Forget Me Not, A Christmas and New Year's Present for 1829

[vii]

CONTENTS.
                                                                  PAGE
["Appealing by the magic of its name," By L. E. L. on Title Page] [i]
[Preface] [iii]
Marcus Curtius [Engraving] 1
Mont Blanc. By the Rev. Charles Strong 6
The Retreat. By James Montgomery, Esq. 7
The Sculptured Children. On Chantrey's Monument at Lichfield. By Mrs. Hemans 11
The Hour too Many 13
Langsyne. By Delta [aka D.L. Moir] 23
St. Mary of the Lows. By James Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd 25
The Christian. By M.E. Beaufort 29
Ellen Strathallan. A Fairy Legend. By Mrs. Pickersgill [Engraving] 31
From an Absentee. By Barry Cornwall [aka B.W. Procter] 38
Recollections of Père la Chaise [Signed H.P.] 39
The Guiding Star. By the late Edward Knight, Esq. of Drury Lane Theatre 52
Xerxes. By Charles Swain, Esq. Author of Metrical Essays on Subjects of History and Imagination 53
A Father's Legacy to his Children. By James Kenney, Esq. 56
Eliza Carthago. By Mrs. Bowdich 57
The Faithful Guardian. By John Bird, Esq. [Engraving] 65
Epitaph on a Gnat, found crushed on the Leaf of a Lady's Album. By James Montgomery, Esq. 67
Song. By John Clare 68
Terence O'Flaherty. By A Modern Pythagorean [aka Robert MacNish] 69
Phaon in Sicily. [Signed A.K.] 83

Tintagel Castle. By John Michell, Esq. [Boyle attributes this poem to Major Nicholas Michell] 85
Impromptu on Waste. By the late E[dward] Knight, Esq. 88
The Enthusiast on the Waters. By the Rev. Richard Polwhele 89
To the New Year. By the Rev. George Downes, A.M. 92
The Village of Scheveling. A Dutch Legend of 1530. By Charles Swain, Esq. 93
The Euthanasia. A Story of Modern Greece [Signed E??] [Engraving] 95
Lights and Shades [Signed F.H.] 120
To the Altar of St. George's Church, Hanover Square. By James Bird, Esq. 121
St. Peter walking on the Sea. By Mrs. Henry Rolls 122
Ballad. By Miss Emma Roberts 124
To a Wood-Dove. By Mrs. Bray, Author of De Foix, etc. 125
Sonnet. By Mrs. Emmerson 126
Banks of the Ganges. By Captain M'Naghten [Engraving] 127
The Prophet in the Wilderness. Lines on an Engraving, by Martin. By the Author of "Nugæ Sacræ," etc. [aka William Ball] 130
The Cornet's Widow. By John Bird, Esq. 131
To the Sea [Signed F.H.] 144
On a Portrait. By Delta [aka D.L. Moir] 145
Woman's Eye. By the Rev. J.H. Caunter, B.D. 148
The Zanteote Lovers [Signed H. T**y.] 149
Constancy. By James Bird, Esq. [Engraving] 157
Constancy. By Charles Swain, Esq. 162
Friendship. By the Rev. Francis Skurray, B.D. Author of Bidcombe Hill 164
The Houri. A Persian Tale. By the late Henry Neele, Esq. 165
To the Moss Rose. By Miss Agnes Strickland, Author of Worcester Field, etc. 178
The Spell [Signed F.H.] 180
The Light-House. By the Rev. George Woodley [Engraving] 181
Time's Takings and Leavings. By Bernard Barton 183

