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In fair proportion see the letters stand, A useful, beauteous, and expressive band, With eye of care we must their texture raise, A point too much the hand unskill’d betrays. A thread misplac’d, their symmetry despoils, And the fond hope of excellence beguiles. So, my sweet Girl, the path of life survey, And tread with caution o’er the devious way. An erring step would blight thy budding fame, And with dishonour stamp my Anna’s120 name. From rules of virtue shouldst thou careless stray, Nor sighs, nor tears, can e’er the forfeit pay: For female reputation wounded,–dies– No blest Panacea the wide world supplies.

Full Text
In fair proportion see the letters stand, A useful, beauteous, and expressive band, With eye of care we must their texture raise, A point too much the hand unskill’d betrays. A thread misplac’d, their symmetry despoils, And the fond hope of excellence beguiles. So, my sweet Girl, the path of life survey, And tread with caution o’er the devious way. An erring step would blight thy budding fame, And with dishonour stamp my Anna’s120 name. From rules of virtue shouldst thou careless stray, Nor sighs, nor tears, can e’er the forfeit pay: For female reputation wounded,–dies– No blest Panacea the wide world supplies.
Listed on Page Number
274
Sampler Worked By
Susan Prandall
Date of Sampler
1808
Place Sampler Made
n.p. (see Notes)
Sampler Listed on Page
211
Author/Publication/Country/Date
Murray, Judith Sargent (1751-1820). “Lines Written in my Closet” vol. 1; New England. See English Dissertation thesis written on Judith Sargent Murray by Tammy Mills, Georgia State Universtiy8-2-2006, “Lines Written in my Closet: One of Judith Sargent Murray’s Poetry Manuscripts” p. 192. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1010&context=english_diss
Notes
Susan Prandall was born in Gloucester, MA and was 9 when she stitched the sampler. Judith Sargent Murray was from Gloucester, MA and wrote this poem for a young girl, ‘MissP--- a little female of whom I had the care” and titled it “To the same, by way of conclusion to her Sampler” Perhaps ‘Miss P’ is Susan Prandall? Verse was also stitched by: Mariann Guild, 1819, Dedham, MA. P166.