The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-03-14
The Goddess ofPovert
A BALLAD.

A BALLAD.
Translated from the Consuclo of George
Sand.
Paths sanded with gold verdunt hcaths, ra-
vines loved by the wild goats, great moan
tains crowned with stars, wandering torrents,
impeuetruble forests, let the good goddess
pass through, the Goddess of POVERTY
Since the world existed, since men have
been, she travcrscd the world she dwes IL
mong men; she travels singing, and sings
workng--thc goddess, good Goddess of Pow
erty!
Some men assembled to curse her. They
found hor too beautiful, too gay, too ninblc
and too strong. "Pluck out her WINGS" said
thcy; "chain her, bruise her with blows, that
she may sufler;tlInt she may pcrish--thc God
dess ofPovertyn'
They have chained the good goddess, they
have beaten and prosecuted her; but they can
not disgrace her. She has taken refuge in
the souls of poets, in the souls of peasants, in
the souls of martyrs, in the souls of snints-
the good goddess the Goddess ofPovcrN!
She has walked more than wandering jew
size has travelled more than the swallow; she
is holder thun the cathedral of Prague; she
is younger than the egg OF the wren; she has
multiplied more upon the earth than strawbcr-
ries in Bohemian torcsts-thc goddess, the
She has many children, and she teaches
them the secret of God. She talked To Ihc
heart Jesus upon the mountain; to tire
eyes q! Queen LabusSa, when she became
onaInOred ola laborer; to tho spirit of John
and Jerome upon the funeral pile of Con-
stance. She knows more than all the doctors
and all the bishops--the goddess of Poverty
Sic always makes the grandest and most
beautiful things that we see upon earth; II is
she who has cultivated the fields aud prrrucd
the trees; il is she who attends the hocls
singing the most beautiful airs; it is she who
secs the first peep Ofdawu, aud receives the
last smile Of cvcning-the good Goddess of
Poverty!
II is she who builds the cabin ofthe wood
cutter with green boughs and gives To the
preacher the glance Of The eagles it is she
who rears the most beautiful urclinS, ard
makes tho spade and the pillow light in the
hands ofIhe old mon--thc good Goddess of
Poverty!
Itisshe who inspires the poet. and makes
the violin, the guitar and the flute, eloquent
under the fingers olthe wandering artist; it
is slic who carries him on her light wing from
the source ofMoldau TO that of the Danube; it
is she who crowns his hair with pearls of dew
aud makes the star shine from him more
large and more c!car-thc goddess, The good
Goddess ulIeoyerA!
1t is she who instrucis tire ingenious arti-
IAN: who teaches him To hew stone, to carve
marble, to fashion gold, silver brass, and iron;
il is she who renders the flax supple and fine,
as hair, from the fingers of the old mother or
of'thc young girl-thc good Goddess of Pow
crtSl
1t is she who snstains the cottage shaken
by the storm; il is she who saves roSn for the
torch and oil for the lamp;it is she who l<ncads
L ~ tIr tl,p EtD
for Summer and Winter; it is she who feeds
and maintains the world-thc good Goddess
ufPoverty!
II is she who has built the grand churches
and the old cathcdras; it is she who carries
the sabre and the gun, who makes war and
conquests. 1t is she who collects tue dead,
tends the wounded, and hides the conquer
ed-the good Goddess of Poverty!
Thou art all gentleness, all patience, all
strength, and all compassion, o, good god
dess! 1t is thou who unitest all thy children
in holy love, and who gHvest to them faith,
hope and charty-O, Goddess ofPovccty!
Thy children will cease one day to carry
the world on their shoulders; they will be
recompensed for their toll and trouble. The
time approaches when there will be neither
rich nor poor; when all men shall consume
the fruits of the earth; and equally enjoy the
gifts OfGod; but thou wilt not be forgotten in
their hymns-O, good Goddess of Poverty!
They will remember that thou vert their
fruitful mother, their robust nurse, and their
church militant. They will pour balm upon
thy wounds, and they will make the rejuven-
ated and emblemed earth bed where thou
canst at last repose-O, good Goddess of
Poverty!
Until the day of the Lord, torrents and for
ests,mountains and valleys, heaths swarming
with little flowers and little birds,paths which
have no masters, and sanded with gold-let
pass the good Goddess, the Goddess of Pow
esty
"Blessed are the Dead"