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POEMS,

ORIGINAL AND SELECTED,

BY

MRS. BENNISON. K

"Ambition's meed, a sounding name possessing

I ask not; " nor would wholly useless be;
May this small effort noiseless footsteps bending,
Assist the youthful Reader o'er Time's Sea.

BOSTON:

PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR.
1847.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1847,

BY MRS. BENNISON,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Mass.

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DEDICATION.

To my patrons and subscribers, my children, friends, and the public, this small volume is respectfully dedicated, without apologizing, (although by some this may be deemed necessary.) My patrons and subscribers are requested to accept of my warmest thanks for the aid they have afforded me; as they have been influenced by the pure, disinterested flame of benevolence, they have, within their own hospms, the rich reward of having acted on the broad basis of philanthropy, without regard to the religious opinions of the writer. The reminiscences, effusions, and letters, were not originally written for publication, and appear in the same simple and familiar form as when presented to the persons to whom they are addressed; they were mostly designed for the young, in order to impress on their minds the necessity of avoiding the paths of Folly, and choosing those of Wisdom, and to encourage the orphan to trust in HIM who has said of these, "If they at all call upon ME, I will hear them." Also, a sincere, though imperfect memorial of the Lord's gracious dealings with her as an individual, and to afford solace to those on whom the hand of sorrow has laid its (though profitable,) most unwelcome grasp. If but one receives benefit by perusing

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them, she will be fully recompensed, and quite reconciled to the censure of the critic.

A few pieces are addressed to persons of a different character, such as rank high in literary taste and refinement, to whom the writer would present some small remembrance of gratitude for kindnesses received. (That more of these do not appear proceeds from the want of copies of the original pieces.) These noble spirits are perfectly convinced that she lays no claim to these attainments-as through misfortune, she has only been permitted to sip at the fount of common learning-and that peculiar circumstances have influenced her to make this humble effort; and if they see but little to approve, will not rashly censure.

The whole is interspersed with selections from different authors, and intended to embellish the volume.

D. M. BENNISON.

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