 | The poetical works of Samuel Woodworth |  |
269
ACROSTICS.
IN AN ALBUM.
Just emblems of your minds, these leaves I view,
As yet unwritten, and unsullied too;
Now guard them well—nor let the hand of art
Ere cast a blot upon the book or heart.
As yet unwritten, and unsullied too;
Now guard them well—nor let the hand of art
Ere cast a blot upon the book or heart.
Each is now open—watch them both with care,
Lest truant thoughts and wishes enter there;
Invite the good, the talented and wise,
Zealous in virtue's cause, their numbers prize;
Avoid the bad, the doubtful, and the rash—
Better remain a blank than teem with trash.
Endeavor still from Truth's exhaustless store,
To cull the choicest of her precious ore—
Hearts thus endued, are rich for ever more.
Maidens, this book must a memorial be
A dear lamented parents' legacy;
Remember when you taste its fragrant flowers
Gathered by fancy from the loveliest bowers,
Affection, duty, sorrow, all combined,
Require the tribute of a grateful mind;
Embrace, dear girls, the yielding moment, then,
To con parental counsel o'er again.
Lest truant thoughts and wishes enter there;
Invite the good, the talented and wise,
Zealous in virtue's cause, their numbers prize;
Avoid the bad, the doubtful, and the rash—
Better remain a blank than teem with trash.
Endeavor still from Truth's exhaustless store,
To cull the choicest of her precious ore—
Hearts thus endued, are rich for ever more.
270
A dear lamented parents' legacy;
Remember when you taste its fragrant flowers
Gathered by fancy from the loveliest bowers,
Affection, duty, sorrow, all combined,
Require the tribute of a grateful mind;
Embrace, dear girls, the yielding moment, then,
To con parental counsel o'er again.
SCIENCE AND GENIUS HAPPILY COMBINED.
Science and genius happily combined,
Adorn, enrich, and elevate his mind;
Moulded by Nature in her happiest mood,
Unawed by threats, by flattery unsubdued;
Each social virtue warms his generous breast,
Lives in his acts, and renders others blest.
Adorn, enrich, and elevate his mind;
Moulded by Nature in her happiest mood,
Unawed by threats, by flattery unsubdued;
Each social virtue warms his generous breast,
Lives in his acts, and renders others blest.
Modest of worth that wins unnumbered hearts,
An artist and a patron of the arts;
Void of a wish another's fame to dim,
Envious of none, though thousands envy him;
Richly endowed with every mental grace,
Indulgent Heaven can give the human race;
Celestial truth completes the perfect plan—
Know you the picture?—Maverick is the man.
An artist and a patron of the arts;
Void of a wish another's fame to dim,
Envious of none, though thousands envy him;
Richly endowed with every mental grace,
Indulgent Heaven can give the human race;
Celestial truth completes the perfect plan—
Know you the picture?—Maverick is the man.
271
ALTHOUGH, DEAR GIRL.
Although, dear girl, an envious length of space
Between us lies, which fancy dreads to trace,
Believe me, though we dwell so far apart,
You never can be absent from my heart.
Between us lies, which fancy dreads to trace,
Believe me, though we dwell so far apart,
You never can be absent from my heart.
Buoyant with hopes, and innocence combined,
Rich in endowments of the form and mind;
Youth, beauty, fortune, friends, and kindred dear,
All, all conspire thy morn of life to cheer;
Nature and art unite their varied powers,
To wreath thy brow, and strew thy path with flowers.
Rich in endowments of the form and mind;
Youth, beauty, fortune, friends, and kindred dear,
All, all conspire thy morn of life to cheer;
Nature and art unite their varied powers,
To wreath thy brow, and strew thy path with flowers.
Warmly the wish is flowing from thy breast,
Oh may you thus be long and truly blest;
On thy young heart, may heaven's approving smile,
Dawn, like a sunbeam on some flowery isle,
Where naught but peace and pleasure dare intrude,
Or interrupt the sacred solitude.
Rich in like virtues, may thy lover's breast,
Treasure thine image as its only guest—
Heaven will approve, and both be doubly blest.
Oh may you thus be long and truly blest;
On thy young heart, may heaven's approving smile,
Dawn, like a sunbeam on some flowery isle,
Where naught but peace and pleasure dare intrude,
Or interrupt the sacred solitude.
Rich in like virtues, may thy lover's breast,
Treasure thine image as its only guest—
Heaven will approve, and both be doubly blest.
272
ART THOU, DEAR NIECE.
Art thou, dear niece, in life's young bloom,
Now, ere the scene is dressed in gloom,
Neglectful of those flowers of mirth,
Meant to refresh our minds on earth?
Art thou, so young, so fair in truth,
Regardless of the joys of youth,
Intended in our path below,
As antidotes to human wo?
Now, ere the scene is dressed in gloom,
Neglectful of those flowers of mirth,
Meant to refresh our minds on earth?
Art thou, so young, so fair in truth,
Regardless of the joys of youth,
Intended in our path below,
As antidotes to human wo?
Waste not thy youth, thy health, and bloom,
On themes of sorrow, doubt, and gloom;
Our earthly joys, in mercy given,
Do not retard our course to heaven.
Wear in thy face the cheerful smile,
Of innocence, devoid of guile;
Revere and worship with the heart,
The eyes and lips may still impart
Hope's sparkling ray, joy's silver tone,
The good are cheerful—they alone.
On themes of sorrow, doubt, and gloom;
Our earthly joys, in mercy given,
Do not retard our course to heaven.
Wear in thy face the cheerful smile,
Of innocence, devoid of guile;
Revere and worship with the heart,
The eyes and lips may still impart
Hope's sparkling ray, joy's silver tone,
The good are cheerful—they alone.
273
EPITAPH—ACROSTIC.
When virtuous souls throw off their robes of clay,
Invited home to realms of endless day,
Lingering behind, affection, drowned in grief,
Looks round in vain, despairing of relief;
Impatient of the chastisement, we mourn,
And grieve for pleasures that no more return;
Mingling our tears upon the senseless urn.
Invited home to realms of endless day,
Lingering behind, affection, drowned in grief,
Looks round in vain, despairing of relief;
Impatient of the chastisement, we mourn,
And grieve for pleasures that no more return;
Mingling our tears upon the senseless urn.
But we forget that virtue can not die,
Eternal joys now bless our friend on high;
The soul still lives far from this clayey bed,
He is not here, but risen from the dead.
Ere we are called to lay these bodies by,
Let us his virtues imitate, and try,
Like him to live, and then like him to die.
Eternal joys now bless our friend on high;
The soul still lives far from this clayey bed,
He is not here, but risen from the dead.
Ere we are called to lay these bodies by,
Let us his virtues imitate, and try,
Like him to live, and then like him to die.
ELEGIAC ACROSTIC.
Joined with his kindred spirits in the sky,Oh, wherefore wish him back again to die?
Here all is pain, or transitory joy,
Nothing can there his perfect bliss alloy.
274
Imbued with virtues of the gentlest kind,
Cheerful he journeyed through this chequered wild,
Honest, sincere, benevolent, and mild,
As husband, father, friend, he filled his part,
Religious smile the sunshine of the heart,
Death came to him the messenger of love,
Sent to conduct him to his home above.
| The poetical works of Samuel Woodworth | |