Collected Works and Life Author:Patrick Brontë General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1898 Original Publisher: T. Harrison Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can sel... more »ect from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: COTTAGE POEMS. EPISTLE TO THE REV, J -- B -- , (VICAR OF DEWSBURY) WHILST JOURNEYING FOR THE RECOVERY OFHIS HEALTH. When warm'd with zeal, my rustic muse, Feels fluttering-fain, to tell her news, And paint her simple, lowly views, With all her art, And, though, in genius but obtuse, May touch the heart. Of palaces, and courts of kings, She thinks but little, never sings, But wildly strikes her uncouth strings In some poor cot, Spreads o'er the poor her fostering wings, And sooth's their lot. Well pleased is she, to see them smile, And uses every honest wile, To mend their hearts, their cares beguile, With rhyming story; And lead them to their God, the while, And endless glory. Perchance, my poor neglected muse, Unfit to harass, or amuse, Escaping praise, and loud abuse, Unheard, unknown, May feed the moths, and wasting dews As some have done. Her aims are good, howe'er they end Here, comes a foe, and there, a friend, These point the dart, and those defend, Whilst, some deride her; But, God, will sweetest comforts blend, Whate'er betide her. Thus, heaven-supported, forth she goes, Midst flatterers, critics, friends, and foes ; Secure, since He who all things knows, Approves her aim, And kindly fans, or fostering blows Her sinking flame. Hence, when she shews her honest face And tells her tale, with awkward grace, Importunate to gain a place Amongst your friends; To ruthless critics leave her case, And hail her ends. To all, my heart is kind, and true, But glows with ardent love for you ; T...« less