Sarah Ireson,
England, 1764
A fine 18th century sampler worked in classic English format, this is signed, “Sarah Ireson ended her sampler in the twelfth year of her age July the 14 1764.” Carefully worked tiny lettering forms the many registers of verse, transcribed here below. Horizontal bands of trees, sampler borders, baskets of fruit, strawberries and little birds and stars embellish her work as well. Sarah fit a great deal onto a relatively small sampler!
Transcription:
If you desire to worship God arise first in the morning
pray and last at light crave for his blessing no your
labours all and in distress for his assistance call
Some men get riches yet are always poor some get no
riches yet have all things sure they that are proud
and other men disdain do often meet with hate and scorn
See how the lilies flourish white and fair
See how the ravens fed from heaven are
Then neer distrust thy god for cloth and bread
Whilst lilies flourish and the ravens fed
Zaccheus short of stature fain would see
His saviour pass and climb into a tree
If we by faith would see this glorious king
Our thoughts must mount
on contemplations wing
The Desire
From my beginning may the almighty powers blessings bestown
In never ceasing showers oh may I happy be and always
blest of evry joy of evry wish possessed may plenty dissipate
All worldly cares and smiling peace bless my revolving years
If all mankind would live in mutual love this would
Would much resemble that above greatness in virtue
Only’s understood none’s truly great that is not truly good
Worked in silk on wool, the sampler is in very good condition with a number of very minor areas of weakness or loss to the wool. The needlework is in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted and is in a molded and black painted frame.