Table of Contents
Preface • A Note on Spelling, Punctuation, Capitalization, and Notes • Introduction • COMING TO BOSTON • The Stage Coach. Inscribed to Mira • Epigram. [As two Divines] • An Intended Inscription, Written for the Monument on Beacon-Hill, in Boston, and Addressed to the Passenger • On the Licentiousness of the Manners of the Present Day • Lines on the Elm Tree • Anacreon Imitated • Fragment. [As I walk’d on the banks of the Charles’ briny flood] • A Letter to Tom, in the Country • [Dear Jack, I am no more the clown] • Jonathan’s Journey to Boston • [In Bostononce did A with B contend] • MEN AND WOMEN • A Recipe for the Ladies, Or, Advice How to Get a Husband • Advice to the Young Ladies of Boston • On the Choice of a Husband • The Modest Wish of Susan, the Breeches Maker • Lines Written by a Lady, Who Was Questioned Respecting Her Inclination to Marry • Lines Spoken Extempore to a Lady, on Being Asked What This World Is Like • Simile [Passion is like the base narcotic flower] • Epitaph [Here lies the quintessence of noise and strife] • [Oh, envy’d happiness! said Isabel] • The Old-Maid [from “The Ruling Passion”] • Crosses • [Thy manly face I strove to hit] • Enquiry • The Wish • Impromptu on the Marriage of Capt. Foot, with Miss Patten • The Man to My Mind • A Parody • Epigram [That ladies are the softer sex] • A Hint to a Friend • To My Friend • Song [I courted a girl that I long wished to marry] • Look before You Leap. A True Story • Single Blessedness • Matrimony • Woman • Answer to the Lines Entitled “Woman,” Signed, Ned Megrims • A Tale • [What’s become of Ned Megrims would any one know] • Woman • Ladies’ Dress • POLITICS • The War Horse • The Man of Feeling • Stanzas to Maria Antonietta • To the President • The Dying Indian • Epigram [In the reign of Democracy, dead to all shame] • Epigram [When a Partizan dies of true Jacobin leaven] • [Arduous the task in which we would engage] • Democrats in Office • Hymn, Sung at Cambridge, at the Celebration of Peace • Lines Composed on Hearing the News of Peace • Buonaparte • Extracts from Fawcett’s Contrast • Canning’s Speech • Epitaph on a Tomb-Stone • Spare Injur’d Africa! The Negro Spare! • New Year’s Address of the Sweepers • Tribute to Foreign Missions • Slave-Holder and Yankee • THE FAMILY • On the Domestic Education of Children • Verses on a Sleeping Daughter • Lines Written by an Old Planter, in the Country, to His Daughter • [Julia, to Anna Maria, Sends Greeting] • Thanksgiving • The Hopeful Youth • The Retrospect—or, All for the Best • Eliza . . . A Poem • To My Friend • Lord Dyring . . . A Ballad • Jephthah’s Vow • The Consolation • The Effects of Intemperance • To the American Goldfinch • The Orphan • Stanzas Addressed by a Lady in Vermont to Her Brother in the Army • A Grandmother to Her Infant Grandchild • A Mother’s Love • JOBS, SHOPS, AND THE PROFESSIONS • Mechanics Song • On the Multitude of Lawyers • Epigram [Since the fulness of blessing the gospel contains] • The When, the Why, the Where, the What, the How: Epitaph on an Hermit • Ations • [Here comes Miss Lighthead and her tasty sister] • Epigram [The young spendthrift detests the old covetous miser] • Epigram [With folded arms and uplift eyes] • Epigram—To a Physician • Lines Written on the Front Page of a Doctor’s Account Book • The Mechanick Preferred • The Poet • Epigram [Boston stage] • Author—ity • Examination • [Good folks, the Carrier—fill’d with fear] • The Truant • Imitation of Martial • Advertisement [fabric shop] • Advertisement, For Anybody That Wants It [bookshop] • An Epistle to the Editor • PLEASURE AND THE GOOD LIFE • To the Editor of the Town and Country Magazine • Bacchus’s Shrine • Human Inconsistency, or, the Universal Portrait • Epigram [Last Thursday, I met with a sweet smiling sister] • The Grumbler • Life and Friendship • Parody • Heigh-ho! By a Lady • The Sine Qua Non • Time and Pleasure • God Is There • Hope • Time • Pleasure • REBUSES, RIDDLES, ANAGRAMS, ACROSTICS, AND ENIGMAS • A Rebus [Take the sixth] • Answer to the First [Take the sixth] • Another [Rebus: Take three fourth] • Answer to the Third [Rebus: Take three fourth] • Acrostick [Born for a Curse] • A Rebus [Take two sevenths] • Solution [Take two sevenths] • An Enigmatical Bill of Fare • Solution [An Enigmatical Bill of Fare] • Acrostic [Great George’s praise] • A Rebus [What increases the sea] • Another [Rebus: The name of that earth] • A Rebus [The crimson rose] • A Solution of the Rebus in the Magazine for March • Acrostical Rebus • Solution to Alonzo’s Rebus • A Rebus [An animal vain] • A Rebus, of Which a Solution Is Requested [Take one half] • Out of the Twelve Solutions to the Rebus in Our Last • Rebus [The isle where] • Answer to *****’s Rebus in Last Saturday’s Magazine • A Rebus [I am both man and woman too] • The Riddle—A New Song • A Rebus [That part of the day] • Answer to the Rebus, in our last number • Enigma [Relentless foe] • An Acrostic [Blessed news] • Enigma [For knowledge I go] • Acrostic—In Answer to the Enigma in our Last • Origin of Life and Death • Anecdote [Old Harvard long hath stood] • DEATH • Reflections in a Burying-Ground • Written on the Author’s Natal Day • On a Canary Bird • Elegy on Perceiving a Rent in My Old Shoe • The Old Man and Death • Hymn for the Commencement of the Year • To the Memory of William Henry Moulton • Thanatopsis • Solitude • Written in the Burial Ground, on Plymouth Heights, in Nov. 1818 • Epitaph on a Tomb Stone in a Church Yard Near Boston • On the Death of an Infant • The Ruins of an Old Mansion • The Maniac’s Last Ray of Reason • On the Death of Twins • Acknowledgments • Appendix A: Boston Magazines That Included Poetry, 1789–1820 • Appendix B: Representative Editorial Statements from the First Issues of Included Magazines, 1789–1820 • Bibliography: Suggested Reading on Magazines, Literature, Culture, and Life in the United States in General and Boston in Particular, 1789–1820