Title:  Vignettes in Verse

Author:  Matilda Betham

Release Date:  February 20, 2004 [EBook #11194]

Language:  English

Character set encoding:  Us-ASCII

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Vignettes: 

In verse.

BY MATILDA BETHAM.

1818.

These verses are inscribed
to
lady Betham,
as A tribute of sincere respect
for her
amiable qualities.

ADVERTISEMENT.

* * * * *

As far as the seventy-fourth page, these Poems have been printed about two years; during which many things happened likely to prevent their ever appearing.  The time, however, is now come, and I have to-day found the remainder, up to where the lines end with

  “Its unpolluted birthright.”

On reading the whole over, they struck me with much surprise, as they appear in a singular manner prophetic.  I wrote them with a general, and somewhat undefined view; and they now take the aspect of speaking on what has since happened to myself—­a long seclusion, during which I was bereft of the common means of study, having given rise to one that has turned out far more important than I at first imagined, and which I have continued since, to the exclusion of every other pursuit.

Stonkam, May 10th, 1818.

Vignettes.

I.

If writing Journals were my task,
  From cottagers to kings—­
A little book I’d only ask,
  And fill it full of wings!

Each pair should represent a day: 
  On some the sun should rise,
While others bent their mournful way
  Through cold and cloudy skies.

And here I would the light’ning bring
  With threatening, forked glare;
And there the hallowed rainbow fling
  Across the troubled air.

Some faint and wearily should glide
  Their broken flight along—­
While some high in the air should ride
  Dilated, bold, and strong.

Some agitated and adrift,
  Against their will should rove;
Some, steering forward, sure and swift,
  Should scarcely seem to move—­

While others, happiest of their kind! 
  Should in the ether soar,
As if no care would ever find,
  No sorrow reach them more;

When soon an arrow from below
  Should wound them in their flight,
And many a crimson drop should flow
  Before they fell in sight.