Book XIX.
l. 265. Catharine.
after l. 294:
The mother’s whisper cannot here have place;
The words distinguish’d were but caps and lace,
With something lying in a cedar chest,
And a shrewd smile that further thoughts express’d. (O.M.)
About This Book
The volume gathers later narrative and miscellaneous poems, presenting a sequence of Tales of the Hall followed by posthumous pieces and shorter lyrics. An editor’s preface and textual notes outline manuscript sources and variant readings. The poems offer realistic portraits of rural and domestic life, closely observed scenes, and moral reflection on passions such as pride, grief, revenge, and belated refinement, delivered through narrative sketches and reflective commentary. Tone alternates between anecdotal storytelling, satirical observation, and sober moralizing.