Poems on Various Subjects [0]
Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral
by Phillis Wheatley
CONTENTS.
TO Maecenas
On Virtue
To the University of Cambridge, in New England
To the King's Most Excellent Majesty
On being brought from Africa
On the Rev. Dr. Sewell
On the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield
On the Death of a young Lady of five Years of Age
On the Death of a young Gentleman
To a Lady on the Death of her Husband
Goliath of Gath
Thoughts on the Works of Providence
To a Lady on the Death of three Relations
To a Clergyman on the Death of his Lady
An Hymn to the Morning
An Hymn to the Evening
On Isaiah lxiii. 1------8
On Recollection
On Imagination
A Funeral Poem on the Death of an Infant aged
twelve Months
To Captain H. D. of the 65th Regiment
To the Right Hon. William, Earl of Dartmouth
Ode to Neptune
To a Lady on her coming to North America with
her Son, for the Recovery of her Health
To a Lady on her remarkable Preservation in a
Hurricane in North Carolina
To a Lady and her Children on the Death of the Lady's Brother
and Sister, and a Child of the Name
of Avis, aged one Year
On the Death of Dr. Samuel Marshall,
To a Gentleman on his Voyage to Great-Britain,
for the Recovery of his Health
To the Rev. Dr. Thomas Amory on reading his Sermons
on Daily Devotion, in which that Duty is
recommended and assisted
On the Death of J. C. an Infant
An Hymn to Humanity
To the Hon. T. H. Esq; on the Death of his Daughter
Niobe in Distress for her Children slain by Apollo,
from Ovid's Metamorphoses, Book VI, and from a View
of the Painting of Mr. Richard Wilson
To S. M. a young African Painter, on seeing his Works
To his Honour the Lieutenant-Governor,
on the Death of his Lady
A Farewel to America
A Rebus by I. B.
An Answer to ditto, by Phillis Wheatley
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE
COUNTESS OF HUNTINGDON,
THE FOLLOWING
P O E M S
ARE MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED.
BY HER MUCH OBLIGED,
VERY HUMBLE
AND DEVOTED SERVANT.
PHILLIS WHEATLEY.
BOSTON, JUNE 12, 1773.
P R E F A C E.
THE following POEMS were written originally for the Amusement of the Author, as they were the Products of her leisure Moments. She had no Intention ever to have published them; nor would they now have made their Appearance, but at the Importunity of many of her best, and most generous Friends; to whom she considers herself, as under the greatest Obligations.
As her Attempts in Poetry are now sent into the World, it is hoped the Critic will not severely censure their Defects; and we presume they have too much Merit to be cast aside with Con- tempt, as worthless and trifling Effu- sions. As to the Disadvantages she has la- boured under, with Regard to Learn- ing, nothing needs to be offered, as her Master's Letter in the following Page will sufficiently show the Difficulties in this Respect she had to encounter.
With all their Imperfections, the Poems are now humbly submitted to the Perusal of the Public.
The following is a Copy of a LETTER sent by the Author's Master to the Publisher.
PHILLIS was brought from Africa to Ame- rica, in the Year 1761, between seven and eight Years of Age. Without any Assist- ance from School Education, and by only what she was taught in the Family, she, in sixteen Months Time from her Arrival, at- tained the English language, to which she was an utter Stranger before, to such a de- gree, as to read any, the most difficult Parts of the Sacred Writings, to the great Asto- nishment of all who heard her.
As to her WRITING, her own Curiosity led her to it; and this she learnt in so short a Time, that in the Year 1765, she wrote a Letter to the Rev. Mr. OCCOM, the Indian Minister, while in England.
She has a great Inclination to learn the Latin Tongue, and has made some Progress in it. This Relation is given by her Master who bought her, and with whom she now lives.
JOHN WHEATLEY.
Boston, Nov. 14, 1772.
To the PUBLIC.
AS it has been repeatedly suggested