THE BIRTH-DAY ORNAMENTS. Eliza Day Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
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Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
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Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T132359 Daye, Eliza, b. ca. 1734. Poems, on Various Subjects. Liverpool Printed by J. M'Creery 1798 pp. [6]-12. [2],x,[4],258p.; 8°

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THE BIRTH-DAY ORNAMENTS . PERSON and mind , we must confess , Receive from polish and from dress A charm to point the native grace , The virtuous heart , the beauteous face ; But faults in each , refuse their aid , And more adorn'd are more display'd ; Can polish'd vice the good engage ? A viper in a gilded cage ! 'Twas thus the tender parent thought , When his adorning gifts he brought ; My child , he said , my Rosaline , There is no affection so pure and angelic , as that of a father to a daughter . In love to our wives , there is desire ; to our sons , ambition ; but in that to our daughters , there is something which there are no words to express — Spectator , No. 449. And all the father beam'd divine , Benignant May now cheers the earth , And this day twelve years was thy birth ; May it be mine this day to bring , Important treasures to thy spring . And thy lost mother to restore , Give thee the ornaments she wore ; For these , while here we were allied , With love and me were all her pride . Evander then in accents mild , Thus with his gifts address'd his child . My sweetest Rose , attention pay , And fix thy thoughts on what I say ; If these from you no worth receive , How vainly does my fondness give . For here , the wise no value trace , Till these are joined by kindred grace ; And first , he said , my Rosaline , This OZIER WAND'S by nature thine , Alas ! it was in Eden broke , Evander sighing as he spoke ; The giver there how much forgot , Ordained it your peculiar lot ; Whene'er it bends to just command , See , how it blooms beneath the hand ; Keep it my child , with care thro' life , It suits the daughter and the wife , And tho' it marks no present sway , To rising honours leads the way ; 'Tis planted first in wisdom's school , And leads the mighty to their rule . A VEIL he next display'd to view , Adorn'd with PEARLS of blooming hue ; He thus proceeded , these you see , Wear the sweet blush of MODESTY ; When thus drawn forth , compell'd to shew , Mark how they tremble as they glow ; This serves you in a double sense , An ornament and a defence ; Its timid lustre can unfold , A sacred charm to awe the bold ; Give every beauty softer grace , And add ideal loveliness , The beauteous ensign of your fame , And woman's glory is its name ; Again he paus'd to view his child , With timid look , she blushing smil'd . A brilliant WATCH the next he brought , It's chain with many an emblem wrought ; The cock , prime herald of the dawn , The loaded bee , from flowery lawn . Silkworms and spiders at their looms , And ants that hoard ere winter comes ; Its worth admiring , as he viewed , His theme Evander thus pursued , My Rose , 'till time shall pass away , Be this the emblem of thy day ; With this pursue thy steady course , 'Tis action gives to virtue force , Loitering , you as this machine , Some spring to good have wrong within ; When winding up this splendid toy , Upon yourself your thoughts employ , And since life here , to you was given , To fit you for a life in heaven ; Ask with every setting sun , What for heaven has Rosaline done ? The gift that courted next her sight , Was a clear ROBE , of SPOTLESS WHITE ; The father said , my Rosaline , This , with its kindred grace be thine , By all the good and wise confest , The pride of virtue and of taste ; Free as the air , open as day , Children this beauteous robe display . And thence , the prince of love and peace , Declares , of such my kingdom is ; Much merit should this gift impart , And , all its wearers shew the heart ; It is the dress which angels wear , And thought their purest emblem here ; Evander ceased , rejoiced to see , His child possess SIMPLICITY . A TURBAN to adorn the HEAD , Was the rich present next display'd ; Gems from every country brought , Work which every age had wrought ; There arts and science spread their store , In brilliant types , from every shore ; And as its value stood confest , Evander thus his thoughts exprest , This gift a value must possess , Too rich , some think , for female dress ; Its worth to know exceeds your powers , And nature meant it only ours ; Whoe'er these narrow claims have spread , But little of themselves have said ; Little discernment have they shown , Who have your worth so little known . How can their rugged bosoms prove , Exalted friendship , tender love . By no such vanity beguil'd , I give it thee my darling child , Tho' in itself a boundless store , With caution let it still be wore . On you , it was not meant for show , Tho' there be those who wear it so , From all conceit , still wear it free , Beneath the veil of modesty . A conscious joy the father took , From Rosaline's inquiring look , And as his last best gift he draws , He views it with a solemn pause , Conceal'd the moisture of his eye , And half suppress'd the rising sigh , Assum'd composure ere he spoke , And thus his tender silence broke , Thou dearest object of my cares , Accept the gifts my love prepares , But vain the value of the rest , If this , the chief , be not carest ; Then , thro' this CRYSTAL every day , My presents carefully survey , Thro' this , inspect my gifts of love , How they decay , or they improve , To what the wise shall recommend , If fitly , meek OBEDIENCE bend , This will a gentle firmness show , To dignify the MODEST glow ; Display your best pursuits , and thence , Incite to active DILIGENCE , And by a conscience free from harm , Show INNOCENCY'S open charm , Extending every virtue's sphere , You see the worth of KNOWLEDGE here ; Tis thus the wise , with steady eye , Their morals by RELIGION try , And if with these thro' life you move , Our joys our virtues you improve , With fond attentions , ceaseless cares , Tis woman guards our infant years ; Her kind compassions sooth in death , And she receives our parting breath .