The Project Gutenberg eBook of Christmas offering

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.

Title: Christmas offering

Author: Mrs. Elizabeth Dimond

Release date: December 21, 2020 [eBook #64093]

Most recently updated: October 18, 2024

Language: English

Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/64093

Credits: Charlene Taylor, Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHRISTMAS OFFERING ***

A

CHRISTMAS OFFERING:

BY MRS. ELIZABETH DIMOND,

OF BRISTOL, R. I.

PROVIDENCE:

PRINTED BY KNOWLES AND VOSE.

1847.

MRS. SMITH,

PROVIDENCE, R. I.

DEAR FRIEND:

You may be surprised to hear that your old friend, in her eighty-fourth year, while musing upon God’s mercy and wisdom, has brought forth this little poem on Creation; which, together with others, permit me to inscribe to you, wishing you a prolongation of the prosperity and happiness you enjoy.

I am yours, &c.

ELIZABETH DIMOND.

BRISTOL, R. I., Dec. 18, 1847.

A CHRISTMAS OFFERING.

THOUGHTS ON CREATION.

SAYS the watchman, “And what of the night?

It often brings seasons of sorrow,

When dark and beclouded with sin;

But ah! it may sweeten to-morrow,

If a ray of God’s favor breaks in.

How dark and how gloomy was Chaos;

But God by his own matchless plan,

Call’d this beautiful world from its darkness,

And did safe on its axle-tree hang!

And Jesus, our Savior, was present,

For his was the word of command;

He spangled those orbs in their greatness,

For good and for glory to man.”

The angels in wonder stood gazing,

Till Sol darts his beams to their view;

“What is there in the East that is blazing—

That pearls all the drops of the dew?”

“ ’Tis the Sun,” Great Messiah then answered,

“ ’Tis the Sun,” say the angels, “ ’tis true;

From thee it beams glory and greatness,

And bears up thy own title too.”

Great Sol, arise! and spread thy lustre high—

Go warm the earth, and decorate the sky!

When thou retir’st, the silver moon will rise,

With pearly radiance, o’er those spangled skies!

Without a cloud to intercept thy way,

Go, clearly shine, and make the evening gay!

God saw his work was great, when it he view’d,

Approved the same, and then pronounced it good.

And why this garden, walled so rich and fair,

With glittering stone that is beyond compare—

With walks, and bowers, and interwoven scenes,

With silver rivulets that roll between,

Tossing their golden pebbles in the stream!

Here richest fruits, in clusters ripe and fair,

And variegated blooms perfume the air;

Here beast of every kind, playful yet mute,

And birds with plumage gay, and warbling throat,

Chanting to their Maker with melodious note!

And is the richness of these fruits conceal’d,

That grow spontaneous in this fertile field?

Is no one here these sweets to taste? And none the banquet share?

Within these walls is a majestic form,

Graceful and noble as the rising morn!

Adam! survey thy wond’rous form, and see

The image of thy God is stamped on thee!

Be grateful, then, and be obedient, too;

For this respect is to thy Sov’reign due.

And here are richest fruits in store for thee;

And all is thine, except that hallow’d tree:

And should’st thou touch it, thou shall surely die!

I have pronounced! Ask not the reason why.”

Then Adam bows assent, and walks the rounds,

To view the beauties of these fertile grounds—

He stops to listen to the bubbling stream,

That gently trickles down the sloping green;

And on his way he views the crystal pond

Where gold-fish play.

Delighted with the scene, he looks above,

Adores the greatness of the God of Love.

But day is done:

Beyond the western hills now sinks the sun.

Adam with wonder views the evening scene—

The first fair twilight he had ever seen.

But now with drowsy sleep his eyes are pressed,

For God has sanctioned all creation rest.

In Christian attitude kneels to the shrine,

And offers up his prayers in words divine;

Then to his mossy pillow Adam goes,

Nought to disturb or break his soft repose.

He sleeps secure till morning light appears,

And birds of Paradise salute his ears.

