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elieve that poetry really first took possession of me in that poem； so that afterwards I could not easily mistake the genuineness of its ring； though my ear might not be sufficiently trained to catch its subtler harmonies。 This great mountain poem struck some hidden key…note in my nature； and I knew thenceforth something of what it was to live in poetry； and to have it live in me。 Of course I did not consider my own foolish little versifying poetry。 The child of eight or nine years regarded her rhymes as only one among her many games and pastimes。
But with this ideal picture of mountain scenery there came to me a revelation of poetry as the one unattainable something which I must reach out after； because I could not live without it。 The thought of it was to me like the thought of God and of truth。 To leave out poetry would be to lose the real meaning of life。 I felt this very blindly and vaguely； no doubt； but the feeling was deep。 It was as if Mont Blanc stood visibly before me； while I murmured to myself in lonely places
〃Motionless torrents！ silent cataracts！ Who made you glorious as the gates of heaven Beneath the keen full moon？ Who bade the sun Clothe you with rainbows？ Who with lovely flowers Of living blue spread garlands at your feet？〃
And then the
〃Pine groves with their soft and soul…like sound〃 gave glorious answer； with the streams and torrents； and my child…heart in its trance echoed the poet's invocation；
〃Rise； like a cloud of incense from the earth！ And tell the stars； and tell the rising sun； Earth； with her thousand voices； calls on GOD！〃
I have never visited Switzerland； but I surely saw the Alps； with Coleridge； in my childhood。 And although I never stood face to face with mountains until I was a mature woman； always； after this vision of them； they were blended with my dream of whatever is pure and lofty in human possibilities；like a white ideal beckoning me on。
Since I am writing these recollections for the young； I may say here that I regard a love for poetry as one of the most needful and helpful elements in the life…outfit of a human being。 It was the greatest of blessings to me； in the long days of toil to which I was shut in much earlier than most young girls are； that the poetry I held in my memory breathed its enchanted atmosphere through me and around me； and touched even dull drudgery with its sunshine。
Hard work； however； has its own illuminationif done as duty which worldliness has not； and worldliness seems to be the greatest temptation and danger Of young people in this genera… tion。 Poetry is one of the angels whose presence will drive out this sordid demon； if anything less than the Power of the Highest can。 But poetry is of the Highest。 It is the Divine Voice； always； that we recognize through the poet's； whenever he most deeply moves our souls。
Reason and observation； as well as my own experience； assure me also that it is greatpoetry even the greatestwhich the youngest crave； and upon which they may be fed； because it is the simplest。 Nature does not write down her sunsets； her starry skies； her mountains； and her oceans in some smaller style； to suit the comprehension of little children； they do not need any such dilution。 So I go back to the； American First Class Book；〃 and affirm it to have been one of the best of reading…books； because it gave us children a taste of the finest poetry and prose which had been written in our English tongue； by British and by American authors。 Among the pieces which left a permanent impression upon my mind I recall Wirt's description of the eloquent blind preacher to whom he listened in the forest wilderness of the Blue Ridge； a remarkable word…portrait； in which the very tones of the sightless speaker's voice seemed to be reproduced。 I believe that the first words I ever remembered of any sermon were those contained in the grand； brief sentence；… …〃Socrates died like a philosopher； but Jesus Christlike a God！〃
Very vivid； too； is the recollection of the exquisite little prose idyl of 〃Moss…Side；〃 from 〃Lights and Shadows of Scottish Life。〃 From the few short words with which it began〃Gilbert Ainslee was a poor man； and he had been a poor man all the days of his life〃to the happy waking of his little daughter Margaret out of her fever…sleep with which it ended； it was one sweet picture of lowly life and honorable poverty irradiated with sacred home…affections； and cheerful in its rustic homeliness as the blossoms and wild birds of the moorland and the magic touch of Christopher North could make it。 I thought as I read
〃How much pleasanter it must be to be poor than to be richat least in Scotland！〃
For I was beginning to be made aware that poverty was a possible visitation to our own household； and that； in our Cape Ann corner of Massachusetts； we might find it neither comfortable nor picturesque。 After my father's death； our way of living； never luxurious； grew more and more frugal。 Now and then I heard mysterious allusions to 〃the wolf at the door〃： and it was whispered that； to escape him； we might all have to turn our backs upon the home where we were born； and find our safety in the busy world； working among strangers for our daily bread。 Before I had reached my tenth year I began to have rather disturbed dreams of what it might soon mean for me to 〃earn my own living。〃
VII。
BEGINNING TO WORK。
A CHILD does not easily comprehend even the plain fact of death。 Though I had looked upon my father's still； pale face in his coffin； the impression it left upon me was of sleep； more peaceful and sacred than common slumber； yet only sleep。 My dreams of him were for a long time so vivid that I would say to myself； 〃He was here yesterday； he will be here again to…morrow；〃 with a feeling that amounted to expectation。
We missed him； we children large and small who made up the yet untrained home crew； as a ship misses the man at the helm。 His grave； clear perception of what was best for us； his brief words that decided； once for all； the course we were to take； had been far more to us than we knew。
It was hardest of all for my mother； who had been accustomed to depend entirely upon him。 Left with her eight children； the eldest a boy of eighteen years； and with no property except the roof that sheltered us and a small strip of land； her situation was full of perplexities which we little ones could not at all understand。 To be fed like the ravens and clothed like the grass of the field seemed to me； for one； a perfectly natural thing； and I often wondered why my mother was so fretted and anxious。
I knew that she believed in God； and in the promises of the Bible； and yet she seemed sometimes to forget everything but her troubles and her helplessness。 I felt almost like preaching to her； but I was too small a child to do that； I well knew； so I did the next best thing I could think ofI sang hymns as if singing to myself； while I meant them for her。 Sitting at the window with my book and my knitting； while she was preparing dinner or supper with a depressed air because she missed the abundant provision to which she held been accustomed； I would go from hymn to hymn； selecting those which I thought would be most comforting to her； out of the many that my memory…book contained； and taking care to pronounce the words distinctly。
I was glad to observe that she listened to
〃Come； ye disconsolate；〃
and
〃How firm a foundation；〃
and that she grew more cheerful； though I did not feel sure that my singing cheered her so much as some happier thought that had come to her out of her own heart。 Nobody but my mother； indeed； would have called my chirping singing。 But as she did not seem displeased； I went on； a little more confidently； with some hymns that I loved for their starry suggestions；
〃When marshaled on the nightly plain；〃
and
〃Brightest and best of the sons of the morning；〃
and
〃Watchman； tell us of the night？〃
The most beautiful picture in the Bible to me； certainly the loveliest in the Old Testament； had always been that one painted by prophecy； of the time when wild and tame creatures should live together in peace； and children should be their fearless play… mates。 Even the savage wolf Poverty would be pleasant and neighborly then； no doubt！ A Little Child among them； leading them； stood looking wistfully down through the soft sunrise of that approaching day； into the cold and darkness of the world。 Oh； it would be so much better than the garden of Eden！
Yes； and it would be a great deal better； I thought； to live in the millennium； than even to die and go to heaven； although so many people around me talked as if that were the most desirable thing of all。 But I could never understand why； if God sent us here； we should be in haste to get away； even to go to a pleas… anter place。
I was perplexed by a good many matters besides。 I had learned to keep most of my thoughts to myself； but I did venture to ask about the Ressurrectionhow it was that those who had died and gone straight to heaven； and had been singing there for thousands of years； could have any use for the dust to which their bodies had returned。 Were they not already as alive as they could be？ I found that there were different ide