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CHARACTERS: SUSANNAH BARBAULD MARISSAL, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: O! Born to sooth distress, and lighten care
Last Line: And love must owe its origin to love.
Alternate Author Name(s): Aikin, Anna Letitia


O! born to sooth distress, and lighten care;
Lively as soft, and innocent as fair;
Blest with that sweet simplicity of thought
So rarely found, and never to be taught;
Of winning speech, endearing, artless, kind,
The loveliest pattern of a female mind;
Like some fair spirit from the realms of rest
With all her native heaven within her breast;
So pure, so good, she scarce can guess at sin,
But thinks the world without like that within;
Such melting tenderness, so fond to bless,
Her charity almost becomes excess.
Wealth may be courted, wisdom be rever'd,
And beauty prais'd, and brutal strength be fear'd;
But goodness only can affection move;
And love must owe its origin to love.





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