Phillis Wheatley, Poetess
HILLIS WHEATLEY was one of the .first literary women of Amer ica ; the first woman poet of the United States ; the first Negro au thor, the first, as far as has thus far been discovered, to speak of George Washington as the "first in peace."
The first Negro poet was a slave brought over in a cargo of captives in 1781. The ship of human cargo landed at Boston. There among other slave buyers, were Mr. and Mrs. John Wheatley who came to select and purchase a girl for their home. Phillis came forth a frail creature of seven rr eight years of age. The Bostonians bought her and christened her Phillis Wheatley. Of course the slave child was unable to read or write. But the VVheatleys taught her. In less than sixteen months she had acquired a fair knowledge of English and was able to read the most difficult parts of the "Sacred Writings." From the Bible she began to read Latin, the Latin poets and mythology. Soon she began to write verses, which to the people of Boston were very good, indeed excellent for one v.-hh so little training.
She was frail in health. To aid her in gaining strength her friends advised taking a trip to F.n- gl.'ind which she duly made. In England she was the guest of the Countess of Huntingdon, to whom she. later dedicated her book of poems published
in 1773, and was entertained by Lord Dartmouth and other leading men and women of the Empire. She wrote so well that people doubted her author ship. Such men as Governor Thomas Hutchinson of Massachusetts, Andrew Oliver, and John Han cock, the first signers of the Declaration of In dependence, declared that they verily believed that the poems were her own composition.
On her return to America, she found Mrs. Wheat- ley poor in health. Later the Mistress died, the Wheatley home was broken up and the poet left quite unprotected. Shortly after this she received an offer of marriage from one Samuel Peters who was a Negro grocer and a writer and speaker of high repute. The marriage turned out unhappily and the poet died deserted, December 5th, 1794.
Benson J. Lossing, the Historian says of her, "Piety was the ruling sentiment in her character."
The following are taken from Phillis Wheatley's :
ON BEING BROUGHT FROM AFRICA TO AMERICA.
'Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land,
Taught my benighted soul to understand
That there's a God, that there's a Savior, too ;
Once I redemption neither sought nor knew.
Some view our sable race with scornful eye,
"Their color is a diabolic die."
Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain.
May be refined, and join th' angelic train.
A FAREWELL TO AMERICA (1773.
To Mrs. Susannah W. Wheatley.
Adieu, New England's smiling meads,
Adieu, the flow'ry plain :
I leave thine op'ning charms, O spring,
And tempt the roaring main.
In vain for me the flow'rets rise,
And boast their gaudy pride,
While here beneath the Northern skies
I mourn for health deny'd.
Collestial maid of rosy hue,
let me feel thy reign !
I languish till thy face I view
Thy vanish'd joys regain.
Susannah mourns, nor can I bear.
To see the crystal shower.
Or mark the tender falling tear
At sad departure's hour ;
Not unregarding can I see
Her soul with grief opprest
But let no sigh. nor groans for m
Steal from her pensive breast.
In vain the feather'd warblers sing,
In vain the garden blooms,
And on the bosom of the spring
Breathes out her sweet perfumes.
While for Britannia's distant shore
We sweep the liquid plain.
And with astonish'd eyes explore
The wide-extended main.
Lo ! Health appears ! celestial dame !
Complacent and serene,
With Hebe's mantle o'er her Frame,
With soul-delighted mien.
To mark the vale where London lies
With misty vapors crown'd
Which cloud Aurora's thousand dyes,
And veil her charms around.
Why, Phoebus, moves thy car so slow ?
So slow thy rising ray?
Give us the famous town to view,
Thou glorious king of day!
For thee, Britannia, 1 resign
New England's smiling fields;
To view again her charms devine,
What joy the prospect yields !
But thou ! Temptation hence away,
With all thy fatal train
Nor once seduce my soul away,
By thine enchanting strain.
Thrice happy they, whose heav'nly shield
Secures their souls from harms
And fell Temptation on the field
Of all its pow'r disarms !
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