SOURCE URL: https://archive.org/details/newyorkbkpoet00fennrich DOCUMENT: The New-York Book of Poetry [ed. Charles Fenno Hoffman] (New-York: George Dearborn, 38 Gold Street, 1837; Advertisement dated 38 Gold Street, Dec. 24, 1836), pp. 217-219: "A VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS / BY CLEMENT C. MOORE." First printing under Moore's name. PROVENANCE OF THIS TEXT: OCR (djvu text) of the archive.org scan; page-header lines retained. VERIFICATION STATUS: [V] verified directly against a scan or OCR of the original document / period printing RETRIEVED: 2026-09-14 NOTES: OCR: read "Prancer ! now, Vixen !" / "Donder and Blixen —" and "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night !". Other Moore pieces in the volume are signed "BY CLEMENT C. MOORE.—1804." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE NEW-YORK BOOK OF POETRY. " Patrice fumus igne alieuo luculentior." NEW-YORK : GEORGE DEARBORN, PUBLISHER, NO. 38 GOLD STREET. * 1837. 3^C? N E w-Yo R K : Printed by SCATCHKRD & ADAMS, No. 38 Gold Street. ADVERTISEMENT. THE work here presented to the Public is compiled from the poetical writings of natives of the State of New- York. The chief object in making the collection was to give ' a local habitation and a name' to fugitive pieces, which, though deem ed worthy of being thus preserved, have hitherto been circu lated in the newspapers and periodicals solely. It was thought well, however, by way of giving completeness to the work, to embody with the rest specimens of those New- York poets whose writings have been already collected in another shape. The design of executing such a work only suggested itself to the Publisher a fortnight before the last sheet was put to press ; and as he was desirous that THE NEW-YORK BOOK should appear at the season when the annuals and other simi lar publications are most in request, those who have aided him in the compilation have perhaps vainly attempted to make up in industry for the want of time. Under the most favourable circumstances, however, it would be idle to attempt making such a collection what it ought to be in a single volume. The field of our Anthology is wider than any casual observer could conceive ; and even in thus rapidly exploring it, the sources of so many new specimens have been indicated that it is hoped the reception of this volume will be such as to warrant the Publisher in soon following it up by another of the same character. 38 Gold Street^ Dec. 24, 1836. [... pp. 217-219 ...] And Ceres sees her daughter's two-fold mien, On Earth a nymph, in Pluto's realms a queen. A VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS BY CLEMENT C. MOORE. 'TWAS the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse ; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there ; 28 « A VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS. The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced through their heads ; And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap— When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter : Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. The moon, on the breast of the new-fallen snow, Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below. When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer, With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name ; " Now, Dasher ! now, Dancer ! now, Prancer ! now, Vixen ! On ! Comet, on ! Cupid, on ! Donder and Blixen — To the top of the porch ! to the top of the wall ! Now, dash away, dash away, dash away all !" As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, So, up to the house-top the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of toys — and St. Nicholas too. And then in a twinkling I heard on the roof The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. As I drew in my head, and was turning around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnish'd with ashes and soot ; A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, And he look'd like a pedlar just opening his pack. His eyes — how they twinkled ! his dimples, how merry ! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry ; ON SEEING A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG LADY, ETC. 219 His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow. The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath. He had a broad face and a little round belly That shook, when he laugh'd, like a bowl full of jelly. He was chubby and plump ; a right jolly old elf ; And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself. A wink of his eye, and a twist of his head, Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread. He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work. And filled all the stockings ; then turned with a jirk, And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose. He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle ; But I heard him exclaim ere he drove out of sight, " Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night !" ON SEEING A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG LADY