K., Gift Book of Poetry. (Edinburgh: John Johnstone, 1843)

Information about the collection: There are two engravings on the title page and frontispiece, one an illustration of Wordsworth's "We are Seven," with the lines "Two of us at Conway dwell,/ And Two are gone to sea," and the other a full-page illustration of "Beth-Gelert" (listed as anon.). There are two quotes on the next page: "Whatever withdraws us from the power of out senses, and makes the past, the distant, or the future, predominate over the present, advances us in the dignity of thinking beings" (Samuel Johnson); "This is the very essence, and to produce it is the end, of poetry. To translate prose into poetry, would be like gathering up dew-drops which appear jewels and pearls in the grass, but run into water in the hand; the essence and the elements remain, but the grace, the sparkle, and the form are gone" (James Montgomery). The ordering of the TOC is done by alphabetical order, though the ordering of the volume itself is definitely random. A"gift book" is included here as an illustrative example of one19th century form of the miscellany.

Preface: It has been customary for Editors of Collections of Poetry to apologize for entering on a field which some may regard as having already been sufficiently cultivated. In this respect it is considered that they have been over sensitive. Common wants require a full supply. The class of persons who have neither the time nor inclination to bestow a sustained persual on extended poetical efforts are a numerous and increasing portion of society; and it is certainly better that they should be led to cultivate an acquaintance with fugitive poetry, than that they should altogether be shut out from intimacy with such an important department of human thought. If this be conceded, certainly no fault should be found because of the multiplication of the necessary facilities.

One complaint urged against such compilations -- that of their tendency to foster tastes of a superficial kind -- should not be too rigidly insisted on, because it is obvious, that a knowledge of the minor compositions of our poets, independently of being in itself humanising, will, in many instances, lead to the perusal and appreciation of their more elaborate productions.

In the following Collection, it will be observed that, for the most part, short Pieces, complete in themselves, are inserted, in preference to extracts from extended Poems, -- a course which has been followed, from a conviction that the former are more suitable for popular use. In perusing a lengthened Poem, the reader insensibly imbibes a portion of the spirit of the Author, and is carried along with him in his lofty march, -- hence when a passage occurs which is regarded as possessing considerable sublimity, the pleasurable emotion engendered is often more the result of the elevation of mind produced by the context, than any extraordinary merit in the individual passage; and consequently the transferring of such in an isolated form would, in many instances, fail to produce the anticipated effect. Moreover, complete justice is not done to the Author, -- a defect which cannot be imputed where an entire piece is given.

To produce a faultless Selection of Popular Poetry would require more critical acumen than the Compiler lays claim to; and it would be exacting an unreasonable service from those who play a vocation in literature so humble to expect such a consummation. In the present attempt, the Editor does not profess always to have inserted the best pieces on each subject, nor to have offered the best pieces of each Author. He has not introduced new verses merely for the sake of novelty; neither has he excluded old established favourites, because of their having successively appeared in the pages of former collectors. All that he aimed at in making his somewhat desultory gleanings was to present a volume of Poetry which, although not exclusively religious or devotional, should, nevertheless, have a tendency to deepen those pure and spiritual affections which bind us to our brethren, to nature, and to God. In the prosecution of his object he has spared neither time nor labour; and if he has failed, it has been from no lack of anxiety to execute his task in a proper spirit. K.
Edinburgh, November 9, 1842

Table of Contents: 

