Chapter I: Front Matter

THE COMPLETE WORKS OF JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER

By John Greenleaf Whittier

VOLUME I. NARRATIVE AND LEGENDARY POEMS

PUBLISHERS' ADVERTISEMENT

The Standard Library Edition of Mr. Whittier's writings comprises his poetical and prose works as re-arranged and thoroughly revised by himself or with his cooperation. Mr. Whittier has supplied such additional information regarding the subject and occasion of certain poems as may be stated in brief head-notes, and this edition has been much enriched by the poet's personal comment. So far as practicable the dates of publication of the various articles have been given, and since these were originally published soon after composition, the dates of their first appearance have been taken as determining the time at which they were written. At the request of the Publishers, Mr. Whittier has allowed his early poems, discarded from previous collections, to be placed, in the general order of their appearance, in an appendix to the final volume of poems. By this means the present edition is made so complete and retrospective that students of the poet's career will always find the most abundant material for their purpose. The Publishers congratulate themselves and the public that the careful attention which Mr. Whittier has been able to give to this revision of his works has resulted in so comprehensive and well-adjusted a collection.

The portraits prefixed to the several volumes have been chosen with a view to illustrating successive periods in the poet's life. The original sources and dates are indicated in each case.

CONTENTS:

THE VAUDOIS TEACHER
THE FEMALE MARTYR
EXTRACT FROM "A NEW ENGLAND LEGEND"
THE DEMON OF THE STUDY
THE FOUNTAIN
PENTUCKET
THE NORSEMEN
FUNERAL TREE OF THE SOKOKIS
ST JOHN
THE CYPRESS-TREE OF CEYLON
THE EXILES
THE KNIGHT OF ST JOHN
CASSANDRA SOUTHWICK
THE NEW WIFE AND THE OLD

THE BRIDAL OF PENNACOOK
I. THE MERRIMAC
II. THE BASHABA
III. THE DAUGHTER
IV. THE WEDDING
V. THE NEW HOME
VI. AT PENNACOOK
VII. THE DEPARTURE
VIII. SONG OF INDIAN WOMEN

BARCLAY OF URY
THE ANGELS OF BUENA VISTA
THE LEGEND OF ST MARK
KATHLEEN
THE WELL OF LOCH MAREE
THE CHAPEL OF THE HERMITS
TAULER
THE HERMIT OF THE THEBAID
THE GARRISON OF CAPE ANN
THE GIFT OF TRITEMIUS
SKIPPER IRESON'S RIDE
THE SYCAMORES
THE PIPES AT LUCKNOW
TELLING THE BEES
THE SWAN SONG OF PARSON AVERY
THE DOUBLE-HEADED SNAKE OF NEWBURY

MABEL MARTIN: A HARVEST IDYL
PROEM
I. THE RIVER VALLEY
II. THE HUSKING
III. THE WITCH'S DAUGHTER
IV. THE CHAMPION
V. IN THE SHADOW
VI. THE BETROTHAL

THE PROPHECY OF SAMUEL SEWALL
THE RED RIVER VOYAGEUR
THE PREACHER
THE TRUCE OF PISCATAQUA
MY PLAYMATE
COBBLER KEEZAR'S VISION
AMY WENTWORTH
THE COUNTESS

AMONG THE HILLS
PRELUDE
AMONG THE HILLS

THE DOLE OF JARL THORKELL
THE TWO RABBINS
NOREMBEGA
MIRIAM
MAUD MULLER
MARY GARVIN
THE RANGER
NAUHAUGHT, THE DEACON
THE SISTERS
MARGUERITE
THE ROBIN

THE PENNSYLVANIA PILGRIM
INTRODUCTORY NOTE
PRELUDE
THE PENNSYLVANIA PILGRIM

KING VOLMER AND ELSIE
THE THREE BELLS
JOHN UNDERHILL
CONDUCTOR BRADLEY
THE WITCH OF WENHAM
KING SOLOMON AND THE ANTS
IN THE "OLD SOUTH"
THE HENCHMAN
THE DEAD FEAST OF THE KOL-FOLK
THE KHAN'S DEVIL
THE KING'S MISSIVE
VALUATION
RABBI ISHMAEL
THE ROCK-TOMB OF BRADORE

THE BAY OF SEVEN ISLANDS
To H P S
THE BAY OF SEVEN ISLANDS

THE WISHING BRIDGE
HOW THE WOMEN WENT FROM DOVER
ST GREGORY'S GUEST
CONTENTS
BIRCHBROOK MILL
THE TWO ELIZABETHS
REQUITAL
THE HOMESTEAD
HOW THE ROBIN CAME
BANISHED FROM MASSACHUSETTS
THE BROWN DWARF OF RUGEN

NOTE.--The portrait prefixed to this volume was etched by S. A. Schoff, in 1888, after a painting by Bass Otis, a pupil of Gilbert Stuart, made in the winter of 1836-1837.

PROEM

I LOVE the old melodious lays
Which softly melt the ages through,
The songs of Spenser's golden days,
Arcadian Sidney's silvery phrase,
Sprinkling our noon of time with freshest morning dew.

Yet, vainly in my quiet hours
To breathe their marvellous notes I try;
I feel them, as the leaves and flowers
In silence feel the dewy showers,
And drink with glad, still lips the blessing of the sky.

The rigor of a frozen clime,
The harshness of an untaught ear,
The jarring words of one whose rhyme
Beat often Labor's hurried time,
Or Duty's rugged march through storm and strife, are here.

Of mystic beauty, dreamy grace,
No rounded art the lack supplies;
Unskilled the subtle lines to trace,
Or softer shades of Nature's face,
I view her common forms with unanointed eyes.

Nor mine the seer-like power to show
The secrets of the heart and mind;
To drop the plummet-line below
Our common world of joy and woe,
A more intense despair or brighter hope to find.

Yet here at least an earnest sense
Of human right and weal is shown;
A hate of tyranny intense,
And hearty in its vehemence,
As if my brother's pain and sorrow were my own.

O Freedom! if to me belong
Nor mighty Milton's gift divine,
Nor Marvell's wit and graceful song,
Still with a love as deep and strong
As theirs, I lay, like them, my best gifts on thy shrine.

AMESBURY, 11th mo., 1847.