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University of Virginia Library

Poems on various subjects, religious and moral

Wheatley, Phillis (1753-1784)

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POEMS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.

To the University of CAMBRIDGE, in NEW-ENGLAND.

TO THE KING's MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.—1768.

On being brought from AFRICA to AMERICA.

On the DEATH of the Rev. Dr. SEWELL, 1769.

On the DEATH of the Reverend Mr. GEORGE WHITEFIELD,—1770.

On the DEATH of a YOUNG LADY of five years of age.

On the DEATH of a YOUNG GENTLEMAN.

To a LADY on the DEATH of her HUSBAND.

GOLIATH OF GATH.

THOUGHTS ON THE WORKS OF PROVIDENCE.

To a LADY on the DEATH of THREE RELATIONS.

To a CLERGYMAN on the DEATH of his LADY.

An HYMN to the MORNING.

An HYMN to the EVENING.

ISAIAH lxiii. 1—8.

On RECOLLECTION.

On IMAGINATION.

A Funeral POEM on the Death of C. E. an Infant of Twelve Months.

To Captain H—d, of the 65th Regiment.

To the Right Honourable WILLIAM, Earl of Dartmouth, His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for North-America, &c.

ODE to NEPTUNE.

To a LADY on her coming to North-America with her Son, for the Recovery of her Health.

To a LADY on her remarkable Preservation in an Hurricane in North-Carolina.

To a LADY and her CHILDREN, on the Death of her Son and their Brother.

To a GENTLEMAN and LADY on the Death of the Lady's Brother and Sister, and a Child of the Name AVIS, aced one Year.

On the Death of Dr. SAMUEL MARSHALL. 1771.

To a GENTLEMAN on his Voyage to Great-Britain for the Recovery of his Health.

To the Rev. Dr. THOMAS AMORY on reading his Sermons on Daily Devotion, &c.

On the DEATH of J. C. an Infant.

An HYMN TO HUMANITY.

To the Honourable T. H. Esquire, on the Death of his Daughter.

NIOBE in Distress for her Children slain by APOLLO, from Ovid's Metamorphoses, Book VI. and from a view of the Painting of Mr. Richard Wilson.

To S. M. a young AFRICAN PAINTER, on seeing his WORKS.

To his Honour the Lieutenant Governor, on the Death of his Lady.

A Farewell to AMERICA. To Mrs. S. W.

A REBUS, BY I. B.

An ANSWER to the REBUS, by the Author of these Poems.

Table of Contents.

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An HYMN TO HUMANITY.

To S. P. G. Esq.

I.

LO! for this dark terrestrial ball
Forsakes his azure-payed hall
A prince of heav'nly birth!
Divine Humanity behold!
What wonders rise, what charms unfold
At his descent to earth!

II.

The bosoms of the great and good
With wonder and delight he view'd,
And six'd his empire there:
Him, close compressing to his breast,
The sire of gods and men address'd,
"My son, my heav'nly fair!

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III.

"Descend to earth, there place thy throne?
To succour man's afflicted son
Each human heart inspire:
To act in bounties unconfin'd,
Enlarge the close contracted mind,
And sill it with thy sire."

IV.

Quick as the word, with swift career
He wings his course from star to star,
And leaves the bright abode.
The Virtue did his charms impart;
Their G—y! then thy raptur'd heart
Perceiv'd the rushing God:

V.

For when thy pitying eye did see
The languid muse in low degree,
Then, then at thy desire
Descended the celestial nine;
O'er me methought they deign'd to shine,
And deign'd to string my lyre.

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VI.

Can Asric's muse forgetful prove?
Or can such friendship fail to move
A tender human heart?
Immortal Friendship laurel-crown'd
The smiling Graces all surround
With ev'ry heav'nly Art.