Absent Partner, to an .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Heber
Affectionate Heart .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Mrs. Cottle
America to Great Britain .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..W. Allston
Angels watching for the Spirits of the Just .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. J. Bethune
Arouse thee, Soul! .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..R. Nicoll
Battle-Field, the .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Bryant
Beauty .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..R. Montgomery
Beth-Gelert .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Anon
Better Land, the .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Mrs. Hemans
Birds .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Mary Howitt
Blind Girl to her Mother, .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Anon
Calm, the .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Moore
Cape Trafalgar, Stanzas on sailing past .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Wilson
Child to her Mother .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Miss Jewsbury
Churchyard, Hymn of the .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..J. Bethun
Cloud, the .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Shelley
Comforter, the .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Moore
Common Lot .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..J. Montgomery
Coral Grove .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Percival
Death of Manrique's Father .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Lockhart
---- a Pious Child .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Mrs. Hemans
Deep, Treasures of the .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Ib.
Domestic Scene .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Mrs. Hemans
Dream of the Ocean .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..C.J. Locke
Dying Girl and Flowers .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Anon
--- Maiden .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..R. Nicoll
Emigrant's Daughter .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Mrs. Sigourney
Evening .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Courier
--- Musings .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..S. Stickney
Factory, the .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Miss Landon
Falling Leaves, Voice of .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..F.B.
Father to his Motherless Children .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Mrs. Sigourney
Farewell .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Miss Landon
Flowers, Field .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Anon
--- Use of .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Mary Howitt
Foreign Lands .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Ib.
Friends, Separation of .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Montgomery
Friendship .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Dr. S. Johnson
--- .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Pollock
Funeral Hymn .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Heber
Gilboa, Field of .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Knox
God is Everywhere .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..R. Nicoll
Graves of a Household .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Mrs. Hemans
Hope in Death .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Campbell
I do not love thee .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Miss Sheridan
If I had thought thou couldst have died .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Wolfe
Iceberg, the .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..J.O. Rockwell
In Vain .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..F.B.
Inchcape Bell .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Southey
Italy, Moonlight Scene in .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Byron
Kosciusko, Spirit of .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..D.M. Moir
Last Man .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Campbell
--- Rites, .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Miss Landon
Let me Weep .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Ib.
Lines presented with a Hair Brooch .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Mrs. W.W. Duncan
Loch Long, Scenery of .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Rogers
Lord William and Edmund .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Southey
Love .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Hogg
Love and Beauty, Spirit of .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..W. Calder
Madness, Fear of .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..L.M. Davidson
Marco Bozzaris .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..F.G. Halleck
Mary in Heaven .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Burns
Martyrs .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Cowper
Melancholy .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..J. Bethune
Midges Dance above the Burn .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Tannahill
Mitherless Bairn, the .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..W. Thom
Mitchell, Fanny, to the Memory of .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..W. McComb
Molehill in a Churchyard .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..J. Montgomery
Morning .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..J.W. Cunningham
Mother's Picture, on the Receipt of .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Cowper
--- Prayer .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..J.C. Simpson
My Early Home .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Anon
My Heather Land .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..W. Thom
Nature, Hymn of .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..W.O. Peabody
Night, to .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Shelley
Orphan Boy .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Mrs. Opie
--- 's Hymn .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Grahame
Park, Mungo, on his Finding a Green
Tuft in the African Desert .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Rev. R.M.McCheyne
Passing Away .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Anon
Pauper's Death-Bed .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..C. Bowles
Poet, the .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Miss Landon
Poetry .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Clare
Poor, Complaints of the .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Southey
Puir Folk, the .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..R. Nicoll
Regard Due to the Feelings of Others .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..L. Huntley
--- .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..C. Bowles
--- .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..J.C. Simpson
Revellers, the .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Anon
Richmond Churchyard, Verses Written in .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Knowles
Sabbath .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Mrs. Sigourney
Scottish Exile's Farewell .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Pringle
Seasons, Spirit of .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Rev. W.M. Hetherington
Silent Lover .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Sir W. Raleigh
Solitude .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Kirke White
Spirit's Greeting .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Lady F. Hastings
Spring, Ode to .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..M. Bruce
--- Thought .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..E.L. Montague
Stanzas .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..A.A. Watts
--- .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..R. Huie
Stars, Song of the .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Bryant
Street Musician .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Wordsworth
Sun-Dial in a Churchyard .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. H. Miller
Swan Song .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Lady F. Hastings
Time .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Scott
Valedictory Verses .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..B. Barton
Voice of Praise .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..M.R. Mitford
Waterfall and Brier Rose .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Wordsworth
We are Seven .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Ib.
Who is my Neighbour? .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Anon
Widowed Mother .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Wilson
Winds, to the .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Barton
Wish of Poor Jane .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Crabbe
Woodland Walk .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..R. Nicoll
Woman .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Barret
Yarrow Revisited .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Wordsworth
Youth and Age .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Knox