Weekly Trinity journal., 1862-11-01
TO A FEEssT-BORN.

Another tie is twined around my heart,
Another being greet now with love,
And look into its innocent blue eyes
Until mine own do overflow with teaIs
And in my heart spring feelings new nd strange.
My hrstborn habe-mv tair aud fniHAA,s child
Thou rainbow that dost tell Of sunny hours
Thou dove of promise to my little ark,
As | do look upon thy features sweet,
bless thee aud prayer is on my lips
That Joy may strew its roses in thy path,
And happiness attend upon thy steps;
But as gaze, cloud comes Ger my hopes,
Across my soul there tits a crowd of dim
And dark forebodngs of thy coming years.
Much do fear that even as mine own
Thy lot will be, Of suffering and Of toll
For have dwelt amid sordd race,
And spent my life with profit seeking men,
Whose heaven was to be rich whose god was gold
With men who laughed at intellect ual wealth.
To whom the laburs of those god like minds
Whose thoughts must live through ages yet to come
We're things they east aside as useless dross.
There have been times (may no such fate be thinel
Whom words indignant have been on my tongue,
But have forced them back upon my heart
Compelled 10y dread uccessity's stern law
To bow my head, and othe my face in smiles,
When my soul wrjthcd in worllless agony
Aud have almost wished Ia ue'er been born,
Or died when, like to thee siuleSs babe.
Yet joy, too, hath been mingled with my lot
And for that joy to God my thanks give
Eyes look into mine own with loving light,
Dear voices find an echo in my heart,
And kindred forms give rapture to my sight
But first of all my blessings do hold
Thy gentle mother dearer for thy sake.
Away with mournful presnges-if thou
Shouldst live to womanhood, aud be spared
To guide thee ON thy way, thou shalt be taught
To love the lore by mighty minds bcqueathed,
To drink from founts poetic sweetest draughts
And banquet on the food which is immortal
The bards aud sages of the ollcn time,
aud those which shed around their lustre now
They shall be thy comranions-thou shalt mate
with Shakespeare and with Milton thou shalt sit,
And converse hold with Wordsworth and with Scott
Byron's proud spirit shall discourse with thine
And other masters Of that glorious art
Which peoples earth with shapes and thoughts divine
son wi Ia tt, ut,1. itrit
Thou shalt learn with reverence deep To view
The things which God created for us all,
And look ON nature with Thanksgiving heart
And mark its mysteries with admirinE eyes
whether the sun with glory lights up heaven,
Or frowning clouds are lowering o'er the earth
Whether the stars are throngiug round the moon,
Or solemn darkness wells the face of night.
The green earth with its host of smiling flowers,
And trees with dancing leaves and dropping fruit;
The winged birds that Gll the air with song,
dhe golden bees that with cheerful hum,
The rush of streams whose course Is swift as joy,
The blush of morning and the evening pale
Thou shalt br taught to look with love on ALL
And bless the bounteous Power that made them.
Nor when, with heartfelt bliss, thy gnze hath dwelt
On all which our Greater hath bestowed
On US his creatures, shalt thou turn away,
And II a homeless wretch do cross thy pnth,
view view him with sc0r9Inl and contemptuons eye
But It he ask thy help him shalt thou aid
And from thy little store bestow thy mite,
For nature is that wretch's heritage,
4 a Sell as thine thy srother is he, tocA
lndNpOth are equal in the eye of God,
VINO gave the earth to poor and rich alikef
Il shall be minc to teach thee, my sweet child,
Not 10 crouch seryilely to pampered wealth.
Not to pay homage unto gdcd vice,
Nor yet to turn thee from the poor man prayer,
And spurn the suppliant with a troW ning brow,
Merely because he doth not please thine eye
Look thou into the mind and heart of man
And pay thy homage to his deeds not state
The virtues Of the rich do claim praise,
But virtuous poverty doth claim It moro,
Mine, then, shall be the pleasing task TO guido
Thy dawnng powers to that which seems most good
To bid thee cherish what most noods thy help
To view all things with an observaut mind
To torture not the insect on he wing
Nor Kill the harmless reptile at thy feet
To bid thee walk erect in virtues path,
And yet shrink not from stretching forth thy hand
When guilt repents, to draw the wAndcrer back.
SO shalt thou live though man perchancc may frown
ly God himself beloved, and he viii be thy friend.