Betham, Mary Matilda, 1776-1852. Elegies and Other Small Poems, by Matilda Betham. Ipswich: Printed by W. Burrell, and sold by Longman, Paternoster-Row, and Jermyn and Forster, Ipswich, 1797. (ESTC T143264)

    • ELEGIES, &c.

    • ELEGIES AND OTHER SMALL POEMS,

    BY MATILDA BETHAM.

    IPSWICH: PRINTED BY W. BURRELL, AND SOLD BY LONGMAN, PATERNOSTER-ROW, AND JERMYN AND FORSTER, IPSWICH,

    Price 3s. 6d.

    • To the Hon. LADY JERNINGHAM.

    Madam,

    The many endearing instances of regard I have experienced since I had the honor of being known to your Ladyship, while they impress my mind with gratitude, flatter my hopes with a favourable reception of the following miscellanies, which, under your patronage, I venture to submit to the public.

    [Page vi]

    Considered as the first essays of an early period of life, and as the exercises of leisure, my wishes suggest, that they may not, perhaps, be found wholly unworthy of attention; but whatever be their fate with others, I shall feel myself much gratified, if, in your Ladyship's judgment, they may be allowed some merit.

    Though there cannot be a greater pleasure than dwelling on the excellencies of a distinguished and amiable character, I know not that it would be permitted me to indulge my present inlination with enumerating those virtues and endowments which confessedly distinguish your Ladyship, but my[Page vii] wishes I may offer, and that you may long, very long, continue to bless your family, to adorn your rank, and console the unhappy, is the sincere prayer of

    Your Ladyship's most obliged humble servant, MATILDA BETHAM.

    Stonham, Nov. 20, 1797.

    • TO THE READER.

    If, in the following pages, there may be found any unacknowledged imitations, I hope I shall not be censured as an intentional plagiarist; for it has been my wish, however I may be esteemed presumptuous, not to be unjust; and I sometimes fear lest an imperfect recollection of another's idea should have appeared to me as a dawning thought of my own. Wherever I could recollect a similar passage, although unnoticed at the time I wrote,[Page x] it has been either altered or acknowledged.

    I commit these trifles to the press with the anxiety necessarily resulting from a desire that they may not be deemed altogether worthless. Though the natural partiality of the writer may be somewhat strengthened by the commendations of friends and parents, I am well aware that no apology can give currency to imperfection.

    I have not vainly attempted to ascend to the steeps of Parnassus. If, wandering at its foot, I have mistaken perishable shrubs for never-dying flowers, the errors of a youthful mind, first viewing the fascinating regions of fancy, will not be rigidly condemned; for wherever there is true taste, there will be genuine candour.

    • CONTENTS.

    • To —, with Arthur and Albina     1
    • Arthur and Albina     3
    • The Fraternal Duel     15
    • Lines in a Letter to A. R. C     22
    • The Lonely Walk     24
    • The Outlaw     28
    • Invitation     43
    • Whitsun-Monday     45
    • Philemon     50
    • On a Fan     56
    • To Simplicity     57
    • [Page xii]The Terrors of Guilt     60
    • Cen'lin Prince of Mercia     67
    • Rhapsody     79
    • Human Pleasure or Pain     81
    • The Complaint of Fancy     83
    • On the Eve of Departure from O —     88
    • To M. I.     91
    • Translation from Metastasio     95, 97, 99
    • — from Della Casa     101
    • Editha     102
    • To M. I.     108
    • Written in Zimmerman's Solitude     111
    • To the Memory of Mr. Agostino Isola     113
    • To the Nuns of Bodney     116
    • Written in London     118
    • Fragment     123
    • —     123
    • Written April 18, 1796    125

    • ERRATA.

    • Page 58, last verse, 3d line, for ne'er read e'er.
    • Page 94, title, for Dello read Del.
    • Same p. 3d line from the bottom, for nauragj read naufragj.
  • ARTHUR and ALBINA.
  • THE FRATERNAL DUEL.
  • IN A LETTER to A.R.C. ON HER WISHING TO BE CALLED ANNA.
  • THE LONELY WALK To W. S. B.
  • THE OUTLAW
  • INVITATION, To J. B. C.
  • WRITTEN ON WHITSUN-MONDAY 1795.
  • PHILEMON.
  • ON A FAN
  • TO SIMPLICITY.
  • THE TERRORS OF GUILT
  • CEN'LIN, PRINCE OF MERCIA.
  • RHAPSODY
  • HUMAN PLEASURE OR PAIN.
  • THE COMPLAINT OF FANCY. To A. R. C.
  • ON THE EVE OF DEPARTURE From O —
  • TO M. I.

    • CANTATA. [DELL] METASTAISO.

    "D'atre nubi è il sol ravvolto,
    Luce infausta il Ciel colora.
    Pur chi sa? Quest 'alma ancora
    La speranza non perdè.
    Non funesta ogni tempesta
    Co '[naufragj] all' onde il seno;
    Ogni tuono, ogni baleno
    Sempre un fulmine non è. "
  • [CANTATA. [DELL] METASTAISO.] TRANSLATION.

    • LA FORTUNA. DELLO STESSO.

    A chi sercna io miro,
    Chiaro è di notte il cielo:
    Torna per lui nel gelo
    La terra a germogliar.
    Ma se a taluno io giro
    Torbido il guardo, e fosco,
    Fronde gli niega il bosco,
    Onde non trova in mar.
  • [LA FORTUNA. DELLO STESSO.] TRANSLATION.

    • CANTATA DELLO STESSO.

    Finchè un zeffiro soave
    Tien del mar l' ira placata,
    Ogni nave
    È fortunata,
    È felice ogni nocchier;
    È ben prova di coraggio
    Incontrar l'onde funeste,
    Navigar fra le tempeste,
    E non perdere il sentier.
  • [CANTATA DELLO STESSO.] TRANSLATION.

    • SONETTO. DI GIOVANNI DELLA CASA.

    Oh sonno, oh della cheta, umida, ombrosa
    Notte placido figlio; oh de' mortali
    Egri conforto, oblio dolce de' mali,
    Sì gravi, ond 'è la vita aspra, e nojosa:
    Soccorri al core omai, che langue, e posa
    Non have; e queste membra stanche, e frali
    Solleva: a me ten vola, oh sonno, e l' ali
    Tue brune sovra me distendi, e posa.
    Ov' è il silenzio, che 'l dì fugge, e' l lume?
    E i lievi sogni, che con non secure
    Vestigia di seguirti han per costume?
    Lasso, che'nvan te chiamo e queste oscure,
    E gelide ombre invan lusingo; oh piume
    D' asprezza colme; oh notti acerbe, e dure!
  • [SONETTO. DI GIOVANNI DELLA CASA.] SONNET, TO SLEEP. TRANSLATION
  • EDITHA
  • TO M. I.
  • WRITTEN IN ZIMMERMANN's SOLITUDE.
  • IN MEMORY OF Mr. AGOSTINO ISOLA, OF CAMBRIDGE, Who died on the 5th of June, 1797.
  • TO THE NUNS OF BODNEY.
  • Written in London, on the 19th of March 1796.
  • FRAGMENT.
  • FRAGMENT.
  • Written April the 18th, 1796.