Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-07-06
Looking Backward
AN UNPUBLISHED POEM BY
JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER
From the Independent.


From the independent.
Dur.ng Whittier's residence in Phllauei-
phia, lS3S-lS40, a young lady friend, OF that
city, herself the writer OF pleasing verse,
Miss Elizabeth Nicholson, began a manu-
script collection of his poems, inclu9ihs
literally everything he had pubiisheu AZ
that time. This collection also included
many sportive and s~atirical verses. never
published, but circulated among nus
friends. She was helped In securing M ms
Whittier's sister Elizabeth, who spent
some months in Philadelphia, while ne
was editing the Pennsylvania Freeman.
While the collection was making whittier
was not aware of 1t, and gave no help.
He was naturally annoyed when a hand
somely bound volume of neat manuscript
was handed HIM with a request that ne
would write a preface for It.. He had
hoped that the vain dreams and follies or
his early times" had been consigned TO
oblivion. and did not relish the raising OF
their ghosts while he was engaged in Sc
rious work. But at IS was in manuscript
only, and for the perusal OF intimate
friends, he consented to furnish the desired
preface, with the result given below. The
lines have a value as showing the attitude
of the poet in middle life toward the less
,unselfsh ambitions of his youth. The
unique volume referred to, with its intro
duction in Whittier's handwriting, is now
in the possession Of Miss Nicholson's rela-
tives. ). L. Plckafd.l
Sins OF my luckless boyhood! ghosts OF
Vain dreams and foll.es of my early times!
Fruits of brief respite from the students
lore,
Or conned at intervals OF labor DER
When stretched at ease where oaken shad-
ows lay,
And the stream winded at my feet;
The unconscious TX that painted at my
side,
The dog that fondly his young master
eyed, ,
And, on the boughs above, the forest bird
Alone rude snatches of their measure
Or uttered when the worlds ~enchantment
first
on dazzled eye or kindiing spirit burst;
When fattery's voice N woman's gentlest
tone ,
Woke thoughts n feelings heretofore
unknown: \
When halls where wealth and reauty, wit
and mirth,
And taste refined. and ~eloquence and
worth
Felt and difrused the intellect's high joy,
Opened to welcome even a rustic boy; s
Or where ambitions lip of fame and fear
Burned like the tempter's at my listening
ear, \
And a proud spirit, hidden deep and long,
Rose up for strife, stern, resolute and
strong,
Conscious of power, and proudly looking
To the high places of the land with hope.
III idle dreams of the enthusiast boy,
Imagination's sorrow and it's joy
Woes upon paper, misery in reams,
Distress in albums, and despair in
The dim world Of the ideal-all the vain
And shadowy fluctuations Of the brain
The Berkleyism of poetry, which sees
The real dream, and dreams realities
Thoughts born of feelings now dizowned
and spurned.
Breath.ngs of hopes for which my spirit
I look upon We with no kindly gaze
Ye frail mementos of my boyish days.
l love not now, with manhood soberer eye
To read the lesson of your vanity.
Record OF time m~.sspent. of mind abused,
OF God-given powers in folly's service
used!
Oh for the power to dedicate anew
Heart, soul and spirit to the right and
true
To offer up on Duty's holy shrine
The morning incense of q heart like mine!
But vain the wish! Let the time past suf-
flee
For idle thoughts n worse than vanities.
Thy will, oh Father! hath it not been
shown?
Thy gentle teachings have they not been
known?
Have / not heard amid life's stormy DIN
The voice Of bland entreaty entering in,
When midst my selfish aims Of power and
fame,
The mournful signing of the captive came,
Anu a pTOuu HedIl through ali It's Triple
steel
Melted at others woe, and learned to feel?
Oh for Thine aid to bend anew the knee:
And turn my spirit wholly unto Thee:
TO give up ail-nay cease to claim as mine
In pride of heart, powers which alone are
Thine;
To Thee the abused and wasted gifts re-
store,
Nor dare abuse Thy holy bounty more. =
And thou whose partial hand hath kindly
penned
These frail and wayside offerings OF a
friend
Who, cold and calm in outward seeming,
yet
Hath never learned a kindness to forget
Thou unto whom Is given that gift of
mind
Which. pure itself, delighteth still to find
Beauty m all things, anxious to make
known
Another's gifts, while careless of thine
own
Forgive me, II in gazing coolly now.
NTH manhood's cautious eye and thought
worn brow,
Even with a grateful sense OF secret glad
ness,
There blends the shadow Of regretful sad
ness.