CHEAPGIFTS:ASONNET

cheapgifts:asonnet

(1834)

[inaleafofaquartoeditionofthe'livesofthesaints,writteninspanishbythelearnedandreverendfather,alfonsovillegas,divine,oftheorderofst.dominick,setforthinenglishbyjohnheigham,anno1630,'boughtatacatholicbook-shopindukestreet,lincoln'sinnfields,ifound,carefullyinserted,apaintedflower,seeminglycoevalwiththebookitself;anddidnot,forsometime,discoverthatitopenedinthemiddle,andwasthecovertoaveryhumbledraughtofast.anne,withthevirginandchild;doubtlesstheperformanceofsomepoorbutpiouscatholic,whosemeditationsitassisted.]

oliftwithreverenthandthattarnish'dflower,

that'shrinesbeneathhermodestcanopy

memorialsdeartoromishpiety;

dimspecks,rudeshapes,ofsaints!inferventhour

theworkperchanceofsomemeekdevotee,

who,poorinworldlytreasurestosetforth

thesanctitiessheworshippedtotheirworth,

inthisimperfecttracerymightsee

hints,thatallheavendidtohersensereveal.

cheapgiftsbestfitpoorgivers.wearetold

ofthelonemite,thecupofwatercold,

thatintheirwayapprovedtheofferer'szeal.

trueloveshowscostliest,wherethemeansarescant;

and,inherreckoning,theyabound,whowant.