The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1847-03-03
For the Sumter Banner.

MARGARET MILLER DAVIDSON.
The following exquisite lines were
composed by the youthful pnetess MAReA
RET MILLER DAVIDSON, when only in her
eighth year. She was born in Plalisburg,
N. Y. and died OF the same place. the 22d
of November, 1888, in the sixteenth year
Of her age. She was sister to Lucre.ia
Maria Davidson" the anthoress of !" Amir
Khan. and other Poems." brief acc ount
of The intellectual developments or the au.
thor of the subjoined lines, may not be un-
interesting to the readers Of the Ban
ncr."
In her childhood" remarks a contem-
porary writer, :" she exhibited thought
fuIness Of character, and IL reflective mind
which, to strangers, seemed beyond her
years. Yet. far from melancholy in her
temperament. her buoyancy, light fancy,
aud sparkling gayety. were the charm OF
that firesidc around which her dearest ai1cc.
tons always centred.
AS early rs The workings Of her mind
can be traced, she seemed to give promise
of the genius in Judgment AMI reasoning,
that enabled her TO give that attention tn
subject which kept it steadily in the
mind, ill il could he surveyed on nj sides,
as well as talent Of the Imagination,
which bounded from earth 10 heaven, and
from heaven to earth, in n moment We
know not lat it is common for poets to
possess these qualities. but while the pnet.
ic remains Of Miss Davidson plninly disco
yer the latlcr-her tnstc for metaphysical
writings, the case with which she weighed
arguments, anu grasPed n process Of rea-
snning, justify her friends in the concinsinn
that. in the former quality she was not de-
iicient.
"ll is difficult to speak with accuracy
nf her first Introduction to the muse. II is
known that she read well at four, Joined
letters in writing lrgiblv at six. ard then
ertavor,e author was rhomps"n. Large.
portions Of the "Srasons," she committed
10 mcm"ry, and her childish voice might
he heard repeating page after page, as
other children repeat their nurser, diliies.
Her language from the time when she be-
gan To speak was Invariably uppropr-
ate, and her articulation distinct; and many
other "reminiscences of her childhood show
That, her power Of comparison was unusu-
nlly accurate at a very early period.
The following is the beautiful eflusion
above alluded lo:-
"Roll on, roll on bright orb Of day,
Roll on, thou beaulr"us queen Of event
le stars that ever iwnkling play,
And swecty grace the arcl, of heaven
Roll on, until lily Gods command
Shall rcnd the sky md tear the earth.
Till He stretch forth Ills mighty hand,
md check their JOYOUS m,h.
He spread The heavens n scroll.
lie made the seas lie formed the world
The heavens again sal! backward roII
And mountains IRON their base be Lurl'd
lie formed the vcrian,, lovely green,
And auyht Of fair tha, e'er had been!
But all, with time, shall pass away
And in sharclcss Iuin Iny;
But Col, in his glory, the God OF the sky,
Will continue through endless eternity;
Forever. unaincd, all holy md pure,
His love and his mercy shall ever endure"
As already stated, the foregoing was
COMPOSED in her eighth year, with several
other pieces equally bcuuliful-shc died
when less tnnn sirtccn! 1t is a rare oc-
currcncc, that such productions issue from
50 youthful u pen. Doubtless. the spcci-
mems which remain OF her poetic genius,
give promise Of the distinction 10 which
she would have attained as writer, had
she liycd 10 the maturity Of womanhood.
But, her muse was. at very early period
hushcd in death. II is often The lot Of the
living to lament the young, The fair. and
the promising! But. ''scl.lnm do we weep
for flower, which, having faded So early,
leaves so rich perfume, surh rcfre shing
fragrance" as The subject of this imper-
feet sketch. J. D.
Pine Lcpcl, S. c.
See an interesting sketch of this lady in Bukcs 8
"Bographical Dictionary
AN OLD CnuRCH.-The First Baptist
Church in ihel0wn Of SwanZcy, (Muss. J