Then o’er some loaded bough his arm he’s flung,

Addressed his Maker with his morning song.

Then to the willow’d meads he did repair,

To view his flocks, and see them gambol there.

With scrutiny, he sees each has a friend;

In his own bosom he thus contends:

But why am I exempt, my mind is good,

And I’ve a speech well to be understood——

But here’s my Sov’reign.” “Adam, answer! why

That downcast look—that soft, expressive sigh?

Will not a Paradise for thee suffice?”

“Great Sov’reign! oft I stand in ecstacy,

Viewing the greatness of thy Deity!

I know thy works are infinite, supreme,

And canst answer every wished for scheme.”

“Adam! I see thy faith is strong;

Speak thy request, nor hesitate too long.”

“A friend, a partner give to sweeten life,

And then these rural scenes are Paradise,

Then, Adam, sleep! and to thee I’ll give

A form for whom thou’lt ever wish to live.

Then from his side the ivory bone he takes,

A beauteous woman of the same he makes.

But O! our hearts are bent on pleasure here—

The disappointment oft times is severe.

But Adam wanders forth we know not where,

And leaves alone the unprotected fair.

The fiend, on search, the separation knew—

“This is my time, and I’ll improve it, too:

Say, beauteous Eve, hast thou no greater mind,

Than to these simple flowers to be confined?

Take this delicious fruit, and then you’ll see

That greater glories are in store for thee.”

“That is forbidden fruit; O no! not I;

For if I eat, then I must surely die.”

“Misrepresented is the fruit I give;

I eat the same, and yet you see I live.”

Her innocence had never known a lie;

So to his treacherous art she did comply.

She took the apple! When she ate the same,

The poisonous juice had tainted every vein.

But Adam comes.

“Say, lovely Eve, where is thy beauty fled?

Where is the bloom that tinged thy cheek with red?

Who has been here?”

“A treacherous friend! and I believed his lie:

I ate the apple—I alone must die.

In some remotest corner let me be,

And die alone, dear friend, unseen by thee.

Dear Adam, do not grieve;

Perhaps thy God will grant another Eve.”

“No other Eve shall e’er entwine this heart:

Bone of my bone, from thee I cannot part.”

He ate the apple, while all nature grieved,

And every leaf became a sensitive.

But oh, the black’ning cloud to heaven arose,

And all the horror of their sins exposed!

And all was silent till God’s holy Son,

Array’d in glory, to his Father came.

“Father of mercies! let thy will be done:

Oh, cast the sinner’s burden on thy Son;

For I alone their advocate will be,

And their redemption will be found through me.

For when this world is peopled o’er with men,

Then Satan will resume his power again—

So blind their eyes, and cause their hearts to sin.

I will be mortal—I will dwell with them,

And cast this monster to his lowest den.

For on the cross sinners will raise me high:

For their redemption willingly I die.”

But what does God require for sins like this?

Believe and live, and Christ secures the bliss.

SWEET HOME.

This permanent home! O the thoughts how sublime;

To chant with the angels with voices divine!

To know as we’re known—how delightful the scene,

Where no sin and no sorrow can there intervene.

Home, home, sweet, sweet home.

Dear Jesus, our guide, thou hast purchas’d this home,

By thy blood-streaming side our redemption was won;

Draw us by the cords, all bedew’d with thy love,

Then safe we shall rest in thy bosom above.

Home, home, sweet, sweet home.

Our Father has told us, in accents of love,

To look to the star that doth glitter above.

No eye ever saw, and no heart can conceive,

Of the glory unfolded to saints that believe.

Home, home, sweet, sweet home.

ON THE DEPARTURE OF MY GRANDSON.

And is this little darling doomed to roam,

And cross the treacherous ocean for a home?

And must the cruel barque his cradle be?

And must the billows waft him far from me?

How oft, when grief has crowded round my heart,

I have caressed him, to forget a part:

How oft I’ve long’d his dear departed sire

Could view these fleeting charms that I so much admire.

