sio 



Poems of Charlotte Richard/on. 



[oa. I5 



timci and bought herftlf Gray's Poems, 

 Gohlfmiths Poems, and the Death of Abel. 

 In October i8o» (lie married a young 

 man of ihe name of Rjcliardfon, to whom 

 <he had been long attached. He was a 

 Aioemaker, and having feme Ttde pro- 

 perty of his own, which enabled him to 

 open a ftiop, and it being on bo.'h fides an 

 union of afFcfiion, a gleam of profperity 

 fhone for a while upon their humble dwel- 

 ling : but at length the hufband wa» at- 

 tacked by a ccnfumption, and after lin- 

 gering many months, ftie was left awi- 

 dow early in the year 1804, with an in- 

 fant at the breaft ot two months old. — 

 Their little property had been confumed 

 in his long illneCs, and flie found herfelf 

 once more without a relative in the world, 

 lave the helplefs babe who in vain was caft 

 upon its afflifled mothtr (herfelf worn 

 down by fatigue and forrow) for its future 

 fopport. For feme time the infant appear- 

 ed healthy, s^d was in every refpeft a 

 ITioft lovely babe, lively and intelligent be- 

 yond hit age ; but during the laft fix 

 months he hat been in a mod deplorable 

 ilateof fufFering, owing to a complaint in 

 Ills head ; and at this time he is nearly 

 quite blind. She has begun a little fchool ; 

 and if the propofed fubfcription fhould 

 prove fuccefsful, io as to defray the ex- 

 pence of printing, and to leave fuch a re- 

 fidue as (hall enable her to procure affift- 

 ance in rmfing the fick child, there is 

 little doubt of her being able to procure a 

 decent maintenance.* 



lam, Sir, your cotiftant reader, 



Catharine Cappe. 

 York, Aiiguji 11, 1S05. 



trZClMEVS 0/ the POEMS (>/"cHARLOTTE 

 RICHARDSON. 



THE INQUIRY. 



WRITTSN IN 1800 ; ADDRESSED TO A 

 rRIKND or THE AUTHOR'S. 



"WHEN late you aflcM, «« Where do your 

 parents dwell ?" 

 Unconfcious of the pain your queftion 

 gate- 

 Tor ftillthis heart with agony will fwell 

 When Memory whifpers, they are in the 

 grave !— 



* We unJerftand that this interefting fe- 

 leftion will make its appearance as loon as a 

 fufficient number of fubfcriptions are receiv- 

 ed at a crown each to defray the expence of 

 printing, and that they will be received by 

 Mr. Johnion, St. Paul's Church-yard, ^d 

 Mr. Hatcbard, Piccadilly. 



" I have no parents," fadly I reply'd 



(Whilft do*n my cheek th' unbidden teaf 

 would flow), 



" Nor am I by the ties of blood ally'd 



•'To one kind being in this world below !** 



A tender father's care I never knew : 

 One only parent bleft my early years : 



Beneath a mother's fofteringcare I grew 

 From infancy to youth, devoid of fears ! 



Unknown to me was every caufe of grief. 

 No anxious thoughts my happy mind dlf- 

 treft. 

 Health and content ftill bloom'd upon my 

 cheek, 

 And cheerfulnefj dwelt ever in my breaft. 



Toyouthful minds each obje£l gives delight ; 



The world prcfents unnumber'd charms to 

 view ; 

 And fancy'd pleafures eagerly invite,— 



Yet oft in vain the phantom we purfue ! 



Scarce had I enter'd on the world's wide 

 ftage. 

 Elate with youth's gay hopes of promls'4 

 blifs, 

 When foon a different fcene my thoughts en- 

 gage. 

 And into forrow turn'd my happineft. 



For ah ! difeafe had ilx'd its fatal dart 



Within that breaft far dearer than tnj 

 own ; 



And vain, alas ! were all th* attempts of art 

 To fave the deftin'd vi£lim from the tomb ! 



Though many a year has run its circling 

 round 

 Since my lov'd parent was to duft confign'd. 

 Yet in my heart her image ftill is found,— 

 Still lives the Mother in her Daughter's 

 mind ! 

 One tender tleremain'd, — a brother dear !■— 

 But he, alas! Misfortune's viflim prov'd } 

 And oft have I conceal'd the falling tear. 

 Left it fliould wound the bofom which I 

 lov'd ! 



Chill penury and (icknefs were his lot. 

 Yet was he to his Maker's will refign'd. 



And all his wants and fuff'rings were forgot 

 Whene'er he thought upon his Saviour 

 kind. 



He view'd th' approach of death with joyfuJ 

 eyes, 

 And often ftrove my heavy heart to cheer ; 

 " Soon," faid th' expiring Saint, '* I reach 

 the Ikies, 

 " And, O my Sifter ! let me meet thee 

 there." 

 —Forgive thefe tears !-— My Mary, you have 

 knoivn 

 Thofe agonizing pangs that pierce the 

 heart ) 

 You, too, have wept o'er a lov'd Parent'* 

 tomb, 

 And felt what 'tis from tkofc we love to 

 fart! 



Now 