The Funeral Boat. A Legend. By Miss Louisa Stuart Costello 185
Sunset. By the Rev. Charles Strong 192
Giuseppe Guercino [Signed Rosa] 193
Song [Signed R.F.H. aka R.F. Housman] 208
Frolic in a Palace. By W.H. Harrison, Esq. [Engraving] 209
St. Andrew's. By the Author of Tales and Sketches [aka Jacob Ruddiman] 215
On the Reappearance of the Seventh Pleiad. By Miss Isabel Hill, Author of Constance, Zaphna, etc. 216
Lost and Won. A Village Sketch. By Miss Mary Russell Mitford 217
The Vale of Ide. By John Bowring, Esq. 228
Bridal Greetings. By James Montgomery, Esq. 229
Concha Veneris. By the Rev. Richard Polwhele 230
Sir Baldred's Farewell. By Delta [aka D.L. Moir] 231
The Rainbow [Signed H. T**y.] 233
Truth, Youth, and Age. An Apologue. By Charles Swain, Esq. 234
The Musician of Augsburg. By Derwent Conway, Author of Solitary Walks through Many Lands [aka Henry D. Inglis] 235
Sonnet. By Richard Howitt 244
The Proposal. By Mrs. Cornwell Baron Wilson [Engraving] 245
The Warrior's Death. By Frederic Shoberl, Jun. 249
Rebecca parting with Jacob. By Miss Emily Taylor 251
The Maid of the Beryl. By Mrs. Hofland 253
The Destroyer. By Miss Eliza Rennie 267
Man [Signed Leontine] 269
The Tears of the Dead. By Mrs. Harriet Downing 271
On a Child killed by Lightning. By John Clare 272
The Magician of Vicenza [Engraving] 273
Reason's Victory. By Miss Agnes Strickland 283
Presumption Reproved. By W.H. Harrison, Esq. 285
Woman's Love. By Mrs. Cockle 289
To Poesy [Signed R.F.H. aka R.F. Housman] 291
Memorials of a Schoolfellow. By the Rev. Henry Stebbing, A.M. [Engraving] 293

Woman and Music. By Wm. Cooke Stafford, Esq. 304
On a Heavy Fall of Snow. By the Rev. W.B. Clarke 305
On Sickness. By the Author of "Nugæ Sacræ," [aka William Ball] 307
The Sonneteer [Signed R.J. aka Richard Johns] 308
Eastern Apologues. By James Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd.
    The Divinity of Song
    The Beauty of Women
    Maxims of Sadac, the Son of Azor 309
The Matrimonial Rule. Inscribed in the Album of a Young Lady on the Eve of Marriage. By the Editor of Forget Me Not [Frederic Shoberl] 324
To a Butterfly. By the Rev. George Woodley 325
Last Lines. By Charles Brinsley Sheridan, Esq. 326
Farewell to a Friend, on his Departure for America [Signed J.F.] 327
To Beauty. By the Rev. Charles Strong 328
The Country Kitchen. By Miss Mitford [Engraving] 329
The Wish. By the Editor of Forget Me Not [Signed F.S. aka Frederick Shoberl] 330
The Goldsmith of Westcheap. By the Author of London in the Olden Time [aka Miss H. Lawrance] 331
The Blind Piper. By Delta [aka D.L. Moir] [Engraving] 365
On the Wreck of a Vessel. By Montague Seymour 368
The Rover's Farewell to his Mistress. By Miss Susannah Strickland [aka Mrs. Moodie in Boyle] 369
Ovid in Pontus. By Barry Cornwall [aka B.W. Procter] 370
The Maniac. By the Rev. J. Hobart Caunter, B.D. 371
Lydford Bridge. By N.T. Carrington 380
The Red Flag at the Fore. By the Old Sailor [aka M.H. Barker] 383
Sonnet composed off Ætolia. By Charles Brinsley Sheridan, Esq. 402
Alice. By W.H. Harrison, Esq. [Engraving] 403
On the Recitation of Palestine, a Prize Poem, by Reginald Heber. By Miss LËtitia Jermyn 410
To an Evening Star. By F. Muller 411
Remembrance. By Miss Keating 413
Remorse. By [Major] Nicholas Michell 415
Song. By James Kenney, Esq. 418

Preface Frederic Shoberl

[iii]

