Canadian Wild Flowers
Johnson, Helen M. (Helen Mar), 1834-1863
English
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CANADIAN WILD FLOWERS:
SELECTIONS FROM THE WRITINGS OF
MISS HELEN M. JOHNSON,
OF MAGOG, P.Q., CANADA
WITH A SKETCH OF HER LIFE
BY REV. J. M. ORROCK
Good thoughts spring from the human mind
Like flowers out the ground:
Attractive, fragrant, beautiful,--
To make our joys abound
PREFACE.
An observance of the hand of God in his providences, as well as of his
Spirit in the written Word and in the human heart, has led to the
publication of this book. Though more than twenty years hare passed
since Miss JOHNSON died, her name is like "an ointment poured forth."
Many who never knew her personally seem to know her well from her
poetic writings: for "as fragrance to the sense of smell, music to the
ear, or beauty to the eye, so is poetry to the sensibilities of the
heart,--it ministers to a want of our intellectual nature; this is the
secret of its power and the pledge of its perpetuity." A 16mo volume
of her "Poems" was published in Boston, in 1855, but has long been out
of print. In 1864 the Rev. E. H. Dewart published in Montreal a work
entitled "Selections from Canadian Poets," in which ten of her poems
were inserted and a very appreciative notice of her given. She also
wrote for several papers, so that in various ways her thoughts have
been widely disseminated. A desire has often been expressed to have
them collected into one volume; but to have all thus republished would
not be best. I have therefore attempted only what the title indicates
--to make _selections from her writings_; and conclude to send them
forth under a name which she herself chose at a time when she had
thoughts of getting out a book. Let critics remember that they claim
to be only "_Canadian wild flowers_"; yet we feel sure that some
of them, for beauty of form and fragrance of truth, will not
unfavorably compare with some of the cultivated productions of our
classic poets. Miss JOHNSON was better known by her poetry than by her
prose writings, yet in the latter are found so many grand thoughts
that I have copied from them freely. The biographical sketch, it is
hoped, will add interest to the book, especially as so many of her
diary notes have been interwoven. Some of her pieces are here printed
for the first time. The prize poem on "The Surrender of Quebec" is
given in full. In the Preface to her "Poems" she said: "I have been
cheered and encouraged by the thought that perhaps through my
instrumentality the heart of some humble believer might be comforted,
and some wretched wanderer, weary of the vanities of earth, be
directed to the only source of life and happiness. Should such be the
case, the brightest hopes of the authoress will be fulfilled, and she
herself be amply compensated for her care and labor." With a sincere
desire to aid in the direction thus indicated this little work is now
sent forth.
J.M.O.
Brookline, Mass., June 22, 1884.
CONTENTS.
LIFE-SKETCH:
Birth-place--The Forest (a poem)--Conviction of sin--Baptism and
Resolutions--Experience--Diary notes in verse--Sufferings--Last poem--
The One Name and The Adieu (poetry)--Death
RURAL SCENES:
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