I, in the infant, could the father see;

Which binds the tie so doubly dear to me.

Oh, thou auspicious Power! send thou thy aid—

Protect the worthy mother and the babe.

Oh, thou bright orb of night! be thou their light,

To guide the helmsman in his onward flight;

Then may the father, with unsullied joy,

Clasp in his arms his much loved wife and boy.

ON A FROSTY MORNING.

One frosty morn on window high,

This beauteous leaf was traced

By Nature’s art; her hand supplied

The crystal square to grace.

Angelic Nature, how divine

Thy brilliant beauties be!

No India pearl, though rare refined,

Can vie, bright frost, with thee.

AFTER A SNOW STORM.

Oh, Abby, dear, have you the scene survey’d,

And viewed this beauteous carpet Nature’s made?

Not only in one spot its beauty’s shone,

But every building wears a milk-white dome.

How did you like the grand, majestic throng,[A]

Waving their banners as they wade along?

Their noble bells they called a grand review,

To see this beauteous carpet cut in two.

TO MY GRANDDAUGHTER.

My dearest child, thy features oft I trace,

And view the opening beauties of thy face;

I see thy bosom, as the matchless dove,

Impressed with virtue and the seat of love.

Thy pleasing smile, more sweet than morning dew,

Will gain the heart of him that’s formed for you;

But if the youth should offer you his hand,

Don’t be in haste, but let the bargain stand.

Consult the friend who ever loves you best;

For in her council you may safely rest.

Oh, may your days be cast in Fortune’s bower,

There safely dwell, and bless the tranquil hour.

May Fortune smile, to grace thy peaceful lot,

And strew thy path with sweet forget-me-not.

TO ROSALIE.

Sweet Rosalie, say, will you take

This tiny gift for friendship’s sake?

Yes: Friendship will forever shine,

Upon a brow so fair as thine.

Then may the union lasting be,

Between dear Isabelle and thee.

Oh, I forgot; ’tis sweet May-day,

When Flora paints the mead so gay.

Go to your own romantic bower,

And gather there the choicest flower;

Entwine your wreath with snow-drops, too,

And then ’twill more resemble you.

LINES,

On presenting two Italian images, in the attitude of dancing, with tambourine and bowl in hand, to a friend.

Dear Madam, we of late have left our homes,

To view the beauties of your stately rooms;

I do admire them! they’re so grand and neat;

And with your kind consent I’ll take a seat.

Seat, did I say? Oh, no; I meant to stand;

Because, dear Madam, we’re at your command.

But where’s Miss China Aster?[B]—that’s too plain;

The sweet-stock Gillyflower shall be her name.

I hear she’s very good, as well as gay;

Perhaps she’ll intercede for us to stay.

And where is grand-mama, who’s so discreet?

We’d bow respectfully before her feet;

And cousin Hannah, she is mild and meek—

Her argument I love; it is so sweet.

Ladies, should you consent for us to light,

The green-room ever would be our delight.

We’re very fond, you know of rural scenes;

And white is beautiful beside the green.

You see we often step the merry dance,

But ’tis with your consent that we advance.

You dislike music, ma’m, we have been told,

And our is simple—centres in the bowl.

Ladies, should you dislike for us to stay,

Kindly conduct us o’er the ferry way.[C]

Madam, my friend upbraids me for my chat;

I have to speak for both. Should you like that?

THE REPLY.

Oh, why are you so far from home,

On this cold night abroad to roam?

Has your behavior been correct?

I am unwilling to suspect.

Walk in. Don’t stand; pray take a seat;

A stranger I will always greet.

You praise my house and call it splendid,

And praise its inmates, too.

If a mere compliment’s intended,

Civility’s your due.

I’ll give you shelter for the night,

And view you by the morning light;

If, on acquaintance, you should prove

Worthy of Madam Flora’s love,

Then grandma will not plead in vain,

Nor cousin H——, with her sweet strain.