1 Six years have elapsed since the Forget Me Not furnished the first model for a new class of publications in this country; and during that period it has undeviatingly pursued the even tenor of its way. Its conductors, without advancing any lofty pretensions to exaggerate its merits, or descending to choleric vituperation against those who have followed in their footsteps, have been content to secure for it those advantages which were to be derived from the kindness and talents of their numerous literary contributors, the abilities of the artists employed in its embellishment, and the exercise of their own judgment and industry, which have been extended to matters usually considered of minor importance, and abandoned to the care of subordinate agents. The pains bestowed, for example, on the typographical department, have prevented those inaccuracies and that waste of space so conspicuous in some other works of this kind, and ranked the later volumes of the Forget Me Not among the most correct products that have ever issued from the press. At the same time, a jealous vigilance in the selection of contributions, and in the removal of blemishes in style and language, has been exerted with such success that public opinion has been induced to assign to this Miscellany a decided literary pre-eminence above all its competitors.

2 Strong as may have been the claims of the work in former years to this distinction, the Editor cannot forbear expressing his conviction that they are surpassed by those which the present volume prefers; and he entertains, without fear of disappointment, the sanguine anticipation that the verdict of the Public will confirm his opinion. A glance, indeed, at its contents -- comprising more than one hundred poems and prose contributions, the authors of many of which rank among the most eminent of our living writers, and fourteen line engravings, finished with the utmost care by the first artists, from original designs by distinguished painters -- can scarcely fail to produce an impression of its superiority: and such a display may well justify a feeling of exultation which the Editor is disposed to indulge, in presenting to the world this portion of a work, which has been received from its first establishment with the most unequivocal marks of favour. That feeling, however, is not unmingled with regret, on account of the absolute necessity under which he has found himself to omit a great number of excellent compositions; and he begs the writers to attribute their exclusion solely to the impossibility of crowding materials sufficient to fill two or three volumes into the compass of one. Many of these articles he hopes still to be able to introduce.

3 The Publisher and Editor join to express their grateful acknowledgements to all those by whose literary aid they have been favoured, as well as to the artists to whose talents this volume owes its embellishments; and to George Morant, Esq. their particular thanks are due, for the loan of Prout's admirable picture of Vicenza, which has furnished the subject of one of the engravings.

The Sculptured Children. On Chantrey's Monument at Lichfield Felicia Hemans

[11]

Thus lay
The gentle babes, thus girdling one another
Within their alabaster innocent arms.
SHAKESPEARE ( Richard III, IV.iii.9-12 )

Fair images of sleep!

Hallow?d, and soft, and deep!

On whose calm lids the dreamy quiet lies,

Like moonlight on shut bells

Of flowers in mossy dells, 5

Fill?d with the hush of night and summer skies;

How many hearts have felt

Your silent beauty melt

Their strength to gushing tenderness away!

How many sudden tears, 10

From depths of buried years

All freshly bursting, have confess?d your sway!

How many eyes will shed

Still, o?er your marble bed,

Such drops, from Memory?s troubled fountains wrung! 15

While Hope hath blights to bear,

While Love breathes mortal air,

While roses perish ere to glory sprung.

Yet, from a voiceless home,

If some sad mother come 20

To bend and linger o?er your lovely rest;

As o?er the cheek?s warm glow,

And the soft breathings low

Of babes, that grew and faded on her breast;

If then the dovelike tone 25

Of those faint murmurs gone,

O?er her sick sense too piercingly return;

If for the soft bright hair,

And brow and bosom fair,

And life, now dust, her soul too deeply yearn; 30

O gentlest forms! entwin'd

Like tendrils, which the wind

May wave, so clasp?d, but never can unlink;

Send from your calm profound

A still small voice, a sound 35

Of hope, forbidding that lone heart to sink.

By all the pure, meek mind

In your pale beauty shrined,

By childhood?s love?too bright a bloom to die!

O?er her worn spirit shed, 40

O fairest, holiest Dead!

The Faith, Trust, Light, of Immortality!

The Faithful Guardian John Bird, Esq.

