| Hunt and Lee, comps. The Book of the Sonnet. 1867. | | | | IV. To Edith—1845 | | By Bryan Waller Procter (1787–1874) |
| | | LIKE thy first Sister, when her years were few, | |
| And Nature through her gentlest instinct taught, | |
| (Till Time the Soul’s bright pinions outward drew, | |
| And Reason with Imagination wrought,) | |
| Mayst thou take note—as a good child should do— | 5 |
| Of all things best in her, of deed and thought: | |
| Mayst thou be prudent, wise, sweet-tempered, true, | |
| Trustful, but by no specious error caught; | |
| God bless thee! May thy blameless life be hung | |
| With garlands of delight! May Peace, the dove, | 10 |
| Dwell in thine heart through long and prosperous days! | |
| May Truth e’er warn thee with an Angel’s tongue! | |
| May Earth’s best children meet thy love with love; | |
| And Heaven smile on thee in a thousand ways! | | | | |
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