The Project Gutenberg EBook of Religious and Moral Poems, by Phillis Wheatley

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Title: Religious and Moral Poems

Author: Phillis Wheatley

Posting Date: August 3, 2008 [EBook #409] Release Date: January, 1996

Language: English

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RELIGIOUS AND MORAL POEMS ***

Produced by Judith Boss

POEMS

ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS,

RELIGIOUS AND MORAL.

BY PHILLIS WHEATLEY,

NEGRO SERVANT TO MR. JOHN WHEATLEY, OF BOSTON, IN NEW-ENGLAND.

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 Contempt, as worthless and trifling Effusions.

As to the Disadvantages she has laboured under, with Regard to Learning, 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 America, in the Year 1761, between seven and eight Years of Age. Without any Assistance from School Education, and by only what she was taught in the Family, she, in sixteen Months Time from her Arrival, attained the English language, to which she was an utter Stranger before, to such a degree, as to read any, the most difficult Parts of the Sacred Writings, to the great Astonishment 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 to the Publisher, by Persons, who have seen the Manuscript, that Numbers would be ready to suspect they were not really the Writings of PHILLIS, he has procured the following Attestation, from the most respectable Characters in Boston, that none might have the least Ground for disputing their Original.

WE whose Names are under-written, do assure the World, that the POEMS specified in the following Page,* were (as we verily believe) written by Phillis, a young Negro Girl, who was but a few Years since, brought an uncultivated Barbarian from Africa, and has ever since been, and now is, under the Disadvantage of serving as a Slave in a Family in this Town. She has been examined by some of the best Judges, and is thought qualified to write them.

His Excellency THOMAS HUTCHINSON, Governor.

The Hon. ANDREW OLIVER, Lieutenant-Governor.

  The Hon. Thomas Hubbard, | The Rev. Charles Chauncey, D. D.
  The Hon. John Erving, | The Rev. Mather Byles, D. D.
  The Hon. James Pitts, | The Rev. Ed. Pemberton, D. D.
  The Hon. Harrison Gray, | The Rev. Andrew Elliot, D. D.
  The Hon. James Bowdoin, | The Rev. Samuel Cooper, D. D.
  John Hancock, Esq; | The Rev. Mr. Saumel Mather,
  Joseph Green, Esq; | The Rev. Mr. John Moorhead,
  Richard Carey, Esq; | Mr. John Wheat ey, her Master.

  N. B. The original Attestation, signed by the above Gentlemen,
         may be seen by applying to Archibald Bell, Bookseller,
         No. 8, Aldgate-Street.

_________________________________________________________

*The Words "following Page," allude to the Contents of the Manuscript Copy, with are wrote at the Back of the above Attestation.

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