The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-07-06
Looking Backward
AN UNPUBLISHED POEM BY
JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER
From the independent


From the independent.
lDur.ng Whittier's residence in Philadel
phia, .lS3S-lSiO. a young lady friend. of tina,
eity. herself the writer of pleasing Verse
script collection of his poems. Including
literally everything he had published al
that time. THIS collection also included
May s%portiye and satirlcal verses. never
published, but circulated among his
friends. She vas helped in securing his
ear.1est work, his boyish poems. by Ny.
Whitticr's SISTER Elizabeth. who spent
some months in Philadelphia, while he
was editing the Pennsylvania Freeman.
While the collection was making Whittier
Vas not aware of 1t, and gave no help.
He was naturally annoyed when a hand
someiy bound volume of neat manuscript
was handed him with u request that he
would Write a preface for 1t. He had
hoped that the vain dreams and follies of
his early times" had been consigned to
obiiNlon. 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
unique volume referred to, with It's intro
duction in Whittier's handwriting. is now
IN the possession of Miss Nicholson's rela-
tives. S. T. Pickard.l
Sins of my luckless boyhood! Ghosts OF
rhymes!
v Gill vi GILL Gnu Ioll-eS o Il my elTlN tll0ESi
lore.
Or conn.ed at intervals of labor DER
"hen screened at ease where oaken shad-
And the stream inc at my feet;
The unconscious OK that painted at my
side,
The dog that fondly his young master
eyed.
n en- the boughs above, the forest bird
Alone rude snatches of their measure
heard
Or uttered when the worlds hantm
When fatteTy's voice N woman's gentlest
Woke thoughts and feelings heretofore
When halls where wealth and Beauty, wit
and rnirth,
And taste refined. and eloquence and
worth
Felt and diffused the intellect's high Joy,
Opened to weleeme even a rustic boy;
Or where arnbition's lip of fame and fear
Burned Xix the tenlpter's at my listening
And a proud spirit. hidden deep and long.
Rose up for. strife. stern, resolute and
strong,
Conscious Of power, and proudly looking
up
To the high places of the land with hope.
The Idle dreams of the enthusiast boy.
~aglnatl SORROW and its JOY
Woes upon paper, misery in reams,
+S Sh0 oSSpdlI III
The dim world Of the ideal-ail the vain
And shaaowy tribuiations of the brain
The B~erkleyism of poetry, which sees
The real dream. and dreams realities
thoughts born of feelings now disowned
and spurned,
Breath.ngs of hopes for which NV spir.t
yeaIned-
/ look upon ye with no kindly gaze
ie frail mementos of my boyish davsi
I love not now. with manhood soberer eve
20 read the. lesson of your vanity.
Record Of time m.sspent, of mind abused,
OF Ged-giyen powers in folly's service
Oh for the power to dedicate anew
Heart. soul and spirit to the right and
To. offer up on Duty's holy shrine
The morning incense Of a heart like minel
But vain the wish! Let the time past suf-
For idle thoughts and worse than vanities.
Thy will. Oh Father! hath it not been
Thy gentle teachings have they not been
Have l 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.
And q proud heart through all its triple
Melted at others woe. and learned to feel?
Oh for Thine aid to bend anew the knee:
And turn my spirit wholly unto Thee;
give UP all-nay cease to claim as mine
In pride of heart. powers which alone are
Thine;
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 q Kindness to forget
unto whom is given that git Of
Which. pure itself, ~delighteth still to find
Beauty IN all things. anxiou to make
Another's gifts. while careless of thine
Forgive me. If in gazing coolly now,
worn brow,
Even with a grateful sense Of secret glad
ness.
There tends the shadow of regretful sad