Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1841-06-18

gave utterance 10 her emotions in all the
forms ofpoctical expression, with exceeding
ease aud beauty, and often with an unearthly
sublimty of thought.
The "RcmaIns' embrace Tale, written
at the age of Is, and upwards Of eighty poems
fragments and fugitive pieces, written from
her eighth year to short period before her
death.
We regret that our limits forbid us 10 copy
from the poems, or to pursue the narrative
Of life ofuncommon interest, whether view
ed as an intellectual phenomenon, or in its
attractvencss ofiiial love and religious trust,
and the freshness and beauty of its poetical
temperament Not the interest of the hero
ine-but such as the course on earth of an
angelic nature, cminently and early gifted,
its attachments, affections, friendships, &C.
stacics, and "ruling passion" may Inspire
All the incidents of her Biography therefore
and especially the latter portion Of her life,
land interesting an nothing) arc most
touching can be moro Something, in the
language of the editor, more truly eloquent
or deeply ailecting,-than the account of the
closing scene of Margaret's life, written by
Mrs. Davidson, in the midst finer affection,
IN reply to the kind letter and sympathy Of
Miss Sedgwick. For these,we refer the reader
and who will not be Of its readers ito the
work itself contenting ourselves with a
single additional extract from the Biography,
descriptive other 18th year,
In the fall of 1886, an excursion In the
adjacent counties, for her health, resulted in
a partial restoration f.; but on her return 10
Ruremont, then the family residence on the
East river, she was required to change hor
habits and surrender her loved pursuits.
She gave up her studies, rarely INDUCED in
writing or drawing, and contented herself with
light reading, with playing few simple airs on
the piano, and with any other trivial mode OF
passing away the time. The want of her favor
lite occupations, however, soon made the hours
move heavily with her. Above all things, she
|
which she had been specially warned. Her
mother observed the listlessness and melancholy
that were stealing ever her, and hoped change
of scene might Danish them. The airs from
the river, too, had been pronounced uniavorablo
to her health the family therefore removed tc
town. The change Of residence, however, did
not produce the desired effect. She became
more and more dissatisfied with hcrsef and will
the life OF dcness, as she considered it. that she
was leading but still she had resolved to give
the prescribed system thorough trial A new
source of solilitude was now awakened in the
bosom of her anxious mother, who read in hel
mourntully quiet manner and submissive silence
the painful effects OF compliance with her advice
There was not a murmur, however, from the
lips of Margaret, to give rise to this soictude
on the contrary, whenever she caught hel
mothers eye fixed anyiously and inqurIngly OIL
her she would turn away and assume an air o
chcerfulncss.
Six months had passed in this inactive man
ncr "She was seated one day by my side,
says Mrs. Davidson, "weary and restless, ant
scarcely knowing what 10 do with herself, whel
threw her arms about my neck, ard, kissing me
exclaimed, My dear, dear mother!' 'What is
it affects you now, my child = oh know yol
are longing for something from my pen ?
saw the secret craving OF the spirit that gave
| rico to tho snggos,inn 81 do indeed my dear
delight in the cffiIsions from your pen, but the
exertion will injure YOU Mamma, ] mus
mriie ! can hold out no longer! | will re-
turn to my pen, my pencil, and my books, an'
shall then be happy = pressed her to my bo
son. and cautioned her to remember she wa
feeble. Mother exclaimed she, 4 am well =
wish you were only as well as am !"-Ih'
heart OF the mother was not proof against these
appeals indeed she had almost as much neet
of sclf-denal on this subject as her child, $,
much did she delight in these early blossomng
of her talent. Margaret was again left to he
own impulses. All the frivolous expedcnts 70
what is usually termed killing time were dis
cardcd by her with contempt; her studies were re
sumed; in the sacred writings and in the page
of history she sought fitting aliment for he
mind, half famished by its long abstinence he
poetical vein again burst forth, and the following
lines, written at the time, show the eXctemen
and elevation of her feelings:
EARTH.
Earth! thou hast nought to satisfy
| The cravings of immortal mind
Earth! thou hast nothing pure and high,
The soaring, struggling soul TO bind.
Impatient gifts long delay,
The plnioned spirit fam would roam,
And leave this crunbllng house of clay,
To seek above, its own bright home
The spirit It's spark of light
Struck from our Gods eternal throne
Which perces through these clouds of night
And longs 10 shine where once it shone.
) Earth! there will come an awful day,
When thou shalt crumblc into noughi
> When thou shalt melt beneath that ray
From whence thy splendors first were caugh
Qucnch'd in the glories ofits God,
Ion burning lamp shall then expires
And flames, from heavens own altar SEMI
RI Shall light the great funereal pyre.
Yes, thou mnst die! and yon pure depths
Back from thy darkend brow shall roll;
Bu never can the tyrant death
Arrest this feeble, trusting soul.
r When that great voice which form'd thee first,
Shall tell, surrounding world, thy doom,
Then the pure soul, enchan'd by thee
Shall rise triumphant or thy tomb.
9 Then on, still on, the unfctter'd mind
Through realms of endless space shall au
No earth to dim, no chain 10 bind,
Too pure to sin, TO great to die.