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University of Virginia Library

Poems of Phillis Wheatley

Revised and Enlarged Edition

Wheatley, Phillis (1753-1784)

Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral

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Other Poems and Variants of Poems

ON MESSRS HUSSEY AND COFFIN.

TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, WROTE IN 1767—

AN ADDRESS TO THE ATHEIST, BY P. WHEATLEY AT THE AGE OF 14 YEARS—1767—

AN ADDRESS TO THE DEIST—1767—

TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY ON HIS REPEALING THE AMERICAN STAMP ACT

TO THE HON.ble COMMODORE HOOD ON HIS PARDONING A DESERTER

ON THE DEATH OF THE REV'D DR. SEWALL. 1769.—

ON THE DEATH OF MR SNIDER MURDER'D BY RICHARDSON

AN ELEGIAC POEM, On the DEATH of that celebrated Divine, and eminent Servant of JESUS CHRIST, the late Reverend, and pious GEORGE WHITEFIELD, Chaplain to the Right Honourable the Countess of Huntingdon, &c &c. Who made his Exit from this transitory State, to dwell in the celestial Realms of Bliss, on LORD'S-DAY, 30th of September, 1770, when he was seiz'd with a Fit of the Asthma, at NEWBURY-PORT, near BOSTON, in NEW-ENGLAND. In which is a Condolatory Address to His truly noble Benefactress the worthy and pious Lady HUNTINGDON,—and the Orphan-Children in GEORGIA; who, with many Thousands, are left, by the Death of this great Man, to lament the Loss of a Father, Friend, and Benefactor.

AN ODE OF VERSES On the much-lamented Death of the REV. MR. GEORGE WHITEFIELD, Late Chaplain to the Countess of Huntingdon; Who departed this Life, at Newberry near Boston in New England, on the Thirtieth of September, 1770, in the Fifty-seventh Year of his Age.

To Mrs. LEONARD, on the Death of her HUSBAND.

ON THE DEATH OF DR. SAMUEL MARSHALL

On the Death of Doctor SAMUEL MARSHALL.

To the Rev. Mr. Pitkin, on the DEATH of his LADY.

A POEM ON THE DEATH OF CHARLES ELIOT, AGED 12 MONTHS

TO THE RIGHT HON.l WILLIAM EARL OF DARTMOUTH, HIS MAJESTY'S SECRETARY OF STATE FOR NORTH AMERICA &.c &.c &.c

To the Hon'ble Thomas Hubbard, Esq; On the Death of Mrs. Thankfull Leonard.

FAREWELL TO AMERICA.

An ELEGY, To Miss. Mary Moorhead, on the DEATH of her Father, The Rev. Mr. JOHN MOORHEAD.

[TO A GENTLEMAN OF THE NAVY.]

PHILIS'S Reply to the Answer in our last by the Gentleman in the Navy.

TO HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL WASHINGTON.

ON THE CAPTURE OF GENERAL LEE

ON THE DEATH OF GENERAL WOOSTER

AN ELEGY, SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF THAT GREAT DIVINE, THE REVEREND AND LEARNED DR. SAMUEL COOPER, Who departed this Life December 29, 1783, ÆTATIS 59.

LIBERTY AND PEACE, A POEM.

An ELEGY on leaving ---.

To Mr. and Mrs. ---, on the Death of their Infant Son,

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TO THE RIGHT HON.l WILLIAM EARL OF DARTMOUTH, HIS MAJESTY'S SECRETARY OF STATE FOR NORTH AMERICA &.c &.c &.c

Hail! happy day! when Smiling like the Morn,
Fair Freedom rose, New England to adorn.
The northern clime, beneath her genial ray,

149

Beholds, exulting, thy Paternal Sway,
For big with hope, her race no longer mourns,
Each Soul expands, each ardent bosom burns,
While in thy hand, with pleasure, we behold
The Silken reins, and Freedom's charms unfold!
Long lost to Realms beneath the northern Skies,
She Shines supreme, while hated Faction dies,
Soon as he Saw the triumph long desir'd
Sick at the view, he languish'd and expir'd.
Thus from the Splendors of the rising Sun.
The Sickning Owl explores the dark unknown.

No more of grievance unredress'd complain;
Or injur'd Rights, or groan beneath the chain,
Which Wanton Tyranny with lawless hand,
Made to enslave, O Liberty! thy Land.
My Soul rekindles at thy glorious name
Thy beams essential to the vital Flame.

The Patrio'ts' breast, what Heav'nly virtue warms! [sic]
And adds new lustre to his mental charms;
While in thy Speech, the Graces all combine;
Apollos too, with Sons of Thunder Join,
Then Shall the Race of injur'd Freedom bless

150

The Sire, the Friend, and messenger of Peace.

While you, my Lord, read o'er th' advent'rous Song
And wonder whence Such daring boldness Sprung:
Hence, flow my wishes for the common good
By feeling hearts alone, best understood.

From Native clime, when Seeming cruel fate
Me snatch'd from Afric's fancy'd happy Seat
Impetuous.—Ah! what bitter pangs molest
What Sorrows labour'd in the Parent breast!
That more than Stone, ne'er Soft compassion mov'd
Who from its Father Seiz'd his much belov'd.
Such once my case.—Thus I deplore the day
When Britons weep beneath Tyrannic sway.
To thee, our thanks for favours past are due,
To thee, we still Solicite for the new;
Since in thy pow'r as in thy Will before,
To Sooth the griefs which thou didst then deplore.

May heav'nly grace, the Sacred Sanction give

151

To all thy works, and thou for ever live,
Not only on the wing of fleeting Fame,
(Immortal Honours grace the Patriots' name!)
Thee to conduct to Heav'ns refulgent fane;
May feiry coursers sweep th' ethereal plain!
Thou, like the Prophet, find the bright abode
Where dwells thy Sire, the Everlasting God.