
One who can check, with saint-like power,
Wild thoughts that spring to dangerous birth,
And wake pure feelings, as the shower
Of Spring awakes the earth;—
Bring forth the latent virtues shrined
Within the compass of the breast,
And to the weak and tortured mind
Give confidence and rest.
Wild thoughts that spring to dangerous birth,
And wake pure feelings, as the shower
Of Spring awakes the earth;—
Bring forth the latent virtues shrined
Within the compass of the breast,
And to the weak and tortured mind
Give confidence and rest.
Good neighbour, not to envy prone;
True wife, in luxury or need;
Fond mother, not unwisely shown,
Blameless in thought and deed.
Whoever claims so rare a wife,
Thus should his earnest words be given,
“She is the angel of my life,
And makes my home a Heaven!”
True wife, in luxury or need;
Fond mother, not unwisely shown,
Blameless in thought and deed.
Whoever claims so rare a wife,
Thus should his earnest words be given,
“She is the angel of my life,
And makes my home a Heaven!”
| The Poetical Works of John Critchley Prince | |