Two Seasonal Poems and a Question
The following handwritten poems were unexpectedly found among the more predictable administrative documents of the Records of Shelburne County Court of General Quarter Sessions (originals held by the Nova Scotia Archives). They were penned in the town of Shelburne, Nova Scotia in the early 1830s and signed by Olivia Rosamond/ Rosomond Enslow.
“Christmas”
[1830-1831]
[His] words, what voices can we bring
Which way our accents raise,
To welcome [the] mysterious King,
And sing a Saviour’s praise.
O ‘tis too [little] all we can,
For his unbounded love,
All that was ever wrote by man
Or sung in hymns above.
O may I bear some humble part
In that immortal song
Wonder and joy shall tune my heart
And love command my tongue.
Lift up a song to God most high,
For love so free so dear
Exalt his praise above the sky,
And make his angels hear.
And thou most precious [lamb] of peace,
[illegiable] Hallelujah
Olivia Rosamond Enslow
“For New Years Day” (1832)
Both slow and solemn sounds the Bell,
As fitting most its sacred call,
It has an awe inspiring knell,
To church or Grave convening all.
When worldly cares absorb thy soul,
And chase thy serious thoughts away,
That Bell does then so loudly sound
Proclaimer of the Sabbath day.
When pain afflicts thy feeble frame
And fell disease is hovering round
That Bell suggests the Saviours name
Those promised aid can heal thy wounds,
When on thy cheek the rose is blowing,
And death will shortly wing his dart,
And health confirms thy mortal part,
That Bell proclaims that time is flowing.
When far away from land you roam,
On seas whose billows loudly roar,
That bell in fancy tolls at home,
That all your cares and fears are o’er
Shelburne, 1st January 1831 (top looks like 1833)
Olivia Rosamond Enslow
Can you help with our big question? Who was Olivia Rosamond Enslow?
A clue: Isaac Enslow was Clerk of the Peace for Shelburne County, Nova Scotia at the time the records were created, so it is reasonable to assume that she was a relative.
Thanks in advance for your help with this mystery!
SUBJECT TERMS: poetry, author, holiday, primary source, Shelburne, Nova Scotia, literature
Comments
Cindy Spears (not verified)
Sun, 02/28/2021 - 22:18
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Olivia
Hi - I'm sure you know by now but Olivia was Isaac's granddaughter. Thank you for sharing her poems.
JEAN Morgan nee... (not verified)
Sun, 03/20/2022 - 05:20
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Olivia Rosamond
I think this is my great grandmother who came to the UK with her children in the 1860's
Mel MacKenzie (not verified)
Sun, 11/20/2022 - 22:34
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Olivia Rosamond Enslow
I think the date is not January 1834 (maybe 1854?).
Olivia Rosamond Enslow (11 Nov 1840 - 12 Jan 1928) m. James R MacIntosh on 26 Dec 1862.
Sources:
https://archives.novascotia.ca/vital-statistics/marriage/?ID=10606
https://archives.novascotia.ca/vital-statistics/death/?ID=240893
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/143680934/olivia-rosemond-mcintosh
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