Miss Gillyflower will be delighted,

To take in wanderers benighted;

So I consent; call this your home,

Nor ever from your goddess roam;

At her command, among her flowers,

Spend all your thoughtless, playful hours,

Contrasting with her vivid greens,

Your white robe, which transparent seems.

Though music has no charms for me,

I’m not opposed to others’ glee:

You and your friend may dance and sing,

And welcome the return of spring;

And when the General returns,

And gratitude each bosom warms,

Thank him for all the good I’ve done—

For he and I, you know, are one.

Then be content; no boat nor wherry,

Shall take you t’other side the ferry.

LINES,

Addressed to a lady on the arrival of her husband in New York.

How sweet is the dawn of the spring—

Its ordorous blossoms how gay;

The birds on the boughs sweetly sing,

And drive all our sorrows away.

And here are rich blessings anew;

True, Heaven is good and is kind;

The return of your partner to you,

Will bring a sweet peace to your mind.

And oh, how happy he’ll be,

To find you enjoying good health;

For, oh, lovely Sarah, you see

That you are a part of himself.

Your aid, gentle breezes, do lend,

And waft him safe over the sea.

You must not forget, my dear friend,

Who it is that returns him to thee.

TO THE FRIEND OF MY YOUTH.

To thee, my friend, I wish a happy year,

With friendship true, and with a heart sincere;

May this new year a bounteous blessing prove,

And calm the bosom of the friend I love.

May that connubial tie from her be loosed,

Till some fond Damon shall the bondage choose;

And then with care she’ll mind the nicest part—

Join not the hand till you have won the heart.

There needs no caution, then, methinks she’ll say;

And with a flirt she throws my scroll away.

But still I see her take it up anew,

And say, “I’ll read,”—because her heart is true.

The happy year again the theme she’ll lend,

With anxious wishes for our absent friends:

May the dark curtain of the winter scene

Be calmy drawn, and spring-time blessings bring.

Then let the gales be gentle, kind and sure,

And speed the barque on this her destined tour;

While May’s sweet breezes waft them gently home,

Ladened with riches from a foreign clime.

Then their return will crown the jocund year:

Old friends, old scenes, and all they hold most dear

Will crowd around, and fill each heart with love—

Each voice with thanks to him who reigns above.

TO A YOUNG LADY.

My dear young friend, O may you e’er be blest,

And may your bosom be the seat of rest;

May each succeeding day new pleasures bring,

All pure and lovely as returning spring.

A little fortune be your happy lot,

And on a rising green erect your cot;

Around your bower may blooming hawthorn spring,

And intervening flowers fresh fragrance bring.

May deeds of honor crown your frugal board,

And Heaven’s rich blessings be your great reward,

Æolian harps your nightly windows grace,

And softly lull you to your balmy rest.

ON THE DEATH OF AN INFANT.

Sweet Josephine, thou hast left this drear abode,

To be an angel with thy Father, God!

There, in sweet strains, thy little lisping tongue

Will chant the praises angels never sung.

Farewell, dear babe! A last, a long farewell,

Till we in heaven with thee shall ever dwell.

ON SEEING A LOVELY CHILD.

How sweet is the dawn of an infant—

How fondly caressed is the smile;

The mother, though tired and weary,

Forgets all, when blessed with her child.

When the beautiful bud has expanded,

And opens its bloom to our view;

Oh, then we see with advantage,

What Nature intended to do.

And now she can play and can prattle—

With her doll and her toys loves to dwell;

And who upon earth is so happy,

As the dear little girl, Abby Bell.

A WISH FOR THE SAILOR.

May the winds and the waves prove auspicious to thee,

And waft you safe on where your wishes may be;

Then Heaven befriend you, and reward all your toil,

And load up your ship with a pressure of oil.

FOOTNOTES:

[A] After a great fall of snow, sleds, with cattle attached, filled with men and boys, with floating banners and merry bells, cut their way through the snow; thus making the streets passable for lighter vehicles, and for foot passengers.

