| James and Mary Ford, eds. Every Day in the Year. 1902. | | | | December 16 | | To the Authoress of “Our Village” | | By Charles Kingsley (1819–1875) |
| | | | Mary Russell Mitford, remembered as the author of “Rienzi,” “Our Village,” etc., was born at Alresford, Eng., December 16, 1786. |
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THE SINGLE eye, the daughter of the light; | |
| Well pleased to recognize in lowliest shade | |
| Some glimmer of its parent beam, and made | |
| By daily draughts of brightness, inly bright. | |
| The taste severe, yet graceful, trained aright | 5 |
| In classic depth and clearness, and repaid | |
| By thanks and honour from the wise and staid, | |
| By pleasant skill to blame, and yet delight, | |
| And high communion with the eloquent throng | |
| Of those who purified our speech and song— | 10 |
| All these are yours. The same examples lure | |
| You in each woodland, me on breezy moor— | |
| With kindred aim the same sweet path along, | |
| To knit in loving knowledge rich and poor. | | | |
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