THE LAUNCHING. She starts-she moves-she seems to feel And spurning with her foot the ground, H. W. LONGFELLOW. WELL may they deck the ship to-day Well may she wear her best array, Long has the dainty beauty kept Her lover from her charms, Oh, guard our darling from the storm: Thy bosom never bore A prouder or more faultless form, A fairer love before. Tame down thy billows thundering shocks, Thy foaming wrath, O Sea! And keep her from the angry rocks That lie along her lee. Her home has been where green hills kiss The river's rippling tide, But, oh! our eyes must learn to miss Far off, beneath the sea-kissed skies, Ah, proud may be the mariners. That bears the stripes and stars; The peace that builds a ship like this, A. D. WOODBRIDGE. MISS WOODBRIDGE was born in Penobscot County, but in what year, or town we have found it impossible to ascertain. She is included in Read's Female Poets of America, and also in the American Female Poets, by Caroline May, the latter, only, giving a biographical sketch, from which, however, we can gain no definite information. Her parents resided at Stockbridge, Mass., where she spent the larger portion of her youthful days. She first became known as a poetess by her simple poems, contributed to Mrs. Child's Juvenile Miscellany, and other religious journals. In 1847, an elegant, illustrated volume, entitled 'The Rainbow,' was published in Albany and New York, and edited by A. J. McDonald, Esq., to which she contributed several poems of equal merit to the others which it contained. The design of this work was to suppose the different States of the Union to be flower gardens, and from each, contributions to the work were received, thus forming a national bouquet of the flowers of literature. Miss Woodbridge, associated with the Hon. Beverly Tucker, Henry T. Tuckerman, Rev. Dr. Sprague, Alfred B. Street, and others, represented the State of New York, although she should, more properly, have represented her native State, which, on that occasion, found poor representatives in two nom de plume, contributors of but little merit. She also for several years contributed to the most popular Annuals then published, but few of which are now in existence. For ten years she was connected with the Albany Female Academy, as a teacher, and while there she won the love and warmest friendship of her associates, and the esteem of all who knew her, by her purity of character, kindness of disposition, and superior talent. In 1846, she finished her engagements at this school, and removed to Brooklyn, New York, |