[B] A name applied by a friend, denoting freshness and vivacity. The Gillyflower united denotes the sweetness of her temper.

[C] “O’er the ferry way,” the residence of my friend’s brother, a delightful farm situated between Bristol and Newport, called the “Elam Place.”

*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHRISTMAS OFFERING ***

Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will be renamed.

Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™ concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use of the Project Gutenberg trademark. If you do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the trademark license is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and research. Project Gutenberg eBooks may be modified and printed and given away—you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the trademark license, especially commercial redistribution.

START: FULL LICENSE

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG™ LICENSE

PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK

To protect the Project Gutenberg™ mission of promoting the free distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work (or any other work associated in any way with the phrase “Project Gutenberg”), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project Gutenberg License available with this file or online at www.gutenberg.org/license.

Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg electronic works

1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property (trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg electronic works in your possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project Gutenberg electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.

1.B. “Project Gutenberg” is a registered trademark. It may only be used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg electronic works even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project Gutenberg electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below.

1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation (“the Foundation” or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project Gutenberg electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the United States and you are located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project Gutenberg mission of promoting free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg name associated with the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg License when you share it without charge with others.

1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project Gutenberg work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any country other than the United States.

1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:

1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg License must appear prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg work (any work on which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” appears, or with which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, copied or distributed:

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg™ License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.

1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg electronic work is derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase “Project Gutenberg” associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg electronic work is posted with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked to the Project Gutenberg License for all works posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work.

1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg.

1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project Gutenberg License.

1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg work in a format other than “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other format used in the official version posted on the official Project Gutenberg website (www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.

1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg works unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing access to or distributing Project Gutenberg electronic works provided that:

- • You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from the use of Project Gutenberg works calculated using the method you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg trademark, but he has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in Section 4, “Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.”

- • You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg™ License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg™ works.

- • You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of receipt of the work.

- • You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free distribution of Project Gutenberg™ works.

1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg™ electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the manager of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.

1.F.

1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project Gutenberg™ collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg™ electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain “Defects,” such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment.

1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the “Right of Replacement or Refund” described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark, and any other party distributing a Project Gutenberg™ electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further opportunities to fix the problem.

1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you ‘AS-IS’, WITH NO OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.

1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.

1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone providing copies of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works in accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg work, and (c) any Defect you cause.

Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg

Project Gutenberg is synonymous with the free distribution of electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from people in all walks of life.

Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg’s goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg collection will remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure and permanent future for Project Gutenberg and future generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org.

Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation

The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service. The Foundation’s EIN or federal tax identification number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state’s laws.

The Foundation’s business office is located at 41 Watchung Plaza #516, Montclair NJ 07042, USA, +1 (862) 621-9288. Email contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the Foundation’s website and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact

Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation

Project Gutenberg™ depends upon and cannot survive without widespread public support and donations to carry out its mission of increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed in machine-readable form accessible by the widest array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations ($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt status with the IRS.

The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate.

While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who approach us with offers to donate.

International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.

Please check the Project Gutenberg web pages for current donation methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate.

Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg electronic works

Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project Gutenberg eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support.

Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.

Most people start at our website which has the main PG search facility: www.gutenberg.org.

This website includes information about Project Gutenberg, including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.

Table of Contents

A CHRISTMAS OFFERING:

A CHRISTMAS OFFERING.

THOUGHTS ON CREATION.

SWEET HOME.

ON THE DEPARTURE OF MY GRANDSON.

ON A FROSTY MORNING.

AFTER A SNOW STORM.

TO MY GRANDDAUGHTER.

TO ROSALIE.

LINES,

THE REPLY.

LINES,

TO THE FRIEND OF MY YOUTH.

TO A YOUNG LADY.

ON THE DEATH OF AN INFANT.

ON SEEING A LOVELY CHILD.

A WISH FOR THE SAILOR.

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG™ LICENSE