Anna Beddoes to Davies Giddy, 3 Oct 1803
Taunton [1]
Virtue with milk white wings outspread,
Hangs hovering o’er thy pensive brow,
With yielding blush, oft turns her head,
Slacking her silken reins; and now,
Trembling to trust her darling son,
Unfurls anon, her pennons wide
And softly whispers what to shun -
Thee, she never knows to chide,
So early trained her rights to keep;
Oh guardian Goddess! teach me too,
With him to climb thy awful steep.
What to avoid, and what to do,
Let me, thy favourite daughter be
And led by him for ever dwell with thee
Monday 1/2 past three
Oct the 3rd 1803 – [2]
Address: Davies Giddy Esq / at the Post Office / Exeter
Postmark: TAUNTON / 161
Endorsement: 1803 / Octr the 3d
Notes
[1] Written on Anna’s journey northwards to Bristol from Cornwall, having visited Giddy. She had set out on 28 September and was accompanied by Giddy as far as Exeter.
[2] The date has been added in another hand, probably Giddy’s.