[65]

Sweet Innocence! How calm thou sleepest,

Cradled beneath yon clustering boughs,

Where the green forest shade lies deepest,

And the light noon-breeze freshest blows;

Where summer flowers, in beauty blending, 5

Lure from his path the honey-bee;

And on his spray the linnet, bending,

Attunes his softest lay for thee!

What though the gentle form that bore thee

Awhile her treasured hope resign, 10

A mother's love still watches o'er thee,

A mother's holiest trust is thing.

Move but a leaf, he starts, he listen;

Wings some lone bird, and swift as thought

The Guardian wakes -- his quick eye glistens: 15

Can faithful friendship, thus be taught!

A few short years, and wildly roaming,

They mute companion not more fleet,

The playful fawn shall list thy coming,

And bound they frolic step to meet. 20

Thee shall the breezy morn, inspiring,

On dewy mead and upland see;

Nor till the day-beams' slow retiring

Shall home, sweet home, have charms for thee.

Season of joy, of youthful daring, 25

Who would not these bright dreams renew?

When hope and health the glad hour sharing,

Tears were but sunbeams shrined in dew;

Wielding the bat, through ether soaring

On the far kite's aspiring wing, 30

Or the stream's coolest depths exploring --

Oh, why has life no second spring!

But summer dawns; and hours more tender,

Of richer light and deeper shade,

Shall mark thy throbbing heart surrender 35

Its homage to some bright-eyed maid.

Then, when the glowworm's lamp is lighting

They woodland path by lawn or lea,

And lips are prest, and vows are plighting--

Will time's soft whisper breath for thee! 40

Love hath is pangs! -- through grief and gladness

Its votary toils for one bright bourn;

And lengthening years but lead to sadness; --

Oh wilt no though, sweet smiler, mourn,

When age, o'er they protector stealing, 45

Shall dim the eye and dull the year;

And these fair hands, her cold lids sealing,

Are folded o'er a mother's bier?

So passes life; -- a current gliding

In sunshine or in storms away. 50

Thrice happy those, who, Virtue guiding,

Bow to the tempest, bless the ray!

Whose silent path through soft vales flowing,

No dream of wild ambition knows;

Grateful that Heaven, meet aid bestowing, 55

Smiles on their course, and gilds its close!

Epitaph on a Gnat, found crushed on the leaf of a Lady's Album, and written (with a different reading in the last line) in lead pencil beneath it James Montgomery

[67]

Lie there, embalm'd from age to age!

This is the album's noblest page,

Though every glowing leaf be fraught

With painting, poesy, and thought;

Where tracks of mortal hands are seen, 5

A hand invisible hath been,

And left this autograph behind,

This image from th' eternal mind;

A work of skill surpassing sense,

A labour of Omnipotence! 10

Though frail as dust it meet the eye,

He form'd this gnat who built the sky;

Stop -- lest it vanish at they breath --

This speck had life, and suffer'd death.

Sheffield, July 18, 1827.

Constancy John Bird, Esq.

[157]

She dwelt in her dear native vale, where the light

Of her loveliness shone like the planet of night,

That makes all clad in beauty more beautiful still,

Adds new charms to the valley, new grace to the hill!

O'er that spot nature?s bounty profusely had thrown, 5

From her garner of treasures, rare gems of her own!

And its beautiful glades were as happy as fair,

For the pride of the valley, young Ada, was there!

Oh! the charm of her smile was so sunny and bright;

Her form, like seraph's, all graceful and light, 10

And her eloquent eye softly told that its ray

From the sun of her soul had just darted away!

Yes! she breathed the fair sylph of that sweet shaded spot,

Bloom'd the chaste, lovely flower of her vine-cover'd cot,

Where the beauty of nature enchantingly smiled -- 15

Where the mother was blest in the love of her child.

And of Ada's font heart, there was one, who possess'd

All its hope -- the devotion, the truth of her breast,

And whose love was to here as the flower to the bee,

Or the leaf that ne'er fades on the evergreen tree! 20

But the pride of her soul, the brave Seymour, was far

From the bowers of her home, 'mid the tumult of war;

With the fervour of youth, o'er the wide-rolling wave,

He had rush'd to the fight, with the noble and brave.

