Page:The works of Anne Bradstreet in prose and verse.djvu/23

 INTRODUCTION. XV

'"' About i6, the Lord layd his hand fore upon me and fmott mee with the I'niall pox. When I was in my affliction, I belbvght the Lord, and confeffed my Pride and Vanity and he was entreated of me, and again reftored me. But I rendered not to him according to y* benefitt received.

" After a fhort time I changed my condition and was marryed, and came into this Covntry, where I fovnd a new world and new manners, at which my heart rofe. But after I was convinced it was the way of God, I fubmitted to it and joined to the church at Boflon." *

In her poem, " In Honour of Du Bartas," she has left a very pleasant reminiscence of her childhood, in these verses : —

"My mufe unto a Child I may compare, Who fees the riches of fome famous Fair, He feeds his Eyes, but underftanding lacks To comprehend the worth of all thofe knacks : The glittering plate and Jewels he admires, The Hats and Fans, the Plumes and Ladies tires, And thoufand times his mazed mind doth wifli Some part (at leaft) of that brave wealth was his, But feeing empty wifhes nought obtain, At night turns to his Mothers cot again. And tells her tales, (his full heart over glad) Of all the glorious fights his Eyes have had : But finds too foon his want of Eloquence, The filly pratler fpeaks no word of fenfe ; But feeing utterance fail his great defires. Sits down in filence, deeply he admires." t

Notwithstanding the gloom which over-conscientiousness threw over her youth, we can easily imagine the pleasure with which she perused the many new books which were then appearing in such unwonted numbers, and the zest


 * See pages 4 and 5. f See page 354.

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