He departed! -- The ocean divided them now, 25

And the care for his absence was mark'd on her brow,

Where anxiety's fear, the soft shading of sorrow,

Veil'd the bliss of to-day 'neath the hope of to-morrow!

Time fled -- and he came not -- and, and again,

Had the summer sun smiled o'er the deep, heaving main; -- 30

Oh! How drear was the night, and how cheerless the day,

While he dwelt from her own lovely valley away!

Now the sweet blooming spring brought delight to the earth,

And the bud and the floweret rejoiced in their birth;

And though bright glow'd the scene which around her was spread, 35

Yet the spell of her heart, its enchantment, had fled!

He sent not -- return'd not -- she heard of his fame,

And her heart burn'd with joy at the tidings which came;

For the star of her being was cloudless or dim,

As Fate dealt her storm or her sunshine to him! 40

How slow wane the hours when the form we most prize

Far away! -- far away! -- is estranged from our eyes!

And the moments to Ada thus painfully wrought

The sad dread of suspense, the dejection of thought.

"He is gone! -- and for ever! -- if living, no more 45

Dwells his thought on the scenes he so valued before.

Seymour shares not the laurels he wins for his brown

With the heart that hath loved, and that worships him now!

"Yes! They tell me, my dear humble home from his thought

Is all vanish'd away like a dream that is nought. 50

No! -- No! -- he may fall in the morning of youth,

But his heart is the temple of virtue and truth!"

Thus she pensively mourn'd -- and, though many a swain

Had bow'd down at the shrine of her beauty in vain;

Where her worshipperrs knelt, and exultingly told 55

Of their spacious domains and their treasures of gold,

Yet she heeded them not! -- As the flower that will turn

to the light of its life, wheresoe'er it may burn;

So to Seymour her heart turn'd its hope, though the ray

That Could cherish that hope from her sight was away. 60

The sun was slow wending to seek for his rest,

In the sapphirine bower of his realm in the west,

While his beams softly play'd on the light waving trees

That now whisper?d their joy at the kiss of the breeze!

In that hour lovely Ada dejectedly sate 65

By the door of her cottage, she mused on her fate;

And though sweetly her bird trill'd his song to her ear,

Its soft music had lost the rich notes that could cheer.

And the book she most loved, which had often re-press'd

The dominion of sorrow that vanquish'd her breast; 70

Its page, once so prized, fail'd to comfort her now,

Or to chase the despair that o'ershadow'd her brow!

Hope died in her soul: -- hark! a footstep is nigh,

And a shadow has caught the bright glance of her eye --

She turns -- her breath quickens -- before her he stands, 75

Her own Seymour! -- the book from her tremulous hands

Now fell, as she sprang, like an arrow that flies,

Or a dove that darts swift to her mate in the skies,

While her heart all its truth, all its ardour confess'd,

As her fast changing cheek softly sank on his breast. 80

At that moment, the rose, which she wore in her bosom,

Fell down at her feet with it redolent blossom;

As though now all its charms had no fragrance nor worth,

Since that bosom possess'd all its treasure in earth!

Oh, Ada! dear Ada! the noon of they youth 85

Shall be bless'd for they constancy, virtue, and truth.

And, Seymour! brave Seymour! thy honour shall be

Thy sure passport to joy -- beauty's garland to thee!

Oh, woman! what bliss, what enchantment, we owe,

To the spell of they heart, to thy solace below, 90

To thy truth so enduring -- thy kindness and care

In the morning of joy, in the night of despair!

To thy soul's chosen Love thou unchanged wilt remain,

In health and in sickness, in pleasure and vain;

And, when closed are his eyes in Death's mortal eclipse, 95

Even then, still is his the last kiss of thy lips!

And over his grave thou wilt mournfully keep

They lone vigil of sorrow, to pray and to weep:

Yes! to pray -- that his errors of heart be forgiven,

And that thou may'st yet meet him unsullied in heaven! 100

Constancy Charles Swain

[162]

" It is -- it is the trumpet's note! --

Bright Hope once more is mine!

I see the glorious banners float,

The martial weapons shine!

I hear, like an approaching storm, 5

The warriors' heavy tread:

Albert! I seek in vain thy form:

O God! -- canst thou be dead?

"One -- bust one little moment more,

My heart forget to ache; 10

That time hath blessed joys in store --

Or griefs -- to bid thee break!

Long years, since our farewell, have past

In misery and in gloom;

And, oh! if it should prove our last, 15

Welcome my shroud and tomb!

"Alas! How could I live -- yet know

That thou, my love, wert slain;

That, gash'd and cold, they noble brow

Lay on the battle-plain: 20

That the fond voice, 't was bliss to hear,

In death had pass'd away: --

O, Albert, haste -- or doubt and fear

Thy Genevieve will slay!

"Who calls? -- the wind my ear deceives -- 25

Again -- 'tis from the grove --

And, hark! -- a step among the leaves --

'Tis he! -- my life -- my love!

O, welcome -- welcome -- to this breast,

Thou prized of all the most! -- 30

This kiss -- these tears -- will speak the rest --

Alas! I thought thee lost!"

"My own fond girl -- my graceful flower --

My beautiful -- my pride --

How have I long'd for this blest hour, 35

When on the ocean wide!

And is, indeed, thy youthful heart

Still constant as my own? --

Then we have met, no more to part;

To live for love alone! 40

"O, I have many a tale to tell

Of woes and perils o'er;

Of fair and gallant youths that fell

Upon the Turkish shore! --

Of dreadful battles on the land, 45

And tempests on the sea; --

Still saved, by Heaven's protecting hand,

My Genevieve -- for thee!"

"Yet thou look'st pale -- thine arm is bound --

And faded is thine eye 50

Ah me! I fear, from sight and sound,

Thou com'st but home -- to die! --

But, no! -- I will not speak of this,

Nor keep one thought of pain;

This hour is one of soul-felt bliss, 55

And many may remain!

"Behold our lovely cottage-home,

O, never will you meet,

In any land where'er you roam,

A spot more fair -- more sweet; 60

Mother -- dear mother -- bless your child,

The news was false we learn'd; --

God on our mutual prayers has smiled --

Our Albert is return'd!"

The Rover's Farewell to His Mistress Miss Susannah Strickland

[369]

Away! -- away! -- o'er the sparkling tide,

In the light of hope shall our vessel glide;

The signal is given by the fairest hand

That ever waved bark from its native land.

By the light of those eyes, so coyly hid 5

Beneath the dark fringe of each snowy lid,

I swear, that my love, like the waves at sea,

Shall flow on rejoicing eternally!

When the tempest gathers, and winds are high,

And the billows are raging tumultuously, 10

Thy signal shall beam o'er the foaming track

Of the pathless waters to guide me back!

Ellen Strathallan

By J. Agar
from a design by Miss L. Sharpe.

The Faithful Guardian

By H. C. Shenton
from a design by J. Cooper, R.A.

Fathime and Euphrosyne

By S. Davenport
from a design by H. Corbould.

View on the Ganges

By E. Finden
from a design by W. Daniell, R.A.

Constancy

By E. J. Portbury
from a design by F. P. Stephanoff.

Eddystone Light-House

By R. Wallis
from a design by S. Owen.

Frolic in a Palace

By F. Engleheart
from a design by A. E. Chalon, R.A.

The Proposal

By W. Humphrys
from a design by J. Stephanoff.

Vicenza

By A. R. Freebairn
from a design by S. Prout.

The Schoolboy

By Wm. Finden
from a design by H. Thomson, R.A.

The Cottage Kitchen

By J. Romney
from a design by W. F. Witherington.

The Blind Piper

By H. C. Shenton
from a design by L. Clennell.

Alice

By J. Goodyear
from a design by C.R. Leslie, R.A.

Poetess